UFC on ESPN 38 ‘Tsarukyan vs. Gamrot’ Play-by-Play, Results & Round Scoring

Vanessa Demopoulos (115.5) vs. Jinh Yu Frey (115.5)

BETTING PREVIEW | SCOUTING REPORT | ODDS: Frey (-260), Demopoulos (+220)

Round 1

The UFC drifts back to the Apex for one night before its blockbuster UFC 276 event, and this fight card will officially commence International Fight Week in Las Vegas. An even dozen bouts will fill out the slate tonight, one that comes at fans entirely on the ESPN airwaves. We kick things off with the lone women’s match of the evening, as ex-LFA champ Demopoulos (7-4, 1-1 UFC) and former Invicta atomweight queen Frey (11-6, 2-2 UFC) battle it out to lift their UFC record above .500. The strawweights will receive oversight from referee Chris Tognoni, and there is no touch of gloves to start the show. The strawweights are cautious to engage out of the gate, and Frey slowly walks her opponent down and gets off a slapping leg kick to start things off. She goes with a kick to the chest, and when that misses, she stumbles but gathers herself. As Frey dodges a few punches, she counters with three back that back Demopoulos away. They potshot one another with single punches as they still look to find their ranges, and Frey steps in when she locks it down with a clean one-two down the pipe. Demopoulos fires off a kick to the body that brushes the waist, and she gets countered with a solid left hook. Demopoulos swipes out but still is out of range, and Frey stalks her down with five straight jabs that make her trip to her knee momentarily. “Lil Monster” climbs back up and connects with a big right hook, and she follows it with another one as Demopoulos is finding success. Frey slides out of the way from a kick, and she chains four punches together to make Demopoulos ricochet off the fencing. Demopoulos goes to the body with a kick, and Frey catches it, sweeps the leg and dumps Demopoulos to the floor. When Demopoulos climbs back up, the ex-Invicta queen pops her in the chops with two left hands. Demopoulos backs off to gather herself, and she aims a high kick that misses the mark. When she sets her leg down, she charges straight ahead to tackle Frey to the mat with a double-leg takedown. Frey gets to her knee and wall-walks to safety, and she breaks off before absorbing any serious blows. Frey fires off a kick to the ribs, and she ducks two punches to nail Demopoulos with a right. Demopoulos beats her to the punch with two blows, and the round ends as Frey's left ear appears to be bleeding slightly.

Sherdog Scores

Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-9 Frey
Ben Duffy scores the round: 10-9 Frey
Tristen Critchfield scores the round: 10-9 Frey

Round 2

Frey claims the center of the Octagon to start off the second round, and she walks after Demopoulos and kicks low. As she does, “Lil Monster” counters with an overhand right, and Frey shrugs it off. Frey absorbs a kick to the side so that she can push forward and pierce the guard with a straight left hand, and Demopoulos’ nose is beginning to show damage from absorbing punches. Demopoulos shoots in low for a takedown, but Frey sees it coming a mile away and stuffs it comfortably. Frey lets Demopoulos up so that she can stick her with four punches, and dart back when Demopoulos loads up on a counter. Demopoulos wings a big right hand, and she misses only to get kicked in the body. Demopoulos attempts to throw a high kick, but it careens off the shoulder, and Frey scores a few punches that bloody the nose. Demopoulos steels herself and pumps a right hand down the middle, and Frey eats it and fires right back. The looping right hand from Demopoulos lands again, and Frey shrugs it off and ducks when a third soars past her. Frey intercepts her swinging opponent with a teep kick, and her toes are outstretched to stab at the torso. Demopoulos does not like this, and she rushes in for a takedown that is too far away to succeed. Frey pushes her away and lands a left hand counter on the way out. Frey gets a head kick blocked in the nick of time, and Demopoulos loads up on a right that pounds into the side of Frey’s face. Frey does not budge, and powers forward with two punches that continue to redden Demopoulos’ mug. Demopoulos sweeps the leg with a low calf kick, and Frey responds with a kick to the body that Demopoulos catches but cannot capitalize on. Demopoulos steps in with an elbow, and Frey counters her effectively on the way out when it does not score. Frey jabs repeatedly with both hands, leading to a takedown entry from her foe that shoves her back to the wall. Frey keeps her underhooks and absorbs a knee to the solar plexus while attempting to fight out of the position, and Demopoulos doubles down with another and an elbow over the top for good measure. Frey breaks off and comes out firing, and when she lands a few blows, the horn sounds. Whether because it is her corner or out of fatigue, Demopoulos collapses to her seat against the cage at the 10-minute mark.

Sherdog Scores

Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-9 Frey
Ben Duffy scores the round: 10-9 Frey
Tristen Critchfield scores the round: 10-9 Frey

Round 3

Bloodied but not beaten, Demopoulos comes out of her corner ready for the last round. Frey is able to walk her down easily and stuff a telegraphed takedown, and she pops Demopoulos in the chops with a few punches. Demopoulos decides to start brawling, and the two ladies throw haymakers at one another. After both land flush, Demopoulos puts on the pressure and jams Frey into the wire. “Lil Monster” uses knees to her advantage while working on Frey and searching for any kind of takedown, but there is none to be had as Frey maintains her defense. Frey keeps her balance on one leg as Demopoulos isolates the other one, and she starts hacking with elbows to the side of the head before pulling Demopoulos upright again. Frey breaks free with a left hand, and Frey notices the deep breaths of her opponent and kicks her right in the stomach. Frey ducks a looping right hand and walks into a leg kick, and she lines up a left hand to knock Demopoulos back a step. Demopoulos tries to fire off a big right hand, and Frey is wise to it and slips and counters her quickly. Demopoulos does this same load-up with an overhand right again, and it bumps into Frey’s temple but does not bother her. The home run punches from Demopoulos keep coming, as Frey stays composed and picks away at her with jabs and kicks. Demopoulos leaps in for a low single-leg takedown, and Frey backs up to the fence to keep herself vertical. Tognoni asks the ladies to keep fighting, so Demopoulos obliges with several knees to the body. “Lil Monster” continues to spam elbows up the middle, pinning Frey against the wall and not letting her get away. A few knees up high for Demopoulos do not quite land on the face, but she stays busy to keep Tognoni from intervening. Frey uses sport punches and palm strikes to the ear with her back stuck on the links, and she bursts out with seconds to spare, Frey walks her opponent down and blasts her in the face with a barrage of punches, and Demopoulos is rocked but still throwing back. Frey is more accurate, and she cracks Demopoulos again and staggers her. Time expires before Frey can get the finish she is seeking, putting an end to a 15-minute affair.

Sherdog Scores

Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-9 Frey (30-27 Frey)
Ben Duffy scores the round: 10-9 Frey (30-27 Frey)
Tristen Critchfield scores the round: 10-9 Demopoulos (29-28 Frey)

The Official Result

Vanessa Demopoulos def. Jinh Yu Frey via Split Decision (28-29, 29-28, 30-27)

Brian Kelleher (135.5) vs. Mario Bautista (135.5)

BETTING PREVIEW | SCOUTING REPORT | ODDS: Bautista (-165), Kelleher (+140)

Round 1

Moving right along, we take to the bantamweight division, as “Boom” Kelleher (24-13, 8-6 UFC) moves back down to 135 pounds to take on well-rounded MMA Lab product Bautista (9-2, 3-2 UFC). The third man in the Octagon for this one will be referee Herb Dean, who takes note as the two men touch gloves. Bautista strikes first with a low kick, and he snaps out a jab and gets reached with a leg kick. Kelleher aims a front kick to split the guard, and it misses Bautista by a matter of inches. Bautista leaps forward with a flying knee, and Kelleher missed and spins with a low kick. Bautista crashes forward in pursuit of a takedown, and when the fight hits the mat, he takes side control. Kelleher does not stay grounded for long, scrambling his way back to the wall and fighting his way to his feet. Bautista grinds on him and defends a trip to put Kelleher on his back, and Kelleher grins and snatches up a guillotine choke when he falls to his back. Bautista breaks the grip around his neck and slides into full mount, and Kelleher turns all the way around to his knees in effort to escape. When he does, Bautista follows him the whole way and claims his back. In the blink of an eye, Bautista snatches up a rear-naked choke with one hook in. Kelleher, on his knees with the second hook wrapping around his waist, surrenders with frantic taps on his foe’s leg, as the choke is incredibly tight in a hurry. That was quick work for the MMA Lab upstart, who finds himself on a win streak again after a submission victory before the midpoint of the opening round.

The Official Result

Mario Bautista def. Brian Kelleher R1 2:27 via Submission (Rear-Naked Choke)

J.P. Buys (126) vs. Cody Durden (126)

BETTING PREVIEW | SCOUTING REPORT | ODDS: Buys (-120), Durden (+100)

Round 1

Both of these flyweights fighting next are in dire need of a win, but it is Buys (9-4, 0-2 UFC) who has taken more losses as of late. He squares off with Durden (12-4-1, 1-2-1 UFC), who made headlines not for a victorious performance but for the comments that followed a win back at the end of 2021. The 125ers receive oversight from referee Mark Smith, and they touch gloves before getting to business. Durden reaches out with a high kick, and Buys backs off and gets tagged with a few punches. Sensing his success, Durden loads up on a pair of punches that rock the South African, who drops to a knee as Durden charges to press him to the wall. When Buys recovers and separates, Durden gives chase and clocks him with a few punches to knock him down to the floor. The American pounces, and he starts hammering Buys with punches to the side of the head. On his knees, Buys is trying to get up and get his wits about him, but Durden will not let him off the hook. Durden keeps battering Buys, and Smith lets it play out until he finally decides to step in, and some might feel it could have come sooner. This is a statement victory for the much-maligned Durden, who earns his first finish inside the Octagon while laying waste to Buys.

The Official Result

Cody Durden def. J.P. Buys R1 1:08 via TKO (Punches)

Raulian Paiva (136) vs. Sergey Morozov (136)

BETTING PREVIEW | SCOUTING REPORT | ODDS: Morozov (-140), Paiva (+120)

Round 1

At bantamweight, former flyweight Paiva (21-4, 3-3 UFC) battles it out with Kazakhstani ex-featherweight Morozov (17-5, 1-2 UFC), and both men are looking to bounce back from a stoppage loss. The referee assignment for this match goes to Jason Herzog, and he observes the glove touch ahead of the action. Morozov starts off with a long jab as they are both bouncing around the cage looking for a way in, and they sling leg kicks at the exact same time. Paiva walks through a left hook and a jab, and he wings a right hand that pops Morozov in the chops. He leads into another, and Morozov is suddenly rocked and in a bad way, barely able to keep himself on his feet. The Kazakhstani fighter crashes forward to pursue a takedown, but Paiva sees it coming and shucks him off, and he breaks the clinch to get back to striking range. Paiva works his way in with multiple jabs, and he ducks looping strikes from his opponent that whiz past his head. Paiva gives chase, and he smashes Morozov in the jaw with a right hand. Paiva is faster, and he connects with two more that make Morozov’s knees buckle. Morozov rebounds off the cage and he drills Paiva in the face, but Paiva walks through it to keep striking. Paiva considers a takedown, and their heads clack together on the way in. Whey they break apart, Paiva picks his shots with jabs and follow-up punches. Morozov appears to have gotten his balance back, and he absorbs a flush low kick so that he can counter with an overhand right. Paiva appears to want the knockout badly, and he busts Morozov’s nose open with a flurry of fists. Morozov responds with a few hooks, and Paiva shrugs them off so that he can work Morozov over. Morozov clips Paiva in response, and these two are trading heavy leather with little regard for their well-beings. Morozov takes multiple jabs to the body as Paiva picks his shots, and he nails his man with two hooks. When Paiva wades in, Morozov stings him with a right hand, but Paiva is tough and hurts Morozov once more with a pair of powerful blows. Morozov rallies, circles off the cage, and the horn sounds.

Sherdog Scores

Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-9 Paiva
Ben Duffy scores the round: 10-9 Paiva
Tristen Critchfield scores the round: 10-9 Paiva

Round 2

The bantamweights touch ‘em up to start the second round, and hands are soon to fly shortly thereafter. Paiva connects with a looping right hand, and Morozov catches him coming back. The arc of Paiva’s punches in the early moments of this frame are wider, allowing Morozov to counter or catch him coming at him. Paiva pushes out with a pair of strikes, and Morozov pushes him back and jabs him in the eye with his finger. Paiva, feeling that he still has Morozov on the ropes, tells Herzog he is fine and continues fighting. Morozov ducks when Paiva wings punches to hit a picturesque double, and he hooks Paiva’s legs with his own when they hit the canvas. Morozov postures up every so often to land a ground strike, and he slashes down with a potent elbow. Paiva looks to fight off the leg grip, and he goes to recover full guard. Morozov stands up, and he finds himself in leglock danger as Paiva stays busy off his back. Morozov lowers himself back down, stacking Paiva up and breaking up the submission attempt, and he forces Paiva to turn to his knees and give up his back. Morozov keeps his hands clasped around the waist, but Paiva is still able to work his way up. Morozov follows him up with a thudding knee on the jaw, and Paiva does not like this and flirts with dropping down again so that he will not absorb another one of these damaging blows. Paiva remains controlled by his opponent, and he struggles and grabs the fence to turn around. Paiva grips on to a high-elbow guillotine choke to threaten his opponent, forcing Morozov to turn through and bail on any takedown try. The fighter out of Kazakhstan gathers his thoughts and presses forward for a takedown entry, and before he can get a leg, Paiva slides his arm around Morozov’s neck for a guillotine choke against the cage wall. The position allows him to stall out the remainder of the round.

Sherