UFC Fight Night 98 ‘Dos Anjos vs. Ferguson’ Results: Play-by-Play & Updates

Chris Avila vs. Enrique Barzola

Round 1

Avila takes the center of the cage to begin the fight, but he’s immediately put on the defensive by Barzola’s speedy punching and low-kicking. Avila shrugs and shakes his head to indicate the strikes didn’t hurt, so Barzola takes him down in the middle. Back up comes Avila, greeted by more leg kicks from Barzola. The Peruvian runs Avila against the fence with a single-leg takedown attempt, then lifts and dumps him to the mat again. Avila clips “El Fuerte” with an upkick; Barzola, seemingly unfazed, continues to look for a good opening to come to the ground. Avila takes a knee at the fence and slowly works back to his feet. Inside the final two minutes of round one, Barzola continues to walk down Avila, now takes him down again. Avila gets back up, still pressed against the fence, but he separates 55 seconds remaining. Barzola lands a hard leg kick, whiffs with an overhand right. Avila sticks a jab, tries to turn up the volume a bit in the closing seconds but can’t find the speedy Barzola.

Sherdog Scores

Tristen Critchfield scores the round 10-9 Barzola
Brian Knapp scores the round 10-9 Barzola
Chris Nelson scores the round 10-9 Barzola

Round 2

Avila crouches low, inviting Barzola to swing at his head. Barzola tries a front kick, misses and then moves in to clinch. Another takedown goes for Barzola, who jams Avila against the fence but isn’t able to keep him on the floor. Avila separates but doesn’t do anything before Barzola comes back and attacks with more kicks and another clinch. The featherweights move out to the center of the cage at the midway point of the round and the fight. Barzola lands a cracking leg kick, waits for Avila to step forward and then dumps him to the canvas with another powerful double-leg. Avila rolls to his knees while Barzola throws right hands from the ride position. Avila tries to roll out of the bad spot, but Barzola keeps him on his knees. Avila rolls to his back, looks to snare Barzola in his guard, then has to roll to his knees again. Avila shuffles over to the fence and stands inside the final minute, only to be attacked with more knees and punches from Barzola. As they strike near the fence, Barzola opens up a small cut underneath Avila’s left eye and then digs into the American’s body with a left hand.

Sherdog Scores

Tristen Critchfield scores the round 10-9 Barzola
Brian Knapp scores the round 10-9 Barzola
Chris Nelson scores the round 10-9 Barzola

Round 3

Barzola backpedals to avoid Avila’s long punches, then comes back to slug the American with a left hand and a knee to the gut. Avila steps forward again; this time, Barzola is waiting with another effortless takedown. Avila takes a knee at the wall, gets to his feet and walks away with his hands by his waist. Three minutes remain in the bout as the featherweights square off in the center. A hard outside leg kick gets Avila stumbling, looking to tie up. Barzola gets a waistlock and walks Avila over to the fence, then releases and tags the taller man with another left hand. Barzola goes to the body with a hard right hand, clinches up and throws Avila to the floor once again, now with 80 seconds on the clock. Avila rolls to his knees and buries his face in the mat, allowing Barzola to land punches under the arm. Barzola spins to north-south position, then to the back again, where “El Fuerte” tries to tee off with punches. Avila gets back to his feet under fire, only to be chopped down with another hard leg kick and finish the fight on his back.

Sherdog Scores

Tristen Critchfield scores the round 10-9 Barzola (30-27 Barzola)
Brian Knapp scores the round 10-9 Barzola (30-27 Barzola)
Chris Nelson scores the round 10-9 Barzola (30-27 Barzola)

The Official Result

Enrique Barzola def. Chris Avila via Unanimous Decision (30-26, 30-26, 30-26) R3 5:00

Marco Polo Reyes vs. Jason Novelli

Round 1

The lightweights spend 90 seconds circling and testing their punching range, Novelli switching between stances. Novelli lands the first hard strike of the bout with an outside leg kick; Reyes finds a home for his right hand upstairs shortly afterward. Halfway through the round, there’s still not much to separate the fighters. Novelli shoots for a takedown, fought off by Reyes with the whizzer. Novelli jabs his way forward and comes over the top with a right hand, then splits the mitts of Reyes with a straight right. Reyes is loading up on his right hand but can’t land with any consistency. Novelli pokes him in the right eye with an outstretched, open hand, but Reyes is OK to continue after just a few seconds to recover.

