UFC Fight Night 211 ‘Dern vs. Yan’ Play-by-Play, Results & Round Scoring

Guido Cannetti (135.5) vs. Randy Costa (135)

Round 1

‘Twas the night of Fightmas, when all through the house, not a creature was stirring, not even a mighty mouse. The UFC Apex is awkwardly quiet, with no fans or media allowed in attendance for this fight night offering, so the dozen matches set to take place before and during the tentpole Bellator offering will allow those watching on screens to hear every minute detail. The parade of fights begins in the bantamweight division between two men desperately seeking a win. Fourteen years older than his opponent, Argentina’s Cannetti (9-6, 3-5 UFC) will look to show he has something left in the tank at the expense of 28-year-old knockout artist Costa (6-3, 2-3 UFC). Before the fight starts, there is no mention on the broadcast as to why the Apex is empty and devoid of media or fans. The battle begins following a touch of gloves, with referee Chris Tognoni ready for what comes next. Costa pokes out several jabs and marches forward, and he dodges a high kick that whizzes past his head. When he advances again, Cannetti kicks him the body. Cannetti is able to keep his man at bay with his legs, pecking at the lead leg of the Massachusetts native and letting go with a spinning kick to the body. They kick at the same time, and Costa falls over, so Cannetti charges. As he does, Costa clips him with a left hand. Costa gets back up, and he chambers a kick only to get countered perfectly with one to his leg. Once more, Costa tumbles to the mat, and this time, Cannetti tackles him. Costa turns to his knees, and the Argentinian grips hold of him and takes his back. Cannetti does not bother getting his hooks in, and he latches on to a rear-naked choke. Costa is suddenly in grave danger, as the choke is immediately tight and under the chin. Without either hook in, Cannetti squeezes the grip with all his might, and Costa is forced to tap. What a way to start off the night, with Cannetti proving age is nothing but a number as he gets Costa out of there in just over one minute.

The Official Result

Guido Cannetti def. Randy Costa R1 1:04 via Submission (Rear-Naked Choke)

Chelsea Chandler (140) vs. Julija Stoliarenko (139.5)

Round 1

In a pre-planned catchweight affair at 140 pounds, proud Lithuanian Stoliarenko (10-6-2, 1-4 UFC) wants to keep her modicum of momentum going after winning her first UFC appearance after five tries. She faces off against promotional newcomer Chandler (4-1, 0-0 UFC), plucked from the Invicta ranks but with the Diaz brothers in her camp. Referee Jacob Montalvo watches on as the two decide not to touch gloves, and instead they want to go after it early. Chandler lands a kick, and when she lines up a punch, Stoliarenko plods forward and takes her down. Within seconds, Stoliarenko shifts right into full mount, and she transitions into her favorite armbar setup. Chandler is wise to it, and she flips Stoliarenko over and breaks up the armlock before it is secured. The Stockton, Calif., native unloads with ground-and-pound when she is safe from submission harm, and she hammers Stoliarenko with several powerful blows. Stoliarenko kicks off the fence to get out of the bad situation, and finds her way back to the feet. Chandler catches her with a clean right hand as Stoliarenko resets, and Stoliarenko staggers back and looks to get her feet back beneath her. Stoliarenko is marked up from absorbing strikes, and slightly wobbled on the feet, and Chandler is loading up on heavy strikes. When Stoliarenko shoots in for a takedown, she drops to her knees and is bowled over. Chandler moves immediately into mount, and she makes Stoliarenko pay for the takedown try. Stoliarenko bucks and lifts her legs up high, and in doing so, she forces Chandler to climb back upright. Stoliarenko desperately shoots for a takedown, and Chandler hip tosses her to the mat and raises her arms up in typical Diaz-esque fashion. Stoliarenko stands up and backs off, and when she attempts another takedown, Chandler easily pushes her to her back and moves to mount. Sensing that the Lithuanian is starting to wilt, Chandler turns it up to 11 and starts battering Stoliarenko with heavy punches. The shots are getting through and Montalvo is right there paying attention. Chandler keeps bombarding her doomed opponent with relentless fists, and Montalvo steps in to rescue Stoliarenko from further harm. The Cesar Gracie Jiu-Jitsu product has just announced herself to the promotion in a big way, putting away a woman that had not been stopped with strikes since 2014.

The Official Result

Chelsea Chandler def. Julija Stoliarenko R1 4:15 via TKO (Punches)

Brendan Allen (186) vs. Krzysztof Jotko (185.5)

Round 1

Two of the quieter middleweights in the division with solid records and an eye on the rankings will come to blows now. Jotko (24-5, 11-5 UFC), who has earned 10 of his 11 UFC victories on the scorecards, will tangle with Allen (19-5, 7-2 UFC) and his 79% finish rate. The match will be officiated by referee Kerry Hatley, and the bad blood brewing this past week results in no touch of gloves. Jotko claims the center of the cage and takes a stomp kick to the knee when coming forward. Allen swats at him with several left hands, but a body kick is the strike that gets through and lands with a thud that echoes through the empty building. When Allen kicks again, he falls over, and Jotko climbs on top of him. Allen throws his legs up and sets up a straight armlock, but the Polish fighter is savvy enough to twist the right way through it to free his limb and keep top position. Jotko presses heavily with his full body weight while in half guard, smothering Allen and occasionally landing a punch or two. After a stalemate with Jotko holding him down, Allen explodes out of the position and flips Jotko over to his back. Jotko clings with a closed guard to trap Allen from delivering any ground-and-pound, and he holds Allen behind the neck as well. Allen cranks his foe’s neck from behind to open up the guard, and when he begins to open up with strikes, Jotko scrambles and works his way up. When clinched up, Allen muscles Jotko to the mat, and through sheer force of will, he manages to power Jotko to his back. Allen initially claims mount, but he settles for half guard as he fishes for a submission setup. Allen uses his shoulder and right arm to keep Jotko pinned to the mat, and Jotko bucks to turn to his knees. Allen seizes on this moment expertly, following Jotko every step of the way and claiming his back. From there, Allen instantly finds the neck with a rear-naked choke grip, and it is academic at this point. Jotko rolls to his back, but the choke is going nowhere, so he has to surrender. Allen is now the first fighter in over eight years to land a submission on Jotko, while notching his fourth sub since joining the UFC in 2019. After getting the finish, Allen goes over to squash the beef with his former opponent, and cooler heads appear to prevail.

The Official Result

Brendan Allen def. Krzysztof Jotko R1 4:17 via Submission (Rear-Naked Choke)

Jesse Ronson (155.5) vs. Joaquim Silva (155)

Round 1

The prelims roll on with a lightweight affair that could end up as a pink slip derby for the losing party. Silva (11-3, 4-3 UFC), making his eighth appearance in his seventh year on the roster, will try to hand Ronson (21-11, 1 NC; 0-4, 1 NC UFC) his fifth defeat as a UFC fighter. Of note, John Alessio is the lone fighter to go 0-5 with the promotion without ever earning a win, as Ronson lost a 2020 victory by failing his post-fight drug test. Whether history is made or not, referee Keith Peterson has the best seat in the house for 155-pound action, and nonsense is nowhere to be found in the building. The two show a sign of respect in the form of a glove touch, and Silva claims the center of the cage to initiate. The Brazilian tosses out a low kick as Ronson responds with a side kick to the body, and the action is otherwise muted in the early going. Silva has a high kick blocked, and he retreats at the Canadian kicks at his knee. Another head kick from “Netto BJJ” careens off the shoulder, and Ronson answers with a loud inside leg kick. Both lightweights are tentative, reaching with single strikes and not taking any risks. Ronson reaches a left hand to the pectoral, and a low kick misses the mark. Ronson checks a leg kick and pokes out a jab, and he follows it with a shovel uppercut. Ronson uses a jab to back his man off, and he sets up a head kick with it. Silva fires off a big right hand, clubbing Ronson upside the head, and the Canadian wears it well. Ronson scores a pair of punches before Silva backpedals, and he aims a left hook to the body while Silva escapes. Ronson aims another side kick to the liver, and they trade jabs. Right hands come from both men, and Ronson gets the better of an exchange and stuns Silva briefly. Silva blinks it out and lunges out with a left, and Ronson bullies him back to the cage wall with a combination. Ronson fires off a body kick, and Silva responds in kind and has his leg caught. Ronson again snipes his man with an uppercut, and he gets clocked with a right hand in response. This excites Silva, who starts to turn up his offense with a few punches and a low kick. Silva changes stances and pokes away with several jabs, and he strings together several punches and launches a flying knee that lifts Ronson off the ground. The Canadian lands down on one knee, but the horn sounds before Silva can finish the job.

Sherdog Scores

Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-9 Silva
Brian Knapp scores the round: 10-9 Silva
Tyler Treese scores the round: 10-9 Silva

Round 2

The round begins with Ronson as the aggressor, but Silva backs him off with a few strikes of his own. They trade heavy blows, and Silva mixes things up with punches high and kicks low. Silva rips the body with a left, and he changes stances to surprise Ronson with a sharp jab. He switches back and forth to frustrate Ronson, and Ronson struggles to find his range when Silva does this. Ronson sticks out a few left hands to gauge his distance again, and Silva swats them away and hops back. A head kick from Ronson is blocked well from the Brazilian to make Ronson topple over, and Silva lets him up so that he can keep striking. Silva steps in with a clean knee, and Ronson takes it flush as his nose has started to show some damage. Ronson stomps out with a kick to the knee, and Silva walks through it to ding Ronson with a clean right hook. Silva whiffs on a one-two, and he finds himself backing off as Ronson gives chase and kicks him hard to the leg. Silva leaps in the air with a knee, and he knocks Ronson clear off his feet. Ronson hits the mat in a bad way, and Silva pounces on him and starts pounding on him with hammerfists. Ronson shells up and turns to his side, and Peterson gives him ample time to get out of the bad situation. Silva does not let the Canadian off the hook, and he continues to drop hammers until Peterson has seen enough. With five UFC losses now on his ledger opposite zero wins, Ronson has tied the dubious record held by John Alessio and Pat Healy for the least success in a UFC career. Silva, on the other hand, records his first victory in nearly four years, and he ebulliently celebrates the knockout with his team.

The Official Result

Joaquim Silva def. Jesse Ronson R2 3:08 via TKO (Flying Knee and Punches)

Ilir Latifi (253) vs. Alexey Oleynik (254)

Round 1

Once booked for March, and then again in April, the third time is finally the charm for these two elder statesmen. The youngster at 39, ex-light heavyweight Latifi (15-8, 1 NC; 8-6 UFC) is now a full-framed 253 pounds. He will lock horns with Oleynik (60-16-1, 9-7 UFC), who clocked in one pound heavier and six years older. It’s anyone’s guess what is about to happen in this heavyweight collision, and referee Jacob Montalvo is hopefully prepared for how it plays out. Happy to finally face off against one another, the two big men do not bump fists but instead shake hands to open up this preliminary contest. Oleynik initiates first, with a lumbering swing of his right hand. Latifi appears faster, and he lands a blitz of blows. Latifi catches a kick and plants Oleynik to the mat, and Oleynik welcomes this as he hits his back. Calm as a cucumber, Oleynik keeps his guard up and prevents Latifi from passing. Latifi throws strikes from on top cautiously, as Oleynik looks to hook his arm around Latifi’s left arm. The Swede softens him up with punches to the body and head with his free limb, and Oleynik looks to Montalvo for a possible standup. Oleynik clings to his opponent with his arms hooked around Latifi’s elbows, and he stalls out the action with his unusual hold. Latifi punches his way out of it to posture up, and he scrapes at his opponent with very short elbows. When Latifi resets from on top, they clack heads, and this opens a cut above the corner of Oleynik’s right eye. Latifi continues to grind his man out and deliver the occasional punch, while Oleynik hangs on and even throws a few of his own off his back. The round ends in this position.

Sherdog Scores

Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-9 Latifi
Brian Knapp scores the round: 10-9 Latifi
Tyler Treese scores the round: 10-9 Latifi

Round 2

The heavyweights touch ‘em up to start off Round 2, and Oleynik whiffs on a big overhand right to follow. He tosses out an uppercut that also falls shy of the mark, and Latifi keeps a high guard while doing little of his own. Latifi scores a single uppercut up the middle when Oleynik comes at him, and Oleynik’s right hand is down and his left outstretched as he comes forward. When Oleynik wings a right hook, Latifi ducks and tries to grab hold of him, but the takedown does not materialize. A right hand from the Swede opens a cut on the other eye of Oleynik, and he is one-and-done as he stays patient. Oleynik chips at his calf with a kick, and he gets popped with an overhand right. Oleynik jabs and forces Latifi to defend, expecting a takedown, and he scores a pair of punches while Latifi is occupied. Oleynik plods forward and lands a few kicks, including one up the middle to the breadbasket. A naked leg kick from Oleynik is countered by a leg hand, and Latifi goes to clinch him up only to release it. Another cut is opened on the bridge of the Russian’s nose, but he pays it no mind. Latifi shoots from a distance for a takedown, and Oleynik sprawls with ease. Latifi catches a kick and throws his man down to the mat, where he lands right in side control. While this sluggish fight plays out, Facebook founder Mark Zuckerberg is spotted in the front row. Latifi smothers his foe with top control and a sporadic elbow, and he suddenly opens up to blast Oleynik with four concussive blows from above. This prompts Oleynik to explode to get out of this horrible position, and Latifi takes his back when Oleynik sits up. Oleynik lays back down on his back, and the horn sounds.

Sherdog Scores

Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-9 Latifi
Brian Knapp scores the round: 10-9 Latifi
Tyler Treese scores the round: 10-9 Latifi

Round 3

A double glove touch opens up the last round, and Oleynik is one to march forward. Latifi counters him with a left hook, but this does not slow Oleynik’s continuous forward movement. Latifi backs him away as Oleynik’s chin is high in the air while his hands are down, and Oleynik resets and surges forward with a low kick. Several leg kicks from Oleynik come, and Latifi responds with a heavy punch to the body. Oleynik lumbers forward and gets countered, with Latifi’s hands far faster. Oleynik sits down on a leg kick that makes Latifi change stances, and he bites on a feinted takedown to make him fall to the mat. Oleynik shrugs off a right hand so that he can clinch up and scores a heavy knee, and Latifi breaks the grip with an uppercut. Latifi bullies Oleynik back to the wire, doing so without putting his neck or a limb in danger while clinched up. Oleynik hangs tight on one wrist, but Latifi’s free hand on the other side cracks the Russian solidly. Oleynik releases the clinch and marches forward to wing a right hand, and a knee to the body follows it. Latifi again muscles his foe to the cage wall, where he is able to nullify the sneaky submission artist with heavy pressure and wrist control. Oleynik pushes off and continues to power forward, but his strikes keep missing the mark. Latifi shoots for a takedown, and when he runs into a Russian brick wall, he settles for the clinch. Oleynik gets dragged down to the mat, and Latifi grips him around the waist and hangs onto him. Latifi does not have the horsepower this late in the fight to lift Oleynik up, so he ends the fight by clinging to Oleynik like a bad suit. The slow heavyweight fight comes to a conclusion, and we have reached the final scorecards for the first time tonight.

Sherdog Scores

Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-9 Latifi (30-27 Latifi)
Brian Knapp scores the round: 10-9 Latifi (30-27 Latifi)
Tyler Treese scores the round: 10-9 Latifi (30-27 Latifi)

The Official Result

Ilir Latifi def. Alexey Oleynik via Unanimous Decision (30-27, 30-27, 30-27)

John Castaneda (139.5) vs. Daniel Gustavo Santos (138.5)

Round 1

Moving things right along, another fight is on the docket at 140 pounds, but in the men’s divisions. Castaneda (19-5, 2-1 UFC) will look to make it three finishes in his last three outings, while Chute Boxe Diego Lima rep Santos (8-2, 0-1 UFC) has not yet been stopped as a pro. Whether something has to give in that regard, referee Keith Peterson will be the first to know and the last to let nonsense in. The two competitors touch ‘em up, and Santos walks straight into a low kick. Castaneda gets off a few punches on the inside, and a low kick as he circles out. Santos strings several punches together, and he lands a few before shooting in for a double. Castaneda falls to his back and sets up a guillotine choke, and he uses the submission to work his way back to his feet. Castaneda presses his man up against the cage, and he narrowly avoids a blistering elbow upside the head. Santos keeps his foot on the gas when they separate, and he fires off a few quick kicks only to get cracked with an overhand right. Castaneda release a head kick from up close, and Santos’ legs nearly give out beneath him. Castaneda crashes forward and shoves Santos to the mat in an effort to finish the job, and the Brazilian threatens with an armbar off his back to keep Castaneda honest. “Sexi Mexi” stands up and gets nailed with an upkick, and he lets Santos back up while he recovers. When Santos stands, his balance is still not with him, as Castaneda drills him with a left hand and sets Santos on his seat. Castaneda again moves to top position, and he shifts right to mount and starts dropping down strikes. Santos somehow recovers enough to get out of the bad posture and get back to his feet, but Castaneda is on him tightly. Castaneda ragdolls him down to the mat, and when “Willycat” scrambles back up, Castaneda hits a dramatic mat return to put Santos down with an exclamation point. Castaneda backs away and stands up, this time avoiding the upkick, and Santos follows him and looses a spinning back kick. Castaneda walks through a few punches and boots Santos upside the head, and Santos is practically out on his feet. Castaneda charges forward, unloading with punches, and Santos is throwing back even though he might be in big trouble. Santos, possibly on autopilot, slings heavy leather to keep Castaneda from putting him away, and he connects with a heavy knee to give Castaneda pause. Santos gets the upper hand as Castaneda is now struggling, and he lets go with his hands and makes Castaneda shell up. Santos gains steam and leaps at him with a flying knee, and it connects right before the horn sounds. What a round!

