UFC Fight Night 213 ‘Kattar vs. Allen’ Play-by-Play, Results & Round Scoring

Christian Rodriguez (136) vs. Joshua Weems (139.5: Missed Weight)

Round 1

An Apex-level UFC card with two ranked competitors on its entire billing will sate the appetite of fight fans on this busy day in the combat sports world. The show begins with a de facto catchweight contest, as Rodriguez (7-1, 0-1 UFC) was expecting to face Garrett Armfield but now squares off with late replacement Weems (11-2, 0-0 UFC) on short notice – Weems clocked at 139.5 pounds, or 3.5 pounds above the bantamweight cap. With Rodriguez taking a piece of Weems’ fight purse, the match continues, and it will carry on under the watchful eye of referee Chris Tognoni. Glad to still be fighting today, Rodriguez still offers a glove touch, and his opponent accepts it to get the night underway. Weems stays active on the outside when it begins, hopping back and forth, but it is Rodriguez to start the offense as he tags the newcomer with a left hand over the top. As Weems resets and circles awkwardly, Rodriguez slowly works his way forward and pops him with a single right hook. Weems responds with a kick to the body, and Rodriguez catches it and spins with a back fist to smack Weems upside the head. Weems shakes it out and darts in and out, allowing “CeeRod” to time a flying knee that glances off the dome. They clinch up, and Weems slashes an elbow from up close to keep Rodriguez honest. Weems spins around, drills Rodriguez with an elbow and a few punches, and shoots low for a single off the body lock. Rodriguez stands him up and leans with his back to the wall, and the revolving clinch continues as both men jockey for position. Weems gets off a short knee, drawing an immediate reaction out of Rodriguez in the form of an intended trip from the body lock. As Rodriguez continues to try to leverage the fight down, he inadvertently falls to his back. Weems tries to take advantage of this misstep, but Rodriguez jumps back up. Weems wants to keep the fight horizontal, and he pulls guard to drag Rodriguez down. Rodriguez stands back up and intends on backing off, and Weems catches him with an upkick before standing. Rodriguez gets backed to the wall, and Weems drags him to the floor. This is not to the newcomer’s advantage, as Rodriguez reverses him in a hurry and wraps his arms around the neck. “CeeRod” slithers himself into a position where he quickly secures an anaconda choke, and he rolls through it to turn Weems and his neck to a bad and likely uncomfortable angle. Weems tries to grit it out, but the fighters are still relatively dry and the grip strength is unbearable. Before too long, Weems is forced to surrender, and Rodriguez is now in the win column as a UFC fighter.

The Official Result

Christian Rodriguez def. Joshua Weems R1 4:07 via Submission (Anaconda Choke)

Cody Durden (126) vs. Carlos Mota (125.5)

Round 1

Flyweights take center stage next on the prelims, as one of these two combatants will find their UFC record rise above .500 with a victory, barring something unusual that arises. Durden (13-4-1, 2-2-1 UFC) is the far more experienced man inside the Octagon, with five appearances under his belt thus far, and he will be welcoming LFA flyweight champ Mota (8-1, 0-0 UFC) to the world-famous cage. A touch of gloves in front of referee Mark Smith clocks the two in, and the two flyweights are amped up and ready to get to it. Durden lashes out with a high kick, and it slaps off the guard. Mota responds with a thudding leg kick, and he finds himself staring down the barrel of a fierce one-two that knock him to his back. As Mota falls over, Durden tackles him to add a little additional emphasis to the landing, and he claims side control when hitting the canvas. Mota gathers himself and recovers to full guard, as Durden exerts heavy chest pressure to keep the newcomer trapped flat. Mota turns to his side in an attempt to escape or isolate an arm, leading to Durden sitting up and slamming an elbow down. Mota quickly sets up an armbar, and Durden powers out of it and shucks off the subsequent triangle choke to drill Mota with a solid punch. Not wanting to play with the offensive guard of “Tizil,” Durden steps into half guard to shut it down, and he attempts to get his right hand free so that he can drop down some punches. Mota scrambles and throws his legs up, so the American explodes out of that posture to drive some more heavy strikes home. Durden sits on the hips and punches Mota square in the face, and he stays cognizant of the attempted sweep that Mota sets up. Durden keeps top position, and he lords over his opponent until the horn sounds.

Sherdog Scores

Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-9 Durden
Noah Gagnon scores the round: 10-9 Durden
Tristen Critchfield scores the round: 10-9 Durden

Round 2

The flyweights meet in the middle to start off the second frame, and Durden attempts to take the fight down with a double-leg takedown in the center of the cage. Mota shakes his leg out, and Durden crashes forward in pursuit of a single-leg entry. As Mota hops back to the wall to keep himself upright, he hacks down with several elbows, and a few of them pound in the back of the head to elicit a warning. Durden ignores the fouls and doggedly pursues the takedown, where he manages to strip Mota’s legs out beneath him and plant the Brazilian on the mat. Mota stays busy on his back in an effort to set up some kind of submission, but Durden is wise to it and tosses limbs out of the way to remain comfortably and safely in top position. Durden manages to keep a bucking “Tizil” on his back, even when kicks on his chest push him up for a moment. Durden lowers himself back down, and he looks for a guard pass to keep the power puncher flat. Mota isolates the right arm of his opponent and hangs on for an armbar, and Durden slowly and calmly slides the elbow out of the bad position before getting back into the guard. Durden continues to slowly chip away with stay-busy punches as Mota is practically desperate for an armbar, and Durden is able to remain in top position right to the bell.

