UFC on ESPN 23 ‘Reyes vs. Prochazka’ Play-by-Play, Results & Round Scoring

Luke Sanders (145.5) vs. Felipe Dias Colares (145.5)

Round 1

After a massive pay-per-view card, the UFC has elected to trot out an 11-fight offering on ESPN with several bouts of varying intrigue. We begin the night in the featherweight division, between two men in Sanders (13-4, 3-4 UFC) and Colares (9-2, 1-2 UFC) that are looking to even their UFC records to .500. Referee Chris Tognoni will handle the opening proceedings, and a glove touch between the two begins the festivities. Colares draws first blood, figuratively, with a nasty kick to the body. Sanders does not like this and tries to catch it, which allows Colares to sneak in a right hand after. Sanders lets go of the leg, and Colares retreats to spin with a wheel kick. Sanders ducks it, and the two trade heavy body kicks. “Cool Hand Luke” crashes in with hot hands, tagging Colares and hurting him badly. Sanders pounds on his foe to try to coerce the stoppage, but the Brazilian survives and gets back to his feet. Sanders chases after him, smashes him in the chest with a knee and tosses him down to the ground. Sanders postures up when he climbs on top to nail Colares in the chin with an elbow, and as he looks to get off ground-and-pound, “Cabocao” ties him up and scoots his way to the cage wall. Sanders sucks his legs out and fights off the scramble, but Colares manages to get back up to his feet. The two try to get off clinch strikes, and Sanders is the one who scores effectively. Sanders steps in with a blistering elbow that clatters off Colares’ head, and he follows the damaging blow with strike after unanswered strike. Colares gathers himself and changes levels for a takedown attempt, and while it may not be successful, it allows him to get his head back on straight. Sanders tries to impose his will in the clinch, only to separate and try to throw bombs. Colares counters him with a pair of crisp right hands, backing Sanders off now. The two start brawling wildly, each trading furious leather and tagging the other. Colares sits down on a huge right hand that stings Sanders, and the American stumbles back to the cage wall. Colares lets him circle away so he can drill him to the body a few times with kicks, and Sanders decides to respond in kind. Sanders steps forward with a left hand into a body lock, tying his man up to the first bell and wrapping up a wild round.

Sherdog Scores

Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-9 Sanders
Tyler Treese scores the round: 10-9 Sanders
Tristen Critchfield scores the round: 10-9 Sanders

Round 2

A glove touch is offered by Colares but not accepted, so the Brazilian kicks Sanders in the chest instead. Colares keeps his distance with long kicks as Sanders tries to aim single strikes at him, which allows Colares to reach with a long right hand that splits the guard. Sanders slams his shin on Colares’ midsection, and Colares crashes forward only to wind up in a brief slugfest. Sanders aims to clinch up, circling around and briefly taking the back, but surrendering it when Colares gets position back and knees Sanders flush to the chest. The two trade strikes, and Colares cracks Sanders with a right hand. The two walk through one another’s big punches, and Sanders clips Colares with a left hand and an uppercut in the midst of a lengthy combination. Sanders uses his forward momentum to hit a body lock takedown, but he cannot keep him down for long. Sanders tries to hit a mat return, and he groans as he tosses “Cabocao” down. The Brazilian climbs back to his feet and slugs it out with Sanders again, until Sanders attempts and lands another takedown. Colares will not stay grounded for long, as he springs back up without effort or taking any damage. When they clinch again, Colares looks to target a few elbows up top, and he abandons it to target the body from afar. Sanders’ strikes are coming wider and sloppier, while Colares is more accurate and straighter. This allows Colares to land effectively, and he punctuates a solid combination by pushing forward and lifting Sanders off the ground. Channeling his inner Matt Hughes, Colares carries Sanders across the cage to his own corner, where he slams Sanders down to the ground emphatically. Sanders appears shocked, which allows Colares to circle around and take his back. The Brazilian fishes for a rear-naked choke, only to bail on it when he flattens Sanders out. “Cabocao” looks to Tognoni for a stoppage as he wails on Sanders with wild strikes, but the finish does not come. Sanders defends himself enough to survive to the end of the round, and Colares looks flabbergasted that the fight has reached Round 3.

Sherdog Scores

Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-9 Colares
Tyler Treese scores the round: 10-9 Colares
Tristen Critchfield scores the round: 10-9 Colares

Round 3

Colares once more offers a glove touch to clock in the round, and a fatigued Sanders reluctantly accepts it. Colares appears the fresher man, and he kicks Sanders to the body a few times. Sanders swings with looping shots that glance off his intended target, and Colares rolls through them and is ready to bang. Sanders backs away to kickboxing range, where the two kick each other in the breadbasket. Sanders tries and fails to take the fight down, so he elects throw spinning stuff instead. Colares looks at him quizzically as if he were a Diaz brother at the spinning strike, and he uses the opportunity to try to take the fight down himself. Sanders sprawls to defend it, lands a few strikes when he pushes him away, and stuffs one more takedown. The two trade single strikes, and a body kick from Colares makes Sanders double over briefly. “Cabocao” sneaks up a head kick that catches Sanders on the chin, but it does not have enough behind it to do any serious damage. The two featherweights are totally exhausted, hands by their waists throwing strikes. Sanders catches Colares coming in with a spinning back elbow, and Colares walks through it and starts pointing in various directions to throw Sanders off. Sanders gets off a push kick to the body that goes a little low, and Colares grimaces and returns fire with one that is much harder. Colares steps in with a knee, and Sanders marches through it to trip Colares down for a moment. Colares is able to find his balance, kick Sanders in the chest, and hop away as Sanders tries to catch it. When Sanders aims for a takedown, Colares reverses him and puts Sanders on his back. Sanders rolls to his knees, only to surrender his back, and Colares goes right after a rear-naked choke. Sanders does not rest for long, bursting to his feet and unloading a few final strikes. The two throw at one another right to the final bell, concluding a fun and razor-close fight.

