UFC Fight Night 203 ‘Santos vs. Ankalaev’ Play-by-Play, Results & Round Scoring

Azamat Murzakanov (205.5) vs. Tafon Nchukwi (205.5)

Round 1

On paper, this is a solid UFC Fight Night offering that will go down stateside only on ESPN+, one that will bring a boatload of combat for the next seven hours or so. We begin in the light heavyweight division between a 2020 Contender Series signee and one picked up in 2021 from DWCS, as relative UFC vet Nchukwi (6-1, 2-1 UFC) takes on unbeaten newcomer Murzakanov (10-0, 0-0 UFC) in the light heavyweight division. Eleven knockouts across their 16 career wins indicates that bombs may be thrown and detonated before it’s all over, and referee Herb Dean will preside over the first affair of the night. The gentlemen touch gloves, and away we go! Murzakanov takes the center of the cage, only to absorb a big body kick early from the Cameroonian. Nchukwi circles along the outside, feinting with his strikes to draw reactions out of his opponent. Murzakanov lets go with a one-two, and he absorbs a flush left hand that shakes him up. As the Russian backpedals, Nchukwi scores a body kick and a low kick, and Murzakanov’s nose is already changing colors. “The Professional” wings a left hand, getting Nchukwi’s attention, and Nchukwi replies with a chopping leg kick. These two are throwing everything they have into single shots with little setup to them, and both are wearing the impact well. Nchukwi gets off another kick to the midsection, forcing Murzakanov to reset and jump forward with a swiping left hand. The Russian is able to get in and out with his leaping strikes, closing in to land and ducking away from the counters. Nchukwi lets go with a body kick, and as he does, Murzakanov bears down on him with a clean left hook. Murzakanov follows with a right that splits the guard, and he attempts to drill Nchukwi with a flying knee but it impacts off of Nchukwi’s arms. “Da Don” lines up a straight one-two that rings Murzanakov’s bell, and the unbeaten fighter shoots in for a takedown that gets stuffed with ease. Nchukwi lets him have it with a booting body kick, and Murzakanov tries to catch it and take him down but there is nothing doing. Nchukwi lets go with a short combination, and he darts back when Murzakanov wings a left hand at him. Nchukwi hammers the body with a kick, and he pushes off of Murzakanov’s face to blast him with another. When Murzakanov comes forward, he swings an uppercut that just misses, and Nchukwi strides forward and unloads with a head kick that slams into Murzakanov’s guard. The two tie up in the clinch, and Nchukwi stays busy with knees to the thigh until the horn sounds.

Sherdog Scores

Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-9 Nchukwi
Tyler Treese scores the round: 10-9 Nchukwi
Tudor Leonte scores the round: 10-9 Nchukwi

Round 2

Nchukwi plays the advancing fighter to start off the second frame, landing kicks on the outside and closing the distance to clip a left hand off his foe’s forehead. As he lets go with another kick, Murzakanov grabs it, counters with a left and sends Nchukwi crashing to the mat. Nothing much comes of when he hits the ground, and Murzakanov stands back to celebrate his work and lets Nchukwi stand back up. When the Cameroon native gets back to his feet, he starts to walk Murzakanov down, and he lets go with his hands. As he punches his way forward and gets in too tight, he grabs hold of a clinch and starts drilling Murzakanov in the body with a series of powerful knees. This allows Murzakanov to absorb them and push him to the wall. When Nchukwi’s back hits the wire, he kicks the fence itself to push off, a smart move, as he gains space and gets the separation he seeks. When at range, Nchukwi continues his bombardment of body kicks, and Murzakanov appears to be fatiguing as his hands start falling low and his footwork gets sloppy. He is not out of the fight yet, letting go with a one-two, but Nchukwi walks through it and kicks him in the head. Murzakanov blocks it in time, but it still has serious pop on it that stings him. Nchukwi continues to stalk his slowing foe, and he hacks at Murzakanov’s leg and uses several effective feints accompanied by kiais to make Murzakanov flinch. The round ends with a solid overhand right from “Da Don.”

Sherdog Scores

Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-9 Nchukwi
Tyler Treese scores the round: 10-9 Nchukwi
Tudor Leonte scores the round: 10-9 Nchukwi

Round 3

The light heavyweights clap hands to start off the final round, and Nchukwi comes out of his corner brimming with confidence. Nchukwi swings a right at his opponent, glancing off the temple, and Murzakanov backs away when his counter comes up short. Nchukwi rushes forward, and Murzakanov stings him with a left hook that appears to hurt Nchukwi. The Cameroon native tries to keep a stiff upper lip, but he wobbles back and turns to defensive mode. When he does, the undefeated Murzakanov seizes the moment, and he grabs the back of Nchukwi’s head to smash him in the face with a ferocious jump knee. Nchukwi is out as soon as the strike lands, and Murzakanov shoves his doomed opponent down to the canvas flat on his back without bothering to attack with any follow-up punches. Dean sprints across the cage to intervene, but “The Professional” is a consummate professional, walking off knowing that his work here is done. What a comeback for the still-unbeaten Russian in his organizational debut, putting away a man that had never been finished in dynamite fashion.

The Official Result

Azamat Murzakanov def. Tafon Nchukwi R3 0:44 via KO (Flying Knee)

Guido Cannetti (136) vs. Kris Moutinho (135)

Round 1

This next contest comes in the bantamweight division between two men who could really use a win, as the red-haired Moutinho (9-5, 0-1 UFC) aims for his first victory inside the Octagon against slumping 42-year-old Argentinian Cannetti (8-6, 2-5 UFC). Drawing the assignment for this matchup is referee Chris Tognoni, who observes a touch of gloves to start things off. Moutinho begins with a head kick, and as soon as that is blocked, Cannetti comes out firing with a sharp one-two. The two bantamweights trade low kicks early, and Moutinho walks his opponent down but ultimately walks into a slapping kick to his thigh. Moutinho closes in with a lengthy combination, hopping out of the way when Cannetti wings a right hand at him. Cannetti continues to batter the lead leg with kicks, and Moutinho counters one with a right hand. Moutinho connects with a few punches, and Cannetti replies with a body kick that gets caught. As Moutinho holds the leg in the air, Cannetti tries to channel his inner Anderson Silva by slugging Moutinho in the face several times. Moutinho drops it and gets cracked by a right hand from the 42-year-old, and Cannetti knows he might have started something. Cannetti blitzes forward, unleashing a series of left hands that connect cleanly on Moutinho’s skull. Cannetti rips the body with knees when he is not throwing hands, and he loads up on several power punches that knock Moutinho’s head around. Moutinho falls back to the cage, getting clobbered by “Ninja,” but he remains on his feet. Moutinho’s hands droop to his sides as he is not blocking the shots and instead taking them flush, and nasty five-punch combo of hellacious strikes hammer Moutinho until Tognoni jumps in to call the fight by standing TKO. Moutinho appears disappointed that the fight was stopped before he went down or out, but he was absorbing unanswered punishment and looked to not be offering anything back.

