UFC Fight Night 161 ‘Jedrzejczyk vs. Waterson’ Play-by-Play, Results & Round Scoring

J.J. Aldrich vs. Lauren Mueller

Round 1

Kicking the night off is a women's flyweight tilt between Aldrich (7-3, 3-2 UFC) and Mueller (5-2, 1-2 UFC) in the first of seven all-American battles tonight. The referee for this opening bout of the evening is Kevin MacDonald. The two women do not elect to touch gloves, and begin instead pawing at one another with opposing arms. While Mueller presses forward, Aldrich opens up with a leg kick that would make her training partner Pat Barry proud. Mueller replies with a slick combination, and then a few front kicks. "Princess Tiger" sees the success of her kicks and lets fly a hard body kick, and then sinks in a right hand directly on Aldrich's chin. The two women come together, and Aldrich rings a one-two off the chin of Mueller, who absorbs it and continues to press forward. Landing the punches, Aldrich goes to the well with that a few more times. Aldrich decides to change things around and push the pace on Mueller, pressing forward into the clinch and scoring a body lock takedown. Mueller walks up the cage back to her feet, and staves off Aldrich trying to take her back in the process. The two jockey for position against the fence, and as Aldrich lifts a leg up to land a knee, Mueller snatches up the leg and throws Aldrich down. The round ends as Aldrich returns to her feet.

Sherdog Scores

Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-9 Aldrich
Brian Knapp scores the round: 10-9 Aldrich
Cole Shelton scores the round: 10-9 Aldrich

Round 2

The action continues in round two, as the two women immediately come together to trade in the center of the Octagon for a moment, and both land and back away. Both women swing hard with right hands, and each tag one another and stagger backwards momentarily. As Mueller walks her opponent down, Aldrich is ready with a right hand counter, and then tries to flip her leg up with a kick before bailing on it. Like the first round, Aldrich is sitting down on a simple yet effective one-two combination, landing it again to great effect. As Mueller comes in with strikes, Aldrich ducks down for a takedown only to get stuffed, but she takes control of Mueller against the fence for a moment. Perhaps sensing her opponent is getting the better of her, Mueller breaks free and fires off a stern combination punctuated with a kick that bloodies up the nose of the 303 Training Center product. Aldrich replies with another few one-two combinations straight down the pipe, and then unloads a spinning back kick that partially deflects off Mueller's body. "Princess Tiger" jumps in and out to try to sneak in combinations and evade the counters, but gets tagged in the process. Aldrich lifts her arms up to taunt her opponent, and Mueller replies in kind as they crack each other with right hands. Mueller charges forward and lands several strikes up close and then one more on the break, and she is determined as she continues to swing and score. Aldrich throws a front kick up the middle that snaps Mueller's head back, and the round comes to a close.

Sherdog Scores

Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-9 Mueller
Brian Knapp scores the round: 10-9 Mueller
Cole Shelton scores the round: 10-9 Mueller

Round 3

Aldrich opens up with a several punch combination that backs off and hurts Mueller, and Aldrich smells blood and pours it on with punch after punch. Mueller is hurt, and bounces off the cage while eating shots, so she grabs hold of Aldrich and pulls her back to the center of the cage. An emphatic Aldrich kiais loudly as she lands powerful strikes, and Mueller appears to have shaken the cobwebs out until she eats a few more punches over the top. Not backing away nearly as much as she did for the first two stanzas, Aldrich sits down on her punches and has elected to vary her attack from the one-two to include heavy hooks. Aldrich backs Mueller off with some punches, but Mueller is still trying to push forward and keep Aldrich on her back heels. Aldrich whiffs with a spinning wheel kick, and as Mueller tries to come back at her it is Aldrich who scores with a three-punch combination. As Mueller stalks her opponent down, she eats a right hand, and then a left straight that stands her up. With a minute to go, Mueller tries to force a brawl, and lands a few shots before Aldrich circles away, her nose bloodied again. Mueller is pressing the action aggressively, and the two women trade leather and Aldrich clips her with a right hand. As Aldrich comes up short on a spinning back fist, the final horn sounds and this fight is over.

Sherdog Scores

Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-9 Aldrich (29-28 Aldrich)
Brian Knapp scores the round: 10-9 Aldrich (29-28 Aldrich)
Cole Shelton scores the round: 10-9 Aldrich (29-28 Aldrich)

The Official Result

J.J. Aldrich def. Lauren Mueller via Unanimous Decision (30-27, 29-28, 29-28)

Marvin Vettori vs. Andrew Sanchez

Round 1

We move to the middleweight division, with one of two European representatives competing -- the second fights in the main event -- as proud Italian Vettori (13-4-1, 3-2-1 UFC) faces America's Sanchez (11-4, 4-2 UFC). Assigned to this 185-pound contest is referee Herb Dean. The two men do not touch gloves, and Sanchez ducks down immediately to fake a takedown a few times to see if Vettori will bite on it. The Italian does not, and instead starts landing punches right off the bat. As he lands, Vettori pours it on, causing Sanchez to smile at him. The two start talking to each other, probably saying words we cannot repeat on this page, and Vettori presses forward to land several more hooks and then two powerful knees. Sanchez has let to land anything of note, although after taking some shots he throws out a solid left jab and a slapping leg kick. Vettori just laughs him off, and then strings together a left straight-head kick combination. The two close the distance and Vettori is ready with a knee that glances off the chin of the American. Vettori sticks out a jab that catches Sanchez flush, and Sanchez replies with a head kick that gets blocked. Another few leg kicks land for Sanchez, and Vettori does not appreciate these kicks so he leaps forward with a slew of punches, a few to the body, and then a kick on the break. Sanchez eats it without issue and presumably talks a little trash to his adversary. As Vettori goes for a body kick, he takes a left over the top that backs him off, but he does not stay away for long. Vettori charges in and lands almost at will, and against Sanchez takes it all, shows a little wobble that he shakes off, and asks something along the lines of "Is that all you got?" The two circle each other, and Sanchez shoots in for a takedown, but as Vettori shucks it off, he makes the American pay for it with a hook over the top to end the round.

Sherdog Scores

Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-9 Vettori
Brian Knapp scores the round: 10-9 Vettori
Cole Shelton scores the round: 10-9 Vettori

Round 2

The second round begins with action, as Sanchez tries to land a leg kick but Vettori chases him down and swarms him with a few punches. The two clash together and Vettori gets the better of the exchange, and they back off only for Vettori to jump back in and land a knee. As they separate, Sanchez tries to throw a few body kicks, but Vettori is ready with a counter one-two. Sanchez keeps working the lead leg with kicks, but Vettori throws one back hard to the body. The American decides to press the action this time, but Vettori pushes him away and just barely misses with a few overhand rights. Sanchez scores with a lunging right hand and backs away to avoid a counter, but Vettori follows him and swings heavily on his opponent's guard. Even when Sanchez blocks these strikes, the impact of these shots is enough to push him backwards. "El Dirte" beckons him on, but Vettori does not bite, preferring to time a leaping right hand. As Vettori lands a three-punch combination, Sanchez shakes it off but his nose appears to be bloodied up. The American shoots in for a takedown and Vettori stuffs easily, and cracks Sanchez with several shots in the process. Sanchez comes forward with several punches, and follows it with a body kick, but Vettori is ready to throw that left knee that has worked well for him throughout the first 10 minutes. Sanchez tries to end the round strong but eats a straight left, and the horn sounds.

Sherdog Scores

Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-9 Vettori
Brian Knapp scores the round: 10-9 Vettori
Cole Shelton scores the round: 10-9 Vettori

Round 3

As the final round begins, Sanchez offers to touch gloves, and Vettori waves him off. Sanchez shrugs his shoulders and presses forward, landing a spinning back fist right on the chin of the Italian fighter. Sanchez tries to throw down the middle and Vettori leans back and returns fire. Sanchez then opts to close the distance, and it is Vettori who briefly snags the back of Sanchez and considers a takedown. Sanchez backs away to the fence and escapes the position, but eats a few punches over the top. The two men trade high kicks that are mostly blocked, and Vettori lands a straight left. The American tries for another spinning back fist but Vettori moves out of the way just in time, and he shakes his head. Vettori digs down to the body and causes Sanchez to back away quickly, but he recovers and walks back to the center of the cage. Sanchez tries to use several push kicks to back off Vettori, and the Italian responds with a resounding head kick that is just blocked. Sanchez strings a combination together to back away his opponent, and Vettori, not wanting to back up for long, comes back forward with several right jabs. Vettori cracks Sanchez with a body kick that forces Sanchez to lower his right hand down, and as Vettori charges in, "El Dirte" tries for a third spinning back fist that Vettori ducks. Vettori leads in with a right jab and evades the counter, and circles away to avoid the power shots that Sanchez comes throwing. With seconds to go, Sanchez goes for a Hail Mary head kick, but "The Italian Dream" blocks it as we hear the final bell.

Sherdog Scores

Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-9 Vettori (30-27 Vettori)
Brian Knapp scores the round: 10-9 Vettori (30-27 Vettori)
Cole Shelton scores the round: 10-9 Vettori (30-27 Vettori)

The Official Result

Marvin Vettori def. Andrew Sanchez via Unanimous Decision (30-27, 30-27, 30-27)

Hector Aldana vs. Miguel Baeza

Round 1

At welterweight, Aldana (4-2, 0-2 UFC) desperately seeks his first win inside the Octagon as he tries to spoil the debut of unbeaten Baeza (7-0, 0-0 UFC), with the latter scoring a contract after a win on Season 3, Episode 2 of Dana White's Contender Series. The third man inside the cage is referee Michael Cardoso. For the first time in the night, fighters touch gloves when the action begins, although there is little else for the first 40 seconds as Baeza tries to find his range. The American wings a right hand but Aldana gets his hand up to block it. Aldana throws a heavy leg kick that bends the knee of his opponent, and Baeza replies with one of his own. Aldana tries to go up top with a kick, but he falls short, so Baeza replies with another stern leg kick. They trade kicks, and Aldana charges in with punches but is nowhere close to the target as Baeza ducks away. As Aldana tries to load up on a punch, Baeza rips a kick to the back leg of his opponent that causes Aldana to flinch. The leg kicks are adding up for Baeza, who scores another on the inside of Aldana's left leg. The Mexican again tries to rush forward with punches but cannot score effectively, as Baeza is content to work that lead leg with more kicks. Aldana comes up short with a looping right hand, but he does score a leg kick of his own. When Baeza tries to sting with another leg kick, Aldana is ready with a right hand counter of the top, and he feels he has Baeza hurt as he presses forward, but Baeza dances out of the way. Baeza tries to set up a big right hand but Aldana blocks it, so Baeza settles for another leg kick. With the 10-second clapper sounding, Baeza suddenly shoots in for a takedown, scoring it right before the bell rings.

Sherdog Scores

Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-9 Baeza
Brian Knapp scores the round: 10-9 Baeza
Cole Shelton scores the round: 10-9 Aldana

Round 2

Again the two men touch gloves to begin the second round, and Baeza immediately backs away. Aldana whips a leg kick, and the two trade them on one another briefly. Aldana sinks one down to buckle the lead leg of the undefeated fighter, and to celebrate the effective strike, Baeza reaches out to touch gloves once more. Aldana sees another heavy leg kick score, so Baeza comes back over the top with a two-punch combination, and then right straight followed by a left high kick that Aldana guards against. "El Charro" scores another leg kick, so Baeza blasts him back with two that cause Aldana to crumple to the ground in pain. Sensing the finish, Baeza pounces on his opponent, landing strike after strike with heavy punches and elbows until Cardoso has seen enough, and we have our first finish of the evening. With the win, Baeza remains unbeaten in his promotional debut.

The Official Result

Miguel Baeza def. Hector Aldana R2 2:32 via TKO (Leg Kick and Elbows)

Marlon Vera vs. Andre Ewell

Round 1

Riding a four-fight finish streak, Vera (14-5-1, 8-4 UFC) looks to keep his momentum going as he faces off against Ewell (15-5, 2-1 UFC) at bantamweight. Drawing the assignment is referee Andrew Glenn. Touching gloves, this potentially exciting bantamweight battle has begun. As Vera comes in with a leg kick, Ewell leaps forward with a straight left. "Chito" dives in for a quick takedown, and Ewell stuffs it and gets out of the way. The American leans down with a straight left to the body, and Vera tries to reply with a looping right hand over the top. A heavy leg kick from Vera scores, so Ewell responds by digging another punch to the body. Vera charges forward and unexpectedly goes for a standing arm-triangle choke, and Ewell falls over on top of Vera. Vera keeps the choke tight, and Ewell is trying to fight hands to break the grasp of Vera, and he does. Sitting on top, Ewell tries to get past the guard of the Ecuadorian, looking to posture up so he can start strikes. From his back, Vera throws several elbows that appear to cut the top of Ewell's head. The American finally sits up, and "Chito" pounces on the opportunity to seek an armbar, but Ewell backs away and the two return to their feet. Vera presses forward with multiple front kicks, and Ewell throws hard body shots in response. Ewell unloads with a four-punch combination that is mostly blocked, and the round ends.

Sherdog Scores

Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-9 Vera
Brian Knapp scores the round: 10-9 Vera
Cole Shelton scores the round: 10-9 Vera

Round 2

Round 2 begins with Vera opening with a body kick from his lead leg, and then low kick from his back leg. Ewell starts up with more lunging strikes to the body, and as Vera comes forward to respond, the American backs off. A heavy inside leg kick sends Ewell bouncing off the fence, and Ewell is content to try to counter and pick his shots. "Chito" throws a kick up high and partially glances off the chin of his opponent, and Ewell wings heavy leather that just falls short. Another body kick lands for Vera, and as he swarms Ewell, Ewell circles out of danger. Vera tries a high-risk spinning kick and falls over, but before "Mr. Highlight" can pounce on him, Vera gets back to his feet. Vera wings big hooks, but with his hands held very low, Ewell is able to get out of the way in time. Vera commits on a heavy leg kick, so Ewell comes back with a hard straight right that stands Vera up. Vera continues to press the action and come forward, so Ewell strings together a combination as his mouth is wide open. "Chito" rips another kick to the lead leg of Ewell, and crashes in to pull for a standing arm-triangle choke again, but Ewell is wise to it and defends it. Keeping Ewell pinned against the fence, Vera lets off several knees, until Ewell separates. A front kick from Ewell hurts him, and a combination from Vera does some damage as Ewell falls against the fence. "Chito" pours it on, but Ewell may be playing possum, as he wings a huge right hand that just whiffs. The two swing until the horn sounds.

