UFC Fight Night 164 ‘Blachowicz vs. Jacare’ Play-by-Play, Results & Round Scoring

Tracy Cortez vs. Vanessa Melo

Round 1

We begin the last card of a marathon 12-week stretch of UFC events in the women's bantamweight division, between two women who both missed weight but were later cleared after the commission admitted an error in scale calibration. Cortez (6-1, 0-0 UFC) makes her UFC debut against Brazil's Melo (10-6, 0-1 UFC), and serving as the referee for the first of eight bouts pitting Brazil against the world is Jerin Valel. The two touch gloves and we are underway. The two women immediately trade left hooks, and swing hard at one another. Melo connects with a stiff one-two, while Cortez works on a right front kick to the midsection multiple times. Cortez throws a low kick and gets counter over the top, so she tries again and Melo is ready to greet her with a fist in the face. Cortez circles out and leans once more on a leg kick, and Melo tags her on top so Cortez backpedals. The American tries to close the distance to swing an elbow, and as they clash together, Cortez slips and lands on her backside, but springs up before Melo can take advantage of the position. Cortez again pursues that right leg kick, but Melo has timed a counter perfectly and makes Cortez pay for those kicks. Cortez shoots in for a takedown and is rebuffed, but while in close range she slams an elbow home before the Brazilian pushes her away. Cortez connects with a one-two, and then two effective body kicks, before ducking down to swing a looping left hand. Although Melo is advancing, Cortez is the one landing the more significant strikes with brisk combinations time and time again. Cortez decides to wade in, and the two women bite down on their gumshields and trade leather. The American is able to get in and get out without eating too many counters, and the first round is now over.

Sherdog Scores

Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-9 Cortez
Mike Sloan scores the round: 10-9 Cortez
Tyler Treese scores the round: 10-9 Cortez

Round 2

The two women touch gloves to start the round, and then back away, only this time Cortez shoots in for a takedown. Melo defends it, but in the process gets her back put against the fence. Cortez leans heavy on her opponent and brings up a few knees to the torso, before trying again to drag Melo down. The crowd grows restless as the two fight for position against the cage wall, and Cortez is really leaning into a trip takedown attempt, but Melo stands her back upright. Cortez goes down low to pull Melo's left leg out from underneath her and gets Melo down to her knee, so she transitions to a double. Melo remains upright, but while defending her position, gives up her back. Cortez tries to sneak in a few punches under Melo's armpit, but much more importantly, wrenches Melo down to the ground for a brief moment. Although Melo does not remain grounded, Cortez leans and pulls on her until the horn sounds to end this less-than-exhilarating round.

Sherdog Scores

Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-9 Cortez
Mike Sloan scores the round: 10-9 Cortez
Tyler Treese scores the round: 10-9 Cortez

Round 3

The final frame starts out much more exciting than the last frame, as Melo realizes she might be down on the scorecards. She unloads several right hands that have Cortez not enjoying these exchanges, and after a brief brawl, Cortez grabs hold of Melo's leg and takes her to the canvas. In half guard, the American maintains suffocating pressure and drops down a few elbows much to the chagrin of the hometown crowd. With nowhere to go, Melo absorbs some ground-and-pound, but the far greater danger is the time that is rapidly ticking off the clock while she is flat on her back. Cortez stays heavy and keeps busy with sporadic strikes to avoid any referee entanglements, methodically maintaining top position and racking up control time. Cortez sits up and starts spamming left hands, so the Brazilian tries to burst out of the position and in the process absorbs several thudding elbows right on the jaw. With 20 seconds left, Melo kicks off and Cortez stands up, before pouncing down to pound a plethora of powerful punches to punctuate the performance. The fight ends with Melo taking shot after shot until time elapses. Unless there is a miscarriage of justice to start off the night, Brazil is now 0-1 this evening.

Sherdog Scores

Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-9 Cortez (30-27 Cortez)
Mike Sloan scores the round: 10-9 Cortez (30-27 Cortez)
Tyler Treese scores the round: 10-9 Cortez (30-27 Cortez)

The Official Result

Tracy Cortez def. Vanessa Melo via Unanimous Decision (30-27, 30-27, 29-28)

Ariane Lipski vs. Isabela de Padua

Round 1

The second of two women's bouts tonight is up next, where Lipski (11-5, 0-2 UFC) undergoes another opponent change as Padua (5-1, 0-0 UFC) steps in on less than two days' notice. The referee for this 131-pound catchweight affair is Fernando Portella. There is no touch of gloves, as Lipski is right down to business as she rocks Padua right out of the gate. A serious combination puts Padua down, and Padua tries to hold on to guard as Lipski rains down punches. The newcomer ties her up so she stops eating shots, but Lipski is content to fire some mean-spirited right hands and elbows in full guard. "Violence Queen" postures up to club Padua with more punches, and escapes a brief triangle attempt before getting to her feet to whip kicks at her opponent. When Padua gets back up, Lipski puts her foot on the gas and wings leather, so Padua shoots in and hits a takedown after absorbing some punches. "Belinha" starts dropping down some elbows in guard, while Lipski briefly hunts for an armbar off her back. Padua shrugs her off and keeps throwing elbows and short punches, and Lipski then searches for a kneebar but the horn sounds to end this intriguing round.

Sherdog Scores

Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-9 Lipski
Mike Sloan scores the round: 10-9 Lipski
Tyler Treese scores the round: 10-9 Lipski

Round 2

The second frame opens with a powerful combination from Lipski, much like the first, and she has Padua's attention quickly. Like the opening round, Padua shoots in for a takedown after taking some damage, but Lipski stuffs it and bowls Padua over. In half guard, Lipski is busy throwing punches to the body and hammerfists to her opponent's forehead. As Lipski keeps working, she pushes away an armbar attempt from Padua, and Padua throws an illegal upkick that catches Lipski right on the chin. Portella pauses the action, gives Padua a stern warning and takes one point. In a display of good refereeing, Portella restarts them in the same position before the upkick. As Lipski gets right back to punching from on top, Padua throws her leg up to pursue an omoplata. "Violence Queen" does not appear fazed by this submission concern as she advances to three-quarter guard to drop down more punches. In the scramble, Padua regains full guard, but Lipski continues to work while on top. Padua throws her legs up to pursue an inverted triangle, and Lipski is in a bad way with 15 seconds to go. Padua pulls for an arm to pursue an inverted triangle kimura, but Lipski rides out the position to end the round.