The Official Result

Guido Cannetti def. Kris Moutinho R1 2:07 via TKO (Punches)

Cody Brundage (185.5) vs. Dalcha Lungiambula (186)

Round 1

For all the accolades about the power of the man known as “Champion” Lungiambula (11-3, 2-2 UFC), his career knockout rate stands at just 45% and he has finished one fight due to strikes in the last four years. He will be coming to blows with Brundage (6-2, 0-1 UFC), a man that dropped his promotional debut in September and will try to get things going in this middleweight affair. Referee Mark Smith draws the charge, sits back as the fighters do not touch gloves, and watches on when they take the center of the cage to meet. The 185ers come out cautious, with no landed strikes until Brundage darts in 25 seconds into the round to land two punches. Lungiambula pushes off, gets warned for outstretching his fingers, and Brundage dips back and scores a low kick. Lungiambula surges forward with a looping left hand, and Brundage slips the strike, ducks down and grabs hold of a single-leg takedown. Lungiambula drops to a knee, and he latches on to a guillotine choke to defend the setup, and instead elects to slug Brundage in the face a few times. The punches might have hurt Brundage, as Lungiambula muscles him around and drops him down to his knees. Lungiambula stuffs the takedown as he continues to pound on the side of Brundage’s head, staying sprawled and smacking him with strikes. Lungiambula lets go with a short barrage as both men stand up, and Brundage finds himself stuck against the fence absorbing a big bombardment of blows. Several uppercuts hurt Brundage badly, who relies on his head movement and even sneaks up a spinning back fist to try to get Lungiambula off of him. Lungiambula drills his man with several knees to the top of the head when Brundage is bent over, and “Champion” keeps swinging as Smith looks on close and considers intervening. The South African changes things up as he might not want to punch himself out, and he grabs hold of a double-leg takedown and puts Brundage on the mat. This is the worst decision possible for Lungiambula, who was on his way to a 10-8 round, as Brundage latches on to a guillotine choke and closes the guard tightly. Lungiambula is suddenly in a bad, bad way, and he wriggles but is in a rough position and unable to break the grip. Seconds before, Lungiambula was close to recording a finish of his own, but he now finds himself tapping out to the choke before going out. What a mighty turn of events, and Lungiambula may be kicking himself later for that level change.

The Official Result

Cody Brundage def. Dalcha Lungiambula R1 3:41 via Submission (Guillotine Choke)

Miranda Maverick (125.5) vs. Sabina Mazo (125.5)

Round 1

The first of two women’s matches comes up around the corner, as “Colombian Queen” Mazo (9-3, 3-3 UFC) takes on former Invicta FC staple Maverick (9-4, 2-2 UFC) at flyweight. The two 24-year-olds, vying for a ranked spot in their division starved for contenders, will not see any nonsense in their fight as Keith Peterson watches on confidently. The touch of gloves does not come between the two that would both like to lift their UFC records above .500, and instead Mazo claims the center of the cage and lets go with low kicks. Maverick keeps her safe range, and she hops in with a combination of punches only to pull back when Mazo looks to counter. “Fear the Maverick” tries to make her opponent fear her flying knee, using it as a way to close the distance but not actually striking with it. Mazo punches her in the face, and Maverick does not like this and crashes forward to grab hold of Mazo and scoop her off her feet. Mazo hits the mat and looks to tie up her guard, and she rolls to set up an armbar in a hurry. Maverick posts off by pushing her knee on Mazo’s face, and she is able to turn through well enough and stack Mazo up until she can break the grip and sit back up. From there, Maverick springs back to her feet, and Mazo takes advantage of this to power back up as well. It does not take long for the Missouri native to pursue and secure a mat return, hitting a hip toss to land in side control. Maverick holds an unusual angle to punch Mazo a few times, and Mazo scrambles and gets up but cannot find any space from the smothering Maverick. Mazo gets tripped out and set down on her back again, and she turns to her side when Maverick drops down short but annoying elbows on her face. Mazo closes guard and even thinks about a guillotine choke when Maverick stays complacent on top, but Maverick postures back up and starts landing ground-and-pound. She continues to do so until the horn ends the first round.

Sherdog Scores

Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-9 Maverick
Tyler Treese scores the round: 10-9 Maverick
Tudor Leonte scores the round: 10-9 Maverick

Round 2

The flyweights march out of their corner, and Maverick throws first with a low kick and one high. As Mazo backs off, Maverick gives chase and hops ahead to deliver a low kick on the calf. Mazo sees a takedown coming from a wide distance, and she stuffs it with ease. Maverick does not simply stop here, and chops at Mazo’s lead leg before retreating. Maverick stings her opponent with an overhand left, but it is not enough to hurt Mazo and allow her to take the fight down, as Mazo sprawls out to stop another try. Mazo gets pot-shotted from Maverick, who bounces back and forth landing single shots and evading the oncoming counters. Mazo starts stalking the Missouri-based fighter down, scoring low kicks, but one is left out too long as Maverick hunts for a single-leg takedown. This one is successful, putting Mazo down to the ground long enough for Maverick to circle around and take Mazo’s back. In the ensuing scramble, Maverick gets her arm underneath the neck of “The Colombian Queen” before even setting her hooks in, and the rear-naked choke is instantly tight. Mazo has no choice but to surrender with a tap on the thigh, as she is dead to rights and seconds away from losing consciousness. That’s a big win for Maverick, who snaps the first losing streak of her career in a dramatic manner.

The Official Result

Miranda Maverick def. Sabina Mazo R2 2:15 via Submission (Rear-Naked Choke)

Damon Jackson (145.5) vs. Kamuela Kirk (145)

Round 1

Two featherweights with finish rates of 89% or above will come to blows now, as “The Leech” Jackson (19-4-1, 1 NC; 2-2-1, 1 NC UFC) will attempt to implement his suffocating grappling game at the expense of “The Jawaiian” Kirk (12-4, 1-0 UFC), with the latter never falling victim to a submission. Referee Chris Tognoni is prepared for a matchup that could end in the blink of an eye with a sub snatched out of nowhere, and he steels himself as the two fighters do not touch gloves to start off the contest. Jackson leads off with a swarm of punches, backing Kirk up in a hurry. Jackson scores a few, and when Kirk sits down on a counter, he backs away and measures a front kick. Jackson looses another flurry of punches, sneaking a right hand over the guard and getting Kirk to react. Kirk meets an advancing Jackson with a right hand and a knee up the middle, and “The Leech” chomps down on it without batting an eye. Jackson scores a leg kick, and Kirk counters with several punches that all bounce off Jackson’s guard. The Fortis MMA fighter swats away a high kick, but he does absorb a flush left hand to the liver. Jackson swipes out a few punches, and Kirk again times a crisp knee that intercepts Jackson mid-combination. Kirk gets warned for pointing out his fingers, and he relies on another knee as Jackson punches his way forward and ducks down. A stern knee from “The Jawaiian” thumps into Jackson’s chest, but the Texan is not concerned as he lets go with a kick to the body of his own. Jackson pops Kirk in the chops with a left hand, and he ignores a jab to let fly a few hooks. Kirk replies quickly with an effective leg kick that makes Jackson take a funny step, and he goes after a high kick that gets blocked in time. Jackson rushes forward, attempting to clinch, and he swings with a high kick and connects with a solid uppercut that snaps Kirk’s head back. Kirk may be a little wobbled, but he does not stop throwing, as he sits down on a right hand that thuds square into Jackson’s chin. Jackson rushes in with a barrage of punches, pushes past counter knees, and he rocks Kirk with a combo. Jackson punches his way into a takedown attempt, and he snatches Kirk’s legs out beneath him and slices over to mount in a hurry. Kirk turns as Jackson clobbers him with punches from up high, and he manages to drag Jackson back to his half guard but has his arm trapped while Jackson continues to bust him up. “The Leech” grinds out the end of the round, slamming Kirk in the face with a couple punches at the very end.

Sherdog Scores

Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-9 Jackson
Tyler Treese scores the round: 10-9 Jackson
Tudor Leonte scores the round: 10-9 Jackson

Round 2

The featherweights do not waste time to engage in Round 2, as Jackson grabs hold of him in less than five seconds and wrenches Kirk down to the mat. Like before, Jackson lands in mount, and Kirk has his neck pressed against the fence while Jackson presses his full body weight on him. Jackson elects to go back to half guard so he can put Kirk in a strange position against the fence, and Kirk works through it to get back to his closed guard and ties Jackson up. “The Leech” lives up to his nickname as he does not give Kirk a moment to breathe, staying heavy and not letting his man off the hook. Jackson begins to open up with left hands and a couple short elbows, posturing up to work Kirk over with his fists. Kirk tries to sweep his opponent to no avail, and he gets warned for punching the back of the head to give Jackson something back to think about. Jackson remains pinned to Kirk as Tognoni tells them to keep working, so Jackson passes over to half guard and scores several short ground strikes. “The Jawaiian” manages to pull his foe back to his guard, and Jackson latches on to an arm-triangle choke while Kirk’s guard is closed around him. Kirk struggles as he punches the body several times, surviving long enough to make Jackson reset. Kirk kicks off the fence, setting up an armbar briefly, but Jackson is wise to it and steps over to the side. From there, it is academic, as “The Leech” locks down an arm-triangle choke that spells immediate danger for the Arizona native. Jackson crushes the neck of his opponent with his grip and his shoulder pressure, and Kirk thinks about going out on his shield but opts to tap out instead. Jackson, who notched his 15th career submission win, now becomes the first man to submit “The Jawaiian” as a pro.