Sherdog Scores

Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-9 Vera
Brian Knapp scores the round: 10-9 Vera
Cole Shelton scores the round: 10-9 Vera

Round 3

Ready to start up right where they left off, Vera comes forward strong, but Ewell wings a right hand that skims off Vera's chin. Ewell drops down with several long punches to the body, but Vera whips a head kick that bounces off the side of Ewell's head. The two men trade furiously, and it is Ewell that again is forced to back off. A few more hard kicks get the attention of Ewell, and he catches a kick but can do nothing with it. When Vera kicks again, Ewell is able to finally make him pay for his efforts. Vera cracks Ewell's inside leg with two audible kicks, and Ewell is trying to put on a brave face but that leg appears to be somewhat compromised. As Vera pours it on, he comes in with several hard knees, and with nowhere to run, Ewell is forced to absorb them. Both men dig to the body, and Ewell comes up short with a spinning back fist. As Ewell tries to recover, Vera walks him down and pulls for a guillotine choke. Although Ewell defends himself from the submission, he falls to his back, and Vera sits up to unload hellacious punches and elbows. Feeling that the finish might be around the corner, "Chito" rains down vicious punches until Glenn feels enough is enough and calls the fight. With the win, Vera has now won five straight fights -- all by stoppage -- and becomes the first man to ever finish Ewell with strikes.

The Official Result

Marlon Vera def. Andre Ewell R3 3:17 via TKO (Elbows and Punches)

Deiveson Figueiredo vs. Tim Elliott

Round 1

Two men eyeing an elusive title shot at flyweight are up next, as once-beaten Figueiredo (16-1, 5-1 UFC) locks horns with "The Ultimate Fighter: Season 24" winner and former title challenger Elliott (15-8-1, 4-6 UFC). The referee for our lone men's flyweight matchup of the night is Kevin MacDonald. No touch of gloves, and Elliott comes in with his hands down. Elliott opens up with a few low kicks, and Figueiredo responds with a spinning kick that comes up short. Figueiredo stings Elliott with a right, and Elliott backs off and recover. Elliott crashes forward to try to take the Brazilian down, and starts throwing rapid punches to the body, and Figueiredo pushes off. The American tries to use unorthodox movement to catch Figueiredo off guard, and throws a spinning kick that is nowhere near the mark. Figueiredo charges in with a left hand, and then lands a right on the break, but Elliott appears unfazed. Whenever Figueiredo switches stances to southpaw, Elliott is quick to throw a calf kick to Figueiredo's right leg, and he does so multiple times. Elliott dives in for a takedown, but might have left his neck out a little too far. The Brazilian snatches up the neck and pulls down for a guillotine choke, locking his legs and garnering a lightning-quick tapout from Elliott. As MacDonald stops the action, Figueiredo appears to hold on to the choke a little too long, and when Elliott breaks his head free, he is incensed. The Brazilian immediately apologizes and tries to signal to his vanquished opponent that he did not mean any ill will by holding on to the choke, and luckily, cooler heads prevail. This is a huge win for Figueiredo, and he uses the opportunity to call out current two-division champ Henry Cejudo with the help of his energetic translator Wallid Ismail.

The Official Result

Deiveson Figueiredo def. Tim Elliott R1 3:08 via Submission (Guillotine Choke)

Max Griffin vs. Alex Morono

Round 1

We now move to the welterweight division, with a fight between two fighters that will not shy away from a brawl as Griffin (15-6, 2-4 UFC) comes to blows with Morono (16-5, 1 NC; 5-2, 1 NC UFC). Refereeing this scrap is Herb Dean. There is no touch of gloves, as both men prefer to start out trading instead. Griffin swings hard early, and Morono does the same, with Griffin landing a straight left while Morono replies with a hard right hand. Morono sticks out a straight left and tries to follow it up with a big right hook, but Griffin evades the attack. "Pain" tries to come over the top with a looping right hook, and Morono dodges and attempts a counter. Griffin digs a kick to the body, forcing Morono to charge forward. Griffin lands a heavy right hand, and as Morono keeps pushing in, Griffin sneaks in a straight left that stops the momentum of the Texan. Leading with the jab, Griffin follows it with a big overhand right that scores, and as he takes a leg kick he tries to throw another that does not find its home. Griffin throws a hard leg kick that Morono checks, and Morono responds with a right leg that slams into his opponent's arms. "Great White" spins with a back kick and lands it flush on Griffin's body, and Griffin is no worse for wear because of it. Two left jabs and then a right hook find their mark from Morono, and Griffin is more interested in setting up that big right hand. He scores one, and Morono rubs his eyes as he takes it flush. When Griffin steps in, Morono stands strong with a counter right-left that marks up the face of "Pain." Morono lands a superman punch when the 10-second clapper sounds, and the round comes to a close as Griffin comes up short with a spinning wheel kick.

Sherdog Scores

Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-9 Morono
Brian Knapp scores the round: 10-9 Morono
Cole Shelton scores the round: 10-9 Morono

Round 2

The second round begins with Griffin trying for that looping right, while Morono stays composed with a left jab that he follows with a stern right. He pulls off this combination once more, before chasing Griffin down with a body kick. Griffin replies with a right hand that comes up over the top, and then finds success with his own body kick. The two men trade jabs in the center of the cage, and Morono takes advantage by throwing two big right hooks. Trying to close the distance, Griffin leaps in with a right hook, but Morono keeps his distance with several effective jabs. Griffin cracks Morono with a huge right, and he has Morono hurt. Morono falls backwards against the cage and Griffin unloads strikes, before Morono attempts a desperation takedown that makes Griffin have to defend and back away. With his legs back underneath him, Morono scores with a jab followed by a right, and this combination works wonders as he does it once more for good measure. Griffin tries to close in by throwing long straight punches, but Morono clubs him with another right. As they come together, Morono loads up with a right hand that makes him nearly fall over. Morono launches a left head kick on Griffin's dome that drops Griffin, and he is hurt badly. As he gets back to his feet, Morono slams several knees to the head of Griffin, and Griffin is falling across the cage. Morono pours it on with elbows and punches, and then hammers Griffin with a spinning back fist. Remarkably, Griffin still has the wherewithal to throw back, and stings Morono with a right hand to briefly halt the fury. Morono throws Griffin down to the ground, as he gets back up, the horn sounds to end this thrilling round.