Sherdog Scores

Tristen Critchfield scores the round 10-9 Reyes
Brian Knapp scores the round 10-9 Novelli
Chris Nelson scores the round 10-9 Novelli

Round 2

Reyes continues with his forward pressure at the start of round two, and this time he’s landing at a higher clip than Novelli, whose counters have dropped off a bit. Reyes scores with a hard right hand to the body, now a heavy outside leg kick that draws a shout from the Mexican crowd. Novelli eats a two-piece from Reyes and changes levels to try a takedown, but Reyes defends it well and stuffs Novelli to the canvas at the midway point of the round. Reyes kneels down and Novelli goes hunting for a submission, alternating between closed guard and rubber guard. Reyes stays out of danger but can’t do much on top as he fends off danger from the rangy Novelli.

Sherdog Scores

Tristen Critchfield scores the round 10-9 Reyes
Brian Knapp scores the round 10-9 Reyes
Chris Nelson scores the round 10-9 Reyes

Round 3

Reyes comes out aggressive early in the final round, attacking Novelli with hard overhand rights. One punch gets through, though Novelli gets a hand up to block the next one. Novelli sticks a jab, gets grazed by Reyes’ next hand, and the American ends the exchange with a hard kick to the body. Reyes presses forward again and sends Novelli’s mouthguard flying with a cracking right hand. Reyes’ pressure isn’t allowing Novelli much room to work, as the Mexican continues to attack and push Novelli backward with nonstop punches and kicks. Novelli dives for a late takedown and manages to drag Reyes to the floor with 40 seconds remaining. Reyes tries to escape but his squirming only allows Novelli to pass to full mount. Novelli is trying to finish with seconds remaining, elbowing Reyes’ face and then working for a last-second rear-naked choke, but Reyes is saved by the bell.

Sherdog Scores

Tristen Critchfield scores the round 10-9 Novelli (29-28 Reyes)
Brian Knapp scores the round 10-9 Novelli (29-28 Novelli)
Chris Nelson scores the round 10-9 Reyes (29-28 Reyes)

The Official Result

Marco Polo Reyes def. Jason Novelli via Split Decision (29-28, 29-28, 28-29) R3 5:00

Sam Alvey vs. Alex Nicholson

Round 1

Nicholson strikes first with a right high kick that doesn’t land flush to the face and only draws a smile from Alvey, who’s looking to counter while working his way around the edge of the cage. Nicholson continues to attack from the center, lunging at Alvey with a leaping kick; Alvey is able to block this one, too. Alvey slips another head kick, from Nicholson’s left side this time, then pops the Floridian with a right hand over the top. A straight left hand from Alvey lands just as Nicholson throws a kick to the Team Quest fighter’s cup. Alvey needs a moment to recover; referee Herb Dean issues a warning to Nicholson for the infraction. Alvey scores with an uppercut, but as he rushes in to follow up, Nicholson whirls around to land a body shot. Alvey immediately backs up and resumes countering in the final minute.

Sherdog Scores

Tristen Critchfield scores the round 10-9 Nicholson
Brian Knapp scores the round 10-9 Nicholson
Chris Nelson scores the round 10-9 Nicholson

Round 2

Thirty seconds into the round, Nicholson steps in to throw an awkward knee to the body, but his foot lands to Alvey’s cup. Referee Dean pauses the fight and allows Alvey to recover; the foul is deemed accidental, so the ref doesn’t take a point away from Nicholson. When action resumes, Nicholson stings Alvey with a counter left hook, but Alvey is able to backpedal away and recover. Alvey shoots for a takedown at the fence, but Nicholson spreads his base and stays standing. Alvey gives up on the shot and separates with 2:45 on the clock. Nicholson eats a hard right hand and swings back but cant’t find the target. Alvey clinches, scores with a knee to the body and has to block another heavy right kick on the break. A left hand over the top snaps back Nicholson’s head as Alvey continues to gain momentum late in round two. Two more left hands connect for Alvey in the closing 30 seconds of the round, but a wobbly Nicholson manages to survive to the horn.

Sherdog Scores

Tristen Critchfield scores the round 10-9 Alvey
Brian Knapp scores the round 10-9 Alvey
Chris Nelson scores the round 10-9 Alvey

Round 3

Alvey sticks a jab, lands a leg kick and tries to come over the top with another left hand, but Nicholson gets his hands up to deflect. A pair of left hands slow the progress of Nicholson, who is stepping forward but offering little in terms of offense here in the final frame. By contrast, Alvey is upping his output, stringing together more combinations than he had in the earlier rounds. Jab-left hand scores for Alvey, who jogs away and forces Nicholson to walk after him some more. Nicholson whiffs on a high kick, gets pushed backward by a left hand. Alvey resets and catches the incoming Nicholson with an uppercut. Nicholson touches Alvey with a nice jab, but “Smile’n Sam” responds immediately with a left hand and a leg kick.