The Official Result

Damon Jackson def. Kamuela Kirk R2 4:42 via Submission (Arm-Triangle Choke)

Javid Basharat (136) vs. Trevin Jones (135)

Round 1

It’s a classic battle of Guam vs. Afghanistan in this next fight taking place at 135 pounds. Jones (13-7, 1 NC; 1-1, 1 NC UFC) will have the honor of welcoming Afghan-born Brit Basharat (11-0, 0-0 UFC) to the UFC, and he will do so by trying to put a wrench in the unbeaten Basharat’s 100% finish rate. The pace will likely be high, and referee Keith Peterson has laced his nonsense-free running shoes. There is no glove touch, as these two want to get after it early, and Basharat leads off with a quick front kick. Basharat walks his foe down, and he just slips a looping overhand right counter from “5 Star.” Basharat dips back when Jones aims a punch to the body, and Jones is coiled up like a snake ready to let loose with huge looping punches. Any time Basharat gets close, Jones lets loose with a winging punch, but they largely miss the mark. Basharat jabs out to try to disrupt the rhythm of the Guam native, and he mixes in a leg kick while Jones wants to lob single strikes. The fighter from Afghanistan spins with a kick to the body, and this prompts Jones into movement, who connects with a few punches that knock “The Snow Leopard” back. Basharat gathers himself and pushes forward, bulling Jones to the fence with a pushing jab but little else for offense as he does not want to get countered. Basharat swings a high kick that gets blocked, and Jones steps through and dings Basharat with a left hand. Jones gets off a leg kick, and he misses on several counters as Basharat is jabbing at him and firing straight strikes that reach the target first. Basharat clubs Jones with a right hand, and he is well out of harm’s way as Jones advances. Jones ducks into a knee as he pursues a takedown, and this may have hurt Jones, as Basharat jumps at him with another knee shortly thereafter. Basharat lays into Jones, who is leaning over against the fence, and he works the body with big punches and elbows. Basharat rips the body with a few uppercuts, and Jones grits it out and tries to load up on a left hand, only to be forced to block a head kick. Basharat steps back when a seemingly recovered Jones attacks, and Basharat comes right back in his face and digs a right hand to the midsection. Jones bounces off the fence and counters Basharat with a left hand, and Basharat spins with a kick that collides with his torso right before the bell.

Sherdog Scores

Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-9 Basharat
Tyler Treese scores the round: 10-9 Basharat
Tudor Leonte scores the round: 10-9 Basharat

Round 2

Basharat practically sprints out of his corner, but he is respectful of Jones’ power and does not walk into any big punches that are aimed at his head. Jones connects with a big left, Basharat slips another and counters with a right hook, and Jones pushes his foot on the gas as he advances. The bantamweights clack legs when kicking at the same time, and Basharat pulls his leg back awkwardly but seems no worse for wear. Jones leans down for a punch to the body, and Basharat paws away one that comes at his head so that he can kick Jones in the solar plexus. “5 Star” just misses with a swiping left hand, but a leg kick forces Basharat to switch stances. Basharat slips a punch and he begins to smartly give chase, feinting and faking to draw out the looping punches from the Guam native without absorbing them. Basharat kicks with both legs, dances out of the way, and is forced to defend a takedown try from Jones. “The Snow Leopard” stuffs it, turns him around and rings his bell with an elbow on the break, and he gets back to his preferred range with jabs as Jones fires back hitting little but air. Jones slowly walks forward, but Basharat is elusive enough to avoid the brunt of the blows. Jones sticks him with a right hand, and Basharat fires three back at him. They each connect with one kick to the calf, and Basharat splits the guard with a straight right hand. Jones shrugs it off and circles away, and he turns his shoulder to let a spinning kick glide off him. Basharat stays loose and dodges a big punch so that he can blast a high kick up, and it pounds into Jones’ guard without much issue. Basharat scores a right, jumps up with a knee, and Jones wears them both well and unloads with a four-punch combination after eating a leg kick. One whiffed head kick from the Afghan fighter concludes Round 2.

Sherdog Scores

Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-9 Basharat
Tyler Treese scores the round: 10-9 Basharat
Tudor Leonte scores the round: 10-9 Basharat

Round 3

The last round opens with a glove touch that might have instead been both men pawing their fists out at the same time to find range. They both start trading single strikes, and Jones just misses with a huge left hand. As Basharat slips a punch, he says something to his opponent, and he counters effectively with a right hand. Starting to enter a flow state, Basharat mixes up a low kick with a right hand, keeping Jones guessing and not letting him score his power punches. Basharat walks his man down around the cage, and they both get off single punches. Basharat kicks the leg, strides forward only to lean back when Jones wings a punch at him, and he lets loose with a trio of punches. Basharat intercepts Jones as Jones is throwing heat, keeping him busy with strikes that are more about touching than knocking his block off. Basharat goes up high with a kick, and he keeps head movement going strong to avoid what comes at him. Jones sits down on a left hand that finally bounces off the side of Basharat’s head, but it might be demoralizing as Basharat absorbs it flush without budging and fires right back. “The Snow Leopard” steps in with a knee and an elbow, keeping his hands low and relying on his movement to dodge what comes back at him. Basharat sticks and moves, letting punches glance off his shoulder, and he spins with a wheel kick suddenly that crashes into the side of Jones’ head. Jones is rocked, but he decides to start brawling, and he lands cleanly on Basharat. The two begin to throw down, nailing each other with strikes as defense and movement becomes less important than landing harder. Basharat gathers himself and strides forward confidently with an elbow, and he slaps a right hand down so that he can pierce the guard with a few jabs. “5 Star” looses several looping punches, and they all miss, so he decides to jump forward and give it all he has. A few punches to the chest and a spinning back kick that pops into the cup are the last strikes of the fight, and Basharat has now gone the distance for the first time in his career – and we have also reached the judges for the first time tonight.

Sherdog Scores

Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-9 Basharat (30-27 Basharat)
Tyler Treese scores the round: 10-9 Basharat (30-27 Basharat)
Tudor Leonte scores the round: 10-9 Jones (29-28 Basharat)

The Official Result

Javid Basharat def. Trevin Jones via Unanimous Decision (30-27, 30-27, 29-28)

J.J. Aldrich (125.5) vs. Gillian Robertson (125.5)

Round 1

The final women’s matchup of the night pits boxer against grappler, although this oversimplification does not encompass all the skills either woman brings to the table. At flyweight, Aldrich (10-4, 6-3 UFC) and Robertson (10-6, 7-4 UFC) will look to advance in a seemingly wide-open division, and referee Chris Tognoni will be the first to know who does. While the Canadian offers a glove touch, Aldrich wants nothing to do with it, so they begin. Robertson throws a front kick up the middle as Aldrich looks to get her hands going, and she slaps a high kick up and then stomps the knee as well. Robertson keeps the center of the cage, not budging as Aldrich circles around her, and there is a bit of a stalemate as the two women do not engage much of note. Robertson looks to hand-fight but gets punched in the face for her effort, and she goes back to a stomping side kick to the knee. From a distance, Robertson shoots in for a takedown, and the American easily stuffs it and stands her back up. A single right hand from Aldrich is her answer, and she slides out of the way when Robertson looks to give one back to her. A big left hand from Aldrich connects, and her hands are faster than Robertson’s, but Robertson does manage to land one of her own. As Robertson pushes off, her finger jabs into Aldrich’s eye, and Tognoni is quick to notice and even calls in the doctor to let Aldrich take more time to recover. Aldrich clears her eye out, and the two resume the fight after a little over a minute and some solid communicative refereeing from Tognoni. Robertson starts up after the break with a head kick that is blocked without much effort, and Aldrich splits her guard with a left hand. Aldrich strings together a short combination, backs off from the counter and keeps her own safe striking range. The boxing of Aldrich is keeping Robertson guessing, but Robertson pressures Aldrich and makes her trip. When Aldrich springs back to her feet before Robertson can reach her, the Canadian flings a high kick that clatters off the guard. Robertson punches her way into a takedown entry, and Aldrich stops it in its track and pushes out a right hand that reddens the redhead’s nose. Aldrich starts to let her jab go, catching Robertson on the way in repeatedly as Robertson swings looping punches or naked front kicks. Robertson connects with a low kick, and when it succeeds, she goes after another to the same spot. Aldrich lands a quick punch, hunts for her own takedown, and hits it seconds before the bell. Although Robertson appears to scramble and get the better of the position, the round ends.