Sherdog Scores

Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-9 Morono
Brian Knapp scores the round: 10-9 Morono
Cole Shelton scores the round: 10-9 Morono

Round 3

The final round begins more tentatively than the first two, as neither man wants to commit to a big strike until Griffin loads up on a massive right hand that Morono barely defends. Griffin swarms Morono with punches, and Morono bounces off the fence but recovers. Griffin loads up with another right up top, finding its home once again, and Morono wears it well. Griffin leaps in the air with a knee and just misses, but as he comes down he hits Morono with a straight right. He lands again with the right, and Morono rolls with it, but is unable to counter like he did previously. Griffin presses forward, lifts Morono up and slams him down. Morono scrambles and gets back up without absorbing anything of consequence, and he takes a hard look at the clock (which says 2:06) until Griffin slams him right back down. As Morono gets back up once more, Griffin aims for a single leg takedown, before pursuing a double, and he lifts up Morono's leg but Morono keeps his balance. Griffin finally scoops up the right leg of the Texan, and plants him on his backside with a minute remaining. Griffin tries to unload some ground-and-pound but cannot get anything of merit off, so Morono gets to his feet and tries for a kimura to reverse the position. Likely exhausted, Morono falls down before he can sweep him, and as Griffin gets him down a final time, Morono tries for an omoplata sweep that Griffin rolls through. With Morono fighting with everything he has to get back up, the horn sounds and this wild fight is over.

Sherdog Scores

Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-9 Griffin (29-28 Morono)
Brian Knapp scores the round: 10-9 Griffin (29-28 Morono)
Cole Shelton scores the round: 10-9 Griffin (29-28 Morono)

The Official Result

Alex Morono def. Max Griffin via Unanimous Decision (29-28, 29-27, 29-27)

Mike Davis vs. Thomas Gifford

Round 1

Coming in on very short notice, Davis (7-2, 0-1 UFC) faces off with Gifford (17-8, 2 NC; 0-1 UFC) as the two each look to record their first victory inside the UFC cage. Referee Andrew Glenn will oversee this lightweight affair. The two men touch gloves, and Davis immediately starts out with a combination that lands to the body and head. Davis rushes forward with another combination to the body and the head, and Gifford responds with an Imanari roll that Davis defends by simply walking away. When Gifford stands up, Davis digs a right to the body, and then cracks Gifford with a right over the top followed by several knees. Gifford absorbs it all without issue, and as Davis presses forward so aggressively he falls over. Gifford does not capitalize on it, so Davis returns to his feet and unloads several hard shots on Gifford. Davis sinks a heavy body kick that bends Gifford over, and Gifford is showing some damage less than halfway through the first round. Davis strings together a several-punch combination and ends it with a high kick, and his speed is really showing as he can chain quick strikes together while Gifford responds with one or two. Davis sits down on an uppercut that Gifford just dodges, so he slams Gifford in the face with a right hand that makes the audience gasp. Davis is unloading with everything he has, and Gifford is walking through it, while throwing a few straight rights and body kicks. A right over the top backs off Gifford momentarily, and a heavy combination lands that staggers Gifford. Davis leaps in the air with a knee, and Gifford is in a bad way. Davis hammers home several strikes, and as Gifford tries to defend with a takedown he falls to his back. "The Young Lion" throws his legs up to try for a submission, and Davis rains down a plethora of punches until Gifford is saved by the bell.

Sherdog Scores

Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-8 Davis
Brian Knapp scores the round: 10-8 Davis
Cole Shelton scores the round: 10-8 Davis

Round 2

Davis starts off the round with a furious right hand that blows Gifford's hair back. "Beast Boy" nails Gifford with a low kick that causes him to spin around, and he turns, he tries to surprise his opponent with a spinning strike, but Davis sees it coming. Gifford tries for a few jabs, and then rolls again for an Imanari roll, but like before, Davis practically ignores it to allow Gifford to get back up. Gifford leads in with an elbow, and Davis is not nearly as aggressive or throwing with reckless abandon as he did in the first round. Gifford tags Davis with a groin kick, but Davis waves off the referee to keep his momentum going. Davis jumps in with a flying knee that glances off his opponent's chin, and lands a few more strikes that bloody up the nose of "The Young Lion." Gifford sets up a two-punch combination that ends with a head kick, but Davis blocks it and comes back with a right that snaps Gifford's head back. Gifford falls to his back to try for a submission, and Davis follows him down while staving off any submission attempts. While on top, Davis hammers down a few loud elbows, but he stands back to get a position and in doing so, Gifford gets back up. Davis jumps on the chance and lands a quick takedown, but like a moment ago, he lets Gifford off the hook and stands up. Davis lands a fierce body kick, and then a right-left that causes Gifford to release more plasma. With seconds to go, Davis unleashes several knees and wild punches, but he cannot get the stoppage as the second stanza is over.

Sherdog Scores

Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-8 Davis
Brian Knapp scores the round: 10-8 Davis
Cole Shelton scores the round: 10-9 Davis

Round 3

Davis comes out swinging in the final round, but he does not connect with more than a few punches. Gifford catches Davis with a head kick, but it does not have any mustard on it, so Davis shrugs it off. Davis ducks down and throws an uppercut up that Gifford just gets out of the way from, and a kick from Davis causes the two men to converse briefly. "The Young Lion" chases down Davis with a few strikes before trying for a takedown, and he almost latches on to Davis' back until he falls over possibly due to exhaustion. Davis allows his man to stand back up, but as Gifford takes his time, Davis charges in and lands several punches and a knee. Davis wings a left hook that causes Gifford to look around the arena for a moment, and as Davis comes in, Gifford topples over. "Beast Boy" advances quickly to half guard, and Gifford pulls for a leg lock so Davis pulls back and steps out of the position. A ferocious leg kick from Davis sends Gifford crashing to the mat in pain, and as Davis stands back, the referee allows Gifford to get back to his feet. Another left hand and leg kick send Gifford back down, and Davis walks away. This fight could be stopped any time, and the commentary crew feels the same. Gifford rolls for another Imanari roll, but he is not even close, so he gets back to his feet slowly while Davis waits. Seeing his opponent is barely on his feet, Davis clubs Gifford with a massive right hand, and Gifford falls face down. He is out cold before he hits the canvas, and it is not a pleasant scene. The win puts Davis on the map in a big way, as he battered Gifford despite coming in on four days' notice. With the win, Davis has finished his opponent in all eight of his career victories.

The Official Result

Mike Davis def. Thomas Gifford R3 4:45 via KO (Punch)

Ryan Spann vs. Devin Clark

Round 1

Headlining the prelims is the heaviest bout of the night, as light heavyweights collide when Fortis MMA prospect Spann (16-5, 2-0 UFC) meets Sioux Falls native Clark (10-3, 4-3 UFC). Our referee for this battle is Michael Cardoso. The two men touch gloves, and Spann opens up as the aggressor, backing Clark against the fence, but it is Clark that throws the first strike. A big leg kick from Clark causes Spann to change stances, and as Spann throws hard, Clark shoots in and takes him down. Spann pulls for a guillotine choke, and Clark gives a thumbs-up to show he is not in danger. After some wrangling, Clark pulls his head out, and as they gets back up, Spann immediately shoots in for a single leg takedown. "Superman" lifts him in the air, but Clark keeps his balance when he gets back down, and breaks away with a powerful knee. The Texan slowly plods forward to back Clark against the cage again, and Clark wings a few shots to back his opponent off. Clark digs a front kick to the body, and as Spann comes forward, Clark takes him down again. Spann gets right back to his feet, and drops in a knee to the groin that the referee simply questions if the fighter is OK, instead of breaking the action. Clark separates again, and Spann calmly walks his man down to keep Clark with his back against the wall. Spann backs away to the center of the cage momentarily, but neither man are willing to commit on anything of note. Clark throws a head kick up high, and comes up short, so Spann crashes forward with punches. Clark tries for a spinning strike but Spann ducks, and this tentative round ends.

Sherdog Scores

Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-9 Clark
Brian Knapp scores the round: 10-9 Clark
Cole Shelton scores the round: 10-9 Spann

Round 2

Spann opens up the first round by taking a leg kick but leading in with a left straight that causes Clark to fall backwards. Clark recovers, and tries for a takedown, but Spann scrambles to get back up before the takedown lands. Spann throws a slow jab, and Clark ducks down with a wild right hand that sends him sprawling across the cage. As Spann walks him down, Clark throws to the body, and Spann practically ignores it as he walks him down. Spann explodes suddenly, cracking Clark with a few punches that cause Clark to stumble. As Spann charges in, he lands a few thunderous shots, but Clark fires back. Spann pushes Clark against the fence, and as Clark leans down, Spann immediately snatches up a guillotine choke. "Brown Bear" falls down to try to get out of the choke, but Spann keeps it high and tight, forcing a tap within seconds. Keeping his finishing ways going strong, Spann has now stopped his opponent in 15 of his 17 career wins.

The Official Result

Ryan Spann def. Devin Clark R2 2:01 via Submission (Guillotine Choke)

Eryk Anders vs. Gerald Meerschaert

Round 1

Opening up the main card is a middleweight showdown as former Alabama linebacker Anders (12-4, 4-4 UFC) takes on submission specialist Meerschaert (30-11, 5-3 UFC). Keeping charge of the Octagon is referee Kevin MacDonald. A touch of the gloves gets things started, where Meerschaert opens up with a long left hand. Anders walks forward and lands a heavy one-two on the Roufusport fighter, so Meerschaert responds with a similar combination that falls short. Anders loads up with a left hand, but he comes up short, so Meerschaert responds with a crisp right. Anders whiffs with a high kick, and he is alternating his attack well going from high to low indiscriminately. Meerschaert throws a solid leg kick, and just ducks out of the way as a winging left hand comes from Anders. "Ya Boy" crowd Meerschaert and hurts him with punches, and Meerschaert falls over. Not wanting to deal with the grappling, Anders allows Meerschaert to stand up. Anders cracks Meerschaert with another left, so "GM3" tries for a takedown that Anders shucks off. Anders grabs hold of a Thai clinch and brings a knee up the middle, and Meerschaert separates but is looking marked up early on. Anders throws another right high kick up quickly and misses, but it is getting closer. Meerschaert slaps in with a right hand, and then plays the matador as Anders ducks and charges in. In the center of the cage, Anders sits on a big left, and he is constantly hunting for that home run shot. Meerschaert sneaks in a quick left hand that surprises Anders, and sticks the jab out to break up Anders' power strikes. Anders slams a left into the side of Meerschaert's head, and "GM3" sprints across the cage to get out of danger, but Anders follows him along as the round ends.

Sherdog Scores

Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-9 Anders
Brian Knapp scores the round: 10-9 Anders
Cole Shelton scores the round: 10-9 Anders

Round 2

The second period opens up with Meerschaert flicking out the jab repeatedly to try to halt the aggression of Anders. Meerschaert follows a jab with a quick left hand, and as Anders charges in with a looping hook, Anders pushes him over, but elects not to follow the grappler down to the canvas. As "GM3" tries to keep his jab flowing, Anders sticks him with a left and wobbles him. Meerschaert thumps in a hard low kick after a combination, and Anders visibly reacts to the kick. Meerschaert avoids the right hand coming from Anders, who is throwing it without success so far this round. As Meerschaert throws out a jab, he keeps his composure to dodge and weave out of the way of power strikes, as he ducks out of the way from a big head kick. Anders throws several solid leg kicks that Meerschaert does not seem concerned with, and he then follows those kicks with a few straight punches over the top. "GM3" leans on his jab, working it while avoiding the charging attacks from Anders. Meerschaert hits a one-two on Anders, and then ducks out of the way when a head kick comes his direction. As Anders tries to set strikes up, Meerschaert ducks away and almost runs to avoid the danger, and he gets off a solid combination to end the round. With seconds left, Meerschaert takes a huge left hand that causes "GM3" to grin and laugh at his opponent, and as the round expires, Meerschaert lands a powerful kick to the body.

Sherdog Scores

Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-9 Meerschaert
Brian Knapp scores the round: 10-9 Meerschaert
Cole Shelton scores the round: 10-9 Meerschaert

Round 3

Meerschaert starts the round off strong, with straight punches that don't allow Anders to set up his big overhand left. As Anders crashes in, Meerschaert counters with a solid uppercut, and Anders replies with a head kick that is easily blocked. Meerschaert throws out the right jab, and follows it up with a sharp left that snaps Anders' head back. Anders dips and throws a heavy uppercut, and Meerschaert eats it like a sandwich. The two men sling leather, and Meerschaert looked hurt momentarily but recovered quickly. A heavy body kick comes from Meerschaert, and the kick stuns Anders briefly. A combination from "GM3" opens up a cut under Anders' left eye, but Anders is stringing together several effective combinations and strong left hands. Meerschaert wades through it, more interested in keeping his jab going to give Anders pause. As "Ya Boy" loads up, Meerschaert ducks away, but in an exchange Meerschaert hurts Anders badly. Anders stumbles across the cage on baby deer legs, and Meerschaert digs with another kick to the body. Anders gets his feet back underneath him, and tries to jump in the air with a knee, but he is countered with a stern left hand. The round ends, and this is going to be a close one.

Sherdog Scores

Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-9 Meerschaert (29-28 Meerschaert)
Brian Knapp scores the round: 10-9 Meerschaert (29-28 Meerschaert)
Cole Shelton scores the round: 10-9 Meerschaert (29-28 Meerschaert)

The Official Result

Eryk Anders def. Gerald Meerschaert via Split Decision (28-29, 29-28, 29-28)

Luis Pena vs. Matt Frevola

Round 1

Pena (7-1, 3-1 UFC), who was recently the inaugural guest on Sherdog.com contributor Jordan Colbert's new show "Blunt Force Trauma" is up next, as he clashes with Serra-Longo Fight Team standout Frevola (7-1-1, 1-1-1 UFC). Serving as the referee for this lightweight fight is Herb Dean. There is no touch of gloves, as Frevola charges in with strikes, swinging with everything he has in the opening seconds of the round. "The Steamrolla" wings two huge hooks that fall short, but he lands several leg kicks to Pena's outstretched lead leg. While Frevola is unable to connect with these huge right hands, he is working the right leg of Pena often. As Frevola ducks down to throw one of those rights, Pena throws a heavy body kick. Frevola stings Pena with a right, backing "Violent Bob Ross" up and scoring a takedown, although Pena gets right back up. Frevola clips Frevola with a one-two, and Frevola responds with that big right again. Frevola shoots in low for a single, and as Pena almost escapes, Frevola lifts him up and slams him down. On his back, Pena pulls for an exceptionally unorthodox head-and-arm choke to get Frevola locked up, and Pena uses the submission attempt to sweep Frevola. As they scramble, they return standing, so Pena unloads a few short knees as he clinches up and tries to take Frevola down. As Frevola breaks away, Pena fires off a long combination that hurts Frevola, and "The Steamrolla" responds with a right hand that catches Pena on the chin. The two men trade until the time expires to end the round.

