UFC Fight Night 160 ‘Hermansson vs. Cannonier’ Play-by-Play, Results & Round Scoring

Jack Shore vs. Nohelin Hernandez

Round 1

Sherdog Scores

Kicking off the preliminary portion of UFC Copenhagen is a bantamweight battle between the unbeaten Shore (11-0, 0-0 UFC) and Hernandez (9-3, 0-1 UFC). The referee is Mikkel Birch Olsen. Shore opens up with a stiff leg kick, and then tries to emulate the success with another that falls short. Shore drops two more, one on the inside and one on the outside, and then follows that with a one-two. Hernandez takes another leg kick, and blocks a high kick before stuffing a shot from Shore. Other than a couple feints, Hernandez has yet to throw a strike 90 seconds into the contest. Shore tries to load up with a right hand that misses, but he still gets off a low kick. Hernandez finally scores in the form of a single jab, although he eats a few in response. Shore's repeated leg kicks have already reddened up the lead leg of the American, and Shore chains a leg kick into a takedown attempt from a distance. After fighting against the fence, Shore secures the body lock and gets Hernandez down, where he lands in half guard. Hernandez scrambles to get up, but in doing so, gives up his back. The Welshman immediately snatches up a body triangle, and starts fishing for a neck while he softens up the body of "Suave." As Hernandez tries to make his way to the fence to stand back up, Shore stays strong and starts raining down punches and a few elbows, all while keeping back control. As Hernandez tries to spin out, Shore takes mount, before opting to re-secure the body triangle and return to back control as the round ends.

Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-9 Shore
Ben Duffy scores the round: 10-9 Shore
Mike Sloan scores the round: 10-9 Shore

Round 2

Shore opens the round by firing out a stiff jab that snaps the head back of the American. Hernandez, who continues to absorb leg kicks, tries to throw a few back but ends up taking several more in the process. Shore works the jab more, and Hernandez attempts a big right hand counter but whiffs, and then a leaping jab that also misses the target. Shore tags Hernandez with a right straight, and as Hernandez tries to reply with a kick, the Welshman takes the fight right back down to the canvas. On top, Shore immediately advances to half guard, and after some more pressure he hops into mount. As he jumps into position, the American seizes the opportunity and explodes out, ending up on top before Shore decides to get out and stand back up. With "Suave" pressing hard, Shore pushes him off and cracks him on the break. The two men trade shots and each score on one another, but Shore appears to land the cleaner shots. "Tank" flicks the jab a few times, and follows it up with a right hook, and then a few leg kicks. Shore sits down on a left-right hook combination that just misses, and he uses the position to shoot for a single leg takedown, and scores it. Already in half guard, Shore drops down a sharp elbow and briefly takes the back before the horn sounds.

Sherdog Scores

Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-9 Shore
Ben Duffy scores the round: 10-9 Shore
Mike Sloan scores the round: 10-9 Shore

Round 3

Our third and final round begins with an immediate takedown attempt from Shore, and he lands it within five seconds. Stepping into half guard, Shore briefly searches for an arm-triangle choke before bailing on it to land a few strikes. Hernandez tries to kick off, in the process gives up his back once more. Like the first round, Shore instantly puts the body triangle together, and goes after a choke attempt. The American spins out, but ends up getting mounted and takes a hard elbow before turning away and giving away back control. "Tank" throws a half dozen strikes to the body, causing Hernandez to turn away, and Shore takes the moment to grab Hernandez' neck. Shore wrenches on that neck with everything he has, and his arm slips under the American's chin. Seconds later, Hernandez has no choice but to tap out or get put to sleep, and Shore keeps his spotless record intact with a dominant victory punctuated by a rear-naked choke.

The Official Result

Jack Shore def. Nohelin Hernandez R3 2:51 via Submission (Rear-Naked Choke)

Lando Vannata vs. Marc Diakiese

Round 1

Up next is a matchup of two thrilling lightweights in an easy potential "Fight of the Night" candidate as Vannata (10-3-2, 2-3-2 UFC) takes on Diakiese (13-3, 4-3 UFC). Refereeing this bout is Neil Hall. The two men touch gloves, and Diakiese opens up with a two hard leg kicks that both spin Vannata around. The Brit sinks down one more to the calf of his opponent, causing Vannata to grin. "Groovy" now begins to lift his leg up in anticipation of those kicks, so Diakiese leaps forward with a right hand. Scoring another hard leg kick, Vannata launches a body kick and falls over, and Diakiese takes the opportunity to hop right on top. On his back, the American throws a few elbows as Diakiese is unable to mount any serious offense, and "Bonecrusher" allows Vannata back to his feet. Diakiese swings for a few more big low kicks, and Vannata dances out of the way before scoring a body kick. With his hands at his waist, Vannata slams another body kick home. Diakiese sets Vannata down with a calf kick, and although the American hops back up and switches stances, his leg is already marked up. Diakiese blasts Vannata with a kick that finds its way south of the border, and the action pauses. Diakiese immediately apologizes, and after a minute passes, we start up again. Vannata charges forward after the break, throwing combinations but eating a stiff right hand that knocks the mouthpiece out of Vannata's mouth. Diakiese leads forward with a long straight right, and then continues with a body kick to the welted American's midsection. Vannata responds with a leg kick, so Diakiese fires one right back at him. The round ends.

