UFC Fight Night 200 Prelims: John Castaneda Chokes Favored Miles Johns Unconscious

GOOD NIGHT! John Castaneda locks in the sub in R3 😴 #UFCVegas47 pic.twitter.com/NiYvIhaLBX

— UFC Canada (@UFC_CA) February 5, 2022

John Castaneda sent a pointed message to anyone who dares to overlook him in the Ultimate Fighting Championship bantamweight division.

The former Combate Global champion choked Miles Johns unconscious with an arm-triangle in the third round of their featured UFC Fight Night 200 prelim on Saturday at the UFC Apex in Las Vegas. Johns (12-2, 3-2 UFC) went to sleep 98 seconds into Round 3, as the Fortis MMA prospect suffered the second setback of his 14-fight career.

After a closely contested first round, Castaneda (19-5, 2-1 UFC) found another gear and ultimately wore down the onetime Legacy Fighting Alliance titleholder with relentless forward pressure. He staggered Johns with a right hook early in the third round, gave chase, connected with a knee and forced him to retreat to the canvas. Castaneda pounced with punches, positioned himself for the arm-triangle and cleared the legs, tightening his squeeze until the 2019 Dana White’s Contender Series graduate went limp.

Dawodu Handles Game Trizano

Champion’s Creed MMA export Hakeem Dawodu outstruck and outflanked “The Ultimate Fighter” Season 27 winner Michael Trizano to a unanimous decision in their three-round featherweight battle. All three cageside judges scored it the same: 30-27 for Dawodu (13-2-1, 6-2 UFC), who rebounded from his June 12 defeat to Movsar Evloev.

Trizano (9-2, 3-2 UFC) connected on occasion but struggled to keep pace. Dawodu operated behind an effective jab, attacked the former Ring of Combat champion’s lower extremities with kicks and strung together punches in exquisite combinations. Trizano secured a surprise takedown in the third round but failed to corral the Canadian. Back on his feet, Dawodu continued to tear into the Team Tiger Schulmann standout with lightning-quick punches to the body and head.

Dawodu has recorded six victories across his past seven outings.

Njokuani Wrecks Barriault in 16 Seconds

Onetime Tachi Palace Fights champion Chidi Njokuani brought down Marc-Andre Barriault with punches in the first round of their middleweight confrontation. Barriault (13-5, 2-5 UFC) met his end just 16 seconds into Round 1, his modest two-fight winning streak having run its course.

The 33-year-old Njokuani (21-7, 1-0 UFC) maximized his time. He sent a crisp jab crashing into Barriault’s face and followed it with a clubbing right cross that dropped the Sanford MMA rep to his knees. Njokuani sprang into action on his fallen counterpart, let fly with a flurry of unabated left hands and forced referee Herb Dean to call for the stoppage.

Njokuani will enter his next appearance on the strength of three straight wins.

Related » UFC Fight Night 200 Round-by-Round Scoring

Veteran Davis Outduels Stoliarenko

Takedowns, top control and damaging ground-and-pound carried Alexis Davis to a unanimous decision over former Invicta Fighting Championships titleholder Julija Stoliarenko in a three-round women’s bantamweight tilt. All three cageside judges scored it for Davis (21-11, 8-6 UFC): 29-27, 29-27 and 30-27.

Stoliarenko (9-6-2, 0-4 UFC) conceded a takedown but threatened with armbars throughout a competitive first round and opened a cut above the onetime Raging Wolf champion’s right eye with clean combination punching in the second. However, the Lithuanian grappler went off the rails in Round 3. Davis sat her down with a kick to the lower leg, engaged her in full guard and uncorked punches and elbows, one of which lacerated “The Ultimate Fighter” Season 28 semifinalist below the right eye. She spent roughly four minutes in top position, sending a clear message to the judiciary.

The 28-year-old Stoliarenko has lost three fights in a row.

Debuting Almeida Buries Marques

Jailton Almeida dazzled in his first Octagon assignment, as the LG System thoroughbred put away Danilo Marques with punches in the first round of their light heavyweight affair. A Demian Maia protégé, Marques (11-4, 2-2 UFC) checked out 2:57 into Round 1.

It was never competitive. Almeida (15-2, 1-0 UFC) landed a takedown inside the first minute and set out on his hunt for the finish. He progressed from side control to full mount and briefly transitioned to the back, cutting loose with brutal ground-and-pound along the way. Almeida eventually settled in full mount before dropping hammerfists and punches to close the deal.

Almeida, 30, has rattled off 10 consecutive victories, all of them finishes.

Surging Rowe Blasts Witt

Fusion X-Cel export Philip Rowe put away Jason Witt with punches in the second round of their welterweight clash. Rowe (9-3, 2-1 UFC) brought it to a close 2:15 into Round 2, as he won for the ninth time in 10 appearances and kept his head above water in the 170-pound weight class.

Witt (19-8, 2-3 UFC) struck for a pair of takedowns in the first round and bottled up the 2019 Dana White’s Contender Series graduate on the mat. Rowe made the necessary adjustments in the middle stanza. He surrendered another takedown but returned to his feet less than a minute later and let his educated hands do the rest. Rowe backed the Glory MMA rep to the cage and unleashed a hellacious three-punch burst—a right cross followed by a left hook and another right cross—that sat down a dazed-and-confused Witt where he stood. Hammerfists fell next, prompting the stoppage.

The 35-year-old Witt has lost three of his past five bouts.

Gordon Spoils Bondar Debut

Former TKO Major League MMA champion Malcolm Gordon was awarded a technical knockout over promotional newcomer Denys Bondar in the first round of their flyweight pairing. Bondar (14-3, 0-1 UFC) bowed out with a gruesome arm injury 1:22 into Round 1, as he suffered his first defeat since March 4, 2017.

Gordon (14-5, 2-2 UFC) checked the Ukrainian’s chin with a right hand over the top, only to concede a takedown when he attempted to follow up. He threatened initially with a triangle choke, then transitioned to an armbar. Those efforts set off a scramble that saw Bondar get dumped to the mat, his elbow giving way when he tried to post on his left arm in a bid to return to his feet. He yelped in pain before signaling to referee Mark Smith that he was done.

The loss snapped Bondar’s nine-fight winning streak.