Sherdog Scores

Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-9 Frevola
Brian Knapp scores the round: 10-9 Frevola
Cole Shelton scores the round: 10-9 Pena

Round 2

Pena rushes out from his corner to start the action, and he clips Frevola right out of the gate, opening a cut under Frevola's left eye. Pena fakes for a loopy swing with his arm and leaps in the air with a knee, catching Frevola flush and sending him staggering. Pena pulls Frevola down and goes after a kimura, but Frevola yanks his arm out and stands up. As he gets to his feet, Pena cracks Frevola with several more knees, and Frevola's face is showing more and more damage. Pena looks comfortable with his timing, working the right jab and busting up Frevola under his right eye. A combination from Pena sends the gumshield hurling out of Frevola's mouth, so he strolls over to pick it up as Dean pauses the action. Frevola closes the distance with a superman punch, but not before Pena kicks him in the face. Pena goes for that same arm swinging-flying knee attack, but Frevola sees it coming and dodges out of the way. Pena fires a big head kick and lands it squarely, but it is Pena who falls over. "The Steamrolla" charges in, and he cannot capitalize on it as Pena gets back up. Frevola shoots in for a takedown, and Pena fishes for a kimura off his back before switching to a triangle choke setup. Frevola pushes the legs away and tries to start ground-and-pound. As Pena explodes to his feet, Frevola says "not so fast, my friend" and suplexes Pena. "Violent Bob Ross" scrambles out of the position and ends up in control of Frevola's back with seconds to go, and he drops down a few punches before the round ends.

Sherdog Scores

Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-9 Pena
Brian Knapp scores the round: 10-9 Pena
Cole Shelton scores the round: 10-9 Pena

Round 3

The final round opens up with Pena trying to keep the distance, backing away when Frevola comes at him and pumping a right jab in Frevola's face. Frevola jumps with a front kick to the body, and Pena tries to come back at him with a straight right. "The Steamrolla" rumbles forward and digs to the body, but comes up short when trying to fire a right over the top. "Violent Bob Ross" launches up a head kick and Frevola barely blocks it in time, and the mere impact of the kick makes Frevola lose his footing briefly. The crowd starts chanting "Steamrolla," and an energized Frevola blitzes in and tags Pena. Pena tries to pull off his tricky flying knee again, and as Frevola avoids the assault, he clips Pena with a straight right to send Pena falling backwards. Pena recovers, pushes Frevola away, and looks to set the jab up again. Frevola counters over the top with a left, and then thumps a right to the body. Seeing his foe may be tired, Pena leaps in with another knee, but Frevola scampers away by circling off the cage. Frevola clips Pena with a right, and then a left, but Pena is coming on strong and lands hard with a left of his own. With 10 seconds remaining, Frevola shoots in for a takedown to try to steal the round, and as the horn sounds, it's anyone's guess who goes home with the win.

Sherdog Scores

Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-9 Frevola (29-28 Frevola)
Brian Knapp scores the round: 10-9 Frevola (29-28 Frevola)
Cole Shelton scores the round: 10-9 Frevola (29-28 Pena)

The Official Result

Matt Frevola def. Luis Pena via Split Decision (28-29, 29-28, 29-28)

Mackenzie Dern vs. Amanda Ribas

Round 1

At our lowest weight class for one of two fights tonight, strawweight Dern (7-0, 2-0 UFC) returns from a layoff just four months removed from having her first child when she meets Ribas (7-1, 1-0 UFC) in the cage. Officiating the contest is referee Michael Cardoso. The two women touch gloves, and then get right to faking and feinting their way in. It is Dern who tries to fire first, and she throws a two-punch combination that does not land. Another from Dern lands on Ribas' armpit, and Ribas fires back with a right hand that makes Dern trip backwards. Dern scores another two lefts, but Rivas returns with a heavy right that once again makes Dern stumble. Ribas is ready to counter Dern's offense with a right, and she kicks the leg out from underneath Dern, but Dern recovers quickly. Dern sits down on a left right, and as Ribas throws back, Dern shoots in for a takedown. Although she lands it momentarily, Ribas springs right back up and backs off Dern with a left straight. Dern loads up on a right hook and comes up short of the target, but Ribas is unable to capitalize on a response. Ribas clips Dern with a big left, and as Dern comes in, Ribas hip tosses Dern to the ground. On her back, Dern throws up her legs to pursue a triangle, and as Ribas slams her down, Dern briefly pursues an armbar before bailing as she loses position. Ribas stays heavy on top as the round concludes.

Sherdog Scores

Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-9 Ribas
Brian Knapp scores the round: 10-9 Ribas
Cole Shelton scores the round: 10-9 Ribas

Round 2

The second round opens with Dern shooting in for a single leg takedown, but Ribas evades the attempt. The two women trade leather, and Ribas is landing the stiffer shots as she scores a heavy right hand that makes Dern grin. Ribas throws a mean leg kick and follows it with a big right hand that knocks Dern off balance, but Dern displays that she has a chin. Dern tries for a left straight-right hook combination, but Ribas is well out of the way. Dern clips Ribas with a right, so Ribas gives one right back to her. Dern shoots for another takedown, but it is nothing doing as Ribas pushes her opponent away. Ribas spins for a kick, and Dern is able to block it but the power knocks her back. Ribas wings a right hand and Dern takes it on the chin, and avoids the looping shots from Dern that come her way. Ribas sticks out a left jab that breaks up Dern's offense, so Dern shoots in for a deep takedown. Like before, it is Ribas that throws Dern down when they jockey for position, but not wanting to bother with Dern's submission attempts, Ribas stands up and we get back to the feet. Ribas chases Dern down with punches, and then a spinning kick. Seconds left, Ribas makes Dern's ears ring with a stiff right that bounces Dern off the cage wall, and the horn sounds.

Sherdog Scores

Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-9 Ribas
Brian Knapp scores the round: 10-9 Ribas
Cole Shelton scores the round: 10-9 Ribas

Round 3

A final touch of gloves and the last round commences. As Dern throws a hook that goes wide, Ribas kicks her leg out from underneath her and causes Dern to fall to the canvas. Ribas has no interest in playing in the ground game with Dern now, as she backs away and throws a head kick that Dern barely blocks. Ribas chases down Dern with several punches, and she catches Dern at the end of her left hand. As Dern throws a body kick, Ribas is quick to counter with a three-punch combination. Dern shoots for another takedown, but it is stuffed and she eats several punches on her back because of it. Ribas lets her get back up, and she thumps Dern to the body with a stern right hand. Ribas barely misses a head kick, and Dern tries to throw a one-shot right hook that is nowhere near the target. Ribas sees it coming, and she counters with a few short punches before stuffing a takedown. Ribas scores a solid one-two that sends Dern backwards, and as she tries to reply to Ribas, she is not even close. Ribas puts together a combination to the body and the head, and then sinks in a low leg kick that makes Dern turn away. Ribas relies heavily on the jab, and doing so shuts down what Dern tries to throw at her. The strike differentials will be telling at the end of this contest. Ribas turns up the pressure with a mighty blitz, and she starts screaming as she attacks and lands again and again on Dern. The horn sounds to conclude this strawweight matchup, and it is very possible that Dern has suffered the first loss of her career.