Sherdog Scores

Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-9 Durden
Noah Gagnon scores the round: 10-9 Durden
Tristen Critchfield scores the round: 10-9 Durden

Round 3

The final round opens with a glove touch, and what follows is a brief but fierce striking exchange. Mota puts Durden on his heels with several flush body shots, and Durden cannot pursue a takedown when getting worked in this manner. As the Brazilian lands cleanly again and again, Durden responds with an ankle pick and works his way up the leg until Mota hits the ground. Mota quickly moves to pursue a leglock, but before anything comes together, Durden yanks his leg out and moves around to take Mota’s back. Durden gets one hook in as “Tizil” wriggles, and he slides the other hook in and locks down a body triangle. Durden follows a turning Mota to move into mount briefly, but he allows Mota to keep moving so that he can retain back control without putting on much offense. Mota fights with all his might to turn over, and he gets on top, backs off and stands up. “Tizil” motions for Durden to stand up, and he starts lining on brutal body shots to give Durden immediate pause. Durden dives low for a double, and Mota sprawls to his knees and falls to his seat. Mota grabs the fence and hooks his toes in the cage, and he finds an angle to slam his fist on the side of Durden’s head with gravitas. Durden sits up and starts slugging it out with Mota, as they are stuck in a 50/50 heel hook-slash-counter heel hook position. Mota sits up and unloads with one big punch to the liver as the fight ends, and the two flyweights leave things in the hands of the judges.

Sherdog Scores

Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-9 Durden (30-27 Durden)
Noah Gagnon scores the round: 10-9 Durden (30-27 Durden)
Tristen Critchfield scores the round: 10-9 Durden (30-27 Durden)

The Official Result

Cody Durden def. Carlos Mota via Unanimous Decision (30-27, 29-28, 29-28)

Steve Garcia (146) vs. Chase Hooper (145)

Round 1

The quintessential “striker vs. grappler” label certainly applies to this next pairing at 145 pounds, when the submission-minded Hooper (11-2-1, 3-2 UFC) comes to blows with “Mean Machine” Garcia (12-5, 1-2 UFC). The third man in the cage for this fight that could end suddenly is referee Herb Dean, and he prepares himself should he need to step in. The fighters touch gloves, and Hooper is immediately the aggressor. He walks into a few punches from Garcia, and Hooper is stung in a hurry. Garcia follows a combination with a knee, and Hooper shakes it off and backs off. Garcia sets him down with a left hand, and he does not follow him down. When Hooper stands back up, “Mean Machine” blasts him with another left hand, and Hooper hits the mat for the third time in under a minute. The youngster Hooper keeps his wits about him and works his way back up, and Garcia is not about to let him off the hook. Hooper flails and spins with a back fist, but the power of Garcia is vastly more significant. The Jackson-Wink fighter chains together a right to the body and a left to the head, and “The Dream” becomes a nightmare as he crumples to the mat from a thudding left hand. While he might still be able to keep going, Dean recognizes that the last knockdown was a bad one as Hooper’s face is busted and swelling fast. The onslaught has ripped open Hooper's left eyebrow to leak blood in the young man's eye, and it does not take more than a few mean hammerfists from “Mean Machine” to prompt Dean’s intervention. This was largely one-way traffic for Garcia, who registered an instant contender for “Beatdown of the Year” by demolishing the 23-year-old in a hair over 90 seconds.

The Official Result

Steve Garcia def. Chase Hooper R1 1:32 via TKO (Punches)

Joseph Holmes (185.5) vs. Jun Yong Park (185)

Round 1

Middleweights are on deck as Holmes (8-2, 1-1 UFC) takes to the cage in an attempt to boost his .500 record in the UFC to something greater. In his way will be Park (14-5, 4-2 UFC), who has won four of his last five, with those four UFC victories all on the scorecards. There is no touch of gloves before referee Chris Tognoni to clock in the 185ers, and instead Holmes wants to get right to it. A few heavy kicks from “Ugly Man Joe” introduce himself to Park, and Park turns to try to take some of the sting out of them. Park plods forward and sticks out a jab, but the reach of Holmes allows him to poke back with a sharper one. Holmes doubles up on kicks to the lead leg, and he swipes out with a pair of hooks as Park continues to move forward. The South Korean shows some reddening around his right eye already, and he appears to be complaining of an eye poke. Holmes continues to strike until Tognoni notices that Park is struggling to see, and he gives Park a few seconds to clear it out before restarting them even though there may not have been a poke after all. Holmes jabs as Park wades in to attack, and Park drips a knee to the body as they clinch up. The Texan gets off an elbow on the break, and he backs off to kick the body, but Park grabs his leg and trips Holmes to the floor. Park takes the back as Holmes hits the ground, and he fishes for a choke until Holmes maintains two-on-one wrist control to stop it from materializing. Holmes is warned multiple times for grabbing the glove to keep Park’s hand isolated, and he releases the grip as Park looks to flatten him out. Holmes tries to explode out of the position, only to find himself fully surrendering back control. Park hunts for a rear-naked choke while his hooks are in, and he switches hands and nearly locks he choke down. “Ugly Man” panics and yanks the arm out with all his might, and he bursts to reverse Park and works his way around to take Park’s back in search of an RNC. Holmes hangs on from the back until the horn sounds.

Sherdog Scores

Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-9 Holmes
Noah Gagnon scores the round: 10-9 Holmes
Tristen Critchfield scores the round: 10-9 Holmes

Round 2

Holmes starts the round off with a sharp one-two, backing an advancing Park off until Park crashes forward in pursuit of a takedown. Park circles around to take the back and drags Holmes down from behind, essentially pulling guard to set up a back take. When the middleweights hit the floor, Park moves around to claim full mount, and he slugs Holmes in the face with his free right hand. Holmes twists and turns, and he moves to his knees while Park happily looks to take the back. Holmes works his way to his back again, and while he gets half guard back momentarily, Park quickly jumps to full mount. “Ugly Man” turns to his belly and is flattened out, and the South Korean slides his forearm under the chin and tightens up a rear-naked choke. Holmes thinks about tapping and turns with a last burst of energy, and ultimately gets out of the submission danger but not out of the position. Holmes gets flattened out again on his stomach, with Park slamming fists on the side of the head to open up a choke. “Iron Turtle” calmly transitions from nasty ground-and-pound to a speedy rear-naked choke, and this time, there is no way out for Holmes. The Texan taps the mat a few times to register his surrender, and Park has notched his first submission in over five years. While his corner cheers for the victor, Park walks towards them and signals for them to calm down and quietly celebrate.

The Official Result

Jun Yong Park def. Joseph Holmes R2 3:04 via Submission (Rear-Naked Choke)

Andrei Arlovski (241) vs. Marcos Rogerio de Lima (261)

Round 1

A pair of American Top Team teammates will square off, having sequestered their training camps so as to not bump into one another in giant stable down in Coconut Creek, Fla. Many years ago, Arlovski (34-20, 2 NC; 23-14, 1 NC UFC) served as the UFC’s heavyweight champ, but his current reinvention and four-fight win streak serve as his longest since winning four straight from 2014 to 2015. The grizzled veteran meets Brazilian bulldozer Rogerio de Lima (19-8-1, 8-6 UFC), who posts a finish rate of 84% with the lion’s share of those coming in the first round. Keeping his head on a swivel will be referee Mark Smith, as these heavyweights could do some damage if the right blow lands. The big men want nothing more than to get started, and they rush out to throw low kicks instead of touching gloves. Rogerio de Lima sits down on a heavy leg kick, and Arlovski rushes forward to throw hands. As they trade powerful punches, the Brazilian clips Arlovski with a left hand in an exchange to set the former champ down to his seat. Rogerio de Lima jumps right down on top to try to hammer the nail, and Arlovski settles down and protects himself while keeping his foe tightly pressed to his chest. Rogerio de Lima works his way from guard to half guard to full mount in the span of a few seconds, and Arlovski sits up to defend a rear-naked choke that is more of an extremely strong neck crank. “Pezao” shifts and adjusts his grip, and even though Arlovski is sitting up with Rogerio de Lima behind him, the arm slides beneath the chin and tightens like a vice. Knowing his goose is cooked and the big man on his back is dry as a bone, Arlovski taps out one single time on the shoulder, and Smith spots it and halts the fight. It is just the third time in Arlovski’s career that he has tapped out, although rear-naked chokes now account for his last two defeats. On the other side, Rogerio de Lima records his third career submission, while getting his first tapout since April 2016.

The Official Result

Marcos Rogerio de Lima def. Andrei Arlovski R1 1:50 via Submission (Rear-Naked Choke)

Roman Dolidze (186) vs. Phil Hawes (185.5)