Sherdog Scores

Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-8 Castaneda
Brian Knapp scores the round: 10-8 Castaneda
Tyler Treese scores the round: 10-8 Castaneda

Round 2

Before the round begins, Santos has a piece of tape clipped, allowing them a few precious additional seconds to recover. Santos is the one who leads the dance in the second round, possibly with momentum turning to his side, and he loads up on a body kick. The foot skims off the cup, and Castaneda reacts as Peterson pauses the action. In less than a minute, Castaneda is able to get his wind back and he is ready to go. Santos starts off by releasing a body kick that is not low this time, and Castaneda reels and backs off. Santos swings a high kick at him, and Castaneda grabs him from behind and drags him to the mat. “Willycat” scrambles wildly and powers back up, and he latches on to a guillotine choke that allows him to lower Castaneda to the floor. Castaneda shakes it off and gets back up, and Santos is not letting him breathe. Santos rings his bell with a few right hands, and Castaneda appears the worse for wear after seven minutes of furious action. Castaneda reaches up a high kick that is too slow to get through, and Santos scores leg kicks and a body kick. When Castaneda responds with his own kick to the body, Santos times a takedown entry and drags “Sexi Mexi” to a knee. Castaneda climbs back up, and Santos jumps at him with a knee that belts him in the face. Castaneda is stunned, and he starts pushing the pace again as he walks Santos down and lands with several strikes. Santos spins with a back fist that hurts Castaneda, and Castaneda does a quick count of his teeth as Santos bears down on him. Castaneda tries to back him off with a few punches, and Santos suddenly goes up high with a head kick that Castaneda eats. Santos has a kick checked high, but his pressure is getting the better of Castaneda, as he knocks Castaneda back to the wall with a right hand. Castaneda has his hands low, and Santos is teeing off on him and working him over. Santos rips a few punches to the body, and Castaneda’s eyes betray his otherwise calm poker face. Santos chains together a few punches that allow him to knee Castaneda in the chin, and Castaneda’s legs go out from beneath him. Before Santos can land a second that he has chambered, Castaneda falls to the ground, and Peterson knows that Castaneda’s tank is empty and he calls it a night. What a huge comeback from the Chute Boxe fighter, who earns his first UFC win impressively after overcoming a great deal of adversity.

The Official Result

Daniel Gustavo Santos def. John Castaneda R2 4:28 via KO (Punches and Knee)

Viacheslav Borshchev (155.5) vs. Mike Davis (155)

Round 1

With 12 knockouts across their combined 15 wins, Davis (9-2, 2-1 UFC) and Borshchev (6-2, 1-1 UFC) could very easily find themselves in a brawl where someone gets their chin checked. On the other hand, neither man has ever suffered a loss due to strikes, so it remains to be seen if that stays intact at the conclusion of this main card opening bout. The fire-fisted lightweights touch gloves before throwing caution to the wind, and referee Kerry Hatley has his running shoes laced up should he need to intervene at a moment’s notice. Borshchev lands first with an inside leg kick, and he doubles up on it and sprinkles in another as Davis comes towards him. Davis sticks out a left hand and picks up his left leg to preemptively check a strike, and dodges a left hook that comes at him. Borshchev whizzes a head kick past Davis’ dome, and Davis strides forward with a jab into an uppercut. Borshchev mimics him with the exact same combination to similar success, although Borshchev’s nose is already turning red. Borshchev sits down on a calf kick, and Davis charges ahead with double jabs into a takedown entry. Davis lands it, but he cannot keep Borshchev down for long before Borshchev kicks off and returns to his feet. Borshchev looks to kick when he stands up, so as to back Davis away, but Davis lands a mat return. Borshchev sits up and shrugs off a possible seatbelting choke, and when he stands up, Davis bends him over and knees him in the face. Borshchev collapses to his face, and Hatley looks closely on the action but lets it play out. Borshchev recovers, and he fights his way back out of the bad spot and staves off a takedown try. Davis scores a few jabs, and Borshchev walks him down and strings two short lefts into a big right. “Beast Boy” responds with a speedy takedown entry, and he tackles Borshchev to his back and jumps into full mount. With 90 seconds to spare, Davis pours it on, hammering Borshchev with nasty elbows. “Slava Claus” hangs on to survive, and Davis again postures up and starts drilling him with unanswered blows. Davis continues to pound away, and Borshchev bucks and does everything he can to escape the position. Borshchev keeps moving, and he kicks off the wall, but Davis will not let off the gas as he continues to clobber Borshchev with ground-and-pound. Borshchev scrambles miraculously to get on top, and he puts Davis on his back. Davis threatens with upkicks until the bell rings.

Sherdog Scores

Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-8 Davis
Brian Knapp scores the round: 10-8 Davis
Tyler Treese scores the round: 10-8 Davis

Round 2

The lightweights trundle out of the corners to engage, and Borshchev sweeps the leg early. The inside leg kicks are effective for Borshchev, and Davis backs off as the calf kicks continue to work him. Davis retaliates with his own kick, and Borshchev bears down on him with a long combination of punches to the body and head. Borshchev sits down on body shots, with Davis’ guard dropping to defend the strikes. Davis pops him with a sharp jab, and Davis suddenly lifts his knee up to draw a grin out of “Slava Claus.” Borshchev drills his man with a right hand, and Davis eats it like a steak and does not flinch. Borshchev kicks low and punches high, with Davis struggling to find his timing as Borshchev is letting his hands go. Davis doubles up on a jab with a right hand to follow, and he gets clipped with a left hook. Borshchev throws so hard, he nearly falls over, but he gathers himself to keep trading hands. Davis eats a few strikes, and he shoots in for a takedown after getting the worse of an exchange. Borshchev falls to his back and Davis moves in to claim top position, but he is met with a scrambling Borshchev and cannot quite pin him. Borshchev climbs back up, and Davis is swift to meet him with another takedown. “Beast Boy” lands right into mount, and he jumps immediately to side control to lock down an arm-triangle choke. Borshchev answers the proverbial telephone to defend from the submission, and this prevents Davis from securing a tap. Davis moves back to mount with one minute left on the clock, and he sits up to deliver some mean-spirited punches down on his opponent. Davis considers wrapping his arm around the neck again for an arm-triangle setup, but elects to bail on it so he can smack Borshchev upside the head with his fists. Borshchev escapes out the backdoor when he turns to his knees, and Davis drags him down to the floor shortly thereafter. Davis lords over his foe with standing-to-ground punches, all while dodging upkicks, until time expires.

Sherdog Scores

Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-9 Davis
Brian Knapp scores the round: 10-9 Davis
Tyler Treese scores the round: 10-9 Davis

Round 3

The final round opens up with both man sticking out jabs. Davis follows one with a slapping leg kick, and Borshchev answers with his own inside leg kick. Borshchev sets up a combination, but his telegraphed uppercut hits nothing but air. Davis plants the ball of his foot on Borshchev’s chest, and he stands firm when Borshchev nails him with a head kick. Borshchev scores a straight left to the body, and he lands a few more body shots. Davis hooks a left hand around the guard, and Borshchev responds with his own that staggers Davis. “Beast Boy” gathers himself to let go with a head kick, and his right eye is immediately bothering him from that punch from the Team Alpha Male fighter. Davis paws at it a few times, and he appears to be in a great deal of pain, so he gains a full head of steam and pursues a takedown. Davis successfully plants Borshchev on his back with ease, and he rests in full guard while Borshchev pulls on the fence to turn them. Borshchev looks to push off the wire, and he grabs the links as Hatley warns him. Borshchev hacks off his back with elbows, and the strikes open a cut up somewhere on Davis’ head. Davis stays pinned to his opponent, with limited ground-and-pound and a preference for top control. Borshchev kicks him off briefly, but Davis spins through and sucks Borshchev’s legs out and wrenches him to the floor. Davis, in half guard, keeps Borshchev stuck in the position with his back partially leaning on the wall. Davis passes to the other side in an attempt to move to mount, and this allows him to take Borshchev’s back. Borshchev turns through it and puts his back on the floor, which is where the fight concludes.

Sherdog Scores

Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-9 Davis (30-26 Davis)
Brian Knapp scores the round: 10-9 Davis (30-26 Davis)
Tyler Treese scores the round: 10-9 Davis (30-26 Davis)

The Official Result

Mike Davis def. Viacheslav Borshchev via Unanimous Decision (29-28, 30-26, 30-26)

Don Shainis (146) vs. Sodiq Yusuff (145.5)

Round 1

On short notice, Yusuff (12-2, 5-1 UFC) finds himself switching from looking up the division at Giga Chikadze to staring down the barrel of Massachusetts-based debutant Shainis (12-3, 0-0 UFC). Perhaps surprisingly, Shainis’ knockout rate of 67% is higher than Chikadze’s of 64%, so “Super Sodiq” may not want to take his late replacement foe lightly. Referee Jacob Montalvo oversees the featherweight contest, which begins without a glove touch. These two want to get after it immediately, and Shainis comes crashing forward punching furiously. Yusuff greets him with a series of knees to the body, and Shainis is feeling them immediately. While clinched up, Yusuff continues to work the body with heavy knees, and Shainis responds with punches that have far less impact. After one especially powerful knee, Shainis changes levels in pursuit of a takedown, and Yusuff welcomes this. “Super Sodiq” wraps his arm around the neck and tightens up a guillotine choke out of nowhere, and he jumps guard to drag Shainis down with him to the ground. The submission is completely locked down, the fighters are bone dry, and Yusuff’s grip power is maximum. Shainis, who seems genuinely shocked by the maneuver, taps out a few seconds later so that he does not introduce himself to the UFC by getting choked unconscious. In the span of 30 seconds, Yusuff has successfully dispatched his short-notice replacement foe by landing the first submission of his career.

The Official Result

Sodiq Yusuff def. Don Shainis R1 0:30 via Submission (Guillotine Choke)

Raoni Barcelos (135.5) vs. Trevin Jones (135)

Round 1

The “featured fight of the night” slot features two men that could really use a win to turn things around. Both Barcelos (16-3, 5-2 UFC) and Jones (13-8, 1 NC; 1-2, 1 NC UFC) have lost two fights in a row, which means that one man’s losing streak will be coming to an end in the next 15 minutes. The bantamweights calmly walk forward without touching gloves in front of referee Keith Peterson, and there are no fans in the building nor is there any nonsense. It takes 20 seconds for either fighter to engage, with a head kick coming from the Brazilian to lead things off. Jones responds with a swinging punch, and Barcelos is quicker with a few short strikes. Jones kicks low, and the two feint and fake at one another until a front kick from Barcelos impacts on the body. Another head kick gets blocked by Jones, and Barcelos spams a third to end up hitting air. Barcelos charges in forward for a takedown, and Jones gets pushed into the wall but ultimately prevents himself from getting grounded. Barcelos releases him and resets, and he unloads a pounding kick to the ribcage. Jones looks for his own kick, and it goes on the outside of the Brazilian’s lead leg. Dueling front kicks come from the bantamweights, with Barcelos the one that lands. Jones chips at the lead calf with his shin, and he ducks into a crisp right hook. Barcelos lets a head kick fly, and Jones is able to block it in the nick of time. Jones comes out throwing haymakers, but Barcelos’ high guard defends against the strikes and allows him to clip Jones with a left. Barcelos moves to take things down, and as soon as they hit the mat, Jones scrambles and gets to his knees. Barcelos fishes for a choke with his right arm around the neck, but he lets it go to slug Jones in the face and lower Jones to the ground. Barcelos, in half guard, works the side with punches as he softens Jones up and tries to pass guard as the same time. The Brazilian succeeds in passing to full mount, and he presses his forearm on the throat in the form of an Ezekiel choke that makes Jones twist and buck to protect his neck. Barcelos sits up and slashes down with elbows, and the horn sounds.

Sherdog Scores

Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-9 Barcelos
Brian Knapp scores the round: 10-9 Barcelos
Tyler Treese scores the round: 10-9 Barcelos

Round 2

Like the previous round, the two are cautious to engage with much to start the second round. Jones waits with his left hand cocked back, while Barcelos jabs with a few kicks. When Jones reaches out with a right hand, Barcelos loops his own hook around the high guard and dings Jones cleanly. Barcelos swarms him with three punches, and he leaps in the air with a knee that bounces off Jones’ dome. Barcelos lands and pushes Jones back to the wire, but there is no takedown to be had, so he scores a right hand on the break. Jones backs away when a right bears down on him, but he is not keeping Barcelos honest with his own offense. Barcelos strings several kicks together to the leg and body, and a head kick follows suit. Barcelos unloads with a huge right hand from up close, and “5 Star” crumbles to the floor. Barcelos swarms him and arcs down some elbows, while Jones clings to his man so that he does not get pounded out. The Brazilian manages to land a few more elbows before standing up, and he leaps down to get in a better position. As Jones scrambles, he gives up his neck, and Barcelos grabs a guillotine choke. The submission is used to push Jones down to his knees, and he considers a rear-naked choke while hanging on from above. Jones turns around to protect his neck, and as he does, Barcelos rains down several elbows. Multiple unanswered right hands slam into the face of Jones, and the strikes have opened a cut up on the scalp of Jones. The Guam native throws his legs up for a high guard into a triangle, but Barcelos ignores it so that he can beat down Jones with vicious elbows. Before Barcelos can get the finish, Jones is saved by the bell.

Sherdog Scores

Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-9 Barcelos
Brian Knapp scores the round: 10-8 Barcelos
Tyler Treese scores the round: 10-8 Barcelos

Round 3

Barcelos is amped up to start off the final frame, and he cuts Jones off and tags him with a left hand. Jones fires back with a kick, but Barcelos is able to intercept him with a huge right hook. Jones reels and gathers his thoughts to launch a broad uppercut, and the Brazilian shifts his head just enough to avoid the blow. Barcelos leaps forward into a left hand, and Jones tries to roll with it but still takes the brunt of it flush. Jones gets his bearings back and walks into a left hand, and he tries to connect with a right hand but gets cracked with a pair of punches that buckle his knees. Jones desperately shoots for a takedown, and the Brazilian stuffs it and pushes him back to the wall. A pair of powerful right hands to the body bend Jones over, but Jones otherwise defends the remainder of Barcelos’ assault until Barcelos backs off. Jones sticks a left high, and the two punches he fires off after whiz past Barcelos’ head. A loud right hand to the body forces Jones to double over again, and Barcelos lets him get his steam back. Barcelos counters a looping left hand with a knee up the middle, and it collides square into the cup. Peterson halts the action immediately, but Jones only needs 20 seconds to catch his breath before he signals he is good to go. When they resume, Barcelos shoots in for a takedown, and he lands in full mount position. Jones hand-fights to protect himself from the oncoming strikes, and when Barcelos breaks the grip, he settles for wrapping his arms around Barcelos’ waist. Barcelos postures up and delivers a little ground-and-pound, and he moves from side control to the other side as he rains down brutal elbows. The elbow barrage continues while Jones shifts and attempts to stand up, and Barcelos does everything he can to go home early. The stoppage does not materialize as Jones keeps moving enough to show he is still intelligently defending himself, and he reaches the final bell in what may be a moral victory.

Sherdog Scores

Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-9 Barcelos (30-27 Barcelos)
Brian Knapp scores the round: 10-9 Barcelos (30-26 Barcelos)
Tyler Treese scores the round: 10-9 Barcelos (30-26 Barcelos)

The Official Result

Raoni Barcelos def. Trevin Jones via Unanimous Decision (30-25, 30-27, 30-27)

Maxim Grishin (205.5) vs. Philipe Lins (205.5)

Round 1

The fight was canceled on Saturday during the event, with news of its cancelation first reported on the UFC Fight Night 211 broadcast.

Randy Brown (170.5) vs. Francisco Trinaldo (170)

Round 1

The co-main event comes in the welterweight division, between an action fighter in Brown (15-4, 9-4 UFC) that seems to finally be putting things together, and an ex-lightweight Trinaldo (28-8, 18-7 UFC) in the twilight of his career finding success moving up in weight. The size difference is stark, with Brown measuring several inches taller and longer, but the nickname of “Massaranduba” of hardwood rings true for the stocky, shredded Brazilian. The winner will likely take a massive step up in competition after this bout, and they know the stakes just like nonsense-free referee Keith Peterson does. There is no bad blood here, and the gloves are touched as a sign of respect. Trinaldo pushes the pace, knowing he will have to get on the inside to land, and Brown keeps his left hand outstretched. They trade low kicks, and Trinaldo is active attempting to bat Brown’s hand away. Brown walks forward with a front kick, but he gets turned around after missing by taking a heavy low kick. Trinaldo just misses with a body kick, and Brown sticks out several jabs before scoring his own kick to the body. Brown pushes out jabs to split the guard repeatedly, and he mixes in kicks for good measure. Trinaldo lands a punch to the body, and he kicks Brown’s leg out beneath him with an inside low kick. Brown climbs back up and springs forward with a front kick, which makes Trinaldo reset. Brown barely misses an uppercut, and he confidently marches forward with a dangerous right hand that knocks Trinaldo right to his seat. “Massaranduba” gets to his feet without much concern, as Brown allows him back up, and when Trinaldo is standing, Brown kicks him hard. Trinaldo wings a left hand that buzzes past Brown’s hair, and he connects with a right hand on the inside before clinching up. Brown grabs the fence to stop a takedown, and Peterson slaps his hand away but the damage is done as he remains upright. Trinaldo hangs on in the clinch, and he looks for a body lock but cannot muscle him down. Brown jumps with a flying knee, and Trinaldo catches him and throws him down to the mat like a sack of potatoes. When Brown scrambles to get out, Trinaldo moves into an armbar setup. “Rude Boy” keeps moving to wriggle his arm out of danger, and he stands up and lets Trinaldo flop to his back. Brown slaps a heavy low kick on the thigh, and he allows Trinaldo to get to his knees so that he can latch on to a front power guillotine choke. The choke is not under the neck, so Trinaldo is able to roll to his side and survive until the bell.