Sherdog Scores

Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-9 Ribas (30-27 Ribas)
Brian Knapp scores the round: 10-9 Ribas (30-27 Ribas)
Cole Shelton scores the round: 10-9 Ribas (30-27 Ribas)

The Official Result

Amanda Ribas def. Mackenzie Dern via Unanimous Decision (30-27, 30-27, 30-27)

Niko Price vs. James Vick

Round 1

Knockout artist Price (13-3, 1 NC; 5-3, 1 NC UFC) welcomes longtime lightweight Vick (13-4, 9-4 UFC) up to the welterweight division now, as Vick tries to snap a three-fight skid by changing weight classes. Our referee is Herb Dean, instead of Andrew Glenn, as Glenn was pulled from the assignment due to his performance in the Davis vs. Gifford fight. Price opens up aggressively, throw a heavy leg kick and several powerful punches to get Vick's attention early on. Vick, who looks much more comfortable at 170 pounds, lands several hard leg kicks on Price. As Vick slips, Price chases him down and throws some slicing elbows that open up a cut on Vick's nose. Vick tries to get back to his feet, but he is eating shots to get there. As Price tries to take him down again, Vick lands on top, raining down heavy shots. Out of nowhere, Price throws a monster upkick and blasts Vick right on the chin, and shuts the lights out as Vick slumps over. The sound of that connection was brutal, with Price landing with his heel with a sickening crack. Price celebrates his win, unaware that Vick is in bad shape, and when he learns, he rushes over to check on Vick's condition. Thankfully, Vick regains consciousness and is able to get back to his feet eventually. With that devastating win, Price records the second upkick knockout victory in UFC history -- the first came by Jon Fitch over Thiago Alves at UFC Fight Night 5 in 2006.

The Official Result

Niko Price def. James Vick R1 1:44 via KO (Upkick)

Cub Swanson vs. Kron Gracie

Round 1

The co-main event is upon us, as fan-favorite Swanson (25-11, 10-7 UFC) tries to hand Gracie (5-0, 1-0 UFC) his first career defeat in the featherweight division. On his way to the cage, Gracie -- joined by his father, Rickson (by armbar) -- utilizes the incredibly effective and potentially terrifying siren from "The Purge" blaring as his walkout audio. Referee Kevin MacDonald will keep tabs on the action, and we are underway. Gracie opens like many Gracies in the past, with a leg kick. Gracie presses forward while Swanson circles away, and Gracie chases him down with punches. Gracie relies on his lead knee stomp kick, and Swanson is far away from grappling range. Swanson goes to the body, and as Gracie tries to respond, Swanson is well out of the way. Swanson sneaks in a left hand, all while staying light on his feet. Swanson tags Gracie with a short right hand, and Gracie is relentless by chasing his man down. Swanson hits Gracie with another right, and then cracks Gracie with a loud kick to the body. Gracie follows him down, but Swanson is utilizing effective striking, thumping Gracie to the body before going up top. With his hands at his waist, Swanson is getting comfortable in the cage, and picks at Gracie with his punches. The American hammers the body with another vicious right, and Gracie returns fire with a right that catches Swanson off guard. Gracie charges forward to try to clinch up with Swanson, but Swanson darts away out of danger. Another right hand to the body catches Gracie, and he seems to have no answer to the striking. Swanson stings Gracie with another body kick, and the round ends.

Sherdog Scores

Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-9 Swanson
Brian Knapp scores the round: 10-9 Swanson
Cole Shelton scores the round: 10-9 Swanson

Round 2

Swanson opens up with a sharp straight right, and Gracie chases him down but cannot catch him. Swanson leaps in with a several-punch combination and hops out of the way before Gracie can respond. The American is loose and calm, and although he has a little cut on the bridge of his nose, Gracie looks much worse for wear so far. Swanson digs back to the body again, and Gracie looks to his corner for advice. Gracie swarms Swanson with punches, and uses the opportunity to close the distance, but Swanson circles out. Clinched up in the center of the cage, Gracie tries to jump guard, and Swanson has no interest in going to the ground. Swanson falls to the floor and Gracie tries to take advantage of it, but he cannot grab hold of Swanson for long. Swanson blasts Gracie's body with several more powerful punches, and Gracie is doing what he can to close the distance, although his gas tank appears to be draining fast. Gracie swings wildly and stalks Swanson down, but after clinching up again, he sticks to strikes instead of grappling. In the clinch, Swanson cracks Gracie with several huge elbows that bloody up Gracie quickly, and Gracie is the one that separates. Gracie lands on Swanson, but his strikes do not have the pop on them to get Swanson's attention, and he cannot get Swanson down either. In an exchange, Gracie opens up a cut on Swanson's right eye, and the horn sounds.

Sherdog Scores

Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-9 Swanson
Brian Knapp scores the round: 10-9 Swanson
Cole Shelton scores the round: 10-9 Swanson

Round 3

Gracie starts the round off swinging, and when he trades with Swanson, Swanson gets the better of the exchanges. The American sits down on a short right hand that catches Gracie on the chin, and Gracie eats it and walks forward like a zombie. Gracie grabs Swanson and tries to set something up, but Swanson evades the danger and works the body and lands several powerful right hands. Clinched up again, Gracie jumps guard, and lands an upkick, although Swanson does not take it flush, and he backs off to make Gracie stand up. Swanson chains together a four-punch combination, and Gracie follows suit with several jabs. Gracie snatches up Swanson and throws him over his hip, but he cannot capitalize on it and Swanson stands up. Back on their feet, they clinch up and Swanson works the body repeatedly. Gracie tries to pull guard and then throw another upkick, and Swanson dances away once more. The two men come together in the center of the cage and strike, and they are trading heavy shots. Swanson, who was much more able to circle away, decides to stand in front of Gracie and punch with all his might. This fight is ridiculous, as they are throwing everything they have into every punch, and Gracie is taking everything Swanson is throwing at him and giving some back. The strike totals for this match are going to be enormous, as the two men land at will. With 40 seconds to go, Swanson takes Gracie down, and Gracie tries to pull for a guillotine as Swanson breaks free. Swanson's body shots finally appear to have an effect on Gracie, as one causes Gracie to double over briefly. The two swing right up until the final bell, and then congratulate each other on a hard-fought battle. This was a treat to watch, and the crowd is on its feet. What a show these two put on.

Sherdog Scores

Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-9 Swanson (30-27 Swanson)
Brian Knapp scores the round: 10-9 Swanson (30-27 Swanson)
Cole Shelton scores the round: 10-9 Swanson (30-27 Swanson)

The Official Result

Cub Swanson def. Kron Gracie via Unanimous Decision (30-27, 30-27, 30-27)

Joanna Jedrzejczyk vs. Michelle Waterson

Round 1

In our strawweight headliner, former divisional queen Jedrzejczyk (15-3, 9-3 UFC) returns to 115 pounds after a public woes that she would not be able to make weight. Hitting 115.5 pounds without issue, she will lock horns with former Invicta FC atomweight champ Waterson (17-6, 5-2 UFC), where the referee for the final fight of the night is Herb Dean -- who is greeted with loud applause. Jedrzejczyk opens up with a few kicks, all while looking to close the distance. Jedrzejczyk scores with a two-punch combination, and then dodges away from a big front kick from Waterson. The American uses the moment to shoot in for a double leg takedown, and although she does not score it, she lands a few powerful punches in the clinch. Jedrzejczyk presses hard in the clinch, and although Waterson takes control, Jedrzejczyk drops in several short knees. Waterson breaks with a hard elbow, and then with space, goes for a long kick to Jedrzejczyk's lead knee. The Polish fighter is ready any time Waterson closes the distance, and chains several punches together in rapid succession while Waterson resets. "The Karate Hottie" shoots in for another takedown, but Jedrzejczyk stuffs it and hammers the body with a salvo of knees. Jedrzejczyk scores a solid elbow, and Waterson tries to reverse position but Jedrzejczyk turns her right back to the fence. The two women jockey for position against the fence, but it is Jedrzejczyk who is throwing the effective strikes in the form of knees and elbows. The Polish woman nearly grabs a Thai clinch, and utilizes the position to score multiple knees and sharp elbows. Waterson briefly grabs the head lock position as they scramble, and the round ends.