Sherdog Scores

Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-8 Lipski
Mike Sloan scores the round: 10-8 Lipski
Tyler Treese scores the round: 10-8 Lipski

Round 3

The last round begins with Lipski working the left jab, and then goes for a high kick. Padua times it well and shoots in low, landing a takedown in the early moments. Lipski fishes for an omoplata of her own but it is not close, so she instead rolls for a kneebar that Padua defends well by pushing off with her other foot. In the scramble, Lipski tries to roll out of position but ends up flat on her back with Padua on top. In full guard, Padua tries to break away and land some short shots, and gets her right arm free to throw a few elbow that cause Lipski to turn away. As Lipski looks to spin out, Padua hops over to half guard and then almost gets full mount. When hunting for another triangle, Padua falls off and Lipski winds up on top. "Violence Queen" fights off another submission attempt while Padua pulls up her right leg to search for that omoplata once more, and land some more punches. Padua continues to absorb strikes as she throws her legs up to get anything done, so Lipski powers out and postures up in guard. Lipski stays heavy to end the frame, hammering home a few punches and ultimately keeping busy enough to leave the referee out of it. When the final horn sound, the crowd showers Lipski with boos, clearly not thrilled with her performance.

Sherdog Scores

Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-9 Lipski (30-26 Lipski)
Mike Sloan scores the round: 10-9 de Padua (29-27 Lipski)
Tyler Treese scores the round: 10-9 de Padua (29-27 Lipski)

The Official Result

Ariane Lipski def. Isabela de Padua via Unanimous Decision (30-26, 30-26, 29-27)

Douglas Silva de Andrade vs. Renan Barao

Round 1

Moving now to featherweight, Silva de Andrade (25-3, 1 NC; 3-3 UFC) takes on Barao (34-8, 1 NC; 9-7 UFC) in an all-Brazil battle, with the latter looking to snap a four-fight skid dating back to 2017. In charge of the Octagon is referee Osiris Maia. A double touch of gloves kicks off this fight, and Barao opens up with a range-finding front kick. Silva de Andrade presses forward with his hair tails waving behind him, and he throws a wild right hand that just misses Barao. Barao eats a shot on the nose and is immediately marked up, so he keeps his distance and tries to get a kicking game going. Silva de Andrade just misses a huge right hand, and he is loading up on these shots, while Barao is more interested in simply landing. Silva de Andrade whiffs on a spinning back kick, and Barao slaps a heavy leg kick home that makes Silva de Andrade nearly turn around. When Silva de Andrade tries to set up a spinning back fist, he is well off the mark, and Barao scores with a left up the middle. As Silva de Andrade prepares to swing heavily, Barao drops down and scores a takedown, landing in half guard. "D'Silva" is trying to strike with Barao with his back on the floor, so Barao stays low and heavy while possibly setting up an arm-triangle choke. The former champ starts throws some short punches, but unexpectedly, Maia stands them up as the two fighters look at him confused. Silva de Andrade crashes forward and tags him with a huge left hand that wobbles Barao, and "D'Silva" clinches up even though he may have had Barao hurt. Barao shoves his opponent away, and Silva de Andrade starts winging high risk shots like a spinning back kick, jumping knee stomp and front kick. The two trade, the horn sounds, and they high five to end the round.

Sherdog Scores

Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-9 Silva de Andrade
Mike Sloan scores the round: 10-9 Silva de Andrade
Tyler Treese scores the round: 10-9 Silva de Andrade

Round 2

A cautious touch of gloves starts off the second stanza, and Barao uses long strikes to keep Silva de Andrade at bay. It does not hold him off for long, as Silva de Andrade charges forward to land some powerful punches. As they trade kicks, Barao catches his man in the groin, so the action pauses for a few seconds. It restarts and Silva de Andrade tries to time a big uppercut when Barao changes levels, but Barao absorbs it and gets him down. From his back, Silva de Andrade scores several slashing elbows while Barao tries to get some punches off. Silva de Andrade holds on tight to try to get Maia to stand them up, so Barao chains together several short punches to keep them grounded. After a little ground fighting, Maia does stand them up, and Silva de Andrade immediately digs to the body with a straight left hand. Silva de Andrade sits down on a right hand and then throws a quick left head kick up to try to catch Barao off-guard, but Barao blocks it. Barao shoots in for a single leg takedown and Silva de Andrade defends it well with some hacking elbows that looked a little questionable on their target area, but he slices Barao open. After some clinching, Maia pauses the fight to call in the doctor, as the cut is right above Barao's left eye. It looks bad but the doctor clears him, and the two touch gloves to continue fighting. Silva de Andrade stings Barao with a leg kick and then a high kick, and follows those with a fierce left hand. The two jump in the air and try to land kicks on each other, but they just bounce off one another. One last successful exchange for Silva de Andrade concludes the round.

Sherdog Scores

Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-9 Barao
Mike Sloan scores the round: 10-9 Silva de Andrade
Tyler Treese scores the round: 10-9 Barao

Round 3

They touch gloves and then hug to begin the last round, but the good feelings do not last for long as Silva de Andrade loads up on a left hand that Barao defends. A powerful one-two lands right on the chin of Barao, and then an unreal uppercut that may have made someone in the crowd shout "Toasty!" just misses. Barao dives in for another takedown but is shoved away, and Silva de Andrade hurts him with incoming strikes. Barao is on wobbly legs, and is barely able to get his guard up in time to protect himself from a spinning back fist. A desperation takedown attempt is bucked off by Silva de Andrade, so "D'Silva" tags him again with a left uppercut for his efforts. Barao is still not 100%, and goes after the takedown but there is nothing there. A huge right elbow from Silva de Andrade makes Barao put his hand on the mat, but Barao barely survives and backs away as he takes a spinning back kick. Barao is taking gasping breaths and is throwing some very slow punches, so Silva de Andrade digs to the body and then bucks Barao off of him when he tries for another takedown. Barao continues to absorb punishment high and low, and Silva de Andrade hurts him with a leg kick towards the tail end of the round. As the final horn blares, the two men embrace and Barao falls over, in obvious pain. He is looking fairly worse for wear, and the former champ very well may have lost his fifth consecutive bout.

Sherdog Scores

Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-8 Silva de Andrade (29-27 Silva de Andrade)
Mike Sloan scores the round: 10-8 Silva de Andrade (30-26 Silva de Andrade)
Tyler Treese scores the round: 10-9 Silva de Andrade (29-28 Silva de Andrade)

The Official Result

Douglas Silva de Andrade def. Renan Barao via Unanimous Decision (30-27, 30-27, 30-26)

Warlley Alves vs. Randy Brown

Round 1

A pair of men both coming off third-round knockout wins are set to square off, as Alves (13-3, 7-3 UFC) meets "Rude Boy" Brown (11-3, 5-3 UFC) -- not the original MMA "Rude Boy," which is reserved for Troy Mandaloniz -- in the welterweight division. The Octagon ranger is Kevin MacDonald. Before the fight, Alves slaps himself repeatedly and reddens up his face, but there is no touch of gloves as the two start throwing kicks. Brown goes up high with a kick, and Alves grabs the leg and pushes him down. On top with the two partly against the cage, Alves tries to advance position but Brown defends it with a high guard that makes Alves stand up briefly before looking for a way back in. Brown hangs on tight until he pushes Alves away, and tries to throw a few upkicks but Alves shoves them off and tries to take Brown's back. The Jamaican bursts back to his feet and gets Alves against the fence. Alves tries to push off with an elbow, and instead goes with a hip toss that gets Brown back down. Brown kicks off once more, making Alves get back up, but he repositions and dives back down with some heavy right hands. The strikes cause Brown to turn over, and Alves takes his back while the crowd chants their famous chant. Alves seeks out the rear-naked choke, and Brown is defending by using two-on-one to keep hold of Alves' left hand and break up the grip. "Rude Boy" spins out of the bad position and winds up on top, but Alves explodes out and gets to his feet. Brown stings Alves with an elbow and then a few knees, and hits his own hip throw to end the round in style.

Sherdog Scores

Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-9 Alves
Mike Sloan scores the round: 10-9 Alves
Tyler Treese scores the round: 10-9 Alves

Round 2

Alves comes out firing in Round 2, and Brown escapes most of the attack and kicks the legs out from beneath Alves. Brown leaps in the air with a knee and cracks Alves on the chin, but the Brazilian wears it well as he pushes Brown away. Brown tags Alves with a head kick, but Alves throws him down like he did at the beginning of the first round. The TUF Brazil winner comes down in a bad position, as Brown quickly sets up a triangle with his long legs. While in position, Brown hammers him with some fierce elbows, opening up a cut along the way. Alves tries to survive, and twists and turns to get out of the danger zone, but the triangle is tight and he has no choice but to tap out. MacDonald steps in to stop the fight, and Brown springs the upset to make Brazilians 0-2 against foreigners tonight. In his post-fight interview, Brown uses the opportunity to respectfully call out Michael Chiesa, and says that he does not want to talk about Chiesa's mother to set up the fight.

The Official Result

Randy Brown def. Warlley Alves R2 1:22 via Submission (Triangle Choke)

Francisco Trinaldo vs. Bobby Green

Round 1

The 41 years young Trinaldo (23-7, 13-6 UFC) is set to welcome Green (24-9-1, 5-4-1 UFC) back to the sport, as the American retired after a loss in December, only to decide he had more to achieve in the sport. Drawing the assignment for this lightweight scrap is referee Eduardo Herdy. There is no touch of gloves, as Trinaldo looks to reach out his right hand to find range. Green sneaks in a right hand, and darts away before something can follow. Green then throws a low kick, and chambers a kick, holds it, and throws it up the middle. As Trinaldo loads up on a big right, Green throws one more front kick, and as Trinaldo whiffs, Green grins. The American works a few leg jabs, but Trinaldo cracks him with a left hand that hurts Green. "Massaranduba" rushes in and grabs hold of Green, slamming him down hard. The two scramble wildly, and as they jockey for position, the Brazilian drops down for a guillotine choke. It is tight, and Green is in a bit of trouble, but he rides it out and pops his head out. As soon as Green escapes the submission danger, he starts to drop down several short elbows. Trinaldo explodes out of the bad position and drops down for a single leg takedown, but Green latches on to his neck. Although Trinaldo was on his knees, Green hammers him in the chest with a knee that is legal because it did not hit the Brazilian in the head. Green pulls Trinaldo's legs out and lands in Trinaldo's guard. Ever busy off his back, Trinaldo goes after a few submissions, but Green avoids those and pursues a kimura that makes Trinaldo fight with all he has to get back up. Trinaldo lifts up Green and slams him down, but Green is somehow the one that ends up on top. Comfortable to ride out the thrilling round with strikes from on top, Trinaldo tries to get to his feet as the horn sounds.

Sherdog Scores

Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-9 Green
Mike Sloan scores the round: 10-9 Green
Tyler Treese scores the round: 10-9 Green

Round 2

The two almost touch gloves to start the second frame but decide against it, and prefer to stay at range trying to set up strikes. Green throws a quick low kick, and then follows it with a speedy left hand that catches Trinaldo guessing. Green lands a jab, and then crashes in to avoid a counter, and shrugs his shoulders as Trinaldo misses. The Brazilian connects on a low kick, and then as he tries to chain strikes together after it, Green ducks out of harm's way. "King" absorbs a kick and shrugs it off, but Trinaldo follows it up with a few low kicks that make Green almost lose his poker face. Green misses with a high kick, and then throws a lazy low kick that Trinaldo nearly counters with a looping hook. Green pops his opponent with a slick jab, and then backs off to take a punch in the chest as he brushes it off. With his hands down, Green connects with a body kick, and Trinaldo chases him with heavy punches. Green dances out of the way without taking anything of note, and then wings a right hand that the Brazilian is just able to block. A long left jab chains into a right and then a low kick as Green fluidly changes stances mid-combination. Trinaldo presses forward and tries to string a few heavy knees up the middle, and Green pushes away and laughs it off as he dodges a high kick. The American charges forward with a barrage of punches, and Trinaldo is ready to counter so Green is forced to retreat. Green plants a left on the jaw of his opponent, smoothly dodges the counter that is sure to follow and walks away as the round ends.