Round 1

Power vs. power collides in the cage for the preliminary headliner, as “No Hype” Hawes (12-3, 4-1 UFC) tries to build some hype at the expense of the massive Georgian Dolidze (10-1, 4-1 UFC). Finish rates of 80% or higher for both men may mean that referee Dan Miragliotta should get equipped while the judges can likely take this one off. The two middleweights clap hands ahead of their scheduled melee, and it begins as they try to find their range from afar. Hawes reaches out with a low kick and a pawing front kick, and he leans back as a Dolidze head kick whizzes past his face. The fighters hand-fight in opposing stances, and Dolidze crashes the pocket and lands a punch. Another high kick from Dolidze misses the mark by a matter of inches, and Hawes pins a kick to the body only for it to get caught. Hawes lets it go and blocks a huge punch aimed at his face, and he sneaks in a right hand. As he ducks a counter, “No Hype” hits a clean takedown in the center of the cage, and he immediately jumps into his foe’s guard and slices down with elbows. Dolidze closes his guard tightly and smashes Hawes in the face with several shockingly powerful elbows, and as Hawes is momentarily stunned, Dolidze leans back and sets up an armbar. Hawes stands out of it and finds himself instantly in leglock danger. The kneebar with a side of heel hook is tight, and Hawes right knee pops audibly as Hawes wobbles back to the cage wall. Dolidze, who recognizes the injury, points at it and tells Miragliotta to do something, but Hawes steels himself and keeps the leg in the back as he stays on his feet. Dolidze lets his foot off the gas, not throwing much of note, and this allows Hawes to club him with a few punches including a sharp one-two down the pipe. The power is not enough to give Dolidze pause, and the Georgian walks through the blows and wings a huge right hand that clubs Hawes in the side of the head. Hawes’ knees, already compromised, give way beneath him after absorbing the blow, and he manages to somehow wobble back to the fencing. Dolidze is not going to let Hawes recover or escape this time, and he blitzes forward with a brutal bombardment of punches that blast Hawes. A looping right hand from “The Caucasian” drills into the side of Hawes’ head at the end of a three-hook combination, and it lays the American out cold on the canvas. Dolidze walks off, knowing his work here is done without needing to cause any further harm, and he calls for a top-15 opponent next.

The Official Result

Roman Dolidze def. Phil Hawes R1 4:09 via KO (Punches)

Dustin Jacoby (204) vs. Khalil Rountree (205)

Round 1

A striker’s delight kicks off the main card, as the resurgent kickboxer Jacoby (18-5-1, 6-2-1 UFC) races towards title contention at 205 pounds. He will have to contend with a dangerous and well-schooled foe in Rountree (10-5, 1 NC; 6-5, 1 NC UFC), who will likely meet him right in the center of the Octagon and throw down. Referee Herb Dean takes a deep breathe for what could be a bump ride, and the light heavyweight strikers bump fists before the action begins. Jacoby uses a few jabs and push kicks to back an advancing Rountree off in the early going, but Rountree blazes forward with several fiery punches. Rountree is amped up and hunting for a knockout, and he gets countered with a right hook but ignores it. Jacoby kicks high, and Rountree guards against it and kicks the rear leg. Rountree wings a left hand that whizzes past Jacoby’s head, and Jacoby keeps a high, tight guard to defend from the haymakers. After Rountree splits the guard with a jab, Jacoby sits down on several low kicks. The calf kicks continue to find their target from “The Hanyak,” who is slowly working on the lead wheel of the powerful Rountree. “The War Horse” hits nothing but air as he throws power punches, and he throws a kick and walks straight into a spinning back elbow. Jacoby remains composed with jabs and distance-keeping kicks, and Rountree is still throwing everything he has into every blow. The leg kicks from Jacoby continue to mount as the power from Rountree fades a bit, and Rountree attempts to respond with one only to take an uppercut on the chin. Jacoby marches forward with an elbow on the dome, and Rountree responds with one of his own. The jabs from both men come forth, and Jacoby clips his man with a one-two. Rountree wings up and attempts to counter with a home-run shot, but Jacoby is able to see it coming and dodge it. Rountree sinks in a solid calf kick to stagger Jacoby briefly, and Jacoby gathers himself and strings a few jabs together. Rountree snaps the head back with a left hook, drawing a takedown reaction out of Jacoby. Jacoby leaps in the air with a knee that bounces off the guard, and they clinch up and throw knees until the bell splits them up.

Sherdog Scores

Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-9 Jacoby
Noah Gagnon scores the round: 10-9 Jacoby
Tristen Critchfield scores the round: 10-9 Jacoby

Round 2

The fists are touched to start off the second round, and they pick right up where they left off with an immediate exchange of hands. Rountree whips a low kick to the calf twice in a row, and Jacoby changes stances and swings harder. Rountree gets Jacoby’s attention with a right hand, and Jacoby keeps his volume high with jabs and punch combinations. Jacoby misses an elbow by a hair, and he keeps Rountree guessing with punches to split or loop around the high guard. Jacoby pulls his foe’s arms down to punch him, and Rountree is starting to slow down after nearly seven minutes of venomous striking. Rountree begins to get more loose as he throws telegraphed strikes, and Jacoby responds with jabs, body shots and active strings of strikes. Jacoby ducks a huge punch to land three of his own, and he is cruising as Rountree continues to load up. Jacoby tags Rountree with a right hand over the top, and he leans back to let a hook soar past his nose. “The Hanyak” breaks up a booming punch with a jab, and he hops back before it lands on him. Jacoby switches stances and slaps Rountree upside the head with his foot, and Rountree responds with two thudding calf kicks. Jacoby attempts to check them as he comes forward, and he raises his leg preemptively as he moves forward. Rountree gets in a left hand to surprise Jacoby, but his success is short-lived as Jacoby bull-rushes him and pushes him to the fencing. Rountree frames off with a Thai clinch, and when no knee comes from it, he settles for an overhand right on the break. Rountree’s power strikes do find their home, and Jacoby’s high-volume approach has started to dwindle as he too might be fatiguing. Rountree kicks the body and lands a left hook on the jaw, and Jacoby raises his arm in the air but cannot land before the horn.

Sherdog Scores

Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-9 Rountree
Noah Gagnon scores the round: 10-9 Jacoby
Tristen Critchfield scores the round: 10-9 Jacoby

Round 3

To the surprise of some, the fighters have reached the last round. Jacoby comes out aggressively as he rips the body, and they trade heavy blows in the pocket. Appearing to get his mojo back, Rountree sits down on several wild punches, and one or two manage to get Jacoby’s attention. It is not a haymaker that catches Jacoby flush, and instead a straight right hand down the pipe that splits the guard and makes Jacoby take a quick count of his teeth. As Rountree plods forward, Jacoby chops him down with a low kick, and swelling has begun to form on his right eye. Jacoby slips and rips with calf kicks, and he shells up as he sees Rountree preparing to load up with vicious right and left hands. Jacoby backs Rountree off with a one-two, and Rountree gathers his thoughts and feebly attempts to counter. Jacoby settles down and scores a few punches, but Rountree walks through them and blasts the body with several knees. Rountree gets off a left hand and a right to follow, as he continues to throw caution to the wind. Rountree puts a knee on the chin, and Jacoby staggers back after getting shoved. “The Hanyak” gets his bearings and reintroduces his jab to the face repeatedly, and Rountree lands a power left hand on the already damaged eye. Jacoby switches back and forth in his stances, and Rountree intercepts him coming in with a knee. Jacoby shoots for a takedown, and Rountree shakes his leg out and makes Jacoby pay for the attempt with a knee. Another failed takedown from Jacoby results in success for him, as he drills Rountree in the nose. Rountree gives him one right back, and a wild brawl with no little defense ensues. Both men lay into one another with everything they have left, but they cannot put the other away. As time expires, both men raise their arms to celebrate a hard-fought 15-minute slugfest, and it could be a close one depending on how judges scored the second frame.

Sherdog Scores

Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-9 Rountree (29-28 Rountree)
Noah Gagnon scores the round: 10-9 Rountree (29-28 Jacoby)
Tristen Critchfield scores the round: 10-9 Rountree (29-28 Jacoby)

The Official Result

Khalil Rountree def. Dustin Jacoby via Split Decision (29-28, 28-29, 29-28)

Josh Fremd (185) vs. Tresean Gore (185.5)

Round 1

A pair of 28-year-old middleweights with a long way to go and plenty more to prove will take their first step by escaping the cage with a win tonight. Whether it is LFA vet Fremd (9-3, 0-1 UFC) or TUF Season 29 finalist Gore (3-2, 0-2 UFC), they will have 15 minutes to handle their business. Referee Chris Tognoni is good to go for this pairing, and he witnesses a touch of gloves as the fight begins. Within seconds, Gore presses forward and shoots for a single, and he adjusts to a double and gingerly lowers Fremd down to the floor. Fremd defends with a guillotine choke on the way down, and when that fails, he fights his way back to his knees. Gore hangs on with a head lock, and Fremd explodes out of the position and stands up. Gore remains pinned to his opponent, pressing him to the wire and changing levels for another takedown. Gore lifts Fremd all the way off the ground and slams him to the mat, and when they hit the ground, Gore works around to take the back. Gore gets his hooks in without tightening a body triangle, and Fremd preemptively defends from any choke setup before it can get there. Fremd breaks out of the posture and jumps back to his feet, and Gore follows him. When both are upright, Fremd sinks in a leg kick, and he lands another as Gore finds his range with a few jabs. Fremd paws out with a front kick, and Gore keeps a quick jab going. Fremd has a high kick skim the top of the head, and Gore ignores it and sits down on a thumping low kick. Fremd splits the guard with a jab, and he backs Gore off with a few right hands before leaping forward with a knee. Gore looks to turn the tables when Fremd pushes him to the fencing, and he absorbs an elbow across the bow in the process. Gore turns him around, but Fremd pushes off promptly and knocks Gore back with a one-two. Fremd tags his man with a knee and a wide-arcing uppercut, and the round ends when the two middleweights are tied up.