Sherdog Scores

Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-9 Aldrich
Tyler Treese scores the round: 10-9 Aldrich
Tudor Leonte scores the round: 10-9 Aldrich

Round 2

The flyweights meet in the middle, with Aldrich seemingly much more confident than the last round, as she immediately sticks out an effective jab. Robertson gives chase as Aldrich controls the distance, and the Canadian is unable to connect with anything of note. Aldrich keeps boxing, intercepting Robertson on the way in when she throws kicks and drops her hands, but it is all about touching and not damaging. Robertson gets off a single kick to the body, and she storms forward to nail Aldrich in the body with a knee. As she tries to keep the pressure going, Aldrich backs her off with a left hand at the end of a three-punch combo. When Aldrich scores a single right hand, Robertson ducks down and grabs hold of a single. Aldrich hops around on one foot to stop the takedown from succeeding, so Robertson elects to turn the corner and drag her foe back down with her. Robertson holds on to the back, and when she sets up some sort of a submission, Aldrich turns around and claims Robertson’s guard. Robertson scoots her back to the wall, looking to stand back up using the fence, but Aldrich drags her back down. A little ground-and-pound comes from Aldrich, but she decides to back off and stand back up. Robertson jumps right back up, and after taking a few punches, looks to take the fight right back down. Aldrich stuffs her without exerting much energy, and she marks Robertson up with a few punches. Robertson misses with a front kick, and she drops down and punches Aldrich in the thigh instead of pursuing a single. Aldrich sits down on a big body kick, and Robertson latches on to it with for all she is worth as the strike appeared to hurt her badly. The horn sounds to break them up, and Robertson walks to her corner and nearly falls over.

Sherdog Scores

Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-9 Aldrich
Tyler Treese scores the round: 10-9 Aldrich
Tudor Leonte scores the round: 10-9 Aldrich

Round 3

Between rounds, Robertson recovers and is ready to go out for the last stanza. The third period begins like the first two, with a tentative striking exchange as Aldrich gets the better of the striking while Robertson whiffs on kicks. Aldrich jabs and loops a left behind it, and Robertson swings wildly and misses. For a moment, Robertson draws out a solid exchange, but Aldrich gathers her thoughts and is quick to get back to her safe range of picking and poking away at the red-haired Canadian. Changing things up briefly, Aldrich presses forward into a clinch, and the two trade short elbows and other strikes while tied up. The position stalls out as Robertson is pinned to the wire, even if Aldrich’s volume has diminished as well when up close and personal. They split up, and Aldrich pushes out a few punches. Aldrich scores a clean one-two, and she bops Robertson with a left. This drives Robertson into action, who crashes the pocket with a few punches and a step-in knee. She backs off when Aldrich pops her with a few jabs, and Aldrich bullies her back to the fence and gives her a cheeky shove. When Aldrich advances and even pursues her own takedown try, Robertson pulls guard and falls to her back, where she looks to set up something with her legs. There is nothing there, as Aldrich easily holds her down and lands a few punches until the final bell mercifully sounds.

Sherdog Scores

Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-9 Aldrich (30-27 Aldrich)
Tyler Treese scores the round: 10-9 Aldrich (30-27 Aldrich)
Tudor Leonte scores the round: 10-9 Aldrich (30-27 Aldrich)

The Official Result

J.J. Aldrich def. Gillian Robertson via Unanimous Decision (30-27, 30-27, 30-27)

A.J. Fletcher (170) vs. Matthew Semelsberger (169)

Round 1

Can a Jedi use the force on a ghost? In this welterweight encounter, “Semi the Jedi” Semelsberger (9-3, 3-1 UFC) will do or do not against “The Ghost” Fletcher (9-0, 0-0 UFC), as there is no try. Referee Herb Dean takes the high ground as he watches on between two men that combine for 15 finishes across 18 wins, and the 170ers touch hands to seal the cage in this preliminary headliner. They jump out to immediate action as advertised, both throwing hard at one another. Semelsberger blocks a punch, stuffs a takedown, and walks Fletcher down to score a right hand. As soon as he lands, the unbeaten Fletcher crashes forward with a double, and he plants Semelsberger flat on his back. Landing in half guard, Fletcher looks for position over damage as he hops straight over to full mount. Dean warns Fletcher to not jam his chin in Semelsberger’s eye, and Semelsberger shakes his head and scrambles wildly. This allows Fletcher to latch on to a guillotine choke, but he has to let it go when Semelsberger moves to his back again. Fletcher hangs on in half guard, and he punches Semelsberger in the face with a heavy right hand. “Semi the Jedi” uses his powers to work his way back to the fence, and he holds on without taking many shots. Fletcher considers an inside shoulder lock from on top, and he abandons it to punch Semelsberger square in the face. Fletcher works the body as Semelsberger closes his guard, and Fletcher fights off a triangle setup as he maintains his posture. Semelsberger gets pressed to the wall, and Fletcher locks down on an arm-triangle choke. Semelsberger slides his arm out so that he will not choke himself out with the head-and-arm choke, and he sits up. Fletcher follows him so that he can hop up and snatch hold of a guillotine choke, and he uses it to flip Semelsberger over and get back to mount. In the position, instead of raining down punches, Fletcher hunts for another arm-triangle, and he bails on it to start letting loose with a few elbows. Semelsberger clings to his opponent tightly to ride out the round, which he does successfully.

Sherdog Scores

Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-9 Fletcher
Tyler Treese scores the round: 10-9 Fletcher
Tudor Leonte scores the round: 10-9 Fletcher

Round 2

The welterweights touch gloves to start off Round 2, and it is Semelsberger who claims the center of the cage as he looks to sit down on his punches and win the round back or get a quick finish. Fletcher stays elusive as Semelsberger wings punches at him, and he scores a body kick and dodges the big punches. Semelsberger’s hair has started to fall into his eyes, and an errant swipe with fingers outstretched goes into Fletcher’s eye. Semelsberger apologizes after a break of less than 30 seconds, and he is ready to go when they resume. Fletcher loads up on a calf kick, and Semelsberger drills him with a left hand. Fletcher charges forward, landing a takedown and putting “Semi the Jedi” back to the canvas. A furious scramble ensues, and this time, Semelsberger is able to get back to his feet. Fletcher follows him up and looks to take his back standing, and he holds on when Semelsberger tries to twist. Semelsberger manages to get him off of his back, and they start throwing heavy hands at one another. Semelsberger throws a little too hard on a right hand after an exchange, and he ducks down, which allows Fletcher to hop over to take his back. Semelsberger continues to scramble, not allowing Fletcher to hold on to him for long, and he sweeps his foe and puts the undefeated fighter on his back. Semelsberger flattens Fletcher out, where he covers Fletcher’s mouth and begins to drop down punches and slash with elbows. Semelsberger opens up with elbows, disregarding Fletcher’s closed guard, expecting that he will open it up as he lands ground strikes. Fletcher twists to his side, but he gets pushed back down as Semelsberger is taking it to him with elbows. Semelsberger sits back and hops over to side control, and when that fails, he shucks off an armbar try so that he can tear into Fletcher with ferocious elbows. The elbow strikes open up a cut on the UFC newcomer, but when the round ends, he is all smiles as he claps hands with his fellow welterweight.