Sherdog Scores

Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-9 Green
Mike Sloan scores the round: 10-9 Green
Tyler Treese scores the round: 10-9 Trinaldo

Round 3

The two men finally commit to a glove touch to open the round, and Trinaldo is quick to wing a big left hand that Green dodges, and the Brazilian comes at him with several looping shots. Green keeps his footwork and movement going to stay out of danger and avoid the worst of the attack, but does not throw back much of his own. Any time Trinaldo lands, Green brushes his shoulders off or wipes his brow mockingly, but he is generally not throwing back of note. Trinaldo tags him with a right up top and a left to the body, and Green finally admits those strikes landed. The volume has almost completely disappeared from Green, who then rushes in to try to clinch up, lands a quick knee and bails. Green flicks his right jab out a few times, and then catches a high kick to make Trinaldo fall over. The American throws some heavy punches on top, but Trinaldo muscles his way back up. "Massaranduba" looks to try to lift up Green, so Green defends by searching for a guillotine. Green circles out, drops down and hits a double leg takedown. Trinaldo defends by searching for a submission, and the two stand back up as the crowd is ready to explode. Trinaldo lands several good knees up the middle and Green tries to get away, and tumbles away out of harm. Trinaldo looks to put a one-two together but does not land flush, but as Green comes in, Trinaldo tags him with a left. Green throws a wide two-punch combination, and then ducks down to look for a takedown, but Trinaldo stuffs him. One last big shot lands for each man, and the fight is over as both raise their arms in the air. This fight is sure to be a close one.

Sherdog Scores

Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-9 Trinaldo (29-28 Green)
Mike Sloan scores the round: 10-9 Trinaldo (29-28 Green)
Tyler Treese scores the round: 10-9 Trinaldo (29-28 Trinaldo)

The Official Result

Francisco Trinaldo def. Bobby Green via Unanimous Decision (30-27, 29-28, 29-28)

Ricardo Ramos vs. Luiz Eduardo Garagorri

Round 1

It's an all-South American tilt as Ramos (13-2, 4-1 UFC) represents Brazil against unbeaten Uruguayan Garagorri (13-0, 1-0 UFC). The referee for this featherweight matchup is Camila Albuquerque. The two touch gloves to check in the fight, and Ramos hops forward to engage with a quick jab. The Brazilian tries several unorthodox kicks including a behind-the-back low kick -- crisscross applesauce? -- and a big spin. The two men try to throw spinning strikes at one another and both miss, and trade jabs as neither really land much of note. Garagorri whiffs on a big looping shot, and Ramos times a double to get Garagorri down quickly. Garagorri forces his way back to his feet and blocks a spinning strike as they separate. Ramos presses in to pursue another takedown, and this time gets Garagorri from behind and slams him down. Ramos immediately seeks out the rear-naked choke, and Garagorri powers his way back to his feet, but Ramos is still latched on. The Brazilian's grip tightens, and Garagorri falls to his back, tapping out in seconds. Ramos is now the first fighter to ever defeat Garagorri, and does so in his hometown by impressive submission. With the first-round stoppage, Brazilians have now evened their record to 2-2 against foreign opponents tonight.

The Official Result

Ricardo Ramos def. Luiz Eduardo Garagorri R1 3:57 via Submission (Rear-Naked Choke)

Sergio Moraes vs. James Krause

Round 1

To headline the prelims, we are treated to a welterweight clash between Brazil's Moraes (14-5-1, 8-4-1 UFC) -- who may be the happiest fighter in the sport -- against "The" James Krause (26-7, 7-3 UFC) from Missouri, U.S. Referee Fernando Portella will oversee the action between these two men. A touch of gloves checks us in, and Moraes instantly shoots in for a single leg takedown and gets Krause down. Moraes is in side control with a lot of time left in the round, and Krause utilizes some unusual heel kicks on Moraes' wrist to try to break position. The Brazilian is on tight, although he is not being offensive while on top. Moraes continues to hold him down, as Krause tries to push off, turn out or get otherwise out of position. As Krause spins out, Moraes tries to counter him but ends up on his back with Krause punching him from on top. Moraes tries to cling on to him, but Krause postures up and throws a few more punches. The American covers the mouth of his opponent as Moraes tries to power out and sweep Krause, and Krause sees the danger and steps away. We are back on the feet, and Krause pushes forward with a few jabs and two powerful calf kicks that are already bothering Moraes. Krause aims at that same spot with another kick, so Moraes runs at him with a looping left hook that he connects with. A solid left-right comes from Moraes, who sees the success of that and lands another before diving in for a double. The round ends with Moraes leaning on his adversary against the fence.

Sherdog Scores

Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-9 Moraes
Mike Sloan scores the round: 10-9 Moraes
Tyler Treese scores the round: 10-9 Moraes

Round 2

Krause opens up the second stanza with another low calf kick, and Moraes is unable to get his leg out of the way in time. As Moraes tries to put strikes together, Krause starts talking trash at him. Moraes whips up a head kick, and Krause continues to jaw at his opponent before throwing another heavy calf kick. The American jumps at him with a knee, and stalks Moraes down with a couple long punches. The kicks appear to be having an effect on Moraes, who is struggling to regain his footing completely and planting on power shots. Krause sees that and starts to work the jab, where he triples up on it before throwing another low kick. The Brazilian starts to wing punches, and as he fakes for a takedown, Krause is ready to defend it and then makes him pay with a string of punches ending with an uppercut. Krause tags Moraes with two punches, and then rips a left that drops Moraes. Instead of following Moraes to the ground, Krause backs off to force Moraes back to his feet. Krause is immediately on him, and tags Moraes with a few reaching punches before putting Moraes down with an uppercut. Again not interested in playing the ground game, Krause makes Moraes stand back up, and when the Brazilian gets back up, Krause digs a punch to the body. Although he occasionally throws winging shots, Krause is landing much cleaner combinations and makes Moraes turn away briefly. As Krause closes the distance, Moraes spins with an elbow but Krause is wise to it and defends it. The American continues to work the head and body of his opponent, and Moraes falls to the ground a third time, looking rather defeated. Moraes is able to hang on and defend himself well enough until time expires, but he has a lot of work to do if he wants to come out with the win.