Sherdog Scores

Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-9 Fremd
Noah Gagnon scores the round: 10-9 Fremd
Tristen Critchfield scores the round: 10-9 Fremd

Round 2

Fremd practically springs out of his corner, and he whips a high kick at Gore to start things off. Fremd gets off a right hand, and Gore whiffs on a pair of hooks that come up short. Fremd works the leg, punches the body and shoots in for a single. Gore defends with a guillotine choke and Fremd turns into it and twists to try to get out of it. The grip under the chin, Fremd gets wrenched straight up in the air like Scott Jorgensen against Chad George at WEC 47. In a panic, Fremd kicks off the fence and even tries briefly to grab it, but his attempts fail as Gore lowers him down to the mat. Gore crushes with his bicep in the modified guillotine choke with shades of a bulldog choke or a variation of a front choke due to the awkward angle, and Fremd’s arms go limp. Fremd completely goes out, and Tognoni steps in to rescue the sleeping fighter. Gore has snatched victory from the jaws of defeat with a mighty comeback, as he earns his first UFC victory in a big way.

The Official Result

Tresean Gore def. Josh Fremd R2 0:49 via Technical Submission (Guillotine Choke)

Waldo Cortes-Acosta (260.5) vs. Jared Vanderaa (259)

Round 1

The heaviest match on the card also serves as its “featured fight,” as recent Contender Series pickup Cortes-Acosta (7-0, 0-0 UFC) looks to keep his spotless record intact against the struggling Californian known as “The Mountain” Vanderaa (12-9, 1-5 UFC). The smash-em-up derby that could end with the swing of one mighty fist will be overseen by referee Mark Smith, who is fully prepared should he need to stop the fight in a flash. The two men totaling 519.5 mighty pounds do not touch gloves to greet one another, and instead get warned by Smith for outstretched fingers. Cortes-Acosta wades forward with a slapping low kick, and he chases Vanderaa around the cage while looking for range strikes. There is a great deal of feinting and faking, until Cortes-Acosta loads up and rips a right hand to the body. Throwing a punch that is more of a fastball than a traditional strike, Cortes-Acosta again targets the ribcage. The single strikes continue from Cortes-Acosta as practically the only offense thus far two minutes in. Cortes-Acosta lands two punches over the top, and he lines up a few more punches to knock Vanderaa back. Vanderaa attempts to respond, and Cortes-Acosta is faster and more accurate as he smacks Vanderaa with his fists. Cortes-Acosta prepares his right hand, chambering it to release in search of a knockout, and Vanderaa settles down with a few jabs. The Cortes-Acosta right hand finds its target and reddens up the forehead, and he mixes in a front kick to the body. Vanderaa slowly, methodically kicks the calf a few times, and Cortes-Acosta start showing a limp and changes stances briefly. The movement from Cortes-Acosta is slightly hampered, but he still gives chase to “The Mountain.” Vanderaa swipes out with a huge low kick, and it lands hard enough to force an immediate stance change. When Cortes-Acosta swaps, Vanderaa kicks the other leg, and the round ends.

Sherdog Scores

Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-9 Cortes-Acosta
Noah Gagnon scores the round: 10-9 Cortes-Acosta
Tristen Critchfield scores the round: 10-9 Cortes-Acosta

Round 2

The second frame opens with a busy Cortes-Acosta rushing forward, and Vanderaa backs off and kicks the calf on the inside and out. The kicks keep on coming from “The Mountain,” as Cortes-Acosta changes stances and walks into a kick on the other side. Vanderaa secures a hard low kick, and this prompts Cortes-Acosta into immediate action. Possibly in big trouble from the kicks, Cortes-Acosta blitzes and swings hammers. Vanderaa rolls with some of them and eats others flush, and he survives and escapes. Two calf kicks from Vanderaa draw a limp, and Cortes-Acosta lets out a roar and plods forward to swing wildly. The kicks are hurting Cortes-Acosta, and he is showing it while the power of his overhand right is not nearly as severe as before. Vanderaa slaps another low kick after sticking out a jab, and Cortes-Acosta checks a subsequent kick and yells out triumphantly. Vanderaa rips the body with a kick, and Cortes-Acosta races in with a few haymakers. Vanderaa ties him up and unloads with a short salvo, and Cortes-Acosta dips and dodges before escaping. Cortes-Acosta sits down on a low kick to get one back, and the crowd roars its approval. Vanderaa swipes out with a left hook, and he gets off a leg kick as he backs out. Cortes-Acosta parries a few jabs and lands one to the midsection, and is subsequently warned for pointing his fingers out at his opponent. They both trade single punches, and Vanderaa kicks with both legs to the calf and body. After a brief clinch, they throw punches at the last second, and the horn sounds.