Sherdog Scores

Tristen Critchfield scores the round 10-9 Alvey (29-28 Alvey)
Brian Knapp scores the round 10-9 Alvey (29-28 Alvey)
Chris Nelson scores the round 10-9 Alvey (29-28 Alvey)

The Official Result

Sam Alvey def. Alex Nicholson via Unanimous Decision (29-28, 29-28, 29-28) R3 5:00

Henry Briones vs. Douglas Silva de Andrade

Round 1

After a slow opening minute, Andrade begins to find his range with punches down the center, then a slick left-handed uppercut. Briones scores with a right hand and follows up with a combination, but Andrade backpedals to the fence and hits back with a sweeping counter right. Andrade finds the mark with an overhand right, then a follow-up left underneath Briones’ arm. A spinning back kick to the body pushes Briones backward but doesn’t seem to do much damage. Andrade lands a right hand and covers up to block Briones’ counter attack. Briones fires off a hard combo that bounces off Andrade’s gloves, but Briones’ next right hand looks to have the Brazilian in a bit of trouble. It’s a strong finish to the round from Briones, who began to connect with some hard strikes in the final minute.

Sherdog Scores

Tristen Critchfield scores the round 10-9 Briones
Brian Knapp scores the round 10-9 Andrade
Chris Nelson scores the round 10-9 Andrade

Round 2

Briones rushes Andrade against the fence and pops him with a right hand, but the Brazilian is able to circle out of the tight spot and back to the center of the cage. Andrade connects with a pair of jabs, takes a hard right hand to the ribs in exchange. Andrade answers with a body blow of his own as the bantamweights hit the midway point of round two. Briones rushes in with a two-piece but gets dropped by an Andrade right hand that loops around to the back of his head. Andrade catches Briones standing up and clips him with another punch, but Briones shows a good beard by shaking it off, separating and stinging Andrade with a right hand of his own. Andrade gets push-kicked to the ground, springs back up and catches the incoming Briones with a hellacious right hand. Briones loses his footing momentarily, jumps back up, lunges at Andrade and gets another right hand to the face. Andrade closes out the round with a snappy left high kick and a double-leg takedown just before the horn.

Sherdog Scores

Tristen Critchfield scores the round 10-9 Andrade
Brian Knapp scores the round 10-9 Andrade
Chris Nelson scores the round 10-9 Andrade

Round 3

Andrade circles the outside and waits for Briones to work from the center, though neither man is expending much energy here in the early going of round three. Suddenly, Andrade comes alive with a jab, a straight left, now an uppercut and a partially blocked left head kick. Andrade tries to finish the job with a huge right hook, but Briones ducks underneath and scores a body shot counter on the other side. Briones tries to rush Andrade against the fence and gets rocked with a standing elbow. Andrade backs up, finds his mark and then swings around to obliterate Briones with a spinning backfist. Briones hits the ground in a daze and referee Keith Peterson steps between the fighters before Andrade can tack on any more damage.

The Official Result

Douglas Silva de Andrade def. Enrique Briones via TKO (Spinning Back Fist) R3 2:33

Max Griffin vs. Erick Montano

Round 1

Montano gets popped with a jab behind the ear and awkwardly turns his back in front of Griffin, who stuffs him to the mat at the base of the fence. Montano looks to be in trouble as Griffin jumps on him and pounds away with heavy right hands from top position. Referee Jerin Valel gives Montano time to recover, but the Mexican fighter only turtles and covers up under fire. Griffin continues to bash away until referee Valel intervenes for the stoppage.

The Official Result

Max Griffin def. Erick Montano via TKO (Punches) R1 0:54

Marco Beltran vs. Joe Soto

Round 1

Beltran fires off a right high kick but it goes over the head of the shorter Soto, who shoots and completes a takedown moments later. Beltran entangles Soto in his lanky guard, but Soto drops back with a heel hook and cranks the leg, forcing Beltran to tap in a hurry.