Sherdog Scores

Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-9 Diakiese
Ben Duffy scores the round: 10-9 Diakiese
Mike Sloan scores the round: 10-9 Diakiese

Round 2

The American opens up the round with a few kicks, and then spins with a back fist that is blocked. The two men trade kicks, and Diakiese counters a combination from Vannata with a punch that bloodies the nose of "Groovy." Vannata charges forward but cannot land flush on his opponent. The Brit cracks Vannata's ribs with a fierce body kick that causes all three of the commentators to groan. Vannata, not finding much success on the feet, tries to tie up a leg of "Bonecrusher" and tosses him down, although Diakiese springs back to his feet and pushes Vannata against the fence. Although he takes another body kick, Vannata times the counter with a left hand over the top. Diakiese chains together a solid combination with a leg kick, straight right and then high kick, and Vannata barely blocks the head kick. The two men come together, and Diakiese snatches hold of his opponent's body and bullies him against the fence, even causing Vannata to tumble to the canvas and return to his feet. Diakiese stings Vannata with a hard right hand right at the end of the round that snaps the American's head back, and the second stanza comes to a close.

Sherdog Scores

Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-9 Diakiese
Ben Duffy scores the round: 10-9 Diakiese
Mike Sloan scores the round: 10-9 Diakiese

Round 3

The two men trade punches to the body as our third round starts up. Diakiese sits down on a body kick, and Vannata blocks it and crashes forward with a two-punch combination that bounces the Brit against the cage wall. Although Diakiese has largely abandoned the successful leg kick game, he plants one more on Vannata's lead leg before attempting to take the fight down. In the exchange, Diakiese takes a kick to the groin but pushes through and secures the takedown. With his back on the floor, Vannata unloads elbow after elbow to the top of Diakiese's head, and the Brit tries to advance position and drops down a few of his own. Hall calls for the fighters to do more, and Vannata takes that moment to try to walk up the cage. In the process, he turns his back and "Bonecrusher" takes hold of it, dragging the American down and then slamming him to the canvas twice. Each time, Vannata gets back to his feet, only to get pulled down, and the third time is the charm. Diakiese immediately takes half guard, but the 10-second clapper sounds, and this fight ends with Diakiese on top.

Sherdog Scores

Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-9 Diakiese (30-27 Diakiese)
Ben Duffy scores the round: 10-9 Diakiese (30-27 Diakiese)
Mike Sloan scores the round: 10-9 Diakiese (30-27 Diakiese)

The Official Result

Mark Diakiese def. Lando Vannata via Unanimous Decision (30-27, 30-27, 30-26)

Macy Chiasson vs. Lina Lansberg

Round 1

In the only women's fight on the card, Chiasson (5-0, 3-0 UFC) tries to keep her undefeated record intact against the ultra-durable Lansberg (9-4, 3-3 UFC). Drawing the assignment is referee Leon Roberts. Chiasson opens up with a right hand, and then walks into a clinch, pushing "Elbow Queen" against the fence. Chiasson briefly goes for a trip takedown, and Lansberg stays standing, but she takes several knees with her back to the cage. The crowd tries to motivate Lansberg by calling for "Lina," and she uses that energy to power out of the clinch before Macy turns her around almost effortlessly. The American slams down several "old school" foot stomps, and goes after a single leg takedown that makes Lansberg hop across the cage to defend it. Chiasson drops in several stern knees to the midsection of the Swede, and those knees are starting to have an effect on her opponent. "Elbow Queen" tries to stay true to her nickname by throwing a short elbow with her back against the fence, and Chiasson ignores it. The American sinks in a few more knees before trying another trip, but Lansberg keeps the fight standing. The round ends with the two women still clinched up.

Sherdog Scores

Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-9 Chiasson
Ben Duffy scores the round: 10-9 Chiasson
Mike Sloan scores the round: 10-9 Chiasson

Round 2

Chiasson begins the round with a head kick that is blocked, and then she swings for a spinning elbow that just misses. In the fracas, Lansberg manages to get Chiasson down, and Chiasson immediately tries to pull up a triangle. The Swede shucks it off, so Chiasson tries to set up a kimura sweep, and Lansberg rolls out of it. Lansberg traps the right arm of the American and uses the opportunity to throw a few left hands that bounce Chiasson's head off the canvas, causing Chiasson to try to spin out. As Chiasson stands back up, she gives up her neck, and Lansberg immediately scores a few knees. Sensing she might have momentum on her side, Lansberg presses Chiasson against the fence, although Chiasson reverses position and goes back to what worked in the first round -- exerting full forward pressure while dropping in a few knees to the body. As Lansberg tries to land an elbow on the break, it is actually Chiasson who scores with a four-punch combination until they clinch back up again. The two separate, and it is Lansberg who shoots in for a takedown, so Chiasson times a head kick that glances off the forehead of her opponent. Lansberg is not the worse for wear, and leans Chiasson up against the fence before Chiasson turns her around. The two bantamweights trade knees in the clinch until the round concludes.

Sherdog Scores

Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-9 Lansberg
Ben Duffy scores the round: 10-9 Lansberg
Mike Sloan scores the round: 10-9 Lansberg

Round 3

Chiasson charges out from her corner to kick off the third round with a front kick to the head and several looping punches. Lansberg immediately latches on to her opponent to prevent more damaging strikes from coming, so we return to the clinch position for much of the first two rounds with Lansberg's back against the fence taking knees. Chiasson spins out and takes a knee to the chin, and Lansberg trips up the American's legs and pulls the fight down to the ground. Chiasson tries to tie up the arm of the Swede, but Lansberg jumps over and gets into half guard before dropping down punches and elbows. The Fortis MMA product takes a few more punches but in the scramble walks up the cage and gets to her feet. Lansberg looks to drag Chiasson back down, and as they spin out Chiasson takes a flush knee to the face that looks to take the wind out of the American's sails. With her back against the fence, Chiasson tries to shuck her off but Lansberg peppers her with knees. The fight ends with more of this, and a visibly downtrodden Chiasson trudges back to her corner after the horn sounds, clearly concerned she may have lost the first fight in her career.

Sherdog Scores

Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-9 Lansberg (29-28 Lansberg)
Ben Duffy scores the round: 10-9 Lansberg (29-28 Lansberg)
Mike Sloan scores the round: 10-9 Lansberg (29-28 Lansberg)

The Official Result

Lina Lansberg def. Macy Chiasson via Unanimous Decision (29-27, 29-27, 29-28)

Brandon Davis vs. Giga Chikadze

Round 1

At featherweight, Davis (10-7, 2-4 UFC) tries to ruin the debut of highly touted kickboxer Chikadze (7-2, 0-0 UFC). Serving as the referee is Rebin Saber. The two come out tentative, not committing on anything, and it is Davis that tries to get his kicks going early on. Chikadze leaps forward and throws a long one-two that backs Davis away. The kickboxer switches stances to disrupt his opponent and scores a left hand, but Davis ignores it and looks to drag the fight down. Chikadze gets away with grabbing the fence to defend the takedown, but the American eventually gets his man down. Stepping over into three-quarter guard, Davis gets back to half guard as Chikadze scrambles and flails to get out of a bad position. Slowly, Davis pulls himself into mount, but Chikadze sits up and reverses position. On top, Chikadze throws hard, and then chains several strong punches to the body that causes Davis to immediately try to buck position. The Georgian hammers down several more heavy punches until Davis manages to get to his feet. After a brief separation, Davis shoots in for a takedown and gets Chikadze down in the waning seconds of the round. The horn sounds.

Sherdog Scores

Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-9 Chikadze
Ben Duffy scores the round: 10-9 Chikadze
Mike Sloan scores the round: 10-9 Chikadze

Round 2

Round 2 begins with Davis grinning from ear-to-ear, as he trades jabs with kickboxer. Chikadze wings a right hand that clips Davis, but Davis wears it well. Seeing the success, Chikadze fires another that catches the American right on the chin. Davis's beard holds up, although he continues to take jabs until he has had enough, and shoots in for a single leg takedown. Chikadze evades it and the two continues to swing at each other. Chikadze scores with his patented "Giga kick" to the body, catching Davis flush to the liver and stunning him briefly. Davis recovers and throws a right hand back, but he is slower on the draw than the kickboxer, who is ready with a counter. Chikadze starts to throw a looping right hand to respond to a jab, and Davis backs off. The American scores a few leg kicks, and Chikadze chains together several powerful punches that causes Davis to actually goad Chikadze into throwing more. Chikadze cracks "Killer B" with a huge left hand that staggers the American, but other than a little wobble, he is still on his feet. Perhaps on instinct, Davis shoots for a double and gets Chikadze down. Davis throws three knees to the midsection, and as Chikadze stands up he races forward with a flying knee that falls short of the target, and the time expires.

Sherdog Scores

Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-9 Chikadze
Ben Duffy scores the round: 10-9 Chikadze
Mike Sloan scores the round: 10-9 Chikadze

Round 3

Davis kicks off the round with several sharp jabs, and a leg kick that gets countered by Chikadze. Davis wings a right hand that Chikadze ducks out of the way, although he does sting the Georgian with a low leg kick. As the two trade leg kicks, Chikadze waves him on a la Frank Dux vs. Paco in "Bloodsport," but Davis does not oblige him. Instead, Chikadze just continues to pepper the lead leg with more kicks, while Davis wades forward to swing wild punches that largely do not connect. The American stings Chikadze with a jab, but Chikadze fires back with a big head kick that is just blocked in time. Davis shoots in for a takedown, and Chikadze stuffs it and continues things on the feet. The American is relentless, trying for another takedown, but Chikadze is well out of the way. Chikadze motions Davis on, tempting him to stand and trade, so Davis swings with all his might with a right hand that Chikadze easily ducks out of the way, sending Davis falling into the cage like Ronda Rousey against Holly Holm. Chikadze strings a long combination together that forces Davis to smile, and the two taunt one another. This does not last long, since Davis shoots for a single leg takedown that Chikadze easily stuffs. The Georgian swings up with a head kick that glances off Davis' forehead, and with seconds to go Davis goes for one final takedown. He lands it, and the horn sounds.