Sherdog Scores

Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-9 Vanderaa
Noah Gagnon scores the round: 10-9 Vanderaa
Tristen Critchfield scores the round: 10-9 Vanderaa

Round 3

The heavyweights take the stage for the final round, and they begin tentatively as Cortes-Acosta reaches out and gets popped with a quick uppercut. The jabs come from the two fighters at about the 30-second mark, and Cortes-Acosta throws a kick up high. Vanderaa times this with a leg kick so he does damage on the plant leg, and he kicks on the other side of that same leg to follow. Cortes-Acosta connects with a clean right hand, and a left, but neither frazzle Vanderaa or slow him from low kicks. Vanderaa keeps active with low kicks, and one spins Cortes-Acosta all the way around. Cortes-Acosta headhunts while Vanderaa kicks, and this pattern does not change one iota. Vanderaa walks into an overhand right, and he grits his teeth and rides out the rest of a combination, as his nose begins to bleed. Vanderaa rushes forward but pulls back before throwing anything, and when he finally engages, Cortes-Acosta is there to greet him with an overhand right. Vanderaa attempts to respond, but Cortes-Acosta rolls through it and flashes out a few jabs. Cortes-Acosta starts showboating, dancing around and doing moves while showing off. Vanderaa answers this with a heavy leg kick, and Cortes-Acosta does not pay it any mind and throws a haymaker. Vanderaa starts dancing, and a kick from him forces Cortes-Acosta to cough out his mouthpiece. Cortes-Acosta replaces it and gets his lead leg chopped down, and the final 30 seconds lead to a sloppy but energetic slugfest. When the horn sounds, they both hug it out after a strange fight that made it the distance.

Sherdog Scores

Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-9 Cortes-Acosta (29-28 Cortes-Acosta)
Noah Gagnon scores the round: 10-9 Cortes-Acosta (29-28 Cortes-Acosta)
Tristen Critchfield scores the round: 10-9 Cortes-Acosta (29-28 Cortes-Acosta)

The Official Result

Waldo Cortes-Acosta def. Jared Vanderaa via Unanimous Decision (30-27, 29-28, 29-28)

Max Griffin (170.5) vs. Tim Means (170.5)

Round 1

An interesting, all-action welterweight contest will serve as the co-main attraction of this Fight Night event, with a storied veteran battling it out against a man fighting his way back to contention. At 38 years of age, Means (32-13-1, 1 NC; 14-10, 1 NC UFC) is still cruising in the division, with three wins in his last four including a few stellar performances over Nicolas Dalby and Mike Perry in recent memory. While his adversary Griffin (18-9, 6-7 UFC) started off going just 3-6 in the Octagon, he has turned things around as of late with a similar 3-1 stretch as Means. Drawing the assignment is referee Dan Miragliotta, and the 170-pounders do not touch gloves as they want to immediately get down to business. They start trading almost immediately, with rangy punches and chopping low kicks to match the other. Griffin fires a left hand over the top, and a right hand knocks Means down to his backside. Griffin leaps on top to finish the job, and Means latches on to an armbar off his back to keep his man honest and survive the onslaught. As Means continues to work, he turns to his side, grabs hold of a leg and drives Griffin back to the wall. Means separates, and he appears to have his bearings back as he measures a high kick from his lead leg and a body kick from his rear. Means just misses with a knee as Griffin bears down on him with a combination, and he works the calf to slow down the advancing Griffin. “The Dirty Bird” whiffs on a one-two into a head kick, but the calf kick that follows does connect. Griffin throws fire with a right hand to stun Means for a moment, as he chains it into a power punch that Means tanks seemingly without issue. Means continues to do work on the upper calf, making investments as he also strikes the body. Griffin snaps out a jab that gest Means’ attention, and a right hand that follows it stings Means. Means gives chase with a high kick, and Griffin walks through a pair of open-handed slaps so that he can shoot in for a double. Means keeps his balance as they remain clinched until the bell.

Sherdog Scores

Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-9 Griffin
Noah Gagnon scores the round: 10-9 Griffin
Tristen Critchfield scores the round: 10-9 Griffin

Round 2

The welterweights meet in the middle, and Means strikes first in the form of a slapping low kick. The legs from Means continue to fly, and he draws Griffin into a brief but fierce slugfest. The punches turn to slaps for Means, which could signify some sort of damage to a hand, but he shucks any of those concerns by throwing a punch that pops Griffin in the chops. Means keeps Griffin guessing with head kicks, and Griffin finds his way in to land a heavy low kick. Means slaps him upside the head like a Diaz brother, only they are intended as damaging strikes and not disrespectful ones. Griffin jabs his way in, and he blocks a head kick once closing in. Griffin intercepts a rushing Means with a kick to the lead calf, and Means winces and tries to pay Griffin back. Means cuts his opponent off as he advances, and this slows the offense coming back his direction. Means works the body with a left and a right, and he slides back to plant the ball of his foot on the breadbasket before Griffin can land him. The two trade body kicks, and Means jumps at his adversary with a knee that glances off the side. Griffin considers a level change, and as this fails, he hops back. Means hammers a low kick on the inside of the knee, and this slows the movement momentarily. Means walks face-first into a right hand, and this rocks Means and separates him from his balance. As Means falls to the ground, Griffin finds himself taking top position while punching the side. They trade short blows as the horn sounds.

