UFC 310 ‘Pantoja vs. Asakura’ Play-by-Play, Results & Round Scoring

Lukasz Brzeski (234) vs. Kennedy Nzechukwu (236.5)

BETTING PREVIEW | SCOUTING REPORT | ODDS: Nzechukwu (-620), Brzeski (+400)

Round 1

There is only one pay-per-view left on the slate for the UFC this year, and it starts right now—well, the event does, at least. The paid portion is in a few hours, with a lengthy preliminary appetizer for fans’ enjoyment. The early fights should provide plenty of action until the heavy hitters get going. As far as heavy goes, these two curtain-jerkers will weigh the most of anyone competing tonight. Former 205er Nzechukwu (13-5, 7-5 UFC) has found a new lease on life without having to cut weight, hitting the scale at a reasonably sized 237 pounds—most of the best heavyweights to grace the sport have hovered around 230-240 pounds. He takes on struggling Polish competitor Brzeski (9-5-1, 1 NC; 1-4 UFC), with both men sporting knockout rates above 50%. Referee Chris Tognoni is ready should he be called upon, and he commences the action as the big men clap hands. Brzeski initiates offense first, kicking low and jabbing his way forward. Nzechukwu hand-fights and pokes out his own jab to find his distance, his front hand low. Brzeski flicks out a few more jabs, and he hops back to avoid a low kick. Nzechukwu bounces two punches off the guard, and they crash together throwing hands. The Polish fighter goes to the body a few times, and Nzechukwu swings back with a left hand and pushes him away with a front kick. Nzechukwu intercepts a jab with a kick, and he prods out a front kick after the leg kick. Brzeski kicks his lead leg back, and Nzechukwu grabs his hand and looks for a huge left hand. Brzeski parries it and comes over the top with a pair of right hooks, the second getting his foe’s attention momentarily. Nzechukwu kicks the ribcage and then fires his shin up high to slam into the guard. Nzechukwu ducks low to avoid a pair of counters, and he uses his front kick to measure himself well. They again clash together with strikes at the same time, and Nzechukwu recovers first and lunges with a long left hand. A short right from Nzechukwu gets in, only for Brzeski to snap his head back with an uppercut. Brzeski catches a body kick and lets his man have it with a short flurry, and Nzechukwu backs off to recover his footing and sticks Brzeski with a straight left hand. Nzechukwu follows the punch with a kick up top, and Brzeski swats him away after defending the latter. Nzechukwu slams his shin on the midsection of his opponent, drawing a brief takedown consideration before Brzeski stands himself up and scores a few times on the feet. Nzechukwu drives his knee in the chest, and he clubs Brzeski with a left-right combo. Brzeski responds in kind, and he goes to the body after it. Brzeski stays busy with low kicks, and he gets caught with a left hand when “African Savage” rushes at him. Nzechukwu pokes out with a few front kicks, and sits down on a fierce left hook and loads up on a massive right that separates Brzeski from his senses. With Tognoni watching extremely closely, Nzechukwu only needs a few punctuating hammerfists to stamp his ticket as a victor tonight. This first-round knockout in the books, the Fortis MMA fighter has now finished his opponent in each of his last seven triumphs.

The Official Result

Kennedy Nzechukwu def. Lukasz Brzeski R1 4:51 via TKO (Punches)

Clay Guida (155) vs. Chase Hooper (155.5)

BETTING PREVIEW | SCOUTING REPORT | ODDS: Hooper (-1150), Guida (+650)

Round 1

This next bout will serve as a rematch between the fighters, albeit in a different sport. At Fury Pro Grappling 6 at the end of 2022, Hooper (14-3-1, 6-3 UFC) landed a calf slicer on Guida (38-24, 18-18 UFC) to end the night early for “The Carpenter.” Guida will try to get that one back in the lightweight division, and he is not favored to do so, with Hooper the biggest betting favorite of the evening at astronomical -1200 odds. Anything can and often does happen in the wild sport of MMA, and referee Keith Peterson is ready for it no matter where the match goes. Without any nonsense left in the cage, the fighters meet in the middle without planning on touching gloves. Hooper introduces himself with a right hand and a few head kicks, and Guida takes them on the chin and bounces around like usual without a care in the world. Hooper times a head kick when Guida ducks down, and he grabs hold of a guillotine choke when Guida threatens to take the fight down. Guida bails on the attempt, smiles and circles away. Hooper walks him down and lands a front kick and a left kick, making Guida smile even larger. Hooper beats his man to the punch, but he gets caught with a right hand as he works his way forward into the clinch. Hooper hunts for a trip takedown and wrestles Guida to the mat, landing in an advantageous position that is somewhere between half guard and side control. Guida turns all the way around to stand back up, and he tries to take the fight down only to get thrown head-over-heel to the mat. Guida’s scramble results in Hooper dragging him back down from behind, and Hooper takes his back and looks to get his hooks in. Guida twists to escape, only to be met with an armbar waiting for him. Guida is wise to it and turns himself back around, but Hooper is dead set on snatching up the limb. Guida manages to get out of it, and as he sits up and looks for grappling control, Hooper hops around and gets his back and flattens him down. Hooper snags hold of the armbar from an unorthodox position from high up on Guida’s back, and he rolls over to lock the submission down. The moment Guida turns to his back, he taps frantically. Loosing a guttural shout, Hooper releases the armlock as soon as Peterson intervenes, and Guida stands up and tends to his damaged wing. The sport never stops, as aging vet Guida’s skid extends to three while Hooper adds one more to his growingly impressive win streak.

The Official Result

Chase Hooper def. Clay Guida R1 3:41 via Submission (Armbar)

Michael Chiesa (170.5) vs. Max Griffin (170)

BETTING PREVIEW | SCOUTING REPORT | ODDS: Griffin (-125), Chiesa (+105)

Round 1

It’s a quintessential grappler vs. striker matchup to hold serve in the welterweight division, as two aging vets look to show the matchmakers they still have plenty to offer even as losses have piled up of late. Birthday boy Chiesa (17-7, 12-7 UFC) snapped a career-long skid by tapping Tony Ferguson in August, while Griffin (20-10, 8-8 UFC) has alternated wins and losses in his last five. Referee Marc Goddard will take charge of the Octagon for the next three rounds or fewer, and he kicks the fight off as the 170ers opt not to bump fists. Chiesa strafes around the cage, not letting himself slow down so that Griffin can cut him off. Griffin walks him down, but he is unable to corner him early. Chiesa keeps his front hand open to engage with grappling instead of throwing it, and he hand-fights Griffin’s lead hand in the other stance. Chiesa punches his way into a takedown attempt, clipping Griffin with a left before dragging him to a knee. Griffin leans himself against the cage, and “Maverick” glides behind him. Chiesa slithers a hook in to tangle Griffin up, and Griffin stands up. Chiesa gets the other hook in from behind and he wraps his legs together to hang on as a mean-spirited backpack. Griffin wriggles his foe off of him and separates, resetting at striking range. Chiesa bounces and keeps moving, whipping a high kick that slaps off the raised guard. Griffin catches Chiesa in the midst of an exchange, and Chiesa’s counter is so wild he nearly swings himself down to the ground. Griffin lets him recover so he can stick him with a right hand, and Chiesa’s reaction is uncomfortable as he is momentarily stunned. Griffin loads up on power strikes, drawing some swelling beneath Chiesa’s left eye. Chiesa connects with a big left, takes a takedown and drives a knee into the chest. Griffin shakes it off and tags his foe with a right hand, and Chiesa nods at the blow and shoots for a takedown. Griffin hits the ground and scrambles wildly to explode to his feet. Chiesa wrenches him back down to the mat, and he wraps a body triangle around the waist and smacks Griffin in the back and sides of the head until the horn sounds.