Sherdog Scores

Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-9 Chikadze (30-27 Chikadze)
Ben Duffy scores the round: 10-9 Chikadze (30-27 Chikadze)
Mike Sloan scores the round: 10-9 Chikadze (30-27 Chikadze)

The Official Result

Giga Chikadze vs. Brandon Davis is Ruled a Split Draw (29-28, 28-29, 29-29) -- after the commission reviewed the scorecards, a correction has been issued:
Giga Chikadze def. Brandon Davis via Split Decision (29-28, 28-29, 29-28)

Siyar Bahadurzada vs. Ismail Naurdiev

Round 1

Two powerful welterweights go head-to-head as Bahadurzada (24-7-1, 4-3 UFC) faces Naurdiev (18-3, 1-1 UFC). Our referee is Marc Goddard. Naurdiev comes out aggressive and presses forward, but Bahadurzada wings a right hand that just misses. Bahadurzada is trying to sit on a right hand counter, but Naurdiev will not commit to a strike that allows for that response. Naurdiev fakes and feints his way in to try to draw out a counter, and then tags the Afghani fighter with a one-two, and received an eye poke for his efforts. The action pauses, as Goddard checks on the Austrian, and after a moment, we start things up again. Bahadurzada leads with a few jabs, and Naurdiev throws a low kick and then a front kick to the body. "The Great" swings a huge right hand that blows the hair back from those sitting in the front row, but it does not land on Naurdiev. Bahadurzada keeps the jab going, and then looks for a one-two that just misses. Naurdiev continues to work the lead leg with short kicks, and then snaps his opponent's head back with a jab of his own. The two men go kick for kick, and Naurdiev throws up a quick head kick that clangs off Bahadurzada's head. Bahadurzada slams in a body kick with an audible thud, so Naurdiev throws one back. Naurdiev cracks Bahadurzada with a combination, causing the Afghani fighter to flinch, so Naurdiev turns on the pressure. Bahadurzada tries to unleash a big right hand to back his adversary off, but Naurdiev eats it and keeps pressing. Bahadurzada shakes off the cobwebs, and the round ends.

Sherdog Scores

Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-9 Naurdiev
Ben Duffy scores the round: 10-9 Naurdiev
Mike Sloan scores the round: 10-9 Naurdiev

Round 2

The two men touch gloves, and Naurdiev fires up the crowd, but does not do much with the energy in the early going. "The Austrian Wonderboy" lands a few leg kicks, and Bahadurzada tries to come back over the top while aiming for a looping right hook. Naurdiev digs to the body with a left, and then kicks with either leg before pulling off a switch kick that catches Bahadurzada on the chin. Bahadurzada charges forward, throwing wild punches and not landing cleanly with any of them. As they close the distance, Naurdiev clips Bahadurzada with a right hand, and Bahadurzada is unsuccessful with a counter. "The Great" chugs towards his foe, swinging hammers but not connecting with them, and Naurdiev turns his opponent's aggression against him by taking the fight down. Naurdiev immediately takes side control, and plants a few short elbows and shoulder shots on Bahadurzada's chin while the Afghani fighter holds tight to try to force a standup. "The Austrian Wonderboy" slams three knees to Bahadurzada's torso, while holding heavy top pressure before Bahadurzada recovers half guard. Naurdiev works Bahadurzada's body and uses a few hammerfists to break position, before posturing up to smash down a couple elbows as time expires.

Sherdog Scores

Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-9 Naurdiev
Ben Duffy scores the round: 10-9 Naurdiev
Mike Sloan scores the round: 10-9 Naurdiev

Round 3

Naurdiev opens up the last round by flicking out several jabs, and Bahadurzada is trying to respond with heavy shots but Naurdiev dances out of the way. Even though it is blocked, Naurdiev clubs Bahadurzada with a head kick that staggers the Afghani fighter briefly, although he shakes it off and gets back to eating jabs from Naurdiev. Bahadurzada cracks Naurdiev with a right hand that knocks the mouthpiece out, and the two men respectfully stand still as Naurdiev recovers it and the action continues. Exchanging body kicks, Naurdiev blasts forward with a takedown and instantly jumps into side control like the last round. Content to stay on top with heavy pressure and some short elbows to the body of his opponent, Naurdiev then switches to some elbows to the head that force Bahadurzada to spin out. After almost giving his back up, Bahadurzada then returns to his back where he takes a few more knees to the side. Bahadurzada powers out of the position to stand up, but Naurdiev stays high and tight, and immediately throws "The Great" back down. On his opponent's back for a moment, Naurdiev throws down punches before Bahadurzada turns around and lands on his back, with Naurdiev taking side control again. The fight ends with Naurdiev on top, likely having taken a dominant decision.

Sherdog Scores

Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-9 Naurdiev (30-27 Naurdiev)
Ben Duffy scores the round: 10-9 Naurdiev (30-27 Naurdiev)
Mike Sloan scores the round: 10-9 Naurdiev (30-27 Naurdiev)

The Official Result

Ismail Naurdiev def. Siyar Bahadurzada via Unanimous Decision (30-26, 30-25, 30-25)

Alessio Di Chirico vs. Makhmud Muradov

Round 1

In the middleweight division, Di Chirico (12-3, 3-3 UFC) tries to halt the momentum of the debuting Muradov (22-6, 0-0 UFC), with the latter represented by Floyd Mayweather. The third man inside the Octagon is referee Mikkel Birch Olsen. Muradov starts off with a jab, and Di Chirico tries to respond with a huge right hand that falls short of the target. The Italian fighter scores with a leg kick, and the two clash together with punches that do not land flush. Muradov loads up with a right hand, and Di Chirico does the same. Coming together again, Muradov tries to sneak up a head kick, and Di Chirico just gets his hands up in time. Muradov pursues a left straight with a right hook, and Di Chirico partially blocks it. The sheer impact knocks Di Chirico back a little bit, but he comes back with a combination of his own. Muradov pops out the jab, and then pumps in a body kick that lands with an audible "thud." Di Chirico whiffs with a looping right hand, and Muradov tries to wing one that the Italian is able to defend. Muradov spins with a kick, and as he misses, Di Chirico tries to take advantage of the instability as he chases Muradov down. Muradov stings Di Chirico with a jab that forces the Italian to try for a takedown, but it is stuffed. A right-left somewhat finds its home from Muradov, and he evades the counter right from "Manzo." As Di Chirico tags Muradov with a right, Muradov puts his arms in the air to show he's not hurt. Muradov leaps in the air with a knee that is shy of the mark, and the two land in the clinch where the round ends.