Sherdog Scores

Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-8 Krause
Mike Sloan scores the round: 10-8 Krause
Tyler Treese scores the round: 10-8 Krause

Round 3

Moraes tries to touch gloves multiple times, and Krause obliges once before flicking up a quick left jab. Krause's corner implores him to not let Moraes off the hook, so he works that lead calf with another kick before scoring with several more punches. Moraes comes at him in a slow, plodding blitz, and Krause is out of danger of almost every strike. Moraes clips Krause with a left hand, and then lands another combination that gets Krause's attention. The two are standing in front of one another and brawling, and Moraes is landing some of the most successful strikes of the fight as Krause walks through them. Fight behind his left jab, he works Moraes to the body and makes the Brazilian double over briefly. Moraes wades forward with telegraphed power shots and Krause is largely able to evade them, but a few are rather close to the mark. Moraes rushes forward to go after a takedown, and then flops to his back and makes himself look like a starfish or a snow angel. The crowd lets Moraes have it, so he gets back up and Krause sticks the jab in his face some more. The American follows a jab with a stiff right hand, and Moraes shrugs it off and tries to land two massive looping shots that are way off the mark. As they come together, Moraes falls over again to try to grab hold of him, but Krause shoves him away. When the Brazilian slowly stands back up, Krause throws a few jabs and then fires a missile of a right hand that puts Moraes down once and for all. Although he follows it with a few hammerfists, they are unnecessary. Moraes is out, if only for a moment, and this fight is over with the American emerging victorious. This win makes it six straight for Krause, who at 33 years of age has arguably never looked better. The crowd, understandably, is not amused, but Krause is elated.

The Official Result

James Krause def. Sergio Moraes R3 4:19 via KO (Punch)

Markus Perez vs. Wellington Turman

Round 1

Kicking off the main card is another collision between two Brazilian fighters as former LFA champ Perez (12-2, 2-2 UFC) tries to hand Turman (15-3, 0-1 UFC) his second consecutive loss inside the UFC cage. The third man inside the Octagon is Eduardo Herdy. A touch of gloves begins this first main card bout, where the two reach at one another with opposing stances to figure their range out. A body kick misses from Perez, and after they circle a little longer, Turman crashes in and pushes Perez against the fence. Quickly Turman drops low for a single, and Perez defends with a powerful uppercut and spins out of the position to push his opponent against the fence. Turman brings up a glancing blow groin shot, and Perez cracks him with another elbow. Turman lifts Perez up and slams him down, but Perez pops back to his feet and is trying to spin out of the bad position as Turman takes his back. Turman loudly exerts himself to pick Perez up twice, but Perez stays upright both times and fights out of the position. Perez slams in a short elbow, and then a spinning elbow that nails Turman on the chin. Turman eats it and walks forward, shrugging his shoulders much like a few of the fighters from earlier tonight. Perez sits down on a right hand, and then as he avoids a counter he throws back a quick left that glances off the chin of his foe. Perez whiffs with a spinning wheel kick, so Turman goes with fundamentals and scores a one-two and taunts Perez. Turman fires a big head kick, and Perez ducks and avoids a spinning back fist as well. As Turman comes in, Perez backs himself up against the fence a la Anderson Silva, but Turman does not engage. Instead, Perez sinks in a heavy body kick, and Turman taps his chest. Like the aforementioned Silva, Perez then comes up with a step-in elbow like the one Silva used on Tony Fryklund, but it does not quite score. He then comes at his opponent with a spinning back elbow, and Turman wags his finger at him as it misses. The two laugh as they walk back to the corners when we hear the horn.

Sherdog Scores

Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-9 Turman
Mike Sloan scores the round: 10-9 Turman
Tyler Treese scores the round: 10-9 Turman

Round 2

The second stanza begins with quick action, as the two trade right in front of one another as Perez walks forward with a spinning heel kick. It partially lands, so Turman chases him down with punches. A big right from Turman finds its home on Perez' chin, and Perez quickly backpedals. Turman charges at him with a jumping knee, and Perez throws up a front kick that finds itself striking the peninsula south of the Equator, but there is no break. Turman comes forward more, winging right hands, and Perez cracks him with a spinning back elbow but Turman is no worse for wear. Keeping Perez on his back foot, Turman pushes him against the fence and drags him down for a moment. Perez gets up to a knee and drills his opponent with a couple reverse elbows right on the jaw. As they continue to scrap, this is turning into a grueling affair, as both are landing heavy shots and not showing any ill effects beyond a cut on the side of Perez' right eye. Avoiding the brunt of the attacks, Perez takes some more head strikes but makes it to the third round.

Sherdog Scores

Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-9 Turman
Mike Sloan scores the round: 10-9 Turman
Tyler Treese scores the round: 10-9 Turman

Round 3

The two stand and bang as we begin the third round, with Perez landing several left body kicks again and again. Turman absorbs them all, blocks a head kick, and then comes back at Perez with a head kick that Perez blocks. Turman pushes in for a clinch, and lands a powerful knee, but Perez laughs it off, wipes his eye with his right hand and licks his glove like B.J. Penn. Turman stays heavy against "Maluko" on the fence, and he drops in several thudding knees to the chin of Perez. Like the opening stanza, Turman picks up Perez and sets him down less than gently, before taking full mount for the briefest of moments. Perez pulls for a heel hook, and Turman is forced to step away to avoid the submission, and then comes back down into Perez' guard. Turman passes to side control and drops down a heavy elbow, and circles to north-south position while throwing a few punches on top. With one minute left, Perez fights his way back to his feet, and although he scores an elbow, he has his back presses firmly against the fence again. Perez cracks his man with an elbow, and Turman appears to be a little wobbly on his feet, so Perez unloads on him. Perez digs a knee to the liver and then throws some wild punches, leading Turman to throw back at him in one last salvo. The final horn sounds, and this tough, gritty fight is now over.