Sherdog Scores

Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-9 Chiesa
Brian Knapp scores the round: 10-9 Chiesa
Tristen Critchfield scores the round: 10-9 Chiesa

Round 2

Chiesa starts off the round fresh as a daisy, springing back and forth and picking his shots from the outside. Griffin’s counters hit nothing but air, and Chiesa punches his way into a takedown that is stonewalled. Griffin darts in with a right hand, and on the way out, Chiesa lands his own punch. Griffin whiffs when Chiesa ducks down on a takedown, and two more failed shots from Chiesa lead to a tie-up against the fence. Griffin wants nothing to do with this, exploding out of the clinch so he can continue stalking Chiesa down. Griffin comes up short on power strikes, with Chiesa escaping out the back door and surprising “Pain” with a head kick. Griffin ties him up and pushes the TUF champ against the wall. Griffin grinds his foe against the fencing, getting a knee in as he imposes his weight. Goddard asks for more activity, and Chiesa is the one who answers, changing levels for a takedown shot. Before it goes anywhere, Griffin twists him around, and he eventually works his way out. Chiesa ducks a left hand to try to take the fight down, and he surprises the older fighter with a sudden flurry of uppercuts and short punches that get Griffin’s attention. Chiesa’s momentum drives him into a clinch, and he wraps his left leg around Griffin’s so he can try to wrench him down. Chiesa partially takes the back while the two remain standing, and he works on Griffin with stay-busy strikes until Griffin turns around. The round ends with a Chiesa knee to the body.

Sherdog Scores

Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-9 Chiesa
Brian Knapp scores the round: 10-9 Chiesa
Tristen Critchfield scores the round: 10-9 Chiesa

Round 3

Griffin comes out of his corner ready to throw hands, and he marches Chiesa down and tries to cut him off. Chiesa keeps moving, constantly going from side to side. As he swipes out a left hand, he shrugs after landing it. Griffin catches him with a right hand, and Chiesa retaliates and pursues a takedown. Griffin stonewalls him and pushes him aside, and he eats a right hand on the way out. As Griffin loads up, Chiesa trips him out with a single-leg takedown and takes his back. One hook in leads to two, and Chiesa hangs onto the back of “Pain” and fishes for an opening. Chiesa wraps up the rear-naked choke, and Griffin pushes off the fence to get just enough space in the grip to keep himself in the fight. Chiesa refastens his choke and is primarily using his right arm to get it done, and as Griffin turns to his stomach, he enters the Danger Zone. Chiesa wrenches on the rear-naked choke with his other arm with sheer power and determination, and Griffin has no choice but to tap out before going out. As Chiesa releases the sub, he walks off to celebrate. His legion of fans in the building start singing him “Happy Birthday,” and he dedicates his victory to recently deceased UFC staff member Derek Thompson.

The Official Result

Michael Chiesa def. Max Griffin R3 1:56 via Submission (Rear-Naked Choke)

Cody Durden (126) vs. Joshua Van (126)

BETTING PREVIEW | SCOUTING REPORT | ODDS: Van (-155), Durden (+130)

Round 1

Speed is the name of the game in this flyweight affair, as skilled grappler Durden (17-6-1, 6-4-1 UFC) will try to ply his trade against offense-first Houstonian by way of Myanmar Van (11-2, 4-1 UFC). The two 125ers looking to climb the ranks share similar stoppage rates of 71% and 73%, respectively, which is rare at this division and something referee Chris Tognoni should keep in mind when officiating this contest. Fists are bumped, and they come into close range to trade. Durden lands a low kick and comes up short on a one-two. Van connects with a hard low kick, and Durden fires back with a surprisingly effective high kick and a punch salvo. Durden punches his way into a double-leg takedown, and he gets elbows in the side of the head when trying. Durden drops all the way down to fish for Van’s ankle, and he lifts “The Fearless” up and deposits him to his seat. Van methodically works his way back to his feet with Durden pressuring and leaning on him, and he hacks with a few elbows before Durden drags him back down to the floor. Van strikes with elbows to the side of the dome, and Durden takes a moment to cover as he does not like absorbing them. Van muscles his way up to his feet, but Durden is on him like a cheap suit. Van rips the body with a right hand to break away, and he rushes forward behind his jab. Durden fires off a left hand, and the two trade blows in the pocket. Van pierces the guard with a few jabs and works the body in subsequent strikes, and he snaps the head back with a sharp uppercut. Van gets Durden’s attention, slipping an uppercut to get Durden’s attention. Van slams his shin on the front leg of his foe, and he walks square into an uppercut that Durden is spamming. As Van meanders forward, Durden stops him with a double-leg entry. Van defends with elbows until Durden switches to a single-leg takedown attempt, and Van is able to set his leg down while keeping himself upright. Durden tries to lift Van up in the air, but he settles for grinding out the remainder of the round.

Sherdog Scores

Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-9 Van
Brian Knapp scores the round: 10-9 Durden
Tristen Critchfield scores the round: 10-9 Durden

Round 2

The flyweights race out of their corners to re-engage, and engage they do. Both men load up on wild strikes, and Van rocks his opponent with a flurry. Durden fires back, and he keeps Van honest but is not taking him out of the equation. Van shrugs off a head kick to do some damage with punch combos, and he sprawls to stop a takedown and clips Durden with an uppercut. Van chains his punches together, and Durden’s balance is starting to betray him as his knees wobble. Van knocks his man back with an accurate series of punches, and he drills the midsection and is ready to stop a takedown. Durden flops to his back, and Van tells him to get up. Tognoni has him stand up, and they start up throwing fire again. Durden lands, and all Van does is smile and swing back with a vengeance. Durden’s power is starting to slip due to fatigue, while Van is accurate and putting high volume that marks Durden’s face up on the nose and eyebrow. Durden overswings, and he eats a crisp overhand right for his effort. “The Fearless” fearlessly engages in a slugfest, landing first and last in exchanges. Van is not loading up, instead allowing Durden to do that so he can capitalize on the wild, lumbering swings and retaliate sharply. Van stops a takedown in its tracks so he can drive home an uppercut, and he wades away from a spinning back fist and slides in to connect with a right hand. Durden’s inaccurate left hook leads to three punches busting him in the chops. Durden keeps swinging hard, and the telegraphed strikes are either missing entirely or sliding off the target and getting rolled with. Van puts a one-two on the chin, and Durden responds with a left and a big right. Van strings together five punches in rapid succession, leaning back to dodge “Custom Made” and forward to connect cleanly. When Van eats the power strikes, he does not budge, while every other blow seems to draw a reaction out of the slowing Durden. The round ends with the two trading leather.

Sherdog Scores

Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-9 Van
Brian Knapp scores the round: 10-9 Van
Tristen Critchfield scores the round: 10-9 Van

Round 3

A glove touch commences the final frame, and Van is immediately in striking range as he flusters Durden with movement and footwork. Durden fights behind his jab, and he puts some mustard behind a follow-up right hand. Van no-sells the strike and nails Durden with two powerful low kicks, and Durden swipes back at him with left hooks. Van goes high and then to the body and low calf, mixing things up to keep Durden guessing. Durden tries a Superman punch from up close, only fur Van to block it and knock him back a step. One-twos from both sides land on the guard, and Van clubs his foe on the temple and drops Durden to a knee. Durden signals that it was not a big deal, drawing Van into a brawl. Yan’s offense is gradually breaking Durden down, and he connects with a particularly rough left hand that makes Durden fall to his back. Durden is forced to stand back up, and he keeps his right hand covering the eye socket that might have been hurt. Van strings three punches into a knee to the liver, and Durden shells up and launches a huge right hand that goes wide. Van stifles a takedown and misses with a haymaker, only to drift back when Durden spins with a back fist. Van slips and counters his foe, and Durden wobbles but stays on his feet. A jab from Van makes Durden frown, but it does not slow him down as he hurls huge hooks anywhere he can aim them. Van walks him down and connects cleanly, knocking Durden’s mouthpiece out. Tognoni calls time during a moment to break to replace Durden’s gumshield, and the two resume their torrid brawl. Durden may be leading with his chin, but he is swinging with everything he has. Van hurts him with a few hooks, a knee and a head kick, and Durden is hanging on tight but just taking damage. Durden swings it out until the final bell, putting an end to an exciting striking affair.