Sherdog Scores

Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-9 Muradov
Ben Duffy scores the round: 10-9 Muradov
Mike Sloan scores the round: 10-9 Muradov

Round 2

Touching gloves, Muradov backs off to start working the jab. Keeping his distance, he is able to avoid the increasingly predictable right hand coming from the Italian. Muradov lifts up a head kick that Di Chirico blocks, and Muradov dances away out of danger. As Muradov comes in, Di Chirico disrupts his opponent with a leg kick, so Muradov loads up with a left that sends Di Chirico backwards. Muradov attempts a few left-right combinations that Di Chirico is prepared to defend, but he drops that combo down to the body and lands flush. Di Chirico clips Muradov with a left hook that surprises Muradov, and he replies with a right hand that opens up a cut on Di Chirico's temple. The Italian fakes with a right hand causing Muradov to bite, and Di Chirico bites down on his mouthpiece to throw hooks. Muradov leaps forward with a three-punch combination, and then he follows that with a right hand that gets around the guard. Di Chirico whiffs with a kick that cannot find its target, but he does connect with a right that backs off the Italian. Muradov swings up a left head kick that is just blocked in time, and then he follows with another that is fully blocked. The round ends with Muradov throwing more kicks to moderate effect.

Sherdog Scores

Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-9 Muradov
Ben Duffy scores the round: 10-9 Muradov
Mike Sloan scores the round: 10-9 Muradov

Round 3

Once again touching gloves, Di Chirico charges forward immediately with a looping left hook that backs away Muradov. Di Chirico catches Muradov cleanly with another left that makes Muradov bounce off the cage, as he comes in to a clinch. The Italian grimaces, possibly after absorbing a foul, and the two break up expecting referee intervention. When Olsen does not step in, the two walk back into position, before breaking apart to throw big hooks at one another. Technique is out the window, and both men let their arms hang at their sides after throwing these wild punches. The Italian slams a right off the side of Muradov's head, but he appears to be no worse for wear, so the two continue to trade leather. It is pure power by both men, looking to land the one-punch knockout shot, but neither succeed as they clinch back up. As Muradov separates, Di Chirico shoots in for a takedown but pays for it by receiving a big right hand from Muradov. A high kick from Di Chirico sends Muradov falling against the cage, and the two collide with massive punches that knock the gumshield from Muradov's mouth. As the two continue to swing, the referee lets the action play out until there is a lull, and replaces the mouthpiece, unsure whose actually fell out. The Italian is the fresher fighter of the two, but with all the power they are throwing either man could fall down at any time. The two men go punch for punch, missing wildly, blocking the incoming attacks or occasionally succeeding in their efforts. The crowd erupts in approval as Di Chirico scores a left, then a right, then a knee. Muradov jumps in the air with a knee that is several feet away from his opponent's chin, and the fight ends.

Sherdog Scores

Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-9 Di Chirico (29-28 Muradov)
Ben Duffy scores the round: 10-9 Di Chirico (29-28 Muradov)
Mike Sloan scores the round: 10-9 Di Chirico (29-28 Muradov)

The Official Result

Makhmud Muradov def. Alessio Di Chirico via Unanimous Decision (29-28, 29-28, 29-28)

Alen Amedovski vs. John Phillips

Round 1

Keeping to middleweight, a pair of fighters trying to earn their first UFC wins square off, as Amedovski (8-1, 0-1 UFC) collides with Phillips (21-9, 1 NC; 0-3 UFC). Refereeing this bout is Neil Hall. Amedovski immediately wings a right hand, and Phillips responds in kind. The two men trade leather wildly, both cracking each other with powerful punches. Phillips catches Amedovski with a clubbing left hand, forcing the Macedonian to stagger. Phillips follows up with a few more punches, and swings a monster left hook that sends Amedovski crashing to the canvas. Phillips pours it on, and Amedovski crumples to his side, forcing Hall to intervene. After five consecutive decisions, this quick knockout is a welcome sight to the crowd. Following three losses inside the Octagon, Phillips earns his first UFC victory in a big way by becoming the first man to ever stop Amedovski.

The Official Result

John Phillips def. Alen Amedovski R1 0:17 via KO (Punches)