Sherdog Scores

Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-9 Colares (29-28 Colares)
Tyler Treese scores the round: 10-9 Sanders (29-28 Sanders)
Tristen Critchfield scores the round: 10-9 Colares (29-28 Colares)

The Official Result

Felipe Dias Colares def. Luke Sanders via Unanimous Decision (29-28, 29-28, 29-28)

Andreas Michailidis (185.5) vs. K.B. Bhullar (186)

Round 1

Moving on to the middleweight division, two fighters will try to right the ship after both Michailidis (12-4, 0-1 UFC) and Bhullar (8-1, 0-1 UFC) dropped their promotional debuts last year by first-round knockout. The third man inside the cage is referee Mark Smith, and there is a respectful touch of gloves between them. Michailidis takes the center of the cage and lands a leg kick, and the two are very tentative at approaching one another. The Greek fighter is trying to eclipse the reach advantage of his opponent, reaching out with kicks and blocking the ones that come back at him. Michailidis reaches out with a body kick that makes Bhullar take a funny step back, and Michailidis swarms him with a few looping shots. “The Bengal” rolls with them and circles away, but he circles right into the power head kick from Michailidis. “The Spartan” marches him down and starts throwing bombs, bullying his man against the fence and doing some damage. Bhullar latches on to him to slow him down, as he has not offered much in the way of offense other than a thudding knee to the body in the clinch. Michailidis pushes off and swats down a body kick, and Bhullar chips at him with a low kick. Michailidis’ responsive leg kick is much heavier, but Bhullar is content to poke at him with strikes. Bhullar’s heavier strikes are largely blocked, and Michailidis’ pace has dwindled significantly. Just then, Michailidis nails Bhullar on the chin with a head kick, and rushes in to throw looping shots. Bhullar keeps his composure and blocks the majority of them, but Michailidis drags him down to the ground and starts working him with strikes. Bhullar tries to get to his knees, only for Michailidis to take his back and get a hook in. Michailidis leans back in back control to hop over to mount, and he uses a choke setup to take dominant position. Bhullar twists and turns, allowing “The Spartan” to hold on to his back again. Michailidis cannot get a choke, and the horn sounds.

Sherdog Scores

Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-9 Michailidis
Lev Pisarsky scores the round: 10-9 Michailidis
Tristen Critchfield scores the round: 10-9 Michailidis

Round 2

Bhullar sticks his man with a reaching strike at the beginning of the round, only for Michailidis to clock him with an overhand left. Michailidis charges in like a bull throwing winging shots, and Bhullar backs off and kicks the Greek fighter square in the cup. Smith allows Michailidis to take all the time he needs to recover, which happens to be one minute. “The Spartan” opens up with a kick that should be accompanied by a “This is Sparta” shout, planting the ball of his foot flush on the solar plexus. Bhullar stumbles back and gathers himself, where he jabs with his leg kicks. Michailidis tries to go for a home run, throwing a monster right hand that Bhullar dodges. Michailidis attempts this bomb again, only to once more fall short of the target, as Bhullar sees these moon shots coming now. Michailidis has one such punch ducked, and Bhullar backs off and slaps him in the face with his foot. Michailidis steps in with a spinning back kick that hits nothing but air, and Bhullar tries to counter him with a flying knee, only for that too to miss. Michailidis sits down on a pair of punches, knocking Bhullar’s head back but not hurting him badly. Bhullar’s nose is busted up, but he is not fazed as he paws out with kicks. Bhullar begins to chew up Michailidis’ knee and inside thigh with kicks again and again, and they are not especially damaging but they keep Michailidis at bay. Bhullar misses by a wide margin when he attempts a spinning wheel kick, and Michailidis bears down on him with power punches. Michailidis delivers a kick to the body and a looping left hand, and Bhullar is just able to dodge it in time. “The Bengal” sneaks out of harm’s way and circles away right into a spinning wheel kick, but he blocks it in time and responds with an axe kick that blows Michailidis’ hair back. Michailidis crashes in to the clinch while throwing strikes, only for the horn to sound before he can get any off of note.

Sherdog Scores

Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-9 Michailidis
Lev Pisarsky scores the round: 10-9 Michailidis
Tristen Critchfield scores the round: 10-9 Michailidis

Round 3

Bhullar leans back to begin the round and lands several leg kicks, all while avoiding or disrupting any looping shot coming his way. When Michailidis returns with his own low kick, it is much more powerful. He walks through and throws wildly, with a trio of punches that bounce off the guard but still make Bhullar retreat. Bhullar lands an inside kick to the knee that makes Michailidis react, and the Greek fighter charges in recklessly with a spinning back elbow and a short salvo of punches. Bhullar rolls with the punches and keeps attacking the leg like his teammate Tanner Boser. Bhullar goes low and then tries to sneak up a question mark kick, but Michailidis sees it coming and weaves back. “The Bengal” keeps working the leg, and he is light on his feet and ready to dodge the telegraphed power shots that soar his direction every so often. Bhullar blocks a pair of big punches, only to get kicked in the torso as he backs away. Another axe kick misses the mark from the Canadian, whose flashy strikes are largely inaccurate across the board. Michailidis ignores a few more leg kicks to load up on right hands, and Bhullar dances on the outside while kicking again and again. Michailidis has an uppercut that nearly splits the guard, and when they are kicking at the same time, Bhullar nails him in the cup again. Michailidis needs just 30 seconds to walk it off, and Bhullar swings and misses with another axe kick. Bhullar has reddened up his foe’s leg repeatedly, only to duck an overhand right that he sees coming a mile away. One more axe kick from Bhullar is well away from his intended target, and Michailidis spins with a strike at him. Michailidis tries to end the round in style with big punches, but Bhullar is elusive and defensive enough to avoid the brunt of them. This carries on right to the final buzzer.

Sherdog Scores

Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-9 Bhullar (29-28 Michailidis)
Lev Pisarsky scores the round: 10-9 Michailidis (30-27 Michailidis)
Tristen Critchfield scores the round: 10-9 Michailidis (30-27 Michailidis)

The Official Result

Andreas Michailidis def. K.B. Bhullar via Unanimous Decision (30-27, 30-27, 29-28)

Konklak Suphisara (116) vs. Sam Hughes (115.5)

Round 1

Next up at the strawweight division, the woman known as “Loma Lookboonmee” Suphisara (5-2, 2-1 UFC) will try to match her career long win streak at the expense of Hughes (5-2, 0-1 UFC). Referee Jason Herzog will be on top of what could be furious action between these 115-pounders, and they are ready to fight as Suphisara fires off an early kick with no interest in touching gloves. Suphisara flings up a head kick that gets blocked, and she varies up her attack by kicking the legs and body shortly after. “Loma Lookboonmee” rushes in with a few punches and body kicks, and Hughes can do nothing but play defense. Hughes charges in with a double leg takedown, only for her to be rebuffed and pushed down to the ground momentarily. The Thai dumps her to the ground, where she resides in side control hammering down elbows. Hughes looks to kick off the cage to reverse the position, and Suphisara stops her and continues to mount offense. When Hughes gets her guard back, Suphisara climbs to her feet and backs off. Suphisara fires off a quick leg kick as Hughes rushes in for another takedown, and she fails on this attempt. “Sampage” gets off some “old school” foot stomps as she clings tight to a body kick, but this allows Suphisara to lift her legs up and knee her in the side. Suphisara quickly spins her around and throws her down, where she climbs on top to work elbows from above. As Hughes recovers guard once more, Suphisara bails on it to let her up. “Loma Lookboonmee” lands a body kick and one to the shoulder before Hughes can react, and the two throw hands as Hughes lands a few of her own to keep Suphisara honest. Hughes whiffs on a leg kick, and the Thai is quick to respond as Hughes is drawing her leg back. Hughes presses forward to clinch, and she aims for a body lock, and Suphisara hits one more takedown to end the round.

Sherdog Scores

Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-9 Suphisara
Lev Pisarsky scores the round: 10-9 Suphisara
Tristen Critchfield scores the round: 10-9 Suphisara

Round 2

“Sampage” rushes out of her corner to begin the second round, and she swings wildly until they clinch up. The Thai throws her down, and when Hughes scrambles back to her feet, Suphisara does it again. Hughes recovers from this mat return well to circle around and try to take Suphisara’s back, and Suphisara elbows Hughes in the head in a show of appreciation. Hughes transitions into a single, and Suphisara stands back up and spins away when Hughes tries to take her back. “Loma Lookboonmee” digs to the body with her toes a few times, and Hughes counters with a heavy overhand right. The two trade single jabs, and Suphisara backs off to pierce the midsection with her toes again. Suphisara nearly lands a superman punch, only for Hughes to grab her and clinch her up. The American squeezes her foe into the fence, and Suphisara works her body with knees all the while. A single leg takedown attempt from Hughes leads to a few more sharp knees from the Thai, who is largely controlling the clinch in these exchanges. Suphisara nearly dumps Hughes to the ground, and when Hughes gains her balance, Suphisara plants a knee right on the jaw. Hughes shakes it off and attempts a low takedown attempt, but she is rebuffed by the Thai. Hughes grinds her foe to the cage, dropping down for a double, and she transitions it back and forth from double to single. Suphisara elbows her in the side of the head while defending, and Hughes lifts her opponent’s leg up but cannot get anything out of it. Suphisara scores a knee, a front kick, and a body kick as Hughes backs off. Suphisara lets a high kick go that rings Hughes’ bell, and she lands a trip takedown to put Hughes on her back to ride out the round.

Sherdog Scores

Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-9 Suphisara
Lev Pisarsky scores the round: 10-9 Suphisara
Tristen Critchfield scores the round: 10-9 Suphisara

Round 3

Hughes takes the center of the cage to start of the final frame, and she gets kicked in the chest instead of getting her own offense off. Hughes comes up short with her own front kick, but the Thai’s range allows her to score another. Hughes whiffs with a one-two and a kick, and the feints and fakes from “Loma Lookboonmee” are throwing her off. Hughes chases after the Thai, and she reaches out with a few punches that get blocked. Suphisara has a right hand glance off the shoulder, and she presses into a clinch where Suphisara knees her foe a few times. Hughes aims to take the fight down in this clinch position, and Suphisara almost hits the reversal she has landed several times earlier this fight. Hughes is wise to the trip now, and she instead mashes Suphisara into the wire. Suphisara knees her on the side repeatedly as Hughes stomps the toes, and Hughes backs away but is out of range with a left hand on the break. Both women scores at the same time, and Suphisara eats a left hand and stares at her with her hands at her waist. The two exchange with heavy shots until Hughes ties her up, where the grind is once more embraced and the toes once more stomped. “Loma Lookboonmee” uses effective knees to the body in this position while staying upright, until Hughes frames off and tries to land a shot. They both score big right hands, and Suphisara shakes her head and follows up with another strike. Hughes jumps forward with a superman punch, and she just misses a big left hand. Suphisara sticks out a jab and slaps a heavy leg kick, and Hughes ducks forward to attack with another superman punch. This strike is one to close the distance, as she ties up the Thai in the clinch. There is a brief separation, but Hughes wants to stay glued to her foe until the final horn.

Sherdog Scores

Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-9 Suphisara (30-27 Suphisara)
Lev Pisarsky scores the round: 10-9 Suphisara (30-27 Suphisara)
Tristen Critchfield scores the round: 10-9 Hughes (29-28 Suphisara)

The Official Result

Konklak Suphisara def. Sam Hughes via Unanimous Decision (29-28, 29-28, 29-28)

Poliana Botelho (125.5) vs. Luana Carolina (128.5: Missed Weight)

Round 1

Shifting gears to the lone catchweight contest of the evening, it’s an all-Brazil battle for supremacy as Botelho (8-3, 3-2 UFC) squares off with “Dread” Carolina (6-2, 1-1 UFC). The referee taking charge of the cage for this 128.5-pound catchweight – Carolina missed weight by a wide margin – will be Herb Dean, who notices that they decide not to touch gloves. Botelho instead wants to attack, where she begins with a body kick. “Dread” replies with a head kick, and both strikes come up missing the mark. Botelho reaches out with a few swiping left hands, and she scores a slapping leg kick on the outside. Botelho lands a looping right hand, and she takes a leg kick on the way out. Botelho targets the body with a kick and a punch, and Carolina is lifting her leg up preemptively to defend herself. Botelho fires off a few more kicks as “Dread” backs away, but Carolina responds with her own kick to keep Botelho guessing. Botelho gets off a front kick to the midsection, and she backpedals quickly enough to avoid a one-two. Botelho sits down on a right hand that surprises Carolina, and she swings wildly with a right hand that misses the body. Carolina flinches when Botelho fakes her way in, allowing Botelho to crash forward with a heavy combination. After her strikes land, she grabs a body lock and puts Carolina on her back. Botelho bumps her with a few shoulder strikes before loosing her posture to land right hands to the body. Carolina looks to lock her down, which allows Botelho to elbow her in the thigh repeatedly. Botelho crushes her shoulder on Carolina’s chin as she looks to take full mount, and she climbs into the mount with relative ease. Carolina holds on tight with all she has, but this allows Botelho to scurry around and isolate an arm. She cannot get the submission she seeks, and instead lands a few hammerfists right before the bell sounds.

Sherdog Scores

Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-9 Botelho
Lev Pisarsky scores the round: 10-9 Botelho
Tristen Critchfield scores the round: 10-9 Botelho

Round 2

Botelho stings Carolina with a right hand right out of the gate, and Carolina crashes in to throw back at her. This results in a clinch, where Botelho muscles her around and hunts for a body lock trip takedown. There is no takedown from it, so Botelho gets off several elbows on the inside. Carolina turns her around, and the two alternate with knees to the body. When “Dread” gains a brief advantage, Botelho turns her around and continues working her knees. Botelho tries to drag Carolina down, but Carolina counters and puts Botelho to her knees. Carolina positions herself to tie up the neck, as she considers an anaconda choke and even sets up a Peruvian necktie as Botelho is stuck in a precarious position. Botelho powers her way to her feet, and the clinch against the cage resumes with short knees from both women. They continue to jockey for position and throw short knees, turning the other around. One such spin shows that Carolina has a cut around her right eye, and blood is starting to flow from it. Carolina winds up to land a strike on the break, but Botelho evades it in time. Carolina fires off a head kick that gets blocked, and Botelho grabs her and presses her foe into the cage. This position concludes the round.