Sherdog Scores

Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-9 Van (30-27 Van)
Brian Knapp scores the round: 10-9 Van (29-28 Van)
Tristen Critchfield scores the round: 10-9 Van (29-28 Van)

The Official Result

Joshua Van def. Cody Durden via Unanimous Decision (29-28, 30-26, 30-27)

Eryk Anders (193) vs. Chris Weidman (194.5)

BETTING PREVIEW | SCOUTING REPORT | ODDS: Weidman (-115), Anders (-105)

Round 1

For the first time since 2017, former middleweight kingpin Weidman (16-7, 12-7 UFC) will be competing in the Octagon more than once in a year. The fight was originally booked a few weeks ago, but an illness to Anders shifted it to this card and up from 185 to 195 pounds. Despite swimming in the same circles for years, he and Anders (16-8, 1 NC; 8-8, 1 NC UFC) had never met, but Saturday will change that. Both men on in the twilight of their careers sport exactly the same finish rate of 62%, which means it’s not certain the referee Mark Smith will need to get involved but it’s far from off the table. The fist bump demonstrates plenty of respect from the two, who then bounce back and forth looking for ways in. After a bit of hand-fighting, Weidman pitches out a front kick. Weidman swings a high kick up that gets blocked, and he shoots low for a takedown to draw a fierce sprawl out of his opponent. Anders stands up and keeps his guard up, evading a step-in jab to shoot in on Weidman’s hips. Weidman stops the takedown setup by putting his back to the wall, and he uses a few uppercuts to break the clinch. Weidman throws a body kick, and it gets caught. The two slug it out with Weidman’s leg in the air, and Anders shocks him with a head kick on the other side. Weidman backs away to the fencing, and Anders wrenches him down to the floor. Weidman stands, and Anders sweeps his leg and sets him down again. With Weidman down on one knee trying to stand up, Anders knees him in the head illegally. Smith calls time, giving Weidman a bit to recover. Weidman is good to go, and Smith admonishes Anders for the foul. When they resume, Weidman races forward with a left hook, and he belts the body with a kick. Weidman sits down on a left hand as Anders advances, putting the former football player down to the canvas. Weidman unloads with ferocious ground-and-pound, slicing Anders’ right eyebrow open. Not ready to burn his gas tank out looking for a finish, Weidman lowers himself down to the half guard and presses his chest firmly down. Anders fishes for a sweep, resulting in Weidman re-establishing himself on top and slashing down with an elbow. Anders protects himself from the worst of the blows, but Weidman is a ton of bricks keeping him flat on his back. The horn sounds right before Weidman hacks down with a pair of elbows.

Sherdog Scores

Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-9 Weidman
Brian Knapp scores the round: 10-9 Weidman
Tristen Critchfield scores the round: 10-9 Weidman

Round 2

The two touch gloves to start off the round, and Weidman sits down on a crisp right hand to wobble Anders’ knees. Anders absorbs a straight right hand so he can reach his opponent with a big left. Weidman sways to the side and partially deflects a head kick, and he chases after “The All-American” with heavy punches. A left hand from Anders is followed by a takedown shot, and Weidman is ready for it and snatches up a guillotine choke to jump guard. Anders wrenches his neck out of danger and starts loading up on power right hands while Weidman on his knees. Smith watches closely as the damage starts to mount, with Weidman’s hands trapped as he cannot defend himself properly. Anders bops in the back of the head a few times before wrapping up Weidman from behind to take his back and roll him over. Anders shifts around to take top position, and he unloads heavy left hands that hurt the former champ. Anders unloads with a length salvo of punches, and he pauses momentarily to keep hold of Weidman’s shin to move him. Smith tells Weidman to fight back, and Anders keeps pounding on him. Anders smashes down with an elbow and several fierce left hands, and he stifles Weidman’s twists and turns. Weidman is not hurt but is absorbing a large amount of punishment as Anders works him over, and Weidman’s energy reserves appear to be diminishing fast. Anders clobbers “The All-American” with hammerfists and punches to the head and body, and Weidman lifts his knee up to keep Anders off of him. Anders rocks Weidman with an elbow and a few more punches, and Weidman desperately pushes the former football player off of him. Anders lowers himself back down and continues to batter his opponent, and his methodical beatings are coming close to stopping the fight. Anders stands up to drop down some nasty standing-to-ground punches, opening a cut beneath Weidman’s right eye. As “Ya Boi” continues his bombardment of fists, Smith decides enough is enough and saves Weidman from his own toughness. Weidman is upset and protests the stoppage as blood streams from his face, but his cries fall on deaf ears. This is a huge win for Anders, putting away the ex-champion away with a prolonged bludgeoning.

The Official Result

Eryk Anders def. Chris Weidman R2 4:51 via TKO (Punches)

Bryan Battle (175: Missed Weight) vs. Randy Brown (171)

BETTING PREVIEW | SCOUTING REPORT | ODDS: Battle (-230), Brown (+190)

Round 1

In the lone unintentional catchweight match of the evening, Jamaica’s Brown (19-5, 13-5 UFC) will find himself somewhat richer after receiving 30% of “The Ultimate Fighter: Season 29” winner Battle’s (11-2, 1 NC; 6-1, 1 NC UFC) purse. Battle checked in four pounds over the welterweight cap, and although Brown was not thrilled about the likely upcoming weight disparity, he still accepted the fight. Referee Keith Peterson will keep tabs on this unplanned catchweight contest that has boiled up a little bad blood. Because of that, there is no glove touch, but there will still be no nonsense. After they measure one another from range, Battle lets fly a front kick that splits the guard. Brown reaches him with a few left hands and dances out of the way of the counter head kick. Battle slaps the front leg with a kick, and Brown is active with a jab. Battle takes a right hand on the chin and tells Brown it was a good one. Brown thanks him for this by blasting Battle to the body with a left hand, and he strings several long punches together as Battle tries to defend them. Battle walks through the lengthy strikes that come his way to work the body with a few kicks, and Brown also wants to do some body work and uses his left hand to get that done. Battle comes up the front with a kick, and his toe skims the cup. Brown does not elect to take some time to recover, and he keeps to the end of his punches until Battle crowds him into the fence. Brown hits a trip to throw Battle to the floor, and he lets go with a heavy leg kick when he stands with Battle on the ground. Battle works his way up, and he absorbs an uppercut and dodges a right. Battle kicks the side and punches his way into a tie-up. Battle drops down low for a possible takedown, and he stands up and misses with an elbow. Brown times him well to turn him around in the clinch and knee him. Brown’s body lock attempt succeeds, and he lands and grabs hold of the crucifix position to jack Battle up with elbows until the bell sounds.

Sherdog Scores

Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-9 Brown
Brian Knapp scores the round: 10-9 Brown
Tristen Critchfield scores the round: 10-9 Brown

Round 2

Brown reintroduces himself with a few jabs, and he slides back when Battle looses a few hooks. Brown slides to the side, and he blocks a head kick and jumps at his foe with a knee. Battle takes it on the chin and ties Brown up, but it is Brown that spins him around and pushes him to the wire. Battle knees his opponent in the ribs a few times, and Brown comes over the top with a right hand. Battle continues feeding Brown a steady diet of knees, keeping busy and taking the range away from Brown. Brown wrenches his way free, and Battle kicks him on the way out. Brown rocks his head back with a right hand and an uppercut, leading to another clinch. Battle goes to the body and head with a knee to force a split, and he steps forward with a knee that pounds into Brown’s chin. Battle uses his legs as his primary weapons, kicking from either side as he bullies Brown from one side of the Octagon to the other. Battle’s body work is consistent, with short but effective blows landing time and again. Battle imposes his greater weight on “Rude Boy,” dirty boxing until Brown gets away. Brown elects to get up close again with an elbow, and a long string of punches to the head and body ends with a vicious left to the liver. Battle ties his man up and fights off a trip attempt, wrangling the taller man and peppering him with knees. The round ends.

Sherdog Scores

Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-9 Battle
Brian Knapp scores the round: 10-9 Battle
Tristen Critchfield scores the round: 10-9 Battle

Round 3

Both fighters motion to the crowd to give up, and the audience responds positively to their cheers. The last round opens, and both men are fired up and loaded for bear. Battle goes to the body and head, and Brown picks at him with long-range strikes to the midsection and occasionally going up top. As Brown lands a low kick, Battle talks to him, and Brown releases two big hooks and slides away, showboating as he dodges Battle’s subsequent swings. Battle shoots for a double, chaining it into a single and lifting Brown up for a second. Brown keeps his balance without hitting the ground, and he turns the tables on “The Butcher” and trips him up. Brown wraps his long arm around Battle’s head to set up a knee, and Battle frees himself and jabs Brown up on the wall. As Brown is just about to escape, Battle dives after a double. Brown keeps himself upright as Battle grinds on him, and the fans have had enough of the heavy grappling approach. Battle misses on an inside trip and mashes his elbow into Brown’s face twice. Brown frames off, gets away from a knee and resets. Battle walks him down and kicks him in the front leg, and the two trade punches. Brown lets his fists do the talking, hurting Battle and putting him on ice skates. Battle gathers his thoughts and fires back with a vengeance, and he thwarts a takedown throw and pushes Brown into the cage. Battle pursues a double, and Brown drops to his knees to break it up. Brown fastens his left arm under the chin for a standing guillotine, but there is nothing to it as Battle easily gets out of it. Battle punches and knees the body, using every additional pound to his advantage to trap Brown. A few more blows from dirty boxing wrap up the fight, and those in attendance admonish the fighters with boos.