Sherdog Scores

Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-9 Semelsberger
Tyler Treese scores the round: 10-9 Semelsberger
Tudor Leonte scores the round: 10-9 Semelsberger

Round 3

The fighters high five to start off the last round, and they both land punches at the same time. Fletcher slips a punch, and he splits the guard with a front kick that gets Fletcher’s attention. Fletcher punches his way forward, possibly in pursuit of a takedown, and Semelsberger sees it coming and shoves him away. Semelsberger gets off a big right hand to the side of the head, and he bullies Fletcher back to the wall and drills him with a heavy knee. Fletcher bounces off the cage wall, uses his new momentum in his advantage and pushes through to hit a takedown. He cannot keep “Semi the Jedi” down for long, as Semelsberger explodes back up and lets loose with a spinning back elbow that grazes the side of Fletcher’s head. Fletcher pops his man with a right hand, and Semelsberger rushes forward not to pay him back with a punch but instead to lift Fletcher off the ground and slam him down to the mat. The unbeaten fighter hits the ground hard, with Semelsberger taking half guard as he keeps Fletcher pushed down to the mat. Semelsberger clings to Fletcher, sitting up when Fletcher closes his guard so that he can smack Fletcher in the face with his fists. Fletcher tries to get into a slugfest off his back, but the punches of Semelsberger are substantially heavier. Semelsberger keeps his smothering top pressure, not allowing Fletcher to get back up or defend himself effectively, and he lands sporadic thumping punches that keep Dean at bay. When Fletcher tries to use a knee to separate them, Semelsberger sits up and drops several punches down and follows them with elbows. One such elbow splits Fletcher’s face open, and covered in blood, “The Ghost” scrambles and manages to put Semelsberger on his back. “Semi the Jedi” uses the force to stand up, and when he does, it’s all-out carnage between the welterweights. A mighty brawl ensues, both men blasting each other with flush punches that could fell trees, and they wobble but do not fall down. One lands, the other responds, and they let it all hang out until the final bell. After this fun three-round affair, the fighters fall over out of exhaustion, with nothing left after the show they put on at the end of the final round.

Sherdog Scores

Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-9 Semelsberger (29-28 Semelsberger)
Tyler Treese scores the round: 10-9 Semelsberger (29-28 Semelsberger)
Tudor Leonte scores the round: 10-9 Semelsberger (29-28 Semelsberger)

The Official Result

Matthew Semelsberger def. A.J. Fletcher via Unanimous Decision (29-28, 29-28, 29-28)

Alex Pereira (186) vs. Bruno Silva (185.5)

Round 1

The matchmakers knew what they were doing with this high-stakes middleweight matchup pitting two knockout-friendly strikers against one another, even if some feel it might be too early to eliminate one as a future contender. Former kickboxer “Poatan” Pereira (4-1, 1-0 UFC) and his 100% knockout rate will aim to put “Blindado” Silva (22-6, 3-0 UFC) away with strikes for the first time in his career, and the action will likely be furious and frenetic for as long as it lasts. Referee Mark Smith might have been better suited putting on protective gear to defend against an errant blow, in light of referee Scott Manhardt getting clocked with a rolling thunder kick at an IMMAF event earlier this week. The heavy-handed Brazilians touch gloves, and Pereira throws first with a high kick that slaps off the guard. A head kick from the other leg comes from “Poatan,” who backs off and spams kicks while Silva comes towards him. Silva looks to clinch briefly, and Pereira pushes him off and keeps his kicks going. Silva stays composed, and he suddenly explodes forward with a surge of punches that are largely blocked. Pereira pushes away with his fingers out, and Smith warns him. Smith takes a punch up the middle, and he jumps forward with three punches that all hit air as Pereira dances out of the way. Two punches comes from “Poatan,” and as he looks for a knee, Silva busts him in the chops with a right hand. Silva bites down on his mouthpiece and slings another pair of booming hooks, and Pereira absorbs them and wears them well. Pereira scores a kick the body, and they both land punches at the same time. Silva ducks a punch, tries to loop several punches on the outside, and gets clinched by the kickboxer. Up close, Silva glances a knee off the cup, and Smith warns him but does not pause the match. Instead, Pereira pushes off, throws two kicks in rapid succession to the body, and Silva tries to spin with a wheel kick that just misses. Silva changes stances, meeting an advancing Pereira with a left hand and a low kick, and he does this same tactic a second time. Silva pushes forward, where he changes levels and hits a takedown, while Pereira defends with a guillotine choke that he hopes to push Silva’s neck down and stand. “Poatan” gets to a knee as Silva stays glommed on to him, wrapping one of Pereira’s legs up and dragging him down. Pereira explodes upright again, only to get met with a stern knee from “Blindado.” Pereira looks to make Silva pay, missing with a left hand and forced to block when Silva lobs hammers at him. Pereira splits the guard with a left hand, follows it with a knee and stings Silva. He pulls back instead of trying to finish the job in the latter seconds of the round, and calmly blocks a Silva head kick as time expires.

Sherdog Scores

Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-9 Silva
Tyler Treese scores the round: 10-9 Silva
Tudor Leonte scores the round: 10-9 Silva

Round 2

The middleweights meet in the middle to pick up where they left off, and a kick from Pereira bounces off Silva’s cup. Silva answers back with a swarming combination, and Pereira dances out of the way and tries to paw out a front kick. Silva absorbs a punch to the body as he pushes forward, and he has a right hand go over the top as Pereira rolls with it. Pereira again targets the midsection, and he wades forward to not let a looping left from Silva land on him. Pereira scores a kick to the head, and Silva eats it and rushes in to throw with bad intentions. Pereira slaps punches away as he is forced to defend, replying with strikes that get Silva’s attention. Pereira goes up high with a left and to the body with a right, but he cannot get Silva off of him. “Blindado” eats a left hand on the chin, kicks his foe’s leg, and changes levels to secure a takedown. It does not take more than a few seconds for the kickboxer to muscle his way back to his feet, while not letting Silva land anything on him. Silva presses him tightly against the fence, kneeing him to the thigh a few times as “Blindado” exerts heavy pressure. Pereira tries to fight off with slapping punches, and Silva spins with an elbow. Pereira takes the space and sneaks up a knee, but Silva replies with a powerful uppercut. As they continue to stay tangled up, Pereira scores another knee, and Silva tries and fails to take the fight down. Pereira strings together a few punches up top, and a left hand rattles Silva for a moment. “Blindado” does not seem to budge, remaining in Pereira’s face as he sticks out a jab and forces the kickboxer to fight off his back foot. Silva wings a right hand that slides off the face, and he connects with a right hand that stuns “Poatan” for a moment. Silva jumps forward with a few punches, busting Pereira’s nose open, and he chains a combination together that ends in a low kick. Pereira responds with a jump knee, and Silva takes it flush and scores the same combination as before punctuated with a leg kick. One more flying knee comes from “Poatan,” and Silva stumbles and falls to his back – it was not a knockdown, but a slip. Pereira wades into his foe’s guard, and the close, tense round ends.