Sherdog Scores

Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-9 Carolina
Lev Pisarsky scores the round: 10-9 Carolina
Tristen Critchfield scores the round: 10-9 Carolina

Round 3

Both women meet in the middle of the cage for the last round, and Botelho comes out aggressively but it is Carolina that throws strikes. Botelho wings a big right hand that clatters off the head, and Carolina ducks and weaves but largely absorbs the strike. Carolina reaches out with a few kicks, and one such kick gets countered with an overhand right. Carolina is just able duck out of the way, but Botelho catches her with an overhand right as Carolina resets. The two trade single kicks at one another, and two looping punches from Botelho catch Carolina unaware. The two both try to take the other down at the same time, and Carolina gains the upper hand and is able to push Botelho to her back. Botelho ties her down and closes her guard, disallowing Carolina from throwing anything. Botelho opens her guard to fish for a submission off her back, but there is nothing there, so she closes it up again. Carolina grinds her elbow on the jaw of her opponent, and Dean asks them to start working. Carolina backs away to try to advance her position, and Botelho latches on to a two-on-one wrist control to sweep. Carolina notices this, lets Botelho get to her knees, and circles around to take Botelho’s back. Botelho bucks her off and nearly gains separation, but “Dread” calmly maintains this position and gets her hooks in. Botelho simply stands up from here, where she tries to shimmy Carolina off of her. Carolina holds on tight, and Botelho falls back to the ground where she is partially controlled from behind. Carolina sets up the body lock and she starts hunting for a submission, but there is nothing to it as Botelho leans against the cage wall. “Dread” starts landing punches, and Botelho throws back at her without looking. Carolina latches on with an unorthodox choke attempt, but there is nothing to it as Botelho survives to the end of the fight.

Sherdog Scores

Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-9 Carolina (29-28 Carolina)
Lev Pisarsky scores the round: 10-9 Carolina (29-28 Carolina)
Tristen Critchfield scores the round: 10-9 Carolina (29-28 Carolina)

The Official Result

Luana Carolina def. Poliana Botelho via Split Decision (29-28, 28-29, 29-28)

Kai Kamaka III (146) vs. T.J. Brown (145.5)

Round 1

Featherweights throw down next as Hawaii’s Kamaka (8-3, 1-1 UFC) comes to blows with Arkansas native Brown (14-8, 0-2 UFC). It’s a battle between one man in Kamaka who only holds one finish against a man in Brown who only holds one win by decision, and referee Jason Herzog will be looking on. There is a glove touch, and Brown starts off with several jabs. Kamaka responds with a leg kick, but Brown does not pay an attention to it as he keeps jabbing. The Hawaiian loads up on a big right hand, and he stings his man with several leg kicks. Brown continues jabbing and kicking back at him, with a front kick and a left hand that split the guard. Kamaka ducks down and rushes to attack, and the two throw leather and both partially land. Neither is worse for wear, and Kamaka gets back into his groove of low leg kicks. Brown paws out with his jabs and follows one with a right hand, circling around and stepping into a body kick that is barely blocked in time. Kamaka counters a right hand with a head kick, and there are multiple narrow misses that could have put the other in danger. Brown lands a one-two and slips a punch to land another, with his left hand sneaking through the guard. A head kick from Brown makes him fall to his back off-balance, as Kamaka pushes him over. Brown allows him to climb down into his guard so that he can attack a leg, and the Hawaiian scrambles but lets Brown back up. The two trade big shots, with Brown landing a right hand and getting countered. Brown gets back to his jab and gets tagged with a left hand, and the pace has waned compared to the beginning of the round. Kamaka invests in his leg kick, and he ducks down and gets nailed to the liver with a left hand. The Hawaiian leaps in the air with a knee, and both throw hands to end the round.

Sherdog Scores

Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-9 Kamaka
Lev Pisarsky scores the round: 10-9 Kamaka
Tristen Critchfield scores the round: 10-9 Kamaka

Round 2

Kamaka begins the round with a leg kick that immediately draws a reaction out of his man, and Brown replies with a bouquet of jabs. Kamaka ducks down and fires off a head kick that clatters off the chin, and Brown eats it like a sandwich and throws right back. Kamaka throws another big kick, and this time it is blocked and he falls to the ground. Brown aims to time a right hand, and Kamaka weathers the strike. Brown smashes him in the chin with a right hand, wobbling the Hawaiian’s legs. “Downtown” scores one more right hand from downtown and Kamaka is hurt. Kamaka rolls through and gets tagged a few more times, but he survives to gather his thoughts. As “The Fighting Hawaiian” resumes the melee, he cracks Brown with a short right hand at close range, hurting Brown and sending him down to the ground! In the span of about 30 seconds, both men have been hurt badly, and Kamaka crashes in for a takedown as his coaches cry for him to instead keep swinging. Kamaka from on top lands some ground-and-pound that opens up a cut on Brown’s face, and Brown defends with a two-on-one wrist lock to sweep. Brown wrenches the kimura all the way around the back, and the only thing keeping Kamaka from tapping or landing on his back is the cage at his side. The Hawaiian grits it out and frees his arm, and the two stand back up to start swinging again. It is one after the other, with Kamaka landing, Brown responding, and Kamaka answering back. Kamaka blocks a head kick to rush in with a combination, and he rips the body with a left hand after ducking a right hand. The two both target the body with strikes, and Brown lands a kick as he circles around the outside. Brown sticks and moves, landing a few punches and backing away. “Downtown” goes down for a takedown, and he plants the Hawaiian on his backside. Kamaka defends with a guillotine choke on the way down, but he does not have anything as Brown rides out the remainder of the round on top.

Sherdog Scores

Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-9 Kamaka
Lev Pisarsky scores the round: 10-9 Kamaka
Tristen Critchfield scores the round: 10-9 Kamaka

Round 3

The two meet in the middle to begin the last round, and Brown leads off with a leg kick and one to the body. Kamaka goes up top, landing a right hand that snaps the head back and stunning Brown. Brown wears it well, and he shoots in for takedown only to get reversed. Kamaka climbs into his foe’s guard, and he fights off a potential submission setup without issue. The Hawaiian tries to maintain his position as Brown scoots his way to the fence, and Kamaka is unable to get off much offense as Brown is staying busy on his back. Brown scrambles and ties up the arm in an omoplata, but Kamaka wrests it free. In the process, “Downtown” manages to get up, and he starts working the body and head with quick strikes. Brown ducks the counters, chaining strikes from the body to the head. The Hawaiian crashes forward, and he may have gotten away with a headbutt as Brown tumbles to the ground. “The Fighting Hawaiian” continues in his pursuit for a takedown, and he attempts to secure mount but cannot take it for long. Brown grabs the fence multiple times to try to get up, forcing Herzog to slap his hand away. Brown redoubles his effort to stand up, and he nails Kamaka with a fierce elbow and a few body shots. Kamaka is right there to fire back at him, and the two begin to brawl. Kamaka looses a body kick, and a right hand knocks him off his feet – this may not necessarily be a knockdown, but rather a strike that pushed him over. Brown hunts for a leglock as he attacks from the ground, and he abandons it to go after a kimura sweep. Kamaka toughs it out and ends this exciting fight in top position.