Sherdog Scores

Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-9 Jedrzejczyk
Brian Knapp scores the round: 10-9 Jedrzejczyk
Cole Shelton scores the round: 10-9 Jedrzejczyk

Round 2

Although Waterson shows blood on her sleeve, it is unclear where it is coming from-- her or her opponent. We begin the second round with several heavy leg kicks from Jedrzejczyk, and Waterson has started to pick the leg up already after absorbing those shots. Jedrzejczyk throws kicks to the body and legs, and Waterson presses forward to try to land punches. Content to stay at the distance and pepper the lead leg with kicks, Jedrzejczyk scores effectively again and again. Waterson counters with a head kick, and although she blocks it, it wobbles Jedrzejczyk for a moment. Getting her bearings, Jedrzejczyk stuffs a takedown attempt from Waterson, and get back into the clinch where they spent much of the opening stanza. Waterson pops Jedrzejczyk with an elbow on the break, and Jedrzejczyk chases her down with a three-punch combination followed by a kick. Waterson crashes in for another takedown, and Jedrzejczyk stands strong and reverses the position to land several powerful strikes in the clinch that cause Waterson's nose to leak. Waterson separates with a body kick, and she is wearing it now. A huge front kick from Jedrzejczyk scores right on the chin of Waterson, which causes her to spin around with a big grin on her face. She recovers, but in the process starts to take more shots to the legs, body and head from her Polish adversary. The horn sounds as Waterson takes a deep breath.

Sherdog Scores

Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-9 Jedrzejczyk
Brian Knapp scores the round: 10-9 Jedrzejczyk
Cole Shelton scores the round: 10-9 Jedrzejczyk

Round 3

Jedrzejczyk opens up the round with more potent strikes, as she is starting to put some heat on her attacks now. Her leg kicks are louder, her punches have a greater effect, and Waterson is reacting more after taking them. With both her left and right leg, she works Waterson's lead leg with kicks on the inside and out. Waterson responds with a kick to the knee, but Jedrzejczyk strings together a length combination with a kick at the end for emphasis. The Polish fighter's kicks appear to be forcing Waterson to switch stances, and not wanting to eat more, she shoots on for a desperation takedown. In the scramble, Jedrzejczyk is the one to drag Waterson down, and she ends up on top where she looks to set up a brabo choke. Unable to hit it, Waterson gets to her feet, where "The Karate Hottie" smiles at her adversary. Jedrzejczyk goes over the top with a head kick, and she is out of the way when Waterson tries to respond with kicks of her own. Jedrzejczyk chips away with multiple leg kicks, and breaks things up with a kick to the body, one to the head, and then more to the legs. Waterson leaps forward and grabs Jedrzejczyk, and scrambles to take Jedrzejczyk's back. Waterson immediately goes after a rear-naked choke, but it is not under her opponent's chin. Jedrzejczyk survives the attempt and stands back up, where she leans against the fence with Waterson on her back. Jedrzejczyk breaks up the hooks of Waterson and get her off her back, where she pours it on to end the round as the crowd erupts so loudly that we cannot hear the horn.

Sherdog Scores

Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-9 Jedrzejczyk
Brian Knapp scores the round: 10-9 Jedrzejczyk
Cole Shelton scores the round: 10-9 Jedrzejczyk

Round 4

Jedrzejczyk starts the round with a blistering pace, throwing kick after kick to every target on both legs. Waterson wears it well, but she is showing some serious damage. As they clinch together, Jedrzejczyk scores on the break and hammers home another audible leg kick. Jedrzejczyk works the jab to great effect, and evades the front kicks that come from "The Karate Hottie" in response. A head kick from Jedrzejczyk wobbles the legs of Waterson, but she simply smiles and walks it off. Her toughness is on display, as she is getting lit up on the feet. She has her moments, but every strike she lands, Jedrzejczyk will land three or more. On one such exchange, Waterson dings Jedrzejczyk with a front kick to the body, and Jedrzejczyk replies in kind with two kicks to the legs and one to the body. Waterson closes in to clinch up, and although she scores an elbow, Jedrzejczyk takes her back and drags Waterson down to the canvas for a moment. Waterson springs back up, so Jedrzejczyk pulls her down again, all while Jedrzejczyk throws a mean elbow and flush knee to the body. Jedrzejczyk lands a few more elbows and knees up close, and she ends the round pushing Waterson hard against the fence.

Sherdog Scores

Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-9 Jedrzejczyk
Brian Knapp scores the round: 10-9 Jedrzejczyk
Cole Shelton scores the round: 10-9 Jedrzejczyk

Round 5

Between rounds, we see Jedrzejczyk limping back to her corner, and then we see a close-up shot of Jedrzejczyk's right foot, which is badly swollen and changing color fast. As the fifth and final round begins, the two women embrace. Jedrzejczyk kicks things off with several more kicks, mostly coming from her relatively undamaged left foot. Several punches score from Jedrzejczyk, who is not slowing down to a noticeable degree. The two clinch up once more, and Jedrzejczyk lands an elbow, so Waterson grabs a body lock in an attempt to drag Jedrzejczyk down. The Polish fighter circles out, and lets fly a powerful kick to the body that makes Waterson smile. Waterson shoots in for a takedown, and this time she gets it, scrambling to once again take the back of her opponent. Jedrzejczyk defends a potential choke by using both her hands to control one of Waterson's wrists, and she spins out to get free of the position. As Jedrzejczyk works the jab, Waterson whiffs on a spinning elbow. According to the broadcast, Jedrzejczyk has now landed over 200 strikes in this fight, and as they are saying this information, she quickly scores a half dozen more. Jedrzejczyk comes at "The Karate Hottie" hard with seconds to go, swinging with reckless abandon until they come together. Jedrzejczyk grabs hold of Waterson and briefly takes her back, although the round -- and the fight -- is now over. The two women embrace, and it is clear who should come out on top.

Sherdog Scores

Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-9 Jedrzejczyk (50-45 Jedrzejczyk)
Brian Knapp scores the round: 10-9 Jedrzejczyk (50-45 Jedrzejczyk)
Cole Shelton scores the round: 10-9 Jedrzejczyk (50-45 Jedrzejczyk)

The Official Result

Joanna Jedrzejczyk def. Michelle Waterson via Unanimous Decision (50-45, 50-45, 49-46)