Alex Oliveira vs. Nicolas Dalby

Round 1

Going back to welterweight, the always-exciting Oliveira (19-7-1, 2 NC; 9-5, 1 NC UFC) tries to spoil the homecoming of Denmark's Dalby (17-3-1, 1 NC; 1-2-1 UFC). In his walk to the cage, Dalby is accompanied by the Denmark National Anthem, as performed by his fiancée Dzifa Adjo Akpalu. The referee taking charge of the cage is Rebin Saber. Oliveira opens up with a low leg kick, and then charges forward with a slew of punches that all fall short. The crowd is electric for their home country fighter, who scores a few slapping leg kicks while trying to find his range on the elusive Brazilian. Dalby leaps through the air with a knee, and as he falls shy of the target, Oliveira tries to counter on the way down, but he too misses. Dalby scores an inside leg kick, and Oliveira replies with one that Dalby checks. "Cowboy" whiffs with a spinning wheel kick, and Dalby responds with a spinning back kick that is nowhere near the mark. Dalby chases Oliveira down with a few punches, punctuated by a head kick that does not land flush. The Dane again blitzes forward, partially connecting with a right hand while avoiding the hard counter from the Brazilian. As Oliveira throws a big right over the top, Dalby shoots in for a takedown, but Oliveira stuffs it. Dalby presses Oliveira against the fence and tries to trip his opponent down, but Oliveira keeps his balance and stays upright, although his back is against the cage. Unsuccessful on another trip, it is actually Oliveira who gets the fight down, scooping the legs of Dalby while attempting to take the back. Returning to full guard, Oliveira drops down a loud right hand and little more, while Dalby tries to set up a triangle. Oliveira shucks off the attempt and lands in half guard, before Dalby reverses position and gets Oliveira down. The crowd is so loud cheering for Dalby that we cannot hear the horn sounding, but the round is over.

Sherdog Scores

Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-9 Oliveira
Ben Duffy scores the round: 10-9 Dalby
Mike Sloan scores the round: 10-9 Dalby

Round 2

Oliveira charges forward to begin the round, but does not successfully land on his first combination. Dalby plants a front kick to the chest of his adversary, and unfortunately Oliveira takes an eye poke and makes the referee stop the action. The fight resumes after a very short break, and the two men trade leg kicks before slamming hooks on each other's chins. In the flurry, Dalby floats up a head kick that blasts Oliveira on the side of the head, causing the Brazilian to clinch up. This does not prove to his advantage, as Dalby circles around and scoops the legs from underneath his opponent, with Dalby landing on top to the delight of the crowd. Quickly passing to half guard, Dalby drops down a few short elbows and punches to frustrating effect, so Oliveira tries to turn out of the position. Dalby lands a few punches that might be close to the back of his opponent's head, and then hammers down a couple elbows that are quite effective. Dalby pounds Oliveira with several right hands until the Brazilian has had enough, and Oliveira powers out of the position to stand up. Dalby leans heavy against the fence, and he has successfully bloodied the nose of "Cowboy." On the break, Oliveira tries to spin with a back elbow, but Dalby dodges it and comes on strong, landing punch after punch while Oliveira turtles up. With his opponent possibly playing possum, Dalby stays patient and continues to land on Oliveira. The Brazilian falls to the canvas, and in a scramble Oliveira briefly takes position, but he falls off the back and Dalby ends up on top. Oliveira lands an illegal upkick, causing Saber to pause the action and admonish Oliveira, and stands them back up. With seconds remaining, Oliveira cracks Dalby with a left hand, but Dalby walks it off and the round ends.

Sherdog Scores

Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-9 Dalby
Ben Duffy scores the round: 10-9 Dalby
Mike Sloan scores the round: 10-9 Dalby

Round 3

Oliveira's corner implores their fighter to "believe in yourself," causing Oliveira to smile as the final round begins. Dalby just misses with a head kick, causing the crowd to loudly gasp. Dalby shoots in for a double leg takedown and cannot land it, so Oliveira fishes for a guillotine choke. Unable to secure it, the Brazilian bails on it and spins Dalby against the fence. Oliveira tries to kick out the leg of his opponent, and lifts Dalby up and throws him to the cage floor. In side control, Oliveira throws a few knees to the body and grinds his elbow on the Dane's face. Dalby retains half guard, and is looking to sweep the Brazilian, but Oliveira stays strong and hammers down with several punches before the referee inexplicably stands them up. Not wanting to stay on the feet, Oliveira leaps into a double leg takedown, and scores it to drag Dalby back down. "Lokomotivo" rolls out and ends up on top, before taking full mount, and the crowd is deafening in support of their fighter. Dalby postures up to rain down punches and elbows, and then looks to set up an arm-triangle choke before giving it up to keep his strikes going. Dalby sits back up and smashes a few huge elbows to punctuate the fight, and the crowd is elated at Dalby's performance as the bout concludes. The two men embrace and raise their arms in the air after an exciting battle.

Sherdog Scores

Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-9 Dalby (29-28 Dalby)
Ben Duffy scores the round: 10-9 Dalby (30-27 Dalby)
Mike Sloan scores the round: 10-9 Dalby (30-27 Dalby)

The Official Result

Nicolas Dalby def. Alex Oliveira via Unanimous Decision (29-28, 29-28, 29-28)

Ovince St. Preux vs. Michal Oleksiejczuk

Round 1

Moving up to light heavyweight in the highest division on the card, two men on the outside of the top-15 looking in are set to lock horns, as St. Preux (23-13, 11-8 UFC) goes toe-to-toe with Oleksiejczuk (14-2, 1 NC; 2-0, 1 NC UFC). Our referee for this scrap is Leon Roberts. The two touch gloves, and Oleksiejczuk is already on the offensive, charging towards his opponent. "OSP" tries to counter with a knee, and Oleksiejczuk cracks him with a right hand, and then a left to the body. Oleksiejczuk digs another left to the body, and continues to come forward. "OSP" decides to change the pace of this fight, pursuing a takedown and pushing Oleksiejczuk back against the fence. "Lord" hammers "OSP" with a straight left hand, and then almost ties up a kimura that drags "OSP" down to the canvas. Oleksiejczuk secures a few more body shots that cause "OSP" to bend over, and Oleksiejczuk is battering "OSP" against the fence. "OSP" pushes off with a hand to the face, and Oleksiejczuk claims there is an eye poke, but the action does not stop. "Lord" continues to press the case, but "OSP" tags him with a left hand that gets his opponent's attention. Roberts warns "OSP" for outstretched fingers, who is using open hands to keep his distance. Oleksiejczuk works the body with a few more powerful shots, and leans in on "OSP" against the fence. Taking the clinch to the center of the cage, they separate as St. Preux throws a head kick, but it does not score as the round expires.