Sherdog Scores

Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-9 Kamaka (30-27 Kamaka)
Lev Pisarsky scores the round: 10-9 Brown (29-28 Kamaka)
Tristen Critchfield scores the round: 10-9 Kamaka (30-27 Kamaka)

The Official Result

T.J. Brown def. Kai Kamaka III via Split Decision (27-30, 29-28, 29-28)

Randa Markos (115) vs. Luana Pinheiro (115.5)

Round 1

It’s grappler versus grappler in this strawweight contest that headlines the prelims, as one of the promotion’s most experienced female fighters in Markos (10-10-1, 6-9-1 UFC) takes on a UFC newcomer in Pinheiro (8-1, 0-0 UFC). Keeping tabs on this 115-pound affair is referee Mark Smith, who watches on as the two touch gloves. Pinheiro is the aggressor early in this clear red vs. blue fight, with Markos’ hair matching her red fight kit. Markos crashes in with a few punches that surprises her Brazilian foe, and Pinheiro is surprised but manages to grab Markos and throw her to the ground. Markos climbs to her feet thanks to a fence grab, and the two clinch up with Markos landing a knee up the middle. Pinheiro rolls through and takes Markos down, and when Markos gets back up, Pinheiro slams her right back down with a judo throw. The Canadian is not concerned, as she hops back to her feet. Pinheiro comes out swinging, is warned for an eye poke, and lands a kick that makes Markos stumble. As Markos tries to stand again, Pinheiro blitzes her with a stream of punches. Markos shakes it off, circles away, and gets poked in the eye. “Quiet Storm” is pained, and Smith calls in the doctor to check her out. There appears to be a cut on the eyelid as well, and she is concerned that she cannot see well. Markos asks for more time to clear her vision, and Smith asks if she can see. The blood has started to seep into her eye, and she wipes it away. Two minutes elapse, and Markos is ready to continue. The Canadian is enraged, and she comes out throwing caution to the wind and hurts Pinheiro. The Brazilian counters with a few shots that sting Markos, and she gets away with outstretching her fingers and nearly pokes Markos again. The aggression of Markos leads her to fall over her opponent, and there is no grappling exchange as they both get back to their feet. Markos loads up on several strikes, and it is Pinheiro who ties her up in the clinch to slow her down. They break, and Markos crashes forward back into the clinch by landing a right hand. When Markos looks for a takedown, Pinheiro reverses her and throws her down. Markos kicks off with upkicks to the chest, and when Pinheiro is on her knees, she takes two heavy upkicks flush on the chin. Pinheiro falls to her back lifelessly and she might have been knocked out, or at the very least, hurt extremely badly. Smith calls time and quickly brings in the doctor, and Pinheiro’s eyes are wide and staring at no one as she asks anyone around her if she lost. Smith recognizes that Pinheiro is no shape to keep fighting, and he calls the fight off. The strikes were illegal blows as both of Pinheiro's knees were down, and the question is whether Smith will rule that this is a no contest or a disqualification. Markos is crestfallen about this result, upset not just because the fight is over and she may have lost, but because she might have injured her opponent.

The Official Result

Luana Pinheiro def. Randa Markos R1 4:16 via Disqualification (Illegal Upkick)

Merab Dvalishvili (135.5) vs. Cody Stamann (135.5)

Round 1

The main card kicks off with an all-wrestling affair months in the making as Dvalishvili (12-4, 5-2 UFC) finally gets to put hands on Stamann (19-3-1, 5-2-1 UFC). This bantamweight bout between two men with finish rates well below 50 percent will draw officiating from referee Chris Tognoni, and there is no love lost but there is a glove touch to begin. Stamann reached out with a few punches, and he blocks a quick superman punch that comes at him. Stamann quickly flips his foot up and kicks the Georgian in the face, but Dvalishvili is not concerned as he circles out and plants his foot on Stamann’s chest. Dvalishvili sits down on a pair of punches, and an uppercut stings Stamann. The American returns fire with a barrage of punches and a body kick, and the latter gets caught by Dvalishvili. The Georgian takes the fight down, and Stamann scoots to the fence and stands up without even needing to get to his knees. Dvalishvili holds on from behind, and he scores a left hand on the sudden break while avoiding the counter. Stamann ducks down into an uppercut, which breaks up a takedown attempt of his. Stamann charges ahead with an overhand right, and he chains this into a double and then a single. Dvalishvili blocks every bit of it to land a right hand, and Stamann is ready to return fire. Dvalishvili chops at the leg, breaking up the forward motion of Stamann. The American kicks slowly, and his leg is caught and he gets taken down. Stamann springs back up this time in the center of the cage, and he has his hands by his waist standing with his chin up in front of his foe. Dvalishvili fires off a one-two, and when he stumbles, Stamann grabs him and knees him in the face. Stamann surprises Dvalishvili with a jab, and he tries to crash forward with follow-up strikes but they are not effective. Instead, Dvalishvili gets off a one-two, and a subsequent overhand right from Dvalishvili lands flush on the chin. The Georgian goes to the well with this strike again, and once more it lands flush. Stamann wears them well and plods forward, although Dvalishvili remains on his bike with strikes from afar. Stamann clocks him with a right hand, and Dvalishvili grins at him and shoots for a takedown. Stamann grabs his neck as he defends the position, and the round ends with both on their knees.

Sherdog Scores

Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-9 Dvalishvili
Lev Pisarsky scores the round: 10-9 Dvalishvili
Tristen Critchfield scores the round: 10-9 Dvalishvili

Round 2

The wrestlers touch gloves to begin the round, and Stamann marches forward and gets off a high kick to the chest. Stamann punches his way into a takedown attempt, and he manages to turn the tables and take the Georgian down. Dvalishvili defends while on his back with several punches to the body, and a few strikes including an elbow land precariously close to the spine, drawing a warning. “The Machine” powers his way back up, where Stamann thanks him for this by landing several crisp jabs. Dvalishvili blitzes him with an unusual takedown approach, grabbing Stamann’s head and snapping him down. Stamann on his knees fights his way up by slugging it out, and Dvalishvili lands right back when Stamann gets up. Stamann pressures him, blocks a kick and pushes Dvalishvili into the wall. The Georgian spins around and attempts a takedown. When Stamann defends it, Dvalishvili pulls guard for a guillotine choke and it is surprisingly tight. The American stays composed, pops his head out, and lands some ground-and-pound. Dvalishvili explodes out of the bad position to get back up, and the two trade single punches. Stamann goads Dvalishvili into striking with him, and Dvalishvili obliges with a leg kick and a swarm of punches. Dvalishvili turns a one-two into a takedown attempt, and Stamann sees it coming and stops it. This same approach happens again, and once more, Stamann is wise to it. Dvalishvili decides to stop bothering with fancy setups, ducks down, grabs a double, elevates Stamann and slams him to the ground. Dvalishvili lands in side control, but the American does not stay grounded for more than a few seconds before blasting out of the position. Stamann wings a few right hands that clip Dvalishvili, and the Georgian grins and targets the body with a few punches. Dvalishvili ties him up and hits a throw, but Stamann rolls his knees and ignores a guillotine choke setup in the process. Dvalishvili gets reversed and put on his back, and Stamann maintains a tight grip until the round ends.