The Official Result

Joe Soto def. Marco Beltran via Submission (Heel Hook) R1 1:37

Felipe Arantes vs. Erik Perez

Round 1

Arantes swipes a hard right hand across the face of Perez, who eats it and resets to hit Arantes with an outside leg kick. Arantes’ leg kicks are beginning to land with authority now, forcing Perez backward. Perez catches hold of one kick, though, and converts it to a takedown in the center of the cage. “Goyito” is forced to surrender top position when Arantes drops back for a dangerous looking heel hook, and now it’s the Brazilian on top with just over a minute remaining in the opening round. Arantes looks for a choke on top, then transitions to an armbar, but Perez stuffs him underneath and reclaims top position to land a few punches and elbows. Perez postures up in Arantes’ half guard and tries to reclaim ground with more punches in the final seconds.

Sherdog Scores

Tristen Critchfield scores the round 10-9 Perez
Brian Knapp scores the round 10-9 Perez
Chris Nelson scores the round 10-9 Arantes

Round 2

Arantes gets an early takedown and begins working short ground-and-pound to the head of the Brazilian, who shifts underneath and looks for an escape. “Goyito” passes to full mount and drops punches to the body of Arantes, now breathing heavily on the bottom. Suddenly, Arantes explodes out of the bad position, and in the ensuing scramble, Arantes is able to jump on Perez’s back and pull him back to the floor. Arantes locks up the back-mount with a body triangle and fishes for a rear-naked choke, but he’s unable to get underneath Perez’s chin on the first attempt. Perez rolls into the body triangle and twists around, leaving him on top in Arantes’ guard. Perez passes to side control on Arantes’ right and flattens out the Brazilian at the base of the fence. Perez tries to mount some offense on the floor but doesn’t have much room to work, and the final minute of the round expires without much action.

Sherdog Scores

Tristen Critchfield scores the round 10-9 Perez
Brian Knapp scores the round 10-9 Perez
Chris Nelson scores the round 10-9 Perez

Round 3

Perez shoots for an early takedown and gets shoved away by Arantes, who pops the Mexican with a jab as they separate. “Sertanejo” tries a spinning backfist, but Perez ducks underneath and executes another takedown a few feet away from the the fence. Arantes tries to elevate and escape, but Perez is ready and stays heavy on top. Working from side control on Arantes’ left, Perez drops short punches and elbow strikes to the face, grinding away as they hit the halfway point of the final frame. Arantes escapes to his feet with two minutes remaining in the fight and starts pressing forward on his opponent. Left high kick from Arantes lands to the chin of Perez, who eats it and keeps throwing hands. Arantes scores with a leg kick, now one to the body. Perez gets backed up to the wall, where Arantes comes sailing through the air with a hard flying knee to the gut. Straight right hand scores for Arantes, who’s really turning it on here down the stretch. A right hand knocks an exhausted Perez in the closing seconds, and Arantes finishes the fight going for a last-ditch arm-triangle choke.

Sherdog Scores

Tristen Critchfield scores the round 10-9 Arantes (29-28 Perez)
Brian Knapp scores the round 10-9 Arantes (29-28 Perez)
Chris Nelson scores the round 10-9 Arantes (29-28 Arantes)

The Official Result

Erik Perez def. Felipe Arantes via Split Decision (29-28, 29-28, 28-29) R3 5:00

Alexa Grasso vs. Heather Clark

Round 1

Clark rushes Grasso against the fence and clinches up, but the Mexican fighter creates space and escapes back to the center. Clark uses long jabs and kicks to force Grasso back to the outside and keep her there, leading to a bit of a stalemate through the first half of round one. Clark lands a grazing right hand, but Grasso fires back and decks the American with a blistering combination. Clark powers back to her feet but gets trapped with her back to the fence, and Grasso tees off with all manner of punches to the body and head. Clark withstands the assault but can’t escape the position, so Grasso clinches up and drives a knee to the body. Clark locks down Grasso’s left arm with an overhook, momentarily slowing the assault. Grasso pulls free in the final 30 seconds and continues to land punches down the stretch, though Clark traps her on the cage in the closing moments.

Sherdog Scores

Tristen Critchfield scores the round 10-9 Grasso
Brian Knapp scores the round 10-9 Grasso
Chris Nelson scores the round 10-9 Grasso

Round 2

Grasso finds the mark with a few punches in the opening minute, but her next body kick is caught and used by Clark to run her against the fence. Clark can’t complete the takedown as Grasso uses over-unders to spin the American’s back against the wall. Clark tries to jump guard with a guillotine but doesn’t get far, and Grasso keeps her stood up on the outside, now peppering Clark with punches and knees to the body. Down to the final 90 seconds of the round, Clark breaks loose of the clinch and steps out to the center. Clark swings her way into range with an awkward overhand right and tries to hug Grasso against the wall, but Grasso is active from the inside position, attacking Clark with knees to the body. Grasso gets taken down in the last 30 seconds but makes Clark pay with triangle and armbar attempts. Clark escapes to her feet and Grasso hits her with one last combo before the horn.