Sherdog Scores

Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-9 Griffin
Noah Gagnon scores the round: 10-9 Griffin
Tristen Critchfield scores the round: 10-9 Griffin

Round 3

Means comes out of his corner aggressively, and he strikes his way into a takedown effort. Griffin stuffs it and drops to his knees, and Means smashes his own knee into the sternum. Griffin reels and whirls around to counter Means’ takedown with his own attempt, and he manages to suck Means’ legs out and drag him to the floor. Means squeezes tightly to keep Griffin pinned to him, and he lands several heel strikes to the thigh as he constantly remains busy off his back with irritating blows. Griffin remains heavy with top pressure and not willing to sit up and fall into potential submission danger, as he wisely grinds out and considers a guard pass. Means turns to his side in an effort to escape, but Griffin hangs on to keep him trapped. Means scoots his back to the wall, only for “Pain” to yank him back down. When Griffin postures up to rain down blows, Means attacks with a submission attempt that he uses to stand back up. Griffin pressures him against the wall and locks his hands with a double, and this sets Means on his seat again much to the disappointment of “The Dirty Bird.” Means continues to smack Griffin with short, frustrating strikes to the body and head, all while working his way to his knees to get upright. Griffin pursues a single, and he lowers his head right into a knee that Means cracks him with. Means takes Griffin down to turn the tables, and he rips the body with a fierce knee before securing a double with seconds to spare. For one final exclamation point, Means lifts his opponent up and slams him down hard. The fight comes to an end.

Sherdog Scores

Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-9 Means (29-28 Griffin)
Noah Gagnon scores the round: 10-9 Griffin (30-27 Griffin)
Tristen Critchfield scores the round: 10-9 Griffin (30-27 Griffin)

The Official Result

Max Griffin def. Tim Means via Split Decision (29-28, 28-29, 30-27)

Calvin Kattar (146) vs. Arnold Allen (145.5)

Round 1

The two ranked fighters on this fight card – in terms of listings on Sherdog – come to blows in its main event, as impressive technical boxer Kattar (23-6, 7-4 UFC) throws down with the streaking Allen (18-1, 9-0 UFC), who has won all nine of his trips to the UFC cage. Whether he can go 10-0 and put himself on the shortlist for championship contention in the logjammed featherweight category, he will have to get through “The Boston Finisher” first. The stakes are high, and referee Herb Dean is bringing his A-game to the headliner. Gloves are gladly touched, and it’s on with the show. Both men hunt for their range as they face off in alternating stances, pushing out jabs that bump into the other. Allen scores first with a low kick, and he lands a second as Kattar skirts out of the way. Kattar splits the guard wit ha jab, and Allen ignores it to double down on the calf kick. The defenses are solid thus far, with low accuracy rates and very active blocks, and as a result, they do not sit down on anything of note. Allen scores a single straight left, and Kattar responds with a snapping jab. When Kattar looks to double up on his jab, Allen settles for two kicks including one to the side. Kattar rushes forward with a clean one-two, and Allen shakes it off and walks right into a low kick. Allen gives chase but hits nothing but air, and Kattar pokes with his toes on the midsection. Allen knocks his man a step back with a left hand, and when Kattar attempts to reply, he kicks the upper thigh. Allen has a left hand get around the guard, and he chains several punches together to shake Kattar up. As Kattar backs off, Allen picks it up briefly, but he lets go before Kattar can lean on heavy counters. Allen lands a one-two across the bow, and Kattar largely uses the jab to respond. Allen scores several left hands that get Kattar’s attention, and Kattar’s face has begun to turn red. Allen comfortably lands another left hand, and he stays moving and circles fast. Kattar leaps in the air with a kick and lands awkwardly, and his right knee blows out as he falls to the ground. Allen leaps on top to strike, and he moves to set up a brabo choke but cannot secure it before the round ends. It will be interesting to see if Kattar can make it out of his corner for the second frame given the obvious injury he suffered.

Sherdog Scores

Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-9 Allen
Noah Gagnon scores the round: 10-9 Allen
Tristen Critchfield scores the round: 10-9 Allen

Round 2

Dean calls in the doctor before the round begins, and Kattar states that he is good to go. Kattar walks around gingerly but he has his balance and can continue. Allen marches forward, knowing what his clear path to victory is, and he lashes out. “Almighty” unleashes one almighty leg kick to the lead leg of his opponent, and as Kattar attempts to check it, his right knee buckles and gives out beneath him. Kattar falls to the ground in agony and Allen does not go in for the kill as he knows the fight is over. Dean steps between them just to make sure, and the medical staff races in immediately after the stoppage to tend to the downed Kattar. This is an extremely unfortunate ending to this featherweight headliner, and a difficult pill to swallow for the Brit, who notches his 10th UFC win in a row. Allen is crestfallen, not just because his opponent suffered an injury, but because he states that he does not want to win like that. In his post-fight interview, Allen is put on the spot by commentator Michael Bisping, in which he calls for an interim title shot should champ Alexander Volkanovski move up in weight and be away from the division for a time. He does not call for a specific opponent, although potential options could include Josh Emmett or Yair Rodriguez. If that should come together, we will be here for it. We hope you are too.

The Official Result

Arnold Allen def. Calvin Kattar R2 0:08 via TKO (Knee Injury)