Sherdog Scores

Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-9 Dvalishvili
Lev Pisarsky scores the round: 10-9 Dvalishvili
Tristen Critchfield scores the round: 10-9 Dvalishvili

Round 3

The bantamweights touch gloves to clock in the last round, and Stamann is aggressive but gets kicked in the chest on the way forward. Dvalishvili wings a big right hand, and he ducks forward to land a few more. Stamann abandons a spinning strike halfway through, and Dvalishvili gets off a few right hands to keep him honest. Stamann hits nothing but air as he attacks wildly, and Dvalishvili is more composed and ducks out of the way. Stamann eats a few jabs and lands one back, and then comes up short with a spinning wheel kick as the Georgian is well out of the way in time. A big one-two lands square on the chin for “The Machine,” and he is feeling himself as he transitions into a single. Stamann darts out of the way and breaks the grip, and he leaps in the air with a counter flying knee to time a Dvalishvili takedown attempt. Dvalishvili laughs at him as he takes it on the chin, and he loads up on two punches that almost make him fall over. Stamann takes a three-piece on the chin, and he walks through them to try to engage. Dvalishvili lands a kick and hops away, and he sees a few punches and a knee coming and can avoid them. Stamann nearly falls forward while throwing strikes, and Dvalishvili times his reckless forward momentum to take him down. “The Spartan” savvily catches Dvalishvili unaware, where he reverses the position and winds up on top in guard. Stamann sits up and starts working the body and the head with punches, and Dvalishvili is throwing too from his back. Dvalishvili slaps Stamann in the side of the head a few times, and he is meeting Stamann’s strikes with his own all the while. When Stamann backs off, Dvalishvili threatens with a leglock, and the American powers through. A wild scramble ensues, and Stamann tries to take mount but cannot find his position. Instead, they both get to their feet with seconds to spare, and they swing it out right to the end.

Sherdog Scores

Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-9 Dvalishvili (30-27 Dvalishvili)
Lev Pisarsky scores the round: 10-9 Dvalishvili (30-27 Dvalishvili)
Tristen Critchfield scores the round: 10-9 Dvalishvili (30-27 Dvalishvili)

The Official Result

Merab Dvalishvili def. Cody Stamann via Unanimous Decision (30-27, 29-28, 29-28)

Sean Strickland (185.5) vs. Krzysztof Jotko (185.5)

Round 1

Shifting now to the middleweight category, both Strickland (22-3, 9-3 UFC) and Jotko (22-4, 9-4 UFC) are on quiet but impressive three-fight win streaks leading up to their pairing. The Octagon ranger for this 185-pound tilt is referee Herb Dean, and there is nothing but respect between these two that both look to move up the rankings as they touch gloves before coming out swinging. Jotko begins the fight with a big overhand left, and Strickland takes it on the chin and laughs it off. Jotko gets off a few leg kicks, and he circles away as Strickland looks to reach him with his punches. Strickland sticks him with a left hand, and he swats away a few punches from the Polish fighter that come back his way. Jotko has a punch blocked, and a body kick gets caught as Strickland tries to make him pay. The American wades forward with a short chain of punches, and Jotko circles away and tries to get a jab going. Jotko again sinks his left hand home, and Strickland ignores it and score a right of his own. Strickland stalks his man down, and Jotko gets his left through again. Strickland recklessly wades forward and eats a left hand twice, as Jotko has found the range of that. Strickland is not fazed as he clips Jotko with a straight right hand, and a one-two nearly takes Jotko’s legs out from beneath him. Strickland sees the finish may be coming, and he unloads with several punches as Jotko defends against the cage wall. Strickland stuffs a takedown in the process, and Jotko tries to sneak in an up-elbow. Strickland marks up Jotko’s face with a straight right hand, and Jotko’s overhand left counter gets blocked. Strickland’s face has not changed through the whole exchange, and he steps away when Jotko attempts the up-elbow again and spins. Strickland goes back to plodding forward, landing a few punches and evading the counters. Jotko rushes in with flurry, only to get backed off when Strickland’s right finds its target again. Strickland kicks the body and lands a left, and Jotko returns fire with a popping body kick. Jotko is reaching while Strickland’s strikes are straight as an arrow, and the American jumps in the air with a knee only to land a crisp right hand on the way down. Jotko is shaken up a bit, but he survives to the bell.

Sherdog Scores

Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-9 Strickland
Lev Pisarsky scores the round: 10-9 Strickland
Tristen Critchfield scores the round: 10-9 Strickland

Round 2

Jotko begins the next round aggressively, with looping shots that Strickland does not bite on. Instead, he remains composed and sticks him with a few jabs and laser-focused right hands. Jotko ducks down and wings a right, but Strickland parries it and allows his man to throw a few more wild shots. Strickland slowly walks Jotko down, chasing his foe across the cage as Jotko sits on a big left that stings Strickland. Dean warns the two to close their fists, and Jotko slings a heavy body kick. Jotko reaches out with a pair of jabs and gets kicked in the chest. Strickland lances him with a right hand that splits the guard, and another snaps Jotko’s head back. Jotko wades in with haymakers that get blocked, and they trade kicks at the same time. Jotko spins with a kick, and Strickland times him and punches him in the side of the head. Jotko escapes just in time to not take much damage, and he comes out swinging. Strickland calmly blocks most of the strikes, walks through a jab and tries to tee up a left hand. A pair of leg kicks from Strickland get through on either side, and when he aims a kick to the body, Jotko counters him. The Polish fighter sticks out his foot with a push kick, and Strickland gives him a left straight down the pipe. Jotko wings heavy leather in the form of an overhand left, only for Strickland to block it and land a thudding kick to the leg. Both get off body kicks, and Jotko looks to time a kick with an overhand right. Jotko catches a kick and whiffs on a big punch, and Strickland’s calf kick reply has drawn a reaction from him. Jotko begins to limp as the calf kick continue to mount, and blood trickles from his nose after jabs pile up. The round ends as Jotko backs away to catch his breath.