Sherdog Scores

Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-9 Battle (29-28 Battle)
Brian Knapp scores the round: 10-9 Battle (29-28 Battle)
Tristen Critchfield scores the round: 10-9 Battle (29-28 Battle)

The Official Result

Bryan Battle def. Randy Brown via Split Decision (28-29, 29-28, 29-28)

Movsar Evloev (145.5) vs. Aljamain Sterling (145.5)

BETTING PREVIEW | SCOUTING REPORT | ODDS: Evloev (-265), Sterling (+215)

Round 1

Surprising many paying attention, this likely featherweight title eliminator is situated firmly on the prelims despite several lower-ranked contests at 145 playing out later on the billing. Evloev (18-0, 8-0 UFC) is not complaining, as he noted—likely accurately at that—that more people will be watching the ESPN-broadcasted prelims than tuning into the paid portion later. Sterling (24-4, 16-4 UFC) is not buying it and feels disrespected by his promotion, but that is nothing unusual for him given his history at bantamweight. This potentially fascinating grappling match will play out under the oversight of referee Jason Herzog, and it opens up with a glove touch. Sterling stalks his way forward, jabbing his way in and kicking with the ball of his foot. Evloev hops out of the way from a body kick, and one to his lead leg lands. Sterling catches him at the end of a right hand, and the Russian shrugs it off. Evloev kicks the front leg, and Sterling tries to time a head kick when Evloev ducks. Sterling connects with another big right hand, and he shoots in and drags Evloev down to force Evloev to put his hands on the mat. Chants of “USA” boom through the arena, and Sterling channels this energy and knees Evloev hard in the side. Sterling hangs on from the side and nearly back, and he complains that Evloev is grabbing his glove. Evloev adjusts and scoots his way to the wall, with Sterling following him every scoot of the way. Sterling has his hands clasped around Evloev’s waist, and he gets in a hook to take the back. “Funk Master” slides the second hook in, and he holds on tight while trying to free his right hand to set something up. Sterling again mentions that his glove is being grabbed, and Evloev elbows behind him on either side. Evloev stands up, and Sterling is still wrapped around him. The former bantamweight king lifts Evloev off the ground and slams him down, and the ensuing scramble allows Evloev to take his back. Sterling ducks a strike and is taken to the floor, and he sets up a guillotine choke but is in the wrong angle to get it. Evloev turns the corner as Sterling sits up, and he lowers himself down and wraps Sterling up in a crucifix as he drops to his back. The close round ends with Sterling taking punches upside the head.

Sherdog Scores

Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-9 Sterling
Brian Knapp scores the round: 10-9 Sterling
Tristen Critchfield scores the round: 10-9 Sterling

Round 2

Sterling is the initial aggressor in the second round, pushing out a front kick, dropping back to avoid a few punches and crashing through to put Evloev on his seat. Evloev scrambles well enough to get to 50/50 position, and he stands up as Sterling holds onto his single leg. Evloev flips him around and lowers himself down in side control, hooking his legs around Sterling’s arm to go for a crucifix. Evloev takes the back, but Sterling pulls his hook out and turns. Evloev lands a few hammerfists to the side of the head as Herzog says “ears” a few times to let Evloev know that he needs to aim for the ears and not hit the back of the head. Sterling explodes around to get out of harm, and he wraps up Evloev and tries to slam him down on his face in what would have been a pro wrestling-style move. Evloev does not fall victim to it, turning around to shoot for a single. Sterling stifles it and loads up on a right hand, and Evloev backs him off with a right hand and a kick. Evloev wings a spinning wheel kick, and when planting his foot, he drills “Funk Master” in the face with a strong right hand. The success of the strike allows the Russian to shoot in and put Sterling on his back. Evloev looks to assert himself in half guard, even briefly considering an arm-triangle choke only to get elbowed in the side of the head a few times. Evloev takes Sterling’s back, and Sterling does not appear concern and instead scrambles out of it without much concern. Evloev again sets up a crucifix, and Sterling counters with a single and briefly gets top position. This back-and-forth grappling match is living up to the hype, and Sterling pursues a double when Evloev gets away. The horn sounds with Sterling in the midst of the shot.

Sherdog Scores

Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-9 Evloev
Brian Knapp scores the round: 10-9 Evloev
Tristen Critchfield scores the round: 10-9 Evloev

Round 3

Having reached the final round, both men clap hands. Sterling flashes out a front kick and a long jab, and he is able to escape the lunging Evloev from landing on him. Sterling ducks a big punch and gets off an uppercut, and he dips down low to evade a spinning back fist and tackles the Russian to the floor. Evloev returns to a knee, and Sterling remains busy pursuing the takedown. Evloev wraps an arm around Sterling’s head, and Sterling takes advantage of this by slinging Evloev down on his face. Evloev pushes off the floor to stand, and Sterling is leaning on him imposing his will while the crowd is in full support of the American. Sterling jams Evloev against the fence, allowing Evloev to knee him so he can move around to partially take Evloev’s back standing. Sterling drags Evloev to the floor, and as they slide around in a furious series of scrambles, Evloev flips his man over and resides on top. Evloev slugs Sterling in the chops a few times while they are both seated, and Sterling explodes back to his feet. Evloev whips Sterling around and back down, and he gets one hook in but is dropped on his head. Sterling does not escape the downed position, on both knees as Evloev punches him on the side of the head. Evloev turns Sterling to his back, and he opens up with punches. Sterling gets his hooks in and briefly holds the back, and when he scrambles, Evloev hooks his leg around Sterling’s shoulder. The final bell sounds while the two are in the midst of grappling, and it could be anyone’s game.

Sherdog Scores

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

The Official Result

Movsar Evloev def. Aljamain Sterling via Unanimous Decision (29-28, 29-28, 29-28)

Themba Gorimbo (171) vs. Vicente Luque (170.5)

BETTING PREVIEW | SCOUTING REPORT | ODDS: Gorimbo (-162), Luque (+136)

Round 1

The non-stop preliminary action continues with a welterweight contest that some are considering a “passing of the torch” bout—except the two are the same age. With far more fight miles, Luque (22-10-1, 15-6 UFC) is the grizzled veteran, while Gorimbo (14-4, 4-1 UFC) has the appearance of a fresh-eyed prospect and currently rides a four-fight win streak in the Octagon. The action begins with referee Mark Smith watching over the 170ers, and they elect not to touch gloves. Both men kick at one another, with Gorimbo doubling up on a low kick and putting another leg kick after a one-two. Luque unloads a short, fierce right hand and catches Gorimbo on the side of the head with a left, knocking Gorimbo down to the floor. Gorimbo springs forward on his knees, and Luque latches onto a guillotine that he transitions into a brabo choke and then an anaconda choke that is tight in a hurry. Gorimbo rolls to try to escape the submission, and Luque turns with him to lock the maneuver down completely. With nowhere to go and the blood supply cut off from his head, Gorimbo goes out fast. Smith is paying close attention and intervenes as soon as Gorimbo loses consciousness. This is an important victory for “The Silent Assassin,” who proves that he is nowhere near done, shutting Gorimbo’s lights out in under a minute.