Sherdog Scores

Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-9 Pereira
Tyler Treese scores the round: 10-9 Pereira
Tudor Leonte scores the round: 10-9 Pereira

Round 3

The strikers touch ‘em up to commence the final round, and Pereira is first to engage with a long left hand. Silva’s chain of a combination that ended the last round strong carries over to the last frame, with punches and a leg kick. From there, “Blindado” shoots for a takedown, and he gets stuffed. Silva rips the leg with another kick, and a few punches make Pereira bounce back to the wall. “Blindado” bullies his foe up to the fencing, and they trade knees while jockeying for position. Pereira turns Silva around in the clinch, and he punches Silva’s thigh as they pummel and push one another around. Pereira is constantly busy in this position, with little punches and hammerfists to any target he can find, as Silva stays tightly pressed with little other offense. Pereira knees the body, and he leans back just in time as Silva goes to the moon with an uppercut that brushes past Pereira’s chin. When Silva walks his foe down, Pereira answers with a strong series of punches. One big left hand hurts Silva, who wobbles back, and Silva aims to take the fight down to the canvas. Pereira stops it from succeeding as he knees Silva in the gut multiple times, working Silva over with a couple elbows from up close as he starts working the body. Pereira starts turning it up to try to finish the job, but Silva blocks or eats them and throws back with bad intentions. Silva’s counters go wide, and he shoots low for a takedown that is stuffed without much concern from “Poatan.” They both stand back up to their feet, and Silva trips him down when they are clinched up against the fence. Springing back to their feet but stuck up against the wire, Silva does everything he can to take the fight down. Silva unloads with punches and bunches, and Pereira counters with a right hand that smashes Silva’s nose open. Silva clutches his face and backs off, and when Pereira advances to try to finish the job, Silva blasts him with a right hand. A few more peppering punches from Pereira to the damaged nose make Silva clutch it again, and the fight ends before a finish can materialize. Silva survives and drops to his knees in pain, but he took Pereira to the scorecards – the first fighter to do so in Pereira’s MMA career.

Sherdog Scores

Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-9 Pereira (29-28 Pereira)
Tyler Treese scores the round: 10-9 Pereira (29-28 Pereira)
Tudor Leonte scores the round: 10-9 Pereira (29-28 Pereira)

The Official Result

Alex Pereira def. Bruno Silva via Unanimous Decision (30-27, 30-27, 30-27)

Drew Dober (155) vs. Terrance McKinney (156)

Round 1

Out of the frying pan and into the other frying pan we go, as well-rounded lightweights take the stage when Dober (23-11, 1 NC; 9-7, 1 NC UFC) squares off against surging short-notice replacement McKinney (12-3, 2-0 UFC). While Dober has dropped his last two, “T.Wrecks” has won five in a row, totaling 4:03 of cage time as he has wrecked shop in the last year. Despite this impressive win streak, McKinney tempts fate by walking out to “Lose Yourself” by Eminem, a song that posts a low winning percentage of .333 for all those that select it inside the Octagon. Referee Keith Peterson puts on his figurative hard hat – one without nonsense, of course – ahead of what could be a wild one, and the fighters are happy to be competing and come together to touch gloves. McKinney takes the aggression early, with a jump knee that catches Dober square on the chin. McKinney loads up with several furious punches, knocking Dober to the mat. On one knee, Dober takes a long stream of punches, where he is forced to shell up and intelligently defends himself until fighting back to his feet. A big knee from McKinney hurts Dober again, and when McKinney unloads with a salvo of punches, Dober goes for a takedown. McKinney turns him around and puts him on the ground, and he lays into Dober with a plethora of punches. McKinney cannot keep his foe down on the mat for long, and Dober springs back up, counters with a couple looping punches, and takes a clean spinning back fist on the dome while managing to back McKinney off enough to take a breath. McKinney lowers himself, reaches Dober’s hips and plants him on the mat. Dober closes his guard as both men get their wind back, and he wings an elbow from his back that dislodges McKinney’s mouthpiece. Dober muscles McKinney off of him, and he blocks a head kick right as Peterson calls time to replace his gumshield. McKinney swings with a few punches and a back fist, and Dober pushes through them to clinch up. McKinney raises up a head kick, and Dober blocks it and cracks his slowing foe with a knee up the middle. McKinney wobbles back with his legs betraying him, and he falls to the mat as Dober pounces. Smelling blood, Dober does not give McKinney a second to recover, and he lets loose with a barrage of blistering blows that get around McKinney’s guard and start to do damage. As Dober keeps pounding, McKinney is stuck on his back taking shots without offering any resistance, and Peterson jumps in to stop the fight after a torrid three-plus minutes of action. What a battle for as long as it lasted.

The Official Result

Drew Dober def. Terrance McKinney R1 3:17 via TKO (Knee and Punches)

Karl Roberson (203) vs. Khalil Rountree (205)

Round 1

Two light heavyweights – albeit one moving up back up to the division – will square off in a classic striker vs. grappler matchup, when Tiger Muay Thai standout Rountree (9-5, 1 NC; 5-5, 1 NC UFC) steps into the cage against “Baby K” Roberson (9-4, 4-4 UFC). Referee Herb Dean will serve as the Octagon ranger for this 205-pound affair that might not need the judges, and he observes a glove touch between the two men. Roberson aims a low kick, pulls back, and Rountree scores one. Rountree charges forward, bounces off the fence when he misses, and is forced to block a high kick. Rountree keeps a very low stance, and he throws with malice as he winds up on a left hand. Roberson eats it and soars in the air with a knee, only for Rountree to push him back and try to slug it out. Rountree keeps his ducked-down posture as he walks Roberson down, and these two light heavyweights throw serious power at one another. They clack legs when kicking at the same time, and Rountree follows up with a big leg kick right after. Rountree walks his foe down, slowly and calmly, and he tries to draw something out of his opponent but nothing comes. “Baby K” gets off a low kick, and he ducks back when Rountree advances. “The War Horse” trots forward, and he looses a left hand that crashes into Roberson’s guard, with the sheer impact of the punch bouncing him off the cage wall. Roberson fakes for a takedown, drawing a big reaction out of his foe, but Rountree gathers himself and catches a body kick to toss Roberson to the ground. Letting his man back up, Rountree chops at the inside thigh when Roberson stands. The leg kicks for both men continue to score, and Rountree stabs his toes into Roberson’s torso. Rountree swats a few right hands out to try to catch Roberson’s hand, but he does not follow it with a left hand as Roberson keeps it up defensively. The pace slows as they engage in a cat-and-mouse approach, and leg kicks from each score. Rountree pops out a jab and takes a flush body kick, and Rountree catches it but sets it down when he cannot do anything with it. Roberson lands a stinging leg kick, and Rountree charges like a bull and scores a left hand on the jaw. The horn ends, closing out a round that may be tough to score.

Sherdog Scores

Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-9 Rountree
Tyler Treese scores the round: 10-9 Rountree
Tudor Leonte scores the round: 10-9 Rountree

Round 2

The light heavyweights meet in the middle and throw thunder, and Rountree scores a pair of huge punches that knock “Baby K” clean off his feet. Rountree dives down to attack, and he slams into Roberson with big punches from on top until Roberson turns to his knees and looks to stand up. As he does, Rountree brutally blasts him in the body with his shin, and the sound reverberates throughout the arena followed by a Roberson groan. By sheer force of will, Roberson stands back up, and he narrowly evades a stomping kick that comes at his side. “The War Horse” is enraged and ready to finish the job, and he lets loose with two punches that could fell a bull moose. Roberson collapses to his knees, physically surrendering as he has nothing left to offer, and Rountree does not need to do anything more tonight. Dean wades into the fracas, hoping not to absorb any of Rountree’s lethal strikes, but Rountree pulls back as soon as Roberson hits the mat and walks away. In his post-fight interview, Rountree preaches the importance of taking care of mental health, wishing to serve as an inspiration as someone that can turn their life around when their back is against the wall. It is a poignant message, one that nearly brings Rountree to tears, and rightfully so.