Sherdog Scores

Tristen Critchfield scores the round 10-9 Grasso
Brian Knapp scores the round 10-9 Grasso
Chris Nelson scores the round 10-9 Grasso

Round 3

Grasso catches the incoming Clark with a body kick and right hook to the face, but the “Hurricane” keeps coming and shoves Grasso against the cage once again. Grasso uses a bodylock to reverse the position, but Clark retakes it as they hit the 90-second mark. The strawweights continue to struggle for position until Clark tries a lateral drop and gets stuffed to the floor. Grasso allows her opponent to stand, and they’re back to trading strikes with three minutes remaining. The next minute passes without much action, though Clark gets in a jab and a solid body kick. Grasso’s offensive output has dropped off a bit here in the late stages of the bout, perhaps knowing she’s in position to win on the judges’ scorecards. Grasso is also sporting a significant mouse on the outside of her left eye, though it’s not enough to prevent her from defending Clark’s late takedown attempt. Grasso eats a pair of punches in an exchange and wraps up Clark against the fence with under a minute remaining. Grasso takes Clark for a ride with a big takedown, but the 115ers jump back up to finish the fight on their feet.

Sherdog Scores

Tristen Critchfield scores the round 10-9 Grasso (30-27 Grasso)
Brian Knapp scores the round 10-9 Grasso (30-27 Grasso)
Chris Nelson scores the round 10-9 Grasso (30-27 Grasso)

The Official Result

Alexa Grasso def. Heather Clark via Unanimous Decision (30-27, 30-27, 29-28) R3 5:00

Beneil Dariush vs. Rashid Magomedov

Round 1

Dariush tries an early left high kick, then has to dodge a whipping front kick from Magomedov seconds later. Magomedov catches Dariush’s next kick but can’t convert it into anything. Dariush steps in to clinch and uses the Thai plum to pull down the Russian’s head while delivering knees to the body. The lighweights wind up grappling on the fence, where Magomedov thwarts a takedown and stuffs Dariush to the ground instead. Dariush stands up with Magomedov still wrapped around his waist, and the lightweights go back to fighting on the fence. Dariush gets his back against the fence, but Magomedov’s next inside knee lands to the groin. Referee Herb Dean gives Dariush time to recover, and soon they’re back to business with half the round remaining. Dariush lands a hard, clean body kick and pops Magomedov with a standing elbow as he steps inside. Magomedov presses Dariush against the wall and the pace slows in the final minute, until Magodmedov hits a late takedown to finish the round on top.

Sherdog Scores

Tristen Critchfield scores the round 10-9 Dariush
Brian Knapp scores the round 10-9 Dariush
Chris Nelson scores the round 10-9 Dariush

Round 2

Dariush connects with a hard left straight, then backs up Magomedov to the fence and grazes with a left over the top. Both lightweights connect with leg kicks, then Magomedov places one on the body of Dariush while stepping out to the center. Dariush pushes Magomedov back to the outside with a Thai clinch, scoring with several good knees to the body along the way. The action stalls out as Dariush works on controlling Magomedov on the fence. Magomedov finally escapes with 45 seconds on the clock, but he winds up trying to hold Dariush on the cage in what turns into another stalemate to close the round.

Sherdog Scores

Tristen Critchfield scores the round 10-9 Dariush
Brian Knapp scores the round 10-9 Dariush
Chris Nelson scores the round 10-9 Dariush

Round 3

Dariush tries to close the gap in a hurry, but he walks into the waiting clinch of Magomedov, who punishes the jiu-jitsu black belt with hard uppercuts inside. Magomedov pushes Dariush’s back against the fence, but Dariush neutralizes the position with another Thai clinch. Dariush lands a few good knees to the body before escaping from the tie-up and sprinting back to the center of the cage. Another clinch from Dariush yields more knees to the midsection of Magomedov, who gets backed up to a cage post inside the three-minute mark. The lightweights hit the floor in a whizzer, then spring back up, where Dariush reestablishes his position on the outside. Referee Herb Dean is calling for work, and none is forthcoming, so the ref restarts them in the center with under two minutes remaining. Magomedov connects with a solid right hand and pushes Dariush to the outside again. Dariush grabs the Thai plum once again and begins firing knees up the middle as the 155ers engage in a tired clinch. They split with 30 seconds to go; Magomedov tries to close the distance but gets backed off by Dariush’s punches. Dariush gets the final word with a few more knees to the body, and this one will go to the judges.