Sherdog Scores

Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-9 Oleksiejczuk
Ben Duffy scores the round: 10-9 Oleksiejczuk
Mike Sloan scores the round: 10-8 Oleksiejczuk

Round 2

Oleksiejczuk opens the second stanza with a leaping body kick, and "OSP" responds by pushing away, causing Roberts to again warn the American for stretching his fingers out. Oleksiejczuk closes the distance, but "OSP" shoves him away. Oleksiejczuk swings with a massive left hand that "OSP" ducks, and the American responds with a strong uppercut in the clinch. After separating briefly, the two return to the clinch, and again St. Preux gets the better of his opponent with strikes. "OSP" shoots in for a takedown, and Oleksiejczuk searches for a guillotine choke. This is the worst possible idea, as "OSP" immediately knows what to do, setting up a Von Flue choke. Oleksiejczuk flails to try to get out of it, but as it gets tighter, he cannot do anything but tap out. It is time to officially rename this choke, as St. Preux has now racked up four UFC wins with the submission made famous by Jason Von Flue.

The Official Result

Ovince St. Preux def. Michal Oleksiejczuk R2 2:14 via Submission (Shoulder Choke)

Ion Cutelaba vs. Khalil Rountree

Round 1

Remaining at 205 pounds, two knockout artists clash as Cutelaba (14-4, 1 NC; 3-3 UFC) faces Rountree (8-3, 1 NC; 4-3, 1 NC UFC). Attempting to keep control of this potential slugfest is referee Marc Goddard. The heavy hitters start out slow, trying to find their range as Cutelaba paws out a jab to get his distance. Rountree slams a huge body kick into Cutelaba, who did not enjoy that and immediately shoots in for a takedown. Although he gets Rountree down, the American springs back to his feet and they clinch. Rountree cracks Cutelaba with an elbow on the break, and they swing hard at each other until Cutelaba takes the fight back down again. The Moldovan smashes down several loud elbows that bloody up Rountree, and he tries to get to his feet. "The Hulk" smells blood, and unleashes a fury of monstrous elbows that you can actually hear connecting one after another. Every elbow takes a little bit more from Rountree, until Goddard calls for Rountree to get out of the position. After several more vicious elbows, Goddard has seen enough, and Cutelaba picks up a huge win in a devastating performance. Hulk smashed.

The Official Result

Ion Cutelaba def. Khalil Rountree R1 2:35 via TKO (Elbows)

Gunnar Nelson vs. Gilbert Burns

Round 1

A pair of welterweight submission specialists meet next, with Nelson (17-4-1, 8-4 UFC) looking to beat short-notice replacement Burns (16-3, 9-3 UFC). Referee Neil Hall is the third man inside the Octagon. The fight begins at range, with neither man ready to commit on any serious strikes. As Nelson tries to close the distance, Burns hits him with a leg kick and then a slapping left hand to separate them. Nelson sinks in a loud leg kick, but does not follow it with anything, allowing Burns to reply with one to Nelson's calf. "Gunni" tries to close the distance, but Burns defends before scoring another leg kick that bends the knee of Nelson. Nelson holds his hand outstretched, using it to find his range, and follows it with a right straight and a left hook that partially land. Burns commits to another leg kick, and then crashes forward but Nelson backs away. As Nelson comes in, he catches a knee, so he backs away and catches another leg kick for his troubles. The Icelandic fighter sneaks in a jab, and evades a low kick, as the two men seem content on engaging in a tentative kickboxing match. As Nelson comes in again, Burns sits down on an uppercut, forcing Nelson to retreat. The Brazilian charges in, winging shots that do not land before clinching up. Nelson scoops Burns' legs out from underneath him, and Burns tries for a leg lock but is nowhere near securing it as the round ends.

Sherdog Scores

Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-9 Burns
Ben Duffy scores the round: 10-9 Nelson
Mike Sloan scores the round: 10-9 Burns

Round 2

The second round opens with the two walking towards one another, and casually touch gloves before walking away. Burns starts out with a jab, and catches a side kick from Nelson. The action is few and far between as we get going, but Burns does score another low calf kick, and we can see Nelson's leg is changing color rapidly. "Gunni" whips a low kick that forces Burns to spin in a circle, and Nelson uses this moment to crash in and land a few strikes while Burns attempts to sit on the counter. Nelson tries to set up a takedown, and Burns is holding tight this time, but in the process Nelson scores a few short strikes in the clinch. Burns, with his back against the cage, looks confused as Nelson shoots in for a double leg that is easily stuffed. The Brazilian separates, and then crash together as Burns clubs Nelson with a right hand. With Nelson leaning on him, Burns tries to bring up a knee, causing Nelson to shrug his shoulders. The two break apart, and Nelson whiffs with a low kick. Nelson rushes in and tries to take the fight down again, but as they scuffle Burns judo throws him and lands Nelson on his head. "Gunni" immediately springs back up, so Burns leaps forward with a flying knee. As Nelson tries to take Burns down again, Burns defends it by trying to set up a brabo choke, but Nelson escapes. With 10 seconds left, Burns ends up on top and drops down a few hard punches, and the second stanza comes to a close.