The Official Result

Vicente Luque def. Themba Gorimbo R1 0:52 via Technical Submission (Anaconda Choke)

Dominick Reyes (205) vs. Anthony Smith (205.5)

BETTING PREVIEW | SCOUTING REPORT | ODDS: Reyes (-340), Smith (+270)

Round 1

At long last, the prelims conclude with a light heavyweight banger. Two former title challengers that went on rough skids will try to keep their place on the rankings, and it will likely bring a heaping helping of violence before referee Marc Goddard has to weigh in. Reyes (13-4, 7-4 UFC) blasted out of a rough losing streak by punishing Dustin Jacoby in June, and Smith (38-20, 13-10 UFC) turned the clock back in May by defusing the surging Vitor Petrino—both men picked up those crucial wins in exactly 120 seconds. It is an emotional appearance for Smith, who is brought to tears when walking out to the cage without coach Scott Morton, one of his closest friends and a regular cornerman who recently passed. Both men get stoic after Bruce Buffer announces them, and stern fists are bumped. Smith rushes forward, right hand cocked back, and he throws it once and misses the mark. Reyes counters him and lets fly a head kick that makes Smith regather himself. Smith absorbs a leg kick and nods, and he catches a body kick and drives Reyes down to his knees. Reyes springs back up and swings wildly, and Smith prods out a jab to keep Reyes from crowding him. Reyes slams his shin on the front leg again, and he keeps his guard up to block a looping right hand. Smith clips him with a short left, but Reyes blinks it out and then is promptly poked in the eye. Goddard recognizes the foul and calls time, and it is more of a swipe and Reyes is not badly compromised from it. Goddard brings in the doctor, who hands Reyes a cloth to wipe his eye out. After a little under a minute, the two get back to business, with Smith offering an apologetic glove touch that is accepted. Smith times a right hand when Reyes charges, and he kicks Reyes in the shin when Reyes kicks him. Smith looses another hard right, and Reyes knocks his man back with an uppercut and a long left hand. Reyes powers his way forward behind a front kick, and he misses the mark with looping strikes that follow. Smith digs a right hand to the body and comes up short with a push kick, and Reyes pounds his leg into Smith’s raised guard. Smith lunges with a right hand and is backed off when Reyes comes back firing, and Smith takes a kick and knees Reyes back in the midsection. They trade jabs, and Reyes follows one with a heavy left hand. Smith splits the guard with a left, and both men start throwing caution to the wind and sting one another. Reyes lays his shin on Smith’s torso, and Smith thinks about clinching but backs off to wing an overhand right. Smith attacks the calf with a kick and scoops an uppercut around the guard, keeping his defenses high until he drops his hands to eat several jabs on the chin to make a statement. Reyes accepts this strange turn of events and busts Smith in the face with a long combination, and Smith sticks his tongue out at him as he bounces off the fence. Smith races forward with two big elbows, and he is caught on the way in and develops a little cut on his face. The tense round ends.

Sherdog Scores

Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-9 Reyes
Brian Knapp scores the round: 10-9 Reyes
Tristen Critchfield scores the round: 10-9 Reyes

Round 2

When Smith meanders forward to engage in the second round, Reyes stays back on his heels chopping at the calf on both sides. Smith jabs his way forward, slipping a jab on the other side to shoot for a low single. Smith lifts the leg up high, but Reyes bashes Smith with a sudden onslaught of elbows. Smith keeps control of the leg, but he is taking serious damage from the punches and elbows that lay into him. As Reyes blasts him with elbows, Smith hits the deck. Smith tries to recover, and Reyes is on top of him elbowing him in the side of the head. Smith stays committed to the takedown despite the beaten he has taken, and Reyes sits up and stops the takedown from getting anywhere. Reyes jackhammers Smith again and again with elbows to the side of the noggin, and he starts punching Smith and hitting him with anything he can use. Smith sits up to wrap his arms around Reyes’ waist, and Reyes frames off his face and elbows him once. Smith is seated and Reyes lowers himself down into the guard of his opponent. Reyes elbows Smith any time there is an opening, and Smith keeps his hand up to try to defend himself but is absorbing more than he is blocking. Goddard asks for Smith to defend himself, and Smith surges to a knee and absorbs several more punches and elbows. Goddard shouts a likely final warning before he will intervene, with Smith stuck and taking damage with nothing offered back. Reyes slugs Smith on the side of the head repeatedly, and Smith is taking unnatural punishment at this point. Reyes keeps elbowing and punching Smith, forcing Goddard to do something about it as Smith is no longer in the game anymore. Smith, with only a tiny cut on the bridge of his nose, stays on his knees and takes the whole emotional experience in. Reyes walks of solemnly, seemingly not willing to celebrate given what Smith has gone through lately. The former title challenger Reyes has now won two fights in a row and is on his way back towards contention, while overcome with emotion, Smith asks for his team to cut his gloves and wraps off. He admits on his post-fight interview that he doesn’t know how many more times he can fight without his best friend in his corner, and suggests that this is probably the end for him. If it is, it has been one heck of a career for the Nebraska native.

The Official Result

Dominick Reyes def. Anthony Smith R2 4:46 via TKO (Elbows and Punches)

Doo Ho Choi (146) vs. Nate Landwehr (145.5)

BETTING PREVIEW | SCOUTING REPORT | ODDS: Landwehr (-142), Choi (+120)

Round 1

Strange card placement aside, this featherweight brawl was one the UFC brass considered guaranteed fireworks. It’s not a bird or a plane, it’s “The Train” Landwehr (18-5, 5-3 UFC). Standing across the cage from him will be “The Korean Superboy” Choi (15-4-1, 4-3-1 UFC), and referee Chris Tognoni is as ready as anyone else for this one to go down. Before they swing for the bleachers, the strikers touch ‘em up. Landwehr practically runs into Choi’s hand, coming out so fired up. It is Choi who lands first, blasting Landwehr in the face with a surprise uppercut. Choi wraps a right hand around the guard, and he knocks Landwehr to a knee with a massive left hook. Landwehr bounces back and is in front of Choi, but Choi is attacking while Landwehr’s first strike of the fight is a stomping kick to the knee. Choi scores a leg kick and puts a few punches behind it, shaking “The Train” up. Landwehr tries to get a little space with a front kick as blood trickles from the inside corners of both eyebrows, and Choi crashes towards him with a blistering uppercut. Choi backs off with a leg kick, and he digs a left to the body and allows Landwehr to shoot on him so he can push Landwehr to his knees. Choi takes his back but does not try to get his hooks in. When Landwehr adjusts, Choi suddenly wraps his legs around his foe’s waist and to keep him on the canvas. Choi sits down comfortably and allows his opponent to spin around so they can stand up together. Choi drives a knee to the midsection when Landwehr stands, and he walks the Tennessee native down to hurt him with a right hand and then an uppercut. Landwehr tries to pitch another front kick, and Choi rings his bell with a painful uppercut. Choi drops down, absorbs a knee and stands up tall and bangs the top of his head off Landwehr’s chin. Choi marches forward fearlessly, landing punches on either side of the head while Landwehr is stuck keeping his guard up most of the time. Choi goes to the body, and Landwehr strikes back with a right hand. Choi knocks Landwehr’s head back like a Pez dispenser with a nasty uppercut, and Landwehr closes in to clinch and get his bearings. Landwehr scores a short strike on the inside, and he pushes out of the tie-up using a knee. Choi dings him with one last left, and the one-sided round ends.

Sherdog Scores

Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-9 Choi
Brian Knapp scores the round: 10-9 Choi
Tristen Critchfield scores the round: 10-9 Choi

Round 2

Choi offers a glove touch when Landwehr rushes at him to begin the second stanza, and they trade hands early with Choi landing first, last and much faster. Choi hammers the front leg with a kick, throwing Landwehr off-balance, and he uses his jab to set up power strikes. Choi connects with a low kick, and Landwehr ties him up and leans against him on the cage for a time. Choi spins him about, takes an elbow and breaks off. Choi boxes him up, mixing up the straight punches to the head and body. When Landwehr comes at him, Choi chops down his front leg. Landwehr keeps moving after taking the kick, bopping the South Korean in the nose with a spinning back elbow. Choi allows him to complete his rotation so he can hurl “The Train” to the floor like side of beef. Choi steps into full mount with ease, and he thinks about gripping a choke and lets it go to hit Landwehr in the back of the head. Landwehr scrambles to escape the precarious position, but he ends up getting flattened out on his stomach while Choi smacks him upside the head. Landwehr does not settle for staying flat for long, and Choi stretches him out but is not attempting much else in the way of submissions. Choi gets both hooks in and does not want to set up the body triangle so he can back out of this, and he lets Landwehr follow him so he can suddenly tackle the former M-1 champ down to the canvas. Choi lands in half guard and decides against taking advantage of the position, instead bailing on it and standing up. Landwehr follows immediately and pushes Choi to the fencing, but the South Korean is quick to turn him about. Two clubbing strikes from Landwehr land right before the bell.