Sherdog Scores

Tristen Critchfield scores the round 10-9 Magomedov (29-28 Dariush)
Brian Knapp scores the round 10-9 Dariush (30-27 Dariush)
Chris Nelson scores the round 10-9 Dariush (30-27 Dariush)

The Official Result

Beneil Dariush def. Rashid Magomedov via Unanimous Decision (30-27, 30-27, 29-28) R3 5:00

Martin Bravo vs. Claudio Puelles

Round 1

Puelles lands a few leg kicks from the outside before grabbing hold of a single-leg; Bravo thwarts the early takedown attempt and separates to land a few range-finding punches. The southpaw Puelles whirls around with a spinning elbow that clips Bravo, then shoves the Mexican fighter away as Bravo tries to tie up. Bravo continues his forward march as he moves Puelles around the outside, now landing a right hook on the young Peruvian. A straight left hand snaps back Puelles’ head, prompting him to shoot again for the takedown. Bravo hops backward on one leg and manages to stay standing against the fence. Puelles’ next takedown try is successful, but Bravo is back on his feet seconds later, scraping Puelles off with the help of the fence. Bravo sticks his arms out to taunt Puelles, then unloads with a four-punch combination that backs up Puelles to the wall. Puelles shoots for another takedown, but there’s nothing to it. Bravo finishes off a solid round with another three-punch combo before the horn.

Sherdog Scores

Tristen Critchfield scores the round 10-9 Bravo
Brian Knapp scores the round 10-9 Bravo
Chris Nelson scores the round 10-9 Bravo

Round 2

Puelles slips while throwing a kick and has to scramble back to his feet as Bravo rushes in to capitalize. Bravo fends off a single-leg takedown try from the Peruvian and resumes stalking him around the outside, constantly peppering Puelles with multi-punch combinations. Puelles’ face is marked up from the shots he’s absorbed, and now Bravo adds a stiff body kick to the mix. Bravo keeps his footing as Puelles shoots for another single-leg. The lightweights fight toward the fence, where Bravo roasts Puelles’ ribs with a hard right hook to the body. Bravo is able to land a few more punches before Puelles’ delayed reaction sets it and sees him crumble to the ground. Referee Keith Peterson steps in for the stoppage, making Martin Bravo the lightweight winner of “The Ultimate Fighter: Latin America” Season 3.

The Official Result

Martin Bravo def. Claudio Puelles via TKO (Punches) R2 1:55

Charles Oliveira vs. Ricardo Lamas

Round 1

Oliveira tries to catch Lamas in a Thai clinch, then switches to work for a takedown, but Lamas sees it coming all the way and throws the Brazilian over his hip. Lamas lands a hard elbow to the face of Oliveira from side control, but when “Charles do Bronx” shifts underneath to threaten with a leglock, Lamas has to bail from top position. The fighters scramble back to their feet, Oliveira trying to take the American’s back in the process. Lamas turns around and is taken down at the base of the fence, where Oliveira begins framing up a choke. The fighters stand; Oliveira has an anaconda choke setup but can’t finish it standing. They hit the ground again and Oliveira hits a beautiful roll to mount, but Lamas is somehow able to break up the choke from underneath. Oliveira transitions onto Lamas’ back and locks up the position with a body triangle. Lamas buries his chin and puts his hands to his ears to preemptively fight off the impending choke attempt. Oliveira tries the choke, can’t get under the chin. The next attempt looks tighter, but Lamas is saved by the bell.

Sherdog Scores

Tristen Critchfield scores the round 10-9 Oliveira
Brian Knapp scores the round 10-9 Oliveira
Chris Nelson scores the round 10-9 Oliveira

Round 2

Lamas partially connects with a spinning back kick to the jaw of Oliveira, who responds with a pair of punches and a stiff leg kick. Oliveira hits a takedown and looks to wrap up Lamas’ neck for another choke, but as he does so, Lamas sweeps to top position. Oliveira still has a leg hooked and will be hunting for a submission from the bottom here. In the meantime, Lamas sets up in side control on Oliveira’s right, his left arm looped around the back of Oliveira’s head. Oliveira rolls to his knees, then drives forward to try and put Lamas on his back. Lamas snatches a guillotine and pulls guard, and after a few seconds of squeezing, Oliveira is forced to tap out.