Sherdog Scores

Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-9 Burns
Ben Duffy scores the round: 10-9 Burns
Mike Sloan scores the round: 10-9 Burns

Round 3

Burns opens up with a spinning kick that falls well short of the target, and then they trade leg kicks. They come together again, and Nelson looks for a body lock before switching to a single, and Burns defends the attempts one by one. "Gunni" tries to set up a Thai clinch, but Nelson uses that moment to drop in a few short strikes and a right over the top. As they break, Burns wings a right hand that partially lands, causing Nelson to shoot in for a double again. Burns is strong against the fence, and stands up his Icelandic opponent. Burns slashes Nelson with an elbow, forcing Nelson to once again try for a takedown. There is nothing to be had for that attempt either, although he is racking up control time until Burns is tired of leaning against the fence. As they separate, Nelson loads up with a punch to the body, and Burns swings with all his might with a right hand that nearly causes him to fall over. Burns scores a few more effective leg kicks before launching a head kick that Nelson ducks. Another leg kick from Burns causes Nelson's leg to briefly buckle, so "Gunni" shoots in for yet another takedown. Burns shrugs it off, and uses the opportunity to lift up Nelson and slam him down emphatically. With 30 seconds left, Burns takes his opponent's back momentarily, but Nelson scrambles and stands back up quickly. This close fight wraps with Burns pressing Nelson against the cage, and the judges undoubtedly have their hands full with this one.

Sherdog Scores

Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-9 Burns (30-27 Burns)
Ben Duffy scores the round: 10-9 Burns (29-28 Burns)
Mike Sloan scores the round: 10-9 Burns (30-27 Burns)

The Official Result

Gilbert Burns def. Gunnar Nelson via Unanimous Decision (29-28, 29-28, 29-28)

Mark O. Madsen vs. Danilo Belluardo

Round 1

Our co-main event is upon us, as Olympic silver medalist and UFC newcomer Madsen (8-0, 0-0 UFC) tries to win one for his home crowd against Italy's Belluardo (12-4, 0-1 UFC). Keeping a lid on this lightweight affair is referee Leon Roberts. The two touch gloves, and Madsen charges forward with strikes until clinching Belluardo against the fence. Within 30 seconds, Belluardo is on his back, as Madsen starts slamming down right hands. Madsen briefly searches for a guillotine choke before abandoning it to hammer down elbow after elbow on Belluardo's head. The elbows add up, and Roberts takes a close look at the action. Madsen does not relent, smashing down elbows and punches as fast he can throw them, forcing Roberts to stop the contest and award the victory to the Dane. With that statement performance for "The Olympian," both fighters from Denmark emerged victorious at the end of the UFC's inaugural show in the country.

The Official Result

Mark O. Madsen def. Danilo Belluardo R1 1:12 via TKO (Elbows and Punches)

Jack Hermansson vs. Jared Cannonier

Round 1

The headliner pits two middleweights against one another with a combined 26 stoppage victories, with Sweden's Hermansson (20-4, 7-2 UFC) taking on Alaskan Cannonier (12-4, 5-4 UFC). The referee for the main event is Marc Goddard. Hermansson opens with several vicious leg kicks, and one might have found itself south of the equator. The Swede is coming out like his hair is on fire, swinging hard and often, before crashing in for a takedown attempt. The American stays very strong and stuffs the takedown, even scoring an elbow on the break. When Cannonier throws a leg kick, Hermansson snatches the leg and tries to bring him down. Hermansson grabs hold and hits a suplex, landing on top. Cannonier scrambles and ends up back to his feet, but Hermansson trips his man down. Cannonier hammers an uppercut home, causing Hermansson to retreat for a moment. "The Joker" lands a low calf kick, and Cannonier shakes his leg out and tries to reply with a left hand. Hermansson scores another, and then shoots for a single that Cannonier shucks off. When throwing another low kick, the American is prepared with a counter, but he just misses. Cannonier throws a hard leg kick and Hermansson picks his leg up, so Cannonier launches another that is reminiscent of when Cannonier faced Anderson Silva. "The Killa Gorilla" lands a third, so Hermansson closes the distance with a failed takedown attempt, but he lands a knee up the middle. The calf kick is finding its home for Cannonier now, and he lands one on the inside that almost kicks the leg out from underneath Hermansson. One final leg kick from Cannonier hurts the Swede, and the horn sounds to end this energetic round.

Sherdog Scores

Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-9 Cannonier
Ben Duffy scores the round: 10-9 Cannonier
Mike Sloan scores the round: 10-9 Cannonier

Round 2

Hermansson kicks off the second round with a couple of loud leg kicks, and one is checked. As Hermansson shoots in for a takedown, Cannonier stuffs him and makes him pay with an uppercut that knocks Hermansson off balance. The American chases him down and begins to swarm him with power shots, forcing Hermansson to turtle up as he absorbs powerful punches. "The Killa Gorilla" pours it on to secure the stoppage, picking up the biggest win of his career and instantly putting his name in the mix of middleweight contenders. What a performance! The crowd is silent, as the American pulled off a big upset to hand "The Joker" only his second knockout defeat.

The Official Result

Jared Cannonier def. Jack Hermansson R2 0:27 via TKO (Punches)