Sherdog Scores

Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-9 Choi
Brian Knapp scores the round: 10-9 Choi
Tristen Critchfield scores the round: 10-9 Choi

Round 3

The fighters clap hands, and Landwehr throws caution to the wind immediately. Landwehr hurls huge punches, with haymakers that land flush on the side of Choi’s dome. Choi laughs them off and swings back just as hard, but faster. Landwehr backs himself up to the fence in hopes of goading Choi towards him, but he has to settle for following Choi. As Landwehr gets as reckless as can be, Choi hits an easy takedown and advances immediately to side control. Choi wraps up Landwehr’s left arm between his legs to lock down a crucifix, and he hammers down a few elbows before Landwehr sits up. Choi uses his body weight to keep Landwehr stuck in the bad place, and he pounds on Landwehr’s face with fists when elbows are not the right strike. Choi draws further blood as he bludgeons “The Train,” with Landwehr’s bucks and twists thwarted each and every turn. Choi slashes down with methodical elbows, and Tognoni asks for Landwehr to improve his position. Choi punches Landwehr several times in the mouth, and Landwehr groans and grunts. With Tognoni watching on closely, Choi hammers the nail with a final barrage of elbows. Tognoni waves the fight off, and Landwehr is disappointed but not about to cry foul after getting beaten up for the better part of three rounds. Winner of two in a row, “The Korean Superboy” announces himself as a renewed force in the talent-rich featherweight division.

The Official Result

Doo Ho Choi def. Nate Landwehr R3 3:21 via TKO (Elbows)

Kron Gracie (144.5) vs. Bryce Mitchell (146)

BETTING PREVIEW | SCOUTING REPORT | ODDS: Mitchell (-700), Gracie (+500)

Round 1

With the previous pairing on paper one between two fearless strikers, the match that follows is a potential grappler’s delight. Mitchell (16-2, 7-2 UFC) has never landed a knockout or even scored an injury or doctor stoppage, while Gracie (5-2, 1-2 UFC) has only won by submission. It could play out in a number of ways, and referee Keith Peterson will keep it on the up-and-up while making certain there will be no nonsense allowed. The 145ers have no plan on touching gloves, and instead Mitchell hops forward to attack with a front kick. Both men kick low at the same time, and Gracie works his way forward and misses with a right hook. Mitchell kicks the front leg and drives a knee to the body when Gracie works his way towards him, and Gracie jumps into Mitchell’s arms and drags him down to the mat without having a submission set up. Mitchell lowers himself unafraid into half guard, and Gracie closes his guard around his waist. Mitchell keeps his hand covering Gracie’s mouth, and the two otherwise stall one another out while horizontal. Mitchell stacks Gracie up but his arms are stuck, and all he can attack with is short left hands to the ribs. The audience is not impressed by the relative stalemate, with Mitchell making no reckless moves while Gracie is not able to set anything up. Mitchell gets off a few punches when seeing openings, and he ignores when Gracie throws his legs up for a high guard. Mitchell drops down a single elbow, and he softens up the midsection with a couple additional punches to stay busy enough to remain in this position. Gracie raps his hand on the back of Mitchell’s head a few times with meaningless rabbit punches, and Mitchell remains smothering on top until the tepid round ends.

Sherdog Scores

Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-9 Mitchell
Brian Knapp scores the round: 10-9 Mitchell
Tristen Critchfield scores the round: 10-9 Mitchell

Round 2

The second round opens with Mitchell jabbing with the ball of his foot, and he reaches over the guard with a right hand. Gracie steels himself and rocks Mitchell with a left hand, and Mitchell shakes it out and kicks several more times. Gracie overswings and bounces off the fence, and Mitchell catches him with a right hand, a knee up the middle and an elbow. Gracie runs at him, hands down, and hops into Mitchell’s arms once more to drag Mitchell into his guard. The crowd is not amused. Gracie keeps his guard closed for the most part, stuck on his back as Mitchell grinds him out. Mitchell gets bored in this position, and he backs out of the guard and stands up. Gracie follows him, walking directly into a few knees. Mitchell considers a body lock takedown, but before he can do this, Gracie pulls him down to the floor by jumping guard. Even the commentary booth is not happy about this development, and they express this openly. As Mitchell comfortably lowers himself into the guard, Gracie sets a trap with an armbar. Mitchell’s eyes go wide as he is suddenly caught in a scary predicament, and he stacks Gracie up to keep pressure and take the submission off the table. Gracie repositions his legs to wrap up a triangle choke, and Mitchell remains safe by staying as tight as he can to the Brazilian. Gracie transitions back to an armbar, and this time Mitchell is in a bad spot and standing upright. Somehow, Mitchell slides out of it, and he unloads with a torrent of punches until the horn blares.

Sherdog Scores

Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-9 Mitchell
Brian Knapp scores the round: 10-9 Mitchell
Tristen Critchfield scores the round: 10-9 Mitchell

Round 3

Mitchell is not as keen to sprint at his opponent as he was the last two rounds, and he tries to back an advancing Gracie away only to fall to his back when kicking. Gracie looks to take advantage of it, and Mitchell stands up. Mitchell digs the body with a left hand, knees him in the same spot, and Gracie ties him up in a body lock and falls to his back. This time, “Thug Nasty” has a plan. Mitchell slams him down by pressing his forearm on Gracie’s head. When landing with emphasis, Mitchell sits up just enough to unleash a blazing elbow that bounces Gracie’s head off the canvas and knocks him clean out. As Mitchell strikes again, he actually wakes Gracie up, all while Peterson is dashing between them to wave the fight off. Gracie comes to, and he may not know where he is at the moment. Meanwhile, the victorious Mitchell goes over to UFC chief Dana White, who congratulates him for slaying the dangerous grappler.

The Official Result

Bryce Mitchell def. Kron Gracie R3 0:39 via KO (Slam and Elbows)

Ciryl Gane (245.5) vs. Alexander Volkov (254.5)

BETTING PREVIEW | SCOUTING REPORT | ODDS: Gane (-345), Volkov (+275)

Round 1

In June 2021, Gane (12-2, 9-2 UFC) and Volkov (38-10, 12-4 UFC) toed the line against one another for five jab-heavy rounds, with the Frenchman getting the nod. “Drago” wants this one back more than anything, and he needs it if he hopes on finally earning an elusive title shot. Referee Mark Smith will keep tabs on heavyweight action, with three rounds instead of 25 minutes in this rematch. No bad blood between them, they tap hands to reintroduce themselves. Volkov strikes first with two kicks, pushing the pace on Gane right out of the gate. Gane circles around to probe with his own kick, and Volkov kicks him harder. Gane chips at the front leg, and Volkov responds with a body kick. When Gane tries to kick him back, Volkov catches the leg and trips him up to put him down on the mat. Volkov pounces to take top position, assuming side control practically as soon as he lands. Gane tries to buck him off, and a second effort allows him to get to his knees and stand back up. Gane looks to use the grappling against his opponent, briefly thinking about his own takedown only for Volkov to stop it. Volkov turns Gane towards the wall, and Gane breaks out of it. Volkov jabs with his foot and follows with a right hand, and Gane pokes at him with long jabs of his own. Volkov comes up swinging with a right hand, and Gane changes levels and scoops the Russian up with a double to deposit him gingerly to the canvas. Gane drops down double elbows to the midsection when he finds himself in Volkov’s guard, and Volkov fights off a guard pass and keeps his legs up high perhaps to set up a submission. As Volkov drops for a leglock, Gane grabs the fence to pull himself out of it as Smith shouts at him. Gane then jumps for his own heel hook, and Volkov is able to wriggle himself free as the heavyweights get back to their feet. Volkov digs a kick to the body, and he goes up high and appears to have gotten Gane’s attention. Gane loads up on a right hand that skims the cornrows of his adversary, and he times a knee to the body when Volkov crashes the pocket. Volkov still manages to complete the takedown, and Gane sells out for a guillotine choke when he hits his back. Volkov checks on the grip to see how bad he has it, and he rides out the round having survived the choke.