Sherdog Scores

Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-9 Brown
Brian Knapp scores the round: 10-9 Brown
Tyler Treese scores the round: 10-9 Brown

Round 2

The second stanza opens without a glove touch but with some serious aggression. As Trinaldo powers forward, Brown scores several kicks. They do not stop Trinaldo from loosing a huge right hand, and Brown hops away and breathes a sigh of relief for dodging it. Brown gets some space and sticks out multiple jabs, and he cannot quite dodge a looping left hook from the Brazilian. Brown showboats a little after absorbing it, and he kicks out Trinaldo’s leg and snipes him with a let hand. Trinaldo swings with bad intentions, and Brown blocks and kicks high. A right hand from “Rude Boy” splits the guard, but Trinaldo does not lose his balance like the first-round knockdown. Trinaldo blitzes forward, starting with punches to the body and switching to those to the head, and Brown shells up and gives him a few back along with a front kick on the chin. Brown ducks a wild right hand, and he wags his finger at Trinaldo when the Brazilian loads up on an elbow. They trade kicks to the body, and then target one another’s lead leg. Brown lands multiple jabs until Trinaldo gets tired of eating them, and Trinaldo whips a huge right hand that shakes Brown up. Brown blinks it out and continues jabbing, irritating the Brazilian one after the next until Trinaldo again surges forward. Brown sees this lunging series of strikes coming and swiftly dodges them, and he peppers Trinaldo’s calf with kicks on both sides of it. Brown lets his hands go with a few quick but arcing punches, and Trinaldo does not seem fazed. Brown kicks high, and Trinaldo moves forward after blocking it to close in and grab Brown from behind. Brown keeps his balance while Trinaldo tries to grind him against the cage or trip him down, and he threatens with a kimura as the two tumble to the mat at the horn.

Sherdog Scores

Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-9 Brown
Brian Knapp scores the round: 10-9 Brown
Tyler Treese scores the round: 10-9 Brown

Round 3

Trinaldo races out of his corner to move to the center of the cage, swatting out with several right hands while Brown is well out of range. Brown paws out a few jabs and gets popped with a left haymaker, and he responds with a left hook of his own. Trinaldo kicks high and slaps the face of his opponent, and Brown shrugs it off and pierces the guard with a straight right hand in response. Brown ducks when another big right hand comes from his opponent, and he pushes out his front kick and suddenly spins with a hook kick that skims off the side of Trinaldo’s head. “Massaranduba” ignores it like his head were made of hardwood, and he tries to give a few strikes to Brown. “Rude Boy” starts chattering to his opponent after landing a few shots, and Trinaldo responds with a chopping calf kick that takes Brown’s legs out beneath him. The Brazilian pounces into the guard of his opponent, and he lands a few elbows on the inside before working the body with his left hand. Trinaldo attempts to pass, but Brown deftly keeps him trapped in the guard. Trinaldo is not concerned about this, as he can rack up control time while staying busy enough with elbows and punches to stave off a referee standup. Brown flirts with a rubber guard, but Trinaldo elbows him in the face to stop that in its tracks. Brown slides up a high guard to threaten just enough to keep Trinaldo from hammering him, and he bucks when Trinaldo passes but cannot stop Trinaldo from moving to half guard. When Brown hunts for a sweep, Trinaldo stays heavy and pressed to him. Brown’s high guard allows him to snare Trinaldo’s left arm briefly, but there is no submission to be had there. Trinaldo rides out the remainder of the round on top, but it likely will not be enough to sway the judges in his favor overall.

Sherdog Scores

Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-9 Trinaldo (29-28 Brown)
Brian Knapp scores the round: 10-9 Trinaldo (29-28 Brown)
Tyler Treese scores the round: 10-9 Trinaldo (29-28 Brown)

The Official Result

Randy Brown def. Francisco Trinaldo via Unanimous Decision (29-28, 29-28, 29-28)

Mackenzie Dern (115.5) vs. Xiaonan Yan (115.5)

Round 1

In the lone match between two ranked competitors on the billing, savvy grappler Dern (12-2, 7-2 UFC) will ply her trade against the skidding Yan (15-3, 1 NC; 6-2 UFC) from China. All of Dern’s career wins have come by submission, while Yan has not been tapped out in over a dozen years. On the other hand, each of Yan’s UFC victories came on the scorecards, but she has never before competed beyond the third round. Plenty of storylines and nuggets of information are sure to be gleaned from this 115-pound main event, but it has to happen first. Referee Chris Tognoni is in charge of the final UFC fight of the night, and the ladies clap hands before getting down to business. Dern punches her way forward, and Yan responds with a quick counter and pushes out a side kick to the body. Dern kicks low, and Yan answers it with a clean right hand. Yan kicks low, and Dern gets drilled with three punches and surges forward with her own brief combination. Dern’s right eye is marked up already from the strikes, and she plods forward only to miss like a charging bull to a speedy matador. Yan’s punches are accurate and constant, and a kiai bolsters each one that comes in rapid succession. Dern dips in and ducks back from a few punches so that she can land cleanly with her own right hand, but it is one-and-done while Yan circles on the outside. Yan lands a side kick to the knee, and Dern switches stances and whiffs with a left hook. Yan does the same, and she kicks at that knee again. Dern powers forward in pursuit of a takedown, lifting Yan’s leg up in the air, and Yan keeps her balance and sets it down. Dern pulls her foe away from the cage and nearly drags her down, but she cannot quite ground Yan. Dern bullies her opponent all the way across the Octagon, and Yan scores a few short punches before breaking off. Yan chips at the lead leg with several successive kicks, and Dern dives forward for another single. Yan stuffs it as Dern falls to the mat, and Dern looks to hook up a leg when she goes down. Yan walks away and lets Dern stand back up so that she can kick Dern’s lead knee, and she chains a few punches together. They start brawling when Dern closes the distance, and Dern gets hold of her adversary so that she can throw her down. Dern lands on her own head and finds herself with her own back taken. Yan winds up on top, and Dern defends with a triangle choke off her back. Yan wriggles out of this and gets up with the wall at her back, and Dern cannot drag her down before the horn sounds.

Sherdog Scores

Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-9 Yan
Brian Knapp scores the round: 10-9 Yan
Tyler Treese scores the round: 10-9 Yan

Round 2

Dern starts off the second round coming forward aggressively, and Yan pecks at her with punches and kicks to keep her at bay. Yan cracks her with a right hand, and she allows Dern to fall to the mat in a failed guard pull attempt. Dern snatches up her leg when Yan tries to scamper away, and they sit stuck in a 50/50 position as Yan punches her foe in the face a few times. Dern is happy being on her back as she looks for a sweep, and Yan drives down several left hands as Dern hunts for her leg. Dern looks to isolate the left leg of Yan as she rolls upside down, and Yan is in an awkward position as Dern suddenly is threatening with an omoplata. Dern circles around to take the side and she grips a lock beneath Yan’s armpit and turns it into an arm-triangle choke. Dern presses down with the arm-triangle as she flattens Yan out, and Yan hooks her arms beneath her own knee as the choke cinches up. Yan sticks her tongue out, and Dern lets the choke go in an effort to jump into full mount. Like a snake, Dern slowly and methodically gets a dominant position, and she beats on Yan with right hands until Yan turns over to give up her back. Dern has both hooks in, and she keeps working Yan over with punches. Dern looks to Tognoni as if to request a stoppage, but the punches are not enough to merit referee intervention. Yan hangs on to a wrist to protect herself from the worst of a submission, and Dern rolls to hook up an armbar from the side. When that does not succeed, Dern hunts for a mounted triangle, and settles to take the back and keep punching Yan. Dern does not stop punching until the horn blares to end the round.

Sherdog Scores

Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-9 Dern
Brian Knapp scores the round: 10-9 Dern
Tyler Treese scores the round: 10-9 Dern

Round 3

The first strike in the third round comes from Yan, who kicks the inside leg of her opponent. Dern, with momentum on her side, is constantly moving forward and trying to back Yan against the wall. Dern punches her way into a possible takedown, but she is sloppy in doing so and gets clipped with a few fast counters. Dern lands a one-two and ducks down for a double, and Yan tries to push her off but Dern pulls guard. Dern keeps her left leg high with a rubber guard, but Yan gets enough space to stand back up. Dern follows her and gives chase, and she narrowly avoids a nasty uppercut that might have separated her head from her shoulders. Dern rushes forward to swing a few punches, and she delivers a body kick that lands with an audible thud. Dern charges recklessly for a takedown, and Yan skirts out of the way without concern as Dern is significantly slowing. Yan plants a teep kick on the midsection, and Dern reacts from every strike a little more each time. Yan continues her body shots, and she snaps Dern’s head back with a left hand. Dern backpedals and shoots in for a double, and Yan sees it coming a mile away and attempts to clean her clock with an uppercut. Dern is lucky that it missed her, and she gathers steam and walks right into two punches with her hands down. The grappler catches a body kick but can do nothing with it before Yan recoils it, and Dern walks her down while in the firing line. Dern swarms her with a few punches that all miss by a wide margin, and Yan calmly picks her shots. Yan kicks the knee and chains it into a front kick and a right hand, and Dern is flustered and cannot get inside. Yan counters a low kick with a right hand, and her volume is far higher than her opponent as Dern goes for one strike while Yan uses combinations. With five seconds to spare, Dern finally gets hold of her adversary, and she lands a head-and-arm throw that plants Yan on her back. She cannot capitalize on this top position before the round comes to an end.

Sherdog Scores

Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-9 Yan
Brian Knapp scores the round: 10-9 Yan
Tyler Treese scores the round: 10-9 Yan

Round 4

Yan fearlessly begins the round with a lengthy striking combination, and in response, Dern lands one strike. Yan kicks her in the face with the side of her foot, and she scores a few more punches but gets tagged with a response from the grappler. Dern catches a kick and pursues a single, and Yan hops around and frees herself. Yan cleanly cracks Dern with a right hand as she lands at will, and Dern blinks it out and keeps sauntering forward. Yan misses an elbow that allows Dern to pursue a head-and-arm throw, but Yan is able to stifle it and push Dern over to her seat. Yan escapes from any possible leg grabs from her opponent and forces Dern to stand, where she can tee off on her with long punch salvos. Dern deliver a right hand across the bow, and Yan replies with several more that get Dern’s attention once more. Dern keeps advancing and attempting to change levels, and Yan tosses her aside and rips a kick to the inside of her thigh. Yan keeps assaulting the leg, and she lands a side kick for good measure before Dern gloms on to her and drags the two down. Dern attempts to tie Yan up and allow Yan to take top position so that she can utilize her offensive guard, and Yan does not escape in time. Dern heel kicks the posterior several times to little effect, and she isolates an arm for an omoplata that can lead to a sweep or a submission. Yan does not stress out about this, even as Dern rolls all the way around in pursuit of an armbar. Dern locks it up right as the bell sounds, and there is no tap to be had in this round.

Sherdog Scores

Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-9 Yan
Brian Knapp scores the round: 10-9 Yan
Tyler Treese scores the round: 10-9 Yan

Round 5

The ladies have reached the final round, and they decide to throw caution to the wind and start slugging it out. Both women land flush with power punches, and this allows Dern to tie her up in the clinch and hunt for a trip. Yan elbows her on the inside while this is occurring, and Dern throws Yan down to her back in a major moment in the fight. Dern steps into full mount with four minutes left in the last frame, and she moves right into an armbar and attempts to snatch up an arm and bend it the wrong way. Yan rolls to her stomach as Dern punches her repeatedly, pouring it on with right hands to the ear as Yan shells up. Dern keeps both hooks in as Yan tries and fails to scramble, and Dern goes after a neck while Yan is turning. Yan is firmly in the danger zone, as Dern sits up and is ready to isolate something and twist or pull on it. Yan stays tight to her belly and grabs Dern’s gloves, and she is warned for doing so and releases them. Dern lands unanswered blows to the side of the head and snakes an arm under the neck, but Yan’s defense is solid. Dern unloads with several more heavy punches as she looks to soften Yan up for what turns into an armbar, and she torques the left arm with all her might. Thanking her lucky stars, Yan slides her arm out of the position right when Dern has it tight, and she spins around to wind up on top. With seconds left in the fight, Yan smacks Dern in the face with punches, and the final horn echoes through the empty building to put an end to this 25-minute affair. Depending on if judges awarded any 10-8 rounds, this one could be an interesting one going down to the cards. For Yan’s sake, only one judge ended up scoring the fight even, allowing her to skate away with a win by the skin of her teeth. With this event in the books, the UFC once more takes a week off before diving into a six-week run that will take fight fans straight through to November. We will be here for it all, and we hope you are too.

Sherdog Scores

Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-9 Dern (48-47 Yan)
Brian Knapp scores the round: 10-9 Dern (48-47 Yan)
Tyler Treese scores the round: 10-9 Dern (48-47 Yan)

The Official Result

Xiaonan Yan def. Mackenzie Dern via Majority Decision (48-47, 48-47, 47-47)