The Official Result

Khalil Rountree def. Karl Roberson R2 0:25 via TKO (Body Kick and Punches)

Alex Caceres (145) vs. Sodiq Yusuff (145.5)

Round 1

Featherweights with an eye on the top 10 are on deck, as Yusuff (11-2, 4-1 UFC) will try to rebound from his first decision loss against the crafty “Bruce Leeroy” Caceres (19-12, 1 NC; 14-10, 1 NC UFC), with the latter on the longest win streak of his career. This fight could end up anywhere, and referee Chris Tognoni is prepared no matter its location. As much as Caceres wants to touch gloves, Yusuff will not oblige him, so Caceres uses his fist to reach out and jab his foe in the face when not answered. After a brief but fast-pace striking exchange, Caceres ducks down and trips Yusuff to the mat. From there, Caceres looks to take his back, but Yusuff is able to scramble and break the grip to fight back to his feet. Yusuff marches Caceres down, landing a few punches and catching a body kick. The kick catch allows Yusuff to dump Caceres to the mat, and Caceres tries to defend with several blatant fence grabs that he is warned for and later slapped by Tognoni. “Bruce Leeroy” pushes off and fights back upright again, where he separates and is forced to contend with a high kick that zips at his face. Yusuff doubles up on the high kick, and Caceres is able to block it just in the nick of time. Caceres darts forward with a quick punch, catching Yusuff and surprising him. Caceres slips the punches that come flying at him, countering with uppercuts or left hands, and Yusuff pushes forward in search of a takedown after a short clinch exchange. Caceres stays on his feet as he leans into the fence, and Yusuff aims to trip Caceres’ leg out beneath him. “Bruce Leeroy” fights off subsequent attempts, and he even keeps up when Yusuff lifts him off the ground. Yusuff manages to nearly set him down, but Caceres lands on a knee and powers back to his feet, where he spins with a fist as Yusuff protects himself. Yusuff is warned for pointing out his fingers as Caceres remains elusive, dodging the strikes from “Super Sodiq,” and Yusuff again attempts a takedown. Taking Caceres from behind but ultimately unable to ground Caceres, he holds him there and gets off a few short knees to the thigh. Caceres turns around, circles around and takes Yusuff’s back despite a fence grab from Yusuff. Caceres looks to hook a rear-naked choke from standing, but Yusuff defends it and the round ends in the clinch. Both men are warned by Tognoni after the bell to stop grabbing the fence.

Sherdog Scores

Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-9 Caceres
Tyler Treese scores the round: 10-9 Caceres
Tudor Leonte scores the round: 10-9 Caceres

Round 2

Caceres looks to touch glove to start off the second round, and this time, Yusuff obliges him. “Super Sodiq” then advances to try to lure Caceres into a brawl, but Caceres is able to slide out of the way before taking any strikes of merit. Yusuff crashes forward, and a right hand behind the ear makes Caceres slip but not go down. “Bruce Leeroy” gathers his balance, and takes a step back to absorb a low kick. Caceres gets into his rhythm as he feints and fakes, landing a flush short left hook and dancing out of the way when Yusuff gives chase. In a short exchange, Caceres gets careless, letting a left hand out too long and getting cracked with a counter. The power is vastly in favor of Yusuff, as the strikes make Caceres react while Yusuff barely budges. A pair of huge right hands connects cleanly on the jaw from Caceres, who ducks a counter and takes a clean leg kick. Yusuff cannot slow the movement of his foe, but he tries with a thudding leg kick. This prompts Caceres into action, who lets go with a short punch combination and a body kick to punctuate it. Yusuff wings a right hand, misses, and leans back as an uppercut brushes past his nose. Caceres goes to the body, and Yusuff stands firm and chops down his lead leg with a kick. A huge leg kick from Yusuff knocks Caceres off his feet, and “Bruce Leeroy” springs back up but switches stances after absorbing the blow. Caceres checks a kick that comes at his calf, and Yusuff comes on the other side and pounds it in his inside thigh. Caceres goes high with a kick, and Yusuff replies with a counter leg kick on the plant leg that draws a grimace out of the normally smiling Caceres. “Bruce Leeroy” slams a kick to the side, and Yusuff catches it and drills his foe with a few punches. Yusuff batters Caceres’ lead leg right to the bell with a few more kicks, and Caceres stumbles across the cage to try not to fall over from the damage he absorbed in that round.

Sherdog Scores

Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-9 Yusuff
Tyler Treese scores the round: 10-9 Yusuff
Tudor Leonte scores the round: 10-9 Yusuff

Round 3

The featherweights touch glove to start off Round 3, and Caceres steps forward with a high kick that slaps off Yusuff’s guard. Yusuff aims at Caceres’ lead leg with a chopping kick, and it is his primary target at this point given the reactions that Caceres makes when absorbing them. Caceres still stays on his bike, loose and elusive, but the kicks are largely finding their target. Caceres sneaks a high kick up with his right leg, and he chains a few punches to the body into a couple to the head. Yusuff slugs it out with him, and when throwing punches, he does not swing leg kicks. Caceres sneaks in a jab, and he shoulder rolls a punch to give Yusuff one back. With little telegraph, Caceres spins in close range and plants the ball of his foot on Yusuff’s liver. Yusuff keeps a stiff upper lip and slams his shin on Caceres’ lead leg, on the outside and inside. Caceres wades forward throwing looping punches, and Yusuff sees them coming and lands a front kick. When they come together, Caceres looks for a takedown, and Yusuff stops it from succeeding and lets loose a head kick that pushes Caceres’ hair back. Yusuff pre-counters Caceres with a right hand that shakes Caceres up, and he goes up high with a kick and then hammers Caceres’ leg with a few more kicks. Yusuff seemingly cannot miss when he sits down on inside leg kicks in opposite stances, and Caceres wears them well but has his leg kicked out when advancing. Caceres pierces the guard with a jab, and he knees the body as Yusuff turns him around and pushes him into the fence. Yusuff does not let up with his strategy of kicking the leg, and when he has Caceres bent over, he looks for a standing submission like a brabo choke up close. There is nothing to it, and the fight ends in this position.

Sherdog Scores

Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-9 Yusuff (29-28 Yusuff)
Tyler Treese scores the round: 10-9 Yusuff (29-28 Yusuff)
Tudor Leonte scores the round: 10-9 Yusuff (29-28 Yusuff)

The Official Result

Sodiq Yusuff def. Alex Caceres via Unanimous Decision (30-27, 30-27, 29-28)

Marlon Moraes (135) vs. Yadong Song (135.5)

Round 1

As part of a significant record correction across several UFC fighters coming from China, the pro record of Song (18-6-1, 1 NC; 7-1-1 UFC) will likely display differently than what it shows on the broadcast – but the Sherdog W/L tally is accurate after a deep dive by the underappreciated Fight Finder team. While the 24-year-old Song is on his way up, former title challenger Moraes (23-9-1, 5-5 UFC) has struggled as of late, albeit against only top-flight competition. During the introductions, referee Keith Peterson clears the building of nonsense. The 135ers touch gloves for their co-main assignment, and Song advances quickly to throw hands. Moraes answers with a few of his own, and he backs off to circle and pulls back on a kick that he decides not to throw. Moraes swipes forward with a left hand, and Song cracks him with a right hand behind the ear that nearly brings Moraes to his knees. The Brazilian recovers, but he is fighting off his back foot, still a bit stung, and Song gives chase. Song just misses with a huge uppercut, and Moraes counters and slides to the side and out. Both men throw heavy, fast combinations at one another, and Moraes absorbs a leg kick as he backs off. When Moraes swings a left hand, Song is there to put three in his face, and Moraes shakes his head and retreats. Exploding into action, “Magic” attacks with a swarm of punches that come up short of the mark. Song strides forward, brimming with confidence, and unleashes a right hand that lands behind the ear, a left over the top and an uppercut that sends the former title challenger crashing to the canvas. Moraes does not know where he is as the back of his head bounces off the floor, and Song points down at the doomed fighter instead of jumping on top to demolish him with unnecessary ground-and-pound. The lights may be on, but no one’s home for Moraes, as Peterson walks over and makes sure that Song won’t hammer the nail. Song sprints around the cage to celebrate his massive victory, having punched his ticket to huge opportunities going forward.