Sherdog Scores

Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-9 Gane
Brian Knapp scores the round: 10-9 Gane
Tristen Critchfield scores the round: 10-9 Gane

Round 2

The big men touch gloves to begin the second frame, and Volkov leads off with a body kick. Gane strings a few punches together into a low kick, and he slides to the side after throwing so as to not get countered. Volkov chases after him, connecting with a few clean blows before Gane circles out and fires back. Volkov works the body after absorbing a few leg kicks, and he spins with a back fist that rocks the Frenchman badly. Gane keeps a stiff upper lip, and he bounces around to shake out all the cobwebs for a phenomenal blow that would have knocked out lesser men. Gane ducks to the side, and he gets kicked in the head when trying to dodge. Volkov splits the guard with two punches, and he reaches Gane’s temple with a kick. Volkov flicks out his jab, and he lets Gane kick his front leg a few times as he slowly comes forward. A jumping front kick from the Russian slides off the side of Gane’s shoulder, and Gane slips a left hand to respond with a big overhand right. Volkov checks a kick and absorbs a second so he can kick Gane upside the head, and a right hand down the pipe again dings Gane. Volkov attacks the lead leg with a kick, and he lunges with a right hand as Gane takes a breath and retaliates with an uppercut. Volkov kicks the body and has his right hand outstretched almost instinctually, moving forward without concern as he picks his shots. Gane reaches him to the body and nose, the latter making Volkov blink it out. Gane loads up on a huge right hand, and Volkov is stunned as he drives a knee to the body. Gane shoots for a takedown, and a still rocked Volkov latches onto a guillotine choke. As Gane steps over to side control, he is in clear Von Preux choke territory as he has the counter prepared. Gane drives his shoulder into the throat, and when he loses it, he backs off to stand back up. Volkov follows him to loose a body kick, and he slings one up high to keep Gane guessing. Gane stomps at the knee twice, and Volkov slips and counters as the round concludes.

Sherdog Scores

Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-9 Volkov
Brian Knapp scores the round: 10-9 Volkov
Tristen Critchfield scores the round: 10-9 Volkov

Round 3

Volkov is fired up and ready to re-engage, doing just that as he walks Gane down throwing strikes. Gane counters with a jab, and Volkov pays it no mind as he keeps pressuring the Frenchman. Both men connect with heavy jabs, and Volkov shoots for a single and sits Gane down. Gane turns the corner as he lands, hoping to turn the tables on his opponent. Volkov drags him back down to put him on his back, with Gane hooking his left leg around the shoulder as he sets up a kimura off his back. Volkov presses his full body weight down to prevent the armlock from materializing, but he is unable to defend with his right arm from this position. Gane torques on the arm any time he finds a tiny opening, and Volkov looks to punch his way through it. Gane tries to roll for an armbar, and he keeps the two-on-one wrist lock to remain threatening off his back. Volkov keeps his arm between his legs to stop the lock from going any further, and he sits up and shakes his head. Volkov punches Gane in the posterior a few times, with it apparently the only target he can find, all while Gane clings to the Russian’s left arm with all his might. Volkov wrenches and hacks down with an elbow to the body, forcing Gane to let it go. Gane sits up, pursuing a single to try to reverse the position, and Volkov flattens him back out through sheer force of will. Volkov bops Gane on the side of the head with scoring but undamaging blows, and he elbows his foe once while Smith tells him to watch out for illegal strikes and keep working. Volkov smothers Gane in their unorthodox position, and time expires. Volkov stands as soon as he hears it, raising his arms in the air to celebrate his hard-fought performance. Meanwhile, Gane takes a while to catch his breath on his back, and body language experts read into this greatly as the scores are collected.

Sherdog Scores

Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-9 Volkov (29-28 Volkov)
Brian Knapp scores the round: 10-9 Volkov (29-28 Volkov)
Tristen Critchfield scores the round: 10-9 Volkov (29-28 Volkov)

The Official Result

Ciryl Gane def. Alexander Volkov via Split Decision (29-28, 28-29, 29-28)

Ian Garry (171) vs. Shavkat Rakhmonov (171)

BETTING PREVIEW | SCOUTING REPORT | ODDS: Rakhmonov (-380), Garry (+300)

Round 1

Instead of a championship up for grabs in this co-main event spot, a likely shot at the throne looms. This welterweight battle will break the record the greatest combined undefeated records leading into a UFC contest, with the two adding to a 33-0 tally. One must fall. Rakhmonov (18-0, 6-0 UFC) represents 18 of those, and all of them have come inside the distance. Proud Irishman Garry (15-0, 8-0 UFC) is a bit over 50% on his own resume, and referee Marc Goddard will be there whether five rounds are required or not. Respect is shared as the two 170-pound contenders bump fists, and they take alternating stances a long distance from another. Rakhmonov very cautiously works his way into engage, with Garry feinting kicks. Rakhmonov reaches out with a jab, out of range from it, and he tries again after a brief stalemate. Rakhmonov power his way forward into the clinch, pinning the Irishman against the cage and kneeing him in the torso a few times. Rakhmonov considers a body lock takedown, and Garry keeps his balance after the first try. Rakhmonov attempts a second time to wrench his foe off the wall and to the ground, and he even trips Garry up but is unable to bring him down. Rakhmonov clasps his hands around Garry’s waist, kneeing him in the backside until Garry spins around. Rakhmonov stays tightly pressed to his man, and Goddard asks for more activity. This prompts Garry into twisting and partially hitting a trip, but Rakhmonov is able to recover and turn Garry back to the chain links. Rakhmonov knees the body as he holds on, and a bizarre screech echoes through the arena from someone not enjoying the show. The fighters break away, and Rakhmonov loads up on a haymaker and blasts Garry in the face with it. Garry takes it flush, and Rakhmonov ties him up once more. Garry tries to knee his way out, and the round ends.

Sherdog Scores

Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-9 Rakhmonov
Brian Knapp scores the round: 10-9 Rakhmonov
Tristen Critchfield scores the round: 10-9 Rakhmonov

Round 2

A fist bump opens the second round, and Garry is warned for outstretched fingers and he uses an oblique kick to reach Rakhmonov’s front leg. Garry jabs and moves, and Rakhmonov spins with a back kick that glides off the ribcage. Garry strikes the lead knee again with his foot, and he hops back to dodge a Rakhmonov jab. Rakhmonov checks a third kick aimed at him, and Garry beats him to the punch with another jab. Rakhmonov slips a punch and scores a right hand over the top, and Garry goes back to the well with one more leg kick. Rakhmonov jabs and eats one back, and he guards against a head kick and takes a jab to the midsection. Garry chews up the front leg with his stomping kick that is aimed at hyperextending the knee, not working one side of it. Rakhmonov rifles off a right hand that rocks the Irishman, and a left connects and makes Garry tie him up. Rakhmonov checks his oil when trying to turn him, and he gets back to suffocating Garry again while leaning on him. Goddard calls for more action, and Rakhmonov nearly wrangles Garry to the floor and has his effort thwarted. Garry leans himself face-first on the cage until turning to the side, with Rakhmonov hanging on from behind and settling for basic clinch control. Garry escapes and spins with a back fist, and Rakhmonov sees it coming and ducks. Rakhmonov gives him a back fist to think about in response, and Garry prods with a leg kick. Rakhmonov scores a big left over the top, and Garry smacks his front knee right before the bell.

Sherdog Scores

Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-9 Rakhmonov
Brian Knapp scores the round: 10-9 Rakhmonov
Tristen Critchfield scores the round: 10-9 Rakhmonov

Round 3

A clap of hands is shared to open up the third round, and Garry takes the center of the cage, feinting and faking his way in. No strike is thrown in the first 25 seconds, with Rakhmonov breaking silence with a jab to the body. Garry retaliates with a head kick, and when Rakhmonov blocks it, he chucks one back. Garry lands a low kick, and Rakhmonov picks his leg up to stop a second from getting to him. Garry lets loose a high kick that slaps into the Kazakhstani fighter’s chest, and he chains it into a leg kick. Rakhmonov reaches him with two punches, and he slips out of range before getting countered. Rakhmonov wings a right hand over the top, and Garry rolls with the worst of it and gets on his bike. Garry lands a hard leg kick, sending Rakhmonov off-balance. Rakhmonov loads up on another huge right, and Garry sees it coming and avoids it. Rakhmonov goes to the body with a pair of jabs, and Garry probes out a few jabs back at him. Garry kicks his foe in the side, and he intentionally ties Rakhmonov up before the midpoint of the round. Rakhmonov turns him around with a trip attempt, and Garry tries to escape only for “Nomad” to pin him against the wall again. Rakhmonov gets off a knee, and he follows Garry around while clinched when Garry looks for a way out. Goddard asks for the fighters to improve their position, and he splits them up before long. Garry uses a leg kick to set up the head kick, and Rakhmonov takes the latter cleanly and does not budge an inch. Rakhmonov lifts his leg up to bang into the thigh, and he slides away from a spinning back fist. Garry kicks high and then low, and they jab at the same time. Rakhmonov just misses with a spinning wheel kick, and Garry thanks his lucky stars he did not eat it. Rakhmonov spins again with a back fist, settles down with a few jabs and dodges a spin back his direction. “Nomad” connects with a big right hand, and the bell rings.

Sherdog Scores

Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-9 Garry
Brian Knapp scores the round: 10-9 Garry
Tristen Critchfield scores the round: 10-9 Garry

Round 4

Between rounds, officials tend to Garry’s torn shorts, which ripped open in the last round after the ample clinching. Garry gets another pair of shorts to put on, and the fight has reached the championship rounds. Garry slides away from a power strike to whip a head kick at him, and he narrowly avoids another looping right hand but cannot evade the spinning back kick that plants firm on his ribs. Rakhmonov pitches out a calf kick, and Garry’s response is far more telling as Rakhmonov hobbles to the side. Garry punches through a head kick offering, and he snaps Garry’s head back with another jab. Garry peppers the front leg with kicks, and he sticks Rakhmonov his jab. Rakhmonov crashes the pocket in search of a takedown, and Garry sees it coming and stonewalls him. Garry gets out of the clinch, but Rakhmonov redoubles his effort, racing at the Irishman and hitting a double to scoop Garry off his feet. Garry wraps a body triangle around Rakhmonov’s ribs to keep him stuck on top of him, and Rakhmonov postures up to land hammerfists. Rakhmonov does some damage with strikes, and Garry scrambles madly and turns his back to stand. Rakhmonov slides off the top, and Garry wraps up a choke to threaten. Rakhmonov turns through it and gets all the way around to take Garry’s back while standing. Garry lowers himself to a single knee to not get kneed in the face, and he rises up when Rakhmonov settles for knees to the back of the thigh. Garry gets away with another fence grab, and he no-looks an elbow that bounces off his foe’s forehead. Rakhmonov twirls Garry around but is unable to hit the takedown, and he spins for a back fist and shoots in for a surprise double that deposits “The Future” gingerly to the canvas. Rakhmonov sits up while in the guard, dropping down left hands until Garry throws his legs up in pursuit of an armbar. Rakhmonov tosses it aside and bashes Garry in the face a few times until the horn sounds.

Sherdog Scores

Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-9 Rakhmonov
Brian Knapp scores the round: 10-9 Rakhmonov
Tristen Critchfield scores the round: 10-9 Rakhmonov

Round 5

The fighters shake hands as they have reached the last round. Rakhmonov slips a right hand and pops Garry in the chops, and Garry touches him with a leg kick. Rakhmonov spins with a wheel kick that buzzes his foe’s hair, and he shoots in low for a double. Garry tries to defend with a guillotine, and Rakhmonov doggedly pursues a single. The two scramble as they keep moving, and Garry somehow takes the Kazakh fighter’s back as they grapple. Garry hooks up the body triangle and flirts with a rear-naked choke, putting his right forearm in prime location under the chin. Rakhmonov turns to his side but finds himself in great submission danger, and Garry squeezes what is a face crank on his foe’s jab. Garry softens him up with a few punches to the side of the head, and Rakhmonov pulls on Garry’s submission grip to fight the hands. Garry squeezes his grip on top of Rakhmonov’s chin, cranking the face and neck any time he can. Rakhmonov miraculously explodes out of the precarious predicament, twisting his way on top. Garry retains the body triangle, elbowing off his back, and Rakhmonov gains top position. Garry strikes while on his back, and he sits up and pulls on the fence to get out of the ground spot. Rakhmonov flattens him back out, and they work one another’s body with short strikes. Garry turns to his side and gets to a knee, and Rakhmonov follows him and drills him with right hands until Garry stands. Garry pushes his foe against the cage in the clinch, and he wants to escape as seconds tick off the clock. Rakhmonov knees his man in the torso and uses a shoulder strike or two to keep him there, and Garry separates with seconds to go. Garry lands a right hand and a spinning back fist, and the five-rounder comes to an end.

Sherdog Scores

Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-9 Garry (48-47 Rakhmonov)
Brian Knapp scores the round: 10-9 Garry (48-47 Rakhmonov)
Tristen Critchfield scores the round: 10-9 Garry (48-47 Rakhmonov)

The Official Result

Shavkat Rakhmonov def. Ian Garry via Unanimous Decision (48-47, 48-47, 48-47)

UFC Flyweight Title Fight:
Alexandre Pantoja (124.5) vs. Kai Asakura (124.5)

BETTING PREVIEW | SCOUTING REPORT | ODDS: Pantoja (-285), Asakura (+230)

Round 1

This one is for all the marbles at the flyweight division. Fast approaching the cliff age of 35, Pantoja (28-5, 12-3 UFC) wants to further cement his legacy and turn away a heavy-handed contender new to the promotion. One of a very small number of fighters in the modern era that received a title shot without ever competing in the Octagon, Asakura (21-4, 0-0 UFC) wants to be the first to actually win when given the opportunity. The exciting stylistic clash will be governed by referee Jason Herzog, who brings the fighters together to bump gloves. It’s on with the show. Pantoja takes to the center of the cage, kicking the front leg and rushing forward directly into a flying knee. Asakura defends the takedown when landing, and Pantoja is after him hellbent for leather. Pantoja blasts the challenger in the face with a left hand, and Asakura keeps himself upright largely thanks to the wall behind him. Pantoja considers changing levels, perhaps not aware of the damage he caused, but he strips Asakura’s legs away and climbs into top position a minute in. Asakura is warned for striking the back of the head as Pantoja settles down on top of him, and Pantoja is not opening up with offense and instead has his hands trapped. Asakura times an explosion from his foe to jump back to his feet. Asakura reaches his target with a right hand, and he gets knocked back by the champ. Asakura scores a few low kicks, lets his hands go and slides away. Pantoja chases him, mostly hitting air but getting a strike from the Japanese fighter. Asakura times a perfect knee on the solar plexus, and Pantoja walks him down fearlessly throwing heaters. Asakura scores another big knee, and he works at the front leg as Pantoja bears down on him. Asakura rushes out to connect with a left hand, and Pantoja gets off a low kick and whiffs on a subsequent one-two. Asakura wraps his foot around Pantoja’s guard, and the champ retaliates with a heavy inside leg kick. Pantoja strings a few punches together and ends the combination with a knee, and Asakura just smiles at him. Asakura misses with a low kick and eats a body kick for his handiwork, with Pantoja in and out in a flash. Pantoja blitzes him with a few heavy punches up top, and he slams his shin on the side to conclude another flurry. Asakura backpedals but still absorbs a flush body kick, and he is intercepted on the way up when trying to fly with a knee. The intense round ends.

Sherdog Scores

Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-9 Pantoja
Brian Knapp scores the round: 10-9 Pantoja
Tristen Critchfield scores the round: 10-9 Pantoja

Round 2

The flyweights clap hands to get going again, and they meet in the middle and pick their shots. Pantoja snaps out a jab that surprises his opponent, and Asakura backs himself to the wall so he can clip Pantoja with counters. Pantoja dives after a takedown, and when Asakura predictably and effectively scrambles, Pantoja hops around to take his back standing. Pantoja wraps his leg around the waist, but his other hook is unable to loop around the back. Pantoja jumps on the back as soon as Asakura exposes it when trying to escape, and the flyweights hit the floor. Pantoja fastens an immediate body lock, squeezing the Japanese fighter’s breadbasket while simultaneously attacking a rear-naked choke. Pantoja secures the choke, and Asakura frantically fights off the choke arm to stay in the fight. The Brazilian readjusts his grip, and he slinks it completely under the chin to make it academic. While Asakura is fighting the hands, suddenly he gives up on it as consciousness leaves his body. Asakura’s arm falls limp by his side, and Herzog tests it a few times to make sure that Asakura is out. Asakura is all the way out, his eyes stuck open as the lights are on but no one’s home. Herzog calls a halt to the main event, and “The Cannibal” has done it again, making it look easy by spurning a dangerous contender. The victorious Pantoja hands Asakura his first submission loss, although Asakura went out on his shield and had no interest in tapping out. Pantoja declares that this is his division, his town and his Octagon, and that no one will challenge him as long as he is the champ. Fresh challengers will be few and far between, but someone will emerge before long as the next test for the champ. Pantoja has now notched three straight defenses of his 125-pound throne, and he is only eight behind divisional leader Demetrious Johnson—a man that he calls out in his post-fight interview. If all-time great Johnson decided to come out of retirement and return to the organization, we will be here for it. We hope you are too.

The Official Result

Alexandre Pantoja def. Kai Asakura R2 2:05 via Technical Submission (Rear-Naked Choke)