Sherdog Scores

Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-9 Turman (30-27 Turman)
Mike Sloan scores the round: 10-9 Turman (30-27 Turman)
Tyler Treese scores the round: 10-9 Turman (30-27 Turman)

The Official Result

Wellington Turman def. Markus Perez via Unanimous Decision (30-27, 30-27, 30-27)

Antonio Arroyo vs. Andre Muniz

Round 1

The final fight of the night between Brazilians is upon us, when two men making their promotional debuts after each scoring two wins on the Contender Series lock horns in Arroyo (9-2, 0-0 UFC) vs. Muniz (18-4, 0-0 UFC). Muniz has decided to keep things fast and loose in his first UFC fight, walking out to "Lose Yourself" by Eminem, a track with a historically low winning percentage. Keeping things on the level between these two middleweights is referee Camila Albuquerque. The two men touch gloves, and nod to one another, and it's time to throw down. Arroyo dances around the outside with a wide stances, and rips a heavy body kick to start things off. Muniz is not a fan of that kick, and tries to take the fight down, but Arroyo throws him down and ends up on top. Muniz pulls for an armbar as soon as the fight hits the canvas, and Arroyo is in danger. Arroyo tries to pull his arm out and punch his way out, but "Sergipano" is holding on tight. Muniz is pulling with all his might, but Arroyo stands up and gets his arm free. Muniz quickly hunts for a leg lock, and then opts to take Arroyo down and hits a quick takedown. In guard, Muniz throws some punches to irritate his opponent and look to set up a submission. As Arroyo tries to stand up, he gets to one knee, and Muniz throws a seemingly illegal knee that nails him in the face. Upon the replay, we can see that the knee was actually legal, as Arroyo had both of his knees off the ground. This fight could be ruled a TKO if Albuquerque had seen the strike. She admonishes Muniz, and takes away the position but does not deduct a point. Muniz rushes at his opponent when they start the action, throwing several straight punches and a slapping inside leg kick. Arroyo fires back with a combination of his own, and then catches a foot to the chin. Muniz cracks him with two left hands, and then shoots in for a takedown but is rebuffed. Arroyo digs to the body with a kick, and then strings a few punches together. Muniz charges at him but Arroyo dances away, so Muniz pursues his man and stings him with a right. With seconds to go, Arroyo hurts Muniz with punches, but the round is over and he is saved by the bell.

Sherdog Scores

Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-9 Muniz
Mike Sloan scores the round: 10-9 Muniz
Tyler Treese scores the round: 10-9 Muniz

Round 2

The two men open up by swinging wildly at one another, and trade kicks. Muniz grabs and pulls Arroyo down, and in the process rips Arroyo's shorts nearly in half. Muniz takes his back, and wraps his arms around Arroyo's neck and cranks it. He does not have the choke, and this is more of a neck crank, so Arroyo grits it out and breaks Muniz' grip. Muniz starts to soften up Arroyo with punches, and searches for a choke but transitions into mount instead. Arroyo escapes and pushes Muniz away, stands up and looks to land punches from above. The crowd is not thrilled by this lull in action, so Muniz throws up a few upkicks that Arroyo dodges. Arroyo finally commits to a ground exchange, and fights off a triangle and an armbar setup to make his way in. Muniz nearly sweeps him but cannot quite hit the maneuver, so instead he calmly remains in guard to throw some light punches. Albuquerque stands the two up after some inaction, and the horn sounds.

Sherdog Scores

Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-9 Muniz
Mike Sloan scores the round: 10-9 Muniz
Tyler Treese scores the round: 10-9 Muniz

Round 3

A final touch of gloves and brief embrace clocks in this last round, and Muniz opens up with a thumping body kick. Arroyo tries to respond in kind, so Muniz throws another before switching to a double and hitting the takedown. Muniz holds on as time ticks off the clock, throwing a few left hands but more interested in pursuing position and potentially advancing to mount. Arroyo slowly gets back up, but Muniz clings to his back as Arroyo attempts to shake him off. He finally gets free and stands up, and as Muniz goads him on, Arroyo drops down to land a punch before standing back up. The crowd is getting tired of these two not engaging, so Muniz shoots in for a takedown but is shoved away and we return to Muniz laying on his back. Arroyo punches him from on top, so Muniz waves him on, and Arroyo obliges with a few more punches. With very little happening, Albuquerque stands them up to draw the loudest cheers from the crowd in the fight. Muniz throws a half-hearted body kick, and the fight ends with the two staring at one another. The crowd lets them have it, as this last round was anything but entertaining.

Sherdog Scores

Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-9 Muniz (30-27 Muniz)
Mike Sloan scores the round: 10-9 Muniz (30-27 Muniz)
Tyler Treese scores the round: 10-9 Muniz (30-27 Muniz)

The Official Result

Andre Muniz def. Antonio Arroyo via Unanimous Decision (30-27, 30-27, 30-27)

Charles Oliveira vs. Jared Gordon

Round 1

The biggest betting favorite on the card represents his home country of Brazil as Oliveira (27-8, 1 NC; 15-8, 1 NC UFC) looks to increase his all-time submission win record against proud American "Flash" Gordon (15-3, 3-2 UFC). Our referee on this lightweight bout is Osiris Maia. We touch gloves, and Gordon is quick to press towards Oliveira. The Brazilian throws a low kick, and Gordon comes in for a trip takedown, but Oliveira is ready for it. Oliveira throws him down, and as he hunts for a submission, Gordon quickly abandons ship and gets back up. Oliveira throws a quick right hand, and Gordon fires one right back at him. Oliveira digs to the body with a left, and then throws low kicks on opposite legs. Gordon crashes forward, and Oliveira clips him with a short right that makes Gordon drop to a knee. The American climbs back to his feet, and "Do Bronx" meets him with an uppercut that shuts the lights out. A follow-up punch is academic, and this is an emphatic statement for Oliveira, who records the knockout less than 90 seconds into the opening round. A fired up Oliviera calls out Conor McGregor -- he may need to get in line -- but for a more realistic name, he wants revenge on Paul Felder, the last man to defeat him. Fighters from Brazil are now 3-3 tonight against non-Brazilians, and it will go down to the wire in these the last two fights of the night.

The Official Result

Charles Oliveira def. Jared Gordon R1 1:26 via KO (Punches)

Mauricio Rua vs. Paul Craig

Round 1

Longtime Pride Fighting Championship and even longer-time UFC veteran "Shogun" Rua (26-11, 10-9 UFC) looks to keep momentum on his side against Scotland's Craig (12-4, 4-4 UFC). Opting to deviate from his more traditional walkout song of "Sail" by Armin van Buuren, Rua instead uses the classic of "Under Pressure" by Queen & David Bowie. The combined finish rate of these two men is just under 90 percent, so holding on tight is referee Jerin Valel. There is no touch of gloves, as Craig races out of the corner and throws a quick body kick. He then whips a spinning wheel kick, and "Shogun" is able to block it without issue. Craig keeps his kicking game going while Rua waits patiently, and tags Craig with a right coming in. Craig ties up and tries to throw Rua, but Rua gets out of danger and puts Craig against the fence. A few short shots come in from Rua, but nothing of merit lands as Rua leads heavy on his opponent. Rua throws a short knee, and Craig spins out and barely misses on the break. Craig then whiffs with a spinning back kick, and Rua catches a high kick and comes in to grab a single leg takedown. Craig pulls hard for a standing guillotine, and as he gets out, he rocks Rua with a barrage of strikes. Rua keeps his guard up as he absorbs a stream of punches, and Craig tries to change levels to take the fight down. Rua breaks free and paws out a left before winging a right that is nowhere near the target. Craig dodges, and then sinks in a body kick while Rua tries to counter. The striking of Craig is surprising "Shogun" so much that the Brazilian again looks to take the fight down. The two men crack each other with big lefts, and Craig catches Rua coming in with a long jab. The Scottish fighter misses with another big spinning kick, and Rua comes forward with a left-right that misses, and then one that finds its home on Craig's jaw. The round ends in the clinch.

Sherdog Scores

Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-9 Craig
Mike Sloan scores the round: 10-9 Craig
Tyler Treese scores the round: 10-9 Craig

Round 2

Rua begins the second frame with a low kick, and throws out a few jabs, but it is Craig that lands a few jabs of his own. Craig lands with a body kick, and "Shogun" walks through it and nearly eats a step-in elbow. Rua just misses with an uppercut as he backs Craig up against the fence, but Craig circles away and they trade punches. Rua has his right hand chambered, and throws a left straight to wing a right. Craig throws a kick and "Shogun" catches it and pushes Craig down. The Scot pursues a submission, throwing up his legs like he has done many times in the past, but Rua ignores them and rains down some heavy ground-and-pound. One big shot rings off the beard of Craig, and it is hard to tell if he was hurt or if he was just trying to avoid damage. Craig hunts for a submission off his back, again considering a triangle as Rua stands up, and as the Brazilian comes back into the guard, he shucks off any attempts coming his way. Craig idly looks for a leg lock to disrupt Rua's attack, and then catches Rua with an upkick, but Rua eats it like a sandwich and fires a big right hand at his grounded opponent. "Shogun" stands back up and looks to set up more strikes from on top, and Craig sweeps his legs out and locks up Rua's arms, but the Brazilian simply stands up to get out of danger. As Rua kicks his legs, Craig waves him down, and Rua angles and slams down a heavy right hand that collides on the side of Craig's head. In half guard with 30 seconds left, Rua is comfortable sitting atop his adversary and catching his breath a little. Craig throws a couple hammerfists, and may have landed one as the horn sounds, but it is to no great effect.

Sherdog Scores

Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-9 Rua
Mike Sloan scores the round: 10-9 Rua
Tyler Treese scores the round: 10-9 Rua

Round 3

"Bearjew" shouts at Rua to begin the round, and they come out throwing leg kicks at one another. Craig aims another two body kicks to the midsection, and then sends a spinning wheel kick glancing off his opponent's head. Rua charges forward with a three-punch combination, but none score effectively as Craig backs him off with a pair of jabs. Two kicks from Craig are blocked, and he follows them with a takedown attempt that costs him dearly. Rua catches it and gets him down, ending up on top much like the previous round. "Shogun" tries to get some shots off from on top while Craig defends and searches for submissions, but as he kicks Rua off of him, Craig just stays on his back with his hands behind his head. Rua charges in and is back to guard, so Craig pops his ears with a few palm strikes while Rua tries to get some punches off. Craig positions his heels on Rua's hips and briefly goes after a submission instead of pushing away, and as a result remains flat on his back. Rua throws a few leg kicks while Craig waits, so the Brazilian dives down with a long right hand. Craig gets up and swings wildly, rushing in and taking Rua down with 15 seconds to spare. Craig cannot do anything with it, and the fight is now over.

Sherdog Scores

Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-9 Rua (29-28 Rua)
Mike Sloan scores the round: 10-9 Rua (29-28 Rua)
Tyler Treese scores the round: 10-9 Craig (29-28 Craig)

The Official Result

Mauricio Rua vs. Paul Craig is ruled a Split Draw (29-28, 28-29, 28-28)

Jan Blachowicz vs. Ronaldo Souza

Round 1

We have reached our main event of the evening, as Blachowicz (24-8, 7-5 UFC) looks to spoil the light heavyweight debut of Souza (26-7, 1 NC; 9-4 UFC) like he did to Luke Rockhold in his last bout. With Brazilian fighters 3-3-1 throughout the night against foreign opponents, this one is for all the proverbial marbles. The headlining bout is under the watchful eye of referee Kevin MacDonald, and with two sportsmanlike shakes of the hands and glove touch to boot, we are underway! Souza starts out feinting and ducking down, but Blachowicz is the one who strikes first with a low leg kick. As he goes after another, Souza shoots in for an early takedown, and Blachowicz stuffs it and stands up with his back against the cage. Souza looks for a trip when they are clinched, but the Pole keeps his balance and defends from persistent attacks. Souza lands a couple foot stops, and a short body shot as he leans heavy on his man. Blachowicz pushes off and they get back to the center of the cage, where "Jacare" throws a long punch to the body and a leg kick as he circles around in herky-jerky fashion. Another low kick finds its home from Blachowicz, but he is largely throwing single strikes as to not overcommit and risk getting planted on his back. A quick head kick comes up from Blachowicz, but the Brazilian is able to block it in time. Souza leaps forward with a right hand to close the distance, and is clipped with an uppercut coming in but gets back to grinding Blachowicz against the cage wall. Blachowicz slams in a solid knee to the midsection, and even briefly tries to hit a trip, before bailing on it and throwing an upward elbow. Blachowicz punches to the thigh and then brings up a short knee, and Souza cannot get him down as the time expires.