Sherdog Scores

Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-9 Strickland
Lev Pisarsky scores the round: 10-9 Strickland
Tristen Critchfield scores the round: 10-9 Strickland

Round 3

There is a glove touch to begin the last round, and Strickland kicks out at the knee. Jotko bears down on him but is interrupted on the way in with a left hand. Strickland continues his Terminator-like aggression of constantly walking forward, and never backing down no matter what may land on him. Jotko swings with booming shots, and Strickland avoids the brunt of them. Both square up and land big punches at the same time, and neither takes so much as a bad step. Strickland breaks up a punching barrage with a front kick, and he jumps in the air with a knee that allows him to punch as he lands. A trio of push kicks come from the American, and he snaps Jotko’s head back again with a stiff right hand. Jotko tries to time a kick with a left hand, and he gets off a right hand that surprises Strickland. Another big left also catches Strickland on the chin, but “Tarzan” swings through it without batting an eye. Strickland plants his foot on Jotko’s torso, and he does this again while Jotko swings wildly. A left hand rings Strickland’s bell, but Strickland replies with a leg kick and a heavy right hook. Jotko leaps forward with a punch barrage, and Strickland’s technical boxing defense allows him to protect himself from the majority of the harm. A body kick gets followed by a right hand, and Jotko stumbles backwards. The Polish fighter attempts to reach down for a takedown, and Strickland ignores it and lands a flying knee. Strickland sticks him with a straight right hand, and he spins with a punch. A crisp knee catches Jotko on the chin, and the two turn it up with a brawl at the end. Both fire off a pair of head kicks, and Jotko’s spinning shot lands right on the chest. One final head kick from Strickland that glances off the shoulder ends this stand-up battle.

Sherdog Scores

Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-9 Strickland (30-27 Strickland)
Lev Pisarsky scores the round: 10-9 Strickland (30-27 Strickland)
Tristen Critchfield scores the round: 10-9 Strickland (30-27 Strickland)

The Official Result

Sean Strickland def. Krzysztof Jotko via Unanimous Decision (30-27, 30-27, 29-28)

Ion Cutelaba (206) vs. Dustin Jacoby (205)

Round 1

The strikes will be fast and furious for this next contest, as light heavyweights Cutelaba (15-6, 1 NC; 4-5 UFC) and Jacoby (14-5, 2-2 UFC) come to blows in what has suddenly become a grudge match. The two combine for 21 knockouts in their 29 career wins, and one more could be added before it’s all said and done. Referee Mark Smith will have his hands full with this brawl, and there is no glove touch as these two would rather smash the other in the face immediately. Cutelaba begins with a stomp kick on the lower leg as well as a left hand, and Jacoby backs away and scores a thumping leg kick. Cutelaba nails Jacoby with a left hand, and the huge right hand that follows hits nothing but air. Jacoby scores another big leg kick, and a few jabs mark up Cutelaba’s face. Cutelaba charges in to attack, throwing looping shots and scoring a few. The Moldovan shoots in low out of nowhere to hit a takedown, and he puts Jacoby on his back. The former kickboxer climbs back to his feet, only to get dragged right back down. “The Hanyak” does not stay grounded for long, although he grabs the fence to get back up and is admonished for it. Cutelaba grinds on Jacoby before hitting a mat return, and Jacoby pops right back up. Cutelaba drags him down and lands a few punches, including one that lands to the back of the head, and he is warned for his foul. Cutelaba keeps a tight grip and trips Jacoby’s legs out from beneath him, before landing a few heavy but short right hands. Cutelaba wrestles Jacoby back down, and Jacoby continues to climb back up. Jacoby once more grabs the fence to stand, and he is again warned. Cutelaba tosses him down, and when Jacoby crawls to the fence, Cutelaba deals some serious damage with short elbows that have Jacoby in sudden trouble. Cutelaba keeps elbowing him on the side of the head as Jacoby is pinned to the fence, and when Jacoby stands up, the Moldovan trips him right back down. Cutelaba pounds away a few times when Jacoby is on his knees, and he thinks about kneeing Jacoby but does not because Jacoby is grounded. Cutelaba lands a few punches and elbows. Jacoby breaks free by grabbing the fence, and Smith shouts at him but does not do anything more. Jacoby gets to the center of the cage and plants his fist on Cutelaba’s face a few times, and to the surprise of many, we have reached the end of Round 1.

Sherdog Scores

Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-8 Cutelaba
Lev Pisarsky scores the round: 10-8 Cutelaba
Tristen Critchfield scores the round: 10-8 Cutelaba

Round 2

Jacoby tries to time a knee at the very beginning of the round, because Cutelaba charges in for a takedown. Even though it partially connects, Cutelaba easily scoops him up and puts him on the ground. Like many times in the previous round, Jacoby walks his way up the fence. Cutelaba greets him with a knee on the chin, but “The Hanyak” is no worse for wear. Jacoby chops at the leg, and he tries to time another knee as Cutelaba rushes in. Cutelaba lifts up a single, and Jacoby stuffs it this time and may have used the fence as his ally. Jacoby slings up a head kick, and Cutelaba slugs with him and lands a big right hand. When Jacoby tries to counter, Cutelaba rips the body with a left. Jacoby eats a crisp left hand without concern, and he defends himself from a takedown by pushing Cutelaba into the fence. Jacoby sticks out a few jabs and lands a solid uppercut, and he stuffs a takedown. Cutelaba gets in a left hand, and Jacoby reaches with his hands outstretched as if to motion that it did not hurt. Cutelaba sits down on a left hand again, and Jacoby walks through it like a champ. “The Hanyak” lands leg kick, and marches forward into a few big punches. Jacoby lands with his own strikes, and he has successfully gotten Cutelaba to take backwards steps. Cutelaba bursts forward and attacks, and Jacoby blocks some of the strikes but not all of them. Jacoby paws out with a few jabs, and Cutelaba is still exclusively loading up on power punches. A few sharp jabs break up wild strikes from the Moldovan, but “The Hulk” rages forward and slings with all his might. Jacoby rocks him with a right hand, and Cutelaba stumbles back before swinging with all his might. Jacoby backs out of the way and reaches out with several straight left hands, all while ducking the looming, looping right hands. The light heavyweight reach the 10-minute mark.

Sherdog Scores

Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-9 Jacoby
Lev Pisarsky scores the round: 10-9 Jacoby
Tristen Critchfield scores the round: 10-9 Jacoby

Round 3

The sluggers finally show a sign of respect to one another, touching gloves before they come out swinging. Both get off some leg kicks, and Cutelaba lands a left hand only to get touched up with a big body kick. Cutelaba bites down on his mouthpiece to throw a monster left and a right, and Jacoby lets him throw so he can counter. The two trade single strikes one after the other, and Jacoby walks him down and lands a high body kick. The two jab at the same time, and Cutelaba leaps forward with a left hook. Jacoby scores right back, and they are taking turns connecting fairly solidly every time. Two big punches make Jacoby retreat, but Jacoby got one off right before that. The strikes are almost all to the head, as Cutelaba is headhunting with big looping shots that still connect. Jacoby flicks out a few jabs but is also throwing heavy punches back at him. The two both loop left hands at the same time, and Cutelaba doubles up a jab to go over the top with a right. “The Hanyak” backs off and leaps in with a knee, which clatters off the Moldovan’s head. Cutelaba grabs on to him and pushes him into the clinch. There is no takedown attempt this time for Cutelaba, who appears too fatigued to change levels. Smith asks them to work once Jacoby pushes his man into the fence, and it is the kickboxer who ducks down for a single. Cutelaba defends it and keeps his balance, and he cracks Jacoby with a right hand. Jacoby, who may be rocked, pushes into the clinch again. After they grind on the cage, Jacoby pushes off and jabs out a few times. Jacoby shoots in low for a double, and he hits it. Jacoby lands one single punch as he tugs Cutelaba’s legs away from him, and this 205-pound slugfest has surprisingly gone the distance.