The Official Result

Ricardo Lamas def. Charles Oliveira via Submission (Guillotine Choke) R2

Diego Sanchez vs. Marcin Held

Round 1

Sanchez lands a pair of early leg kicks before right hands from Held back up the UFC veteran toward the fence. Sanchez rushes in throwing punches and then looks to clinch, but he’s dinged by a knee as Held breaks loose. Held shoots for a double-leg on the fence, but Sanchez widens his base and stays standing, then separates with 3:15 on the clock. Sanchez bursts forward with a four-punch combo, one of which may have grazed Held’s chin. Halfway through the round, Held strikes down the center with a solid right hand that moves Sanchez back to the outside. Held tries a cartwheel kick and touches Sanchez’s face with a foot, but there’s not much behind it. Sanchez shoots for a takedown with one minute left, thwarted by Held up against the wall. Held snares Sanchez in a deep standing guillotine, but Sanchez climbs the fence and manages to break free.

Sherdog Scores

Tristen Critchfield scores the round 10-9 Held
Brian Knapp scores the round 10-9 Held
Chris Nelson scores the round 10-9 Held

Round 2

Held pops Sanchez with a jab and then drops to try a heel hook, but “The Nightmare” manages to stack up and relieve the pressure on his leg. Held grabs the leg again, but Sanchez threatens with head-and-arm control which forces Held to relent. Now it’s Sanchez on top, in Held’s open guard, with the Polish fighter still fishing for submissions from the bottom. The pace slows drastically as Sanchez concentrates on flattening out Held from half guard. Held reclaims closed guard in the final minute, but Sanchez transitions to his back just before the horn.

Sherdog Scores

Tristen Critchfield scores the round 10-9 Sanchez
Brian Knapp scores the round 10-9 Sanchez
Chris Nelson scores the round 10-9 Sanchez

Round 3

Sanchez lands a left hand to the body and sprawls on a takedown attempt from Held, but the Polish fighter connects with a hard knee as the lightweights climb back to their feet. Held shoots again, gets sprawled on and stuffed underneath. Held tries and armbar, switches to an omoplata but loses it as Sanchez stands. Held pops him with an upkick, causing Sanchez to kneel on the ground again, now with 3:30 on the clock. Sanchez lands an elbow to the body as he’s warned for grabbing the fence by referee Mario Yamasaki. More elbows land for Sanchez, prompting Held to throw up another omoplata. Held switches to a toe hold, now another heel hook, but Sanchez never lets it get deep enough to be in real danger. Held keeps looking for submissions, angling for arms and a possible triangle, but Sanchez is too heavy on top and won’t allow anything to stick.

Sherdog Scores

Tristen Critchfield scores the round 10-9 Sanchez (29-28 Sanchez)
Brian Knapp scores the round 10-9 Sanchez (29-28 Sanchez)
Chris Nelson scores the round 10-9 Sanchez (29-28 Sanchez)

The Official Result

Diego Sanchez def. Marcin Held via Unanimous Decision (29-28, 29-28, 29-27) R3 5:00

Rafael dos Anjos vs. Tony Ferguson

Round 1

Referee Herb Dean is the third man in the cage for tonight’s lightweight main event, which is scheduled for five rounds. Ferguson takes the center of the cage and thuds an overhand right off dos Anjos’ high guard. Ferguson gets turned by a leg kick from dos Anjos, who follows with a hard left hand and grabs for a takedown. Ferguson fends off the single-leg attempt and puts a front kick in dos Anjos’ breadbasket. A left hand over the top snaps back Ferguson’s head. Ferguson scores with an uppercut, gets a left hand behind the ear in return as the 155ers hit the midway point of the round. Dos Anjos continues to land well-timed counter left hands when Ferguson throws leg kicks. Dos Anjos waits for the next leg kick and chops out Ferguson’s plant leg, knocking him to the floor in the center of the cage. Dos Anjos comes down on top of Ferguson, lands a punch or two but then bails when Ferguson threatens with his long guard. Dos Anjos snaps off a hard outside leg kick, takes one in return on the inside. Dos Anjos connects with a hard spinning back fist or elbow near the fence, though Ferguson closes out the round with a few solid jabs.

Sherdog Scores

Tristen Critchfield scores the round 10-9 dos Anjos
Brian Knapp scores the round 10-9 dos Anjos
Chris Nelson scores the round 10-9 dos Anjos

Round 2

Ferguson comes out strong, keeping his jab in dos Anjos’ face and marking up the ex-champ’s right eye in the opening minute of round two. Dos Anjos slows the roll of “El Cucuy” with a hard left hand of his own. Dos Anjos comes away from an exchange complaining of an eye poke; at first, referee Dean doesn’t stop the fight, but after a few seconds, the break comes. The cageside doctor clears dos Anjos to continue after only a few seconds of consultation. When action resumes, it’s dos Anjos shooting for a takedown, denied by Ferguson, who pushes the Brazilian back out toward the fence. Ferguson lands a leg kick and gets out of the way of dos Anjos’ counter right. Ferguson is staying busy here, pumping his jab in dos Anjos’ face while mixing in foot stomps and slashing elbows. Dos Anjos gets backed up to the fence but finds the mark with his right hand again, rocking Ferguson’s head. Ferguson eats another left, then puts “RDA” on rollerskates with a straight left just moments later. Dos Anjos regains his footing and tries to reclaim ground with his jab, but Ferguson continues to get the better of the exchanges down the stretch.

Sherdog Scores

Tristen Critchfield scores the round 10-9 Ferguson
Brian Knapp scores the round 10-9 Ferguson
Chris Nelson scores the round 10-9 Ferguson

Round 3

Ferguson sticks a long jab, goes to the body and then backs up dos Anjos with leg kicks on both sides. Dos Anjos continues to absorb leg kicks but evades two consecutive spinning elbows from Ferguson. Dos Anjos goes upstairs with a left high kick, prompting Ferguson to explode forward with a barrage of punches. A left straight from Ferguson rocks the head of dos Anjos this time as the fighters hit the midway point of the round and the fight. Dos Anjos is starting to find the mark with his punches and low kicks down the stretch here, making Ferguson pay for his constant forward motion with straight lefts and body kicks. Ferguson attacks with a combination, can’t get to dos Anjos’ covered head but puts a good left on the Brazilian’s body. Dos Anjos times Ferguson’s low kick again and zaps him with a fast left. A spinning back fist and another straight left close out a strong round for dos Anjos.

Sherdog Scores

Tristen Critchfield scores the round 10-9 Ferguson
Brian Knapp scores the round 10-9 dos Anjos
Chris Nelson scores the round 10-9 dos Anjos

Round 4

Ferguson absorbs a few left hands before he catches dos Anjos in the pocket and pulls down the Brazilian’s head to deliver a high knee. Ferguson somersaults toward “RDA” and grabs for his legs; dos Anjos clears his legs and then looks to keep Ferguson on the floor, but “El Cucuy” scrambles back to his feet. Ferguson whiffs on a pair of right hands as dos Anjos backs up to the fence; once they hit the wall, Ferguson catches up and digs a hard punch to the body. Ferguson stuffs a double-leg attempt and continues his forward march, hitting dos Anjos with jabs and body blows near the fence. Dos Anjos is marked up, bleeding from his nose and the corner of his right eye; the former champion seems to be fading from the fight with each passing minute.

Sherdog Scores

Tristen Critchfield scores the round 10-9 Ferguson
Brian Knapp scores the round 10-9 Ferguson
Chris Nelson scores the round 10-9 Ferguson

Round 5

Ferguson walks into a hard left hand and a leg kick from dos Anjos, but the strikes don’t seem to faze “El Cucuy,” who continues to march forward, pumping his jab. Dos Anjos connects with another solid left, but again Ferguson keeps coming, this time punishing the Brazilian with body blows. Ferguson is taunting his opponent a bit now, pointing at his elbow, his hand, dancing in front of dos Anjos to try and distract him before throwing a strike. Dos Anjos is leaking a steady stream of blood from his right eye as Ferguson knocks him around with another body-head combo. Dos Anjos is still trying to mount offense in the final minute, but it’s all over now, Ferguson just mocking him in the closing seconds of the fight.

Sherdog Scores

Tristen Critchfield scores the round 10-9 Ferguson (49-46 Ferguson)
Brian Knapp scores the round 10-9 Ferguson (48-47 Ferguson)
Chris Nelson scores the round 10-9 Ferguson (48-47 Ferguson)

The Official Result

Tony Ferguson def. Rafael dos Anjos via Unanimous Decision (48-47, 48-47, 48-47) R5 5:00