Sherdog Scores

Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-9 Souza
Mike Sloan scores the round: 10-9 Souza
Tyler Treese scores the round: 10-9 Souza

Round 2

A touch of gloves clock in the second round, and Blachowicz starts out with a kick to his opponent's knee. He then lands a body kick, and as Souza rushes in, he tries to counter with an uppercut but the Brazilian backs off in time. A low kick from Blachowicz is followed by a few jabs, and they both clank solid right hands off each other’s' jaws and disengage. "Jacare" slaps Blachowicz with a heavy leg kick, so the Pole returns fire as the crowd grows increasingly restless. Souza comes at him from a great distance with a double leg takedown attempt, and Blachowicz sees it from a mile away and stuffs it, but he is stuck with his back against the cage wall like much of the opening frame. Souza changes levels to go after a takedown, and Blachowicz is wise to it and pulls him back up, and brings up a knee for good measure. If Mike Goldberg were calling this fight, he would have almost undoubtedly let his "embrace the grind" catchphrase fly by now. Blachowicz separates and takes the center of the Octagon, and Souza is quick to follow. They trade single body kicks, and Souza slowly walks his opponent down but Blachowicz throws a few jabs to back him off. A sweeping low kick comes from Souza, and this time Blachowicz retires with a right to the body and left to the head that makes "Jacare" dart away briefly. The low kick lands again from Souza, and he follows it with a crisp right hand that makes Blachowicz nearly bounce off the fence, but he comes back and throws a spinning wheel kick that is several feet away from his target. This slow round ends.

Sherdog Scores

Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-9 Souza
Mike Sloan scores the round: 10-9 Souza
Tyler Treese scores the round: 10-9 Souza

Round 3

This round, like the first two, starts with a glove touch and then a leg kick from Blachowicz. "Jacare" returns fire with one that is much heavier, and Blachowicz tries to respond with one but the power difference in these kicks is substantial. Souza just misses with a right hand, and Blachowicz doubles up with a jab before charging in with a series of punches that only partially land. Souza counters with a right over the top, and barely misses with another right as he pushes in for the clinch. Souza leans heavy, and throws a few mild body shots while Blachowicz responds with some short knees. The Pole breaks free and then turns into a leg kick, and as he throws another, Souza checks it. The Brazilian throws one back and Blachowicz lifts his leg up. A jab comes from Blachowicz, and then a low kick, followed by a jab, and while they land, they are hardly showing an effect. Souza presses forward and wings a right hand, while changing levels to hit a double leg takedown. Souza nearly sweeps the leg but Blachowicz recovers underhooks and reverses the position, lands a shot and breaks free. The two stand in front of one another for a good 30 seconds, until Souza explodes with a right hand that lands, leading to a quick reply from Blachowicz that ends the round. Each of these three so far have been very uneventful and difficult to score.

Sherdog Scores

Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-9 Blachowicz
Mike Sloan scores the round: 10-9 Souza
Tyler Treese scores the round: 10-9 Souza

Round 4

A half-hearted head kick comes from Souza to begin the round, and the pace has waned to a crawl. Blachowicz scores a few jabs, and "Jacare" looks to come back but it is nothing doing. As he lands a few more, Souza tries to fire back with heavy shots, and Blachowicz backs off. As Souza rushes in to engage the clinch, Blachowicz catches him on the way in with a few sharp punches, but the Brazilian ignores them to hang on to his opponent. The crowd groans, and lights start to appear in the darkness and begin waving back and forth, voicing and displaying their disapproval for this drag of a fight. Blachowicz separates with a left hand, and then snaps out a jab, but does not do more. A low kick nearly makes Blachowicz trip over, and then he throws one back that causes Souza to stumble. Another few kicks from Blachowicz land, and Souza has started to limp while Blachowicz grins at him. Blachowicz comes up high with a head kick and Souza blocks it, before throwing a low kick that the Brazilian attempts to check it. An inside kick comes up high and Souza complains about a groin shot, but Blachowicz cries foul and the referee says it was not a low blow. Blachowicz comes at him with a body kick and is walking Souza down, and the fourth period ends while we can see the visible damage and swelling of Blachowicz' left foot -- it is transforming into a "balewn."

Sherdog Scores

Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-9 Blachowicz
Mike Sloan scores the round: 10-9 Blachowicz
Tyler Treese scores the round: 10-9 Blachowicz

Round 5

The men touch gloves for one final time, and Blachowicz throws a jab and a low kick as he switches stances. Another kick from Blachowicz's back leg scores, and as Souza rushes in to land a takedown, like many times before, Blachowicz stuffs it and stands up him with his back pressed firmly against the fence. Souza tries to quickly change levels and hit a takedown and Blachowicz staves it off with a slew of punches. From a distance, "Jacare" races forward and goes after a double, but he cannot land it and we go back to the position from before. MacDonald finally separates the two, as he likely should have in the earlier rounds, halfway into Round 5. A head kick from Blachowicz comes up but it is short, and a low kick is also shy of the mark. Souza swings hard into a leg kick but misses, and Blachowicz tags him with a left hand. Souza storms in low for a takedown and gets blasted with an uppercut that makes him slip around like he is on ice skates. Whether a knockdown or a severe slip, Souza ate that on the chin and then took a few more punches along the way. "Jacare" regains his composure but has completely stopped throwing anything from any of his eight limbs. Blachowicz picks at him with a few leg kicks and jabs, misses with one last head kick, and this fight is mercifully over. Both men raise their arms in the air to celebrate their victory, but neither should be happy with that 25-minute display.

Sherdog Scores

Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-9 Blachowicz (48-47 Blachowicz)
Mike Sloan scores the round: 10-9 Blachowicz (48-47 Souza)
Tyler Treese scores the round: 10-9 Blachowicz (48-47 Souza)

The Official Result

Jan Blachowicz def. Ronaldo Souza via Split Decision (47-48, 48-47, 48-47)