Sherdog Scores

Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-9 Cutelaba (29-27 Cutelaba)
Lev Pisarsky scores the round: 10-9 Jacoby (28-28)
Tristen Critchfield scores the round: 10-9 Jacoby (28-28)

The Official Result

Ion Cutelaba vs. Dustin Jacoby is ruled a Split Draw (28-29, 29-28, 28-28)

Giga Chikadze (146) vs. Cub Swanson (145.5)

Round 1

Our co-main event comes in the form of a striker’s delight at featherweight between the old guard of Swanson (27-11, 12-7 UFC) against the relatively young gun in Chikadze (12-2, 5-0 UFC). Whether this is a passing of the torch or a reminder that there is still something left in the tank, referee Jason Herzog will oversee the affair. There is no touch of gloves, as Chikadze begins his fight with a few kicks. Swanson looks to close the distance early, and he walks through a few kicks to reach out with a big overhand right. The Georgia circles away on the outside, and he gets off a right hand that makes Swanson take a few steps back. The kickboxer slings a high kick and sneaks out a left hand, and he releases a thunderous body kick he titles his “Giga Kick” that slams square into Swanson’s liver. The longtime vet’s typically stoic expression contorts in pain as he backs away and falls to his knees. Swanson looks to reach out for any sort of desperation shot or leg grab, but Chikadze slips his leg out and starts pounding away. It does not take more than a few punches for Herzog to call the fight off, and Georgian fighters have now stolen the night by winning across the board. This is our first official finish of the night – the Markos fight was a disqualification that ended by a foul – and the first time Swanson has been knocked out since Jose Aldo’s fateful double flying knee in 2009.

The Official Result

Giga Chikadze def. Cub Swanson R1 1:03 via TKO (Body Kick and Punches)

Dominick Reyes (205.5) vs. Jiri Prochazka (204)

Round 1

Buckle up, because this light heavyweight headliner of Reyes (12-2, 6-2 UFC) vs. Prochazka (27-3-1, 1-0 UFC) could be crazy for as long as it lasts. A finish rate of 75 percent for Reyes against Prochazka’s 96 percent will be put to the test, with a potential title shot on the line. Keeping his head on a swivel for this main event is referee Herb Dean, and the fighters touch gloves and Prochazka bows before they bestow violence upon one other. Reyes reaches out with a jab as Prochazka is circling on the outside, and the Czech fighter reaches out with a right hand that falls short. Reyes chops at his leg and lets loose a high kick that claps off Prochazka’s chest. Prochazka ducks down and into a punch, and he lands a left hand but gets countered. Reyes gets off a left hand across the bow, and Prochazka sneaks in a single right hand of his own. Prochazka rushes in with an uppercut reminiscent of “Mortal Kombat” and chains it into a series of punches. Prochazka lands a front kick, and Reyes fires back and backs Prochazka off. Reyes scores several big punches, but Prochazka clips him with a right hand. Reyes wobbles and looks to back his way to the fence, but Prochazka is not reckless and only plants his foot on Reyes’ chest. Reyes gathers his thoughts, walks forward into a body lock and hits a takedown. Prochazka explodes out of the bad position, nearly gets uppercutted on the way up, and is back on his feet. Prochazka lands several big punches and hurts Reyes again, and Reyes gets cracked with a head kick. Reyes is not done yet, and he gives it back to Prochazka. Prochazka pours it on with several big punches, and he walks through counter shots that catch him right on the nose. Prochazka chains several punches together, ripping the body and going up high. Reyes whiffs on a big left hand as Prochazka bears down on him, and Prochazka delivers a crisp uppercut and gets sniped with a left. Prochazka lands a thudding right hand on the jaw, and Reyes is right there for him and hits him back hard. The two trade furious leather as Reyes is bouncing off the fence, and “The Devastator” has a damaged nose after a few of these strikes. Prochazka nods at him and blocks a kick, and he stings him with two stiff punches. Two more heavy punches make Reyes get defensive, and as Prochazka crashes in, Reyes nails him with a left. Reyes and Prochazka fire wildly at one another right to the bell, ending a tense five-minute firefight.

Sherdog Scores

Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-9 Prochazka
Lev Pisarsky scores the round: 10-9 Prochazka
Tristen Critchfield scores the round: 10-9 Prochazka

Round 2

There is once more a sign of respect to start off the round with a glove touch, and Reyes looses a big kick right after. Prochazka counters, and Reyes kicks and punches in a fast and heavy combination. Prochazka skips forward to land a straight left hand, and Reyes takes it on the chin and just misses with a counter punch. The pace wanes as both men get their bearings, and Reyes starts the dance again with a body kick. A right hand over the top for Reyes draws a response of a heavy counter that busts his nose up badly. Prochazka draws a heavy stream of blood as he does some damage, and Reyes takes a front kick and a left hand. When Prochazka chases him, Reyes responds with a back fist. An errant front kick from Reyes leads to a big counter, and Prochazka chases him down and hurts him. Prochazka bombards the body and head with strikes, stalking Reyes down and tearing him up with strikes. Prochazka steps in with an elbow, and Reyes bits down on his mouthpiece and clocks him with an elbow. “Denisa” wobbles badly and leans forward, allowing Reyes to snag hold of a guillotine choke and pull guard. Prochazka stays calm and composed, as he winds up on top when he pops his head out. Prochazka climbs over to half guard into side control as he pushes off a triangle choke attempt. Reyes may have gotten away with an upkick as Prochazka may have been grounded at the time, but the Czech fighter blasts up and lets Reyes back up too. Prochazka meets him with a high kick, and he pushes in to score a crushing right elbow. With no tell at all, Prochazka continues his rotation and spins through to drill Reyes on the chin with his left elbow. Reyes is out cold, falling forward like a puppet that had its strings cut. What an unbelievable performance for Prochazka, who has almost certainly punched his ticket for a title shot after two spectacular knockouts over top fighters. Reyes comes to, and he is able to sit up on his stool after the ferocious finish. Prochazka respectfully goes over to his fallen foe to thank him for their thrilling battle.

The Official Result

Jiri Prochazka def. Dominick Reyes R2 4:29 via KO (Spinning Back Elbow)