The Official Result

Yadong Song def. Marlon Moraes R1 2:06 via KO (Punches)

Thiago Santos (205.5) vs. Magomed Ankalaev (205)

Round 1

If their past fights are any indication, this main event between Santos (22-9, 14-8 UFC) and Ankalaev (15-1, 7-1 UFC) at 205 pounds could be one where fists and feet fly until one fighter falls. The former title challenger and the rising Dagestani star meet in the middle to touch gloves before referee Mark Smith, and without any further introduction, it’s on with the show! The first strike comes from Ankalaev after 45 seconds of measuring and range-finding, with a front kick up the middle that misses the mark. Ankalaev aims a body kick shortly thereafter, but it misses too. Santos scores a loud leg kick when Ankalaev walks him down, and Ankalaev does not answer but he does walk Santos back to the wall. Santos goes for another leg kick, and Ankalaev appears to check it and leg to with a right hand that gives Santos serious pause as it connects square on the temple. Santos gathers himself and lets loose a head kick, and Ankalaev blocks it and paws out his right hand to little effect. Santos pushes the ball of his foot out with a front kick that does not reach Ankalaev’s chest, and both light heavyweights are extremely cautious to engage. They do briefly throw caution to the wind, and Ankalaev connects cleanly with a left hand that wobbles Santos briefly. The Brazilian gathers his thoughts and swipes back with a low kick, and he circles on the outer edge of the cage as Ankalaev does not let him come forward. Santos drops his hands and hops around before tossing up a front kick to the feet, and he hops away but not in time to get kicked in the knee. Another stalemate ensues as Santos is hesitant to pull the trigger while Ankalaev is content to back Santos up to the fence and threaten without throwing. Santos scores a quick leg kick, and Ankalaev replies with a kick to the torso. The tense but slow round ends as both men reach at one another with body kicks.

Sherdog Scores

Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-9 Ankalaev
Tyler Treese scores the round: 10-9 Ankalaev
Tudor Leonte scores the round: 10-9 Ankalaev

Round 2

The second frame opens as Ankalaev resumes his pressure with little offense behind it, walking Santos down but only throwing one single body kick. Santos gives him one back, and Ankalaev answers in kind. Santos lunges with a right to the body, and he lands a few low kicks including one that stomps on Ankalaev’s knee as he evades the single counter coming back at him. Santos escapes when he gets backed up to the wall, and he will not allow himself to be trapped while Ankalaev cocks back his left hand. A left to the body scores from the Russian, but a right over the top does not connect. They trade chopping leg kicks, and Santos appears the worse for wear after exchanging them. Leg kicks come from both men, and Santos changes his stances and goes up high with a kick that gets blocked in time. Ankalaev rips the body with a kick, and Santos tries to catch it but is not fast enough to snag it. The light heavyweights go tit-for-tat with single blows, as they largely play the answer game of trying to mimic the other. Ankalaev blocks a high kick and lets go with a right hand and a head kick of his own, and Santos wears it well but does not want to take more of those. Ankalaev beats him to the punch with a right hand, as Santos backs himself up to the fence whenever Ankalaev comes towards him. Santos targets the body with a punch, Ankalaev pierces the guard with a left hand, and Santos circles away only to get cut off by the Dagestan native. Ankalaev sneaks a right hand over the top, surprising Santos. The Brazilian answers him with a fury, knocking Ankalaev off his feet with a huge left hand behind the ear. Ankalaev falls to his back, and Santos jumps on top with elbow strikes to the bell, in a short sequence that may have stolen him the round.

Sherdog Scores

Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-9 Santos
Tyler Treese scores the round: 10-9 Santos
Tudor Leonte scores the round: 10-9 Santos

Round 3

Ankalaev appears to have shaken the cobwebs out between rounds, and he comes out like before, walking Santos down but not letting anything go to get careless. The Russian swings a high kick that grazes the forehead, and Santos does not register it as he circles on the outside. Ankalaev scores a right hook that makes Santos stumble, and the Brazilian gathers himself to land a few kicks to the knee. Ankalaev jumps forward with an overhand left, one that slams into the chin of “Marreta,” who rebounds off the wall from the blow. Ankalaev jabs the body with a kick, and he lets Santos reset to throw a leg kick. Ankalaev tries to answer him back with the same kick on the outside, while not committing to anything as they engage in a lengthy staring contest punctuated by a leg kick from Santos. They go kick for kick briefly, and Ankalaev lands a left and a body kick. Santos answers with a left, and he absorbs a spinning back kick to the side. Santos reaches out too long with a right hand, and Ankalaev catches him with a left that makes Santos stagger back and turn around. Santos shakes it all off, and he gets back to kicking at a leg of Ankalaev that is turning red in a hurry. A single punch to the body comes from Ankalaev, and he kicks to the same spot. Santos looks to pay him back with a body kick, and the Dagestan native catches it and slugs him in the face with his opposite hand. Santos pulls his leg back and chips away at the welted leg of his opponent. When throwing kicks at the same time, they clash shins, and a cut opens up on Ankalaev’s leg. Santos lets loose with a few punches, Ankalaev returns fire, and the round ends.

Sherdog Scores

Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-9 Ankalaev
Tyler Treese scores the round: 10-9 Ankalaev
Tudor Leonte scores the round: 10-9 Santos

Round 4

The fourth frame begins with Ankalaev coming out aggressive with a body kick, and Santos is enraged and leaps forward with a body kick and a slew of swarming punches. “Marreta” starts throwing big hammers, and Ankalaev backs off and bounces off the cage before resetting. Ankalaev blocks a few, absorbs a couple others, and counters with a left hand. Santos ducks back and reaches out with a looping right, and Ankalaev forces him to retreat around the outer edge of the cage. Santos tries to blitz again, and this time, Ankalaev sees it coming and stops it from succeeding. Ankalaev loads up on a left hand, and Santos takes a deep breath and looks down at the ground as if he were struggling with something. Ankalaev just misses with a head kick, but the left that follows glances off the dome. Ankalaev replies with a left to back Santos off again, and he scores a short combination while Santos flails back. A quick exchange comes after the two stare at one another at close range, and Ankalaev rings his foe’s bell with an uppercut. Ankalaev lets go with a left hand that makes Santos reevaluate his position, and he chases Santos down with a few more punches before closing in to clinch. Ankalaev slams several knees to the thigh, and he hits a big throw that sets Santos down on the mat with 30 seconds left in the round. When in half guard, Ankalaev grinds with an elbow and lands a couple more as the round concludes.

Sherdog Scores

Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-9 Ankalaev
Tyler Treese scores the round: 10-9 Ankalaev
Tudor Leonte scores the round: 10-9 Santos

Round 5

The gloves are touched to start the final round, and Santos appears deflated and comes out to get kicked in his knee. Despite the rough body language, Santos attacks with several jabs to the body and a leg kick. Ankalaev replies with a single kick, and he swats away a right hand that soars at his chin. Two looping hooks from the Russian go wide, and the Brazilian goes back to the leg with another kick and a left hand to follow. Ankalaev connects with a left hook, Santos tries to pay him back, and Ankalaev walks through it to whiff another left. Ankalaev rushes in to clinch with “Marreta,” and he knees the body and thigh a few times instead of pursuing a takedown. Ankalaev keeps heavy shoulder pressure as he jams Santos into the fence, and Santos is stuck without able to fight his way free. Ankalaev ducks down in pursuit of a single, and he changes it to a trip when Santos lands a few punches to the side. The Brazilian keeps on his feet as his foe looks to take him down a few times, and Ankalaev grinds him out on the wall with knees, doing just enough to make Smith not tell them to keep working. When Santos leans over, Ankalaev pops him in the chops with a knee. Ankalaev has a knee bounce off the cup, but Smith simply warns them instead of letting Santos recover. The grueling five-round affair ends with the two strikers tied up, and if the building was packed with fans – or Georges St. Pierre – they would not be impressed with their performance. With this fight card in the books, next week, the UFC heads to London for the first time in years. We will be here to cover it, and we hope you are too.

Sherdog Scores

Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-9 Ankalaev (49-46 Ankalaev)
Tyler Treese scores the round: 10-9 Ankalaev (49-46 Ankalaev)
Tudor Leonte scores the round: 10-9 Ankalaev (48-47 Santos)

The Official Result

Magomed Ankalaev def. Thiago Santos via Unanimous Decision (49-46, 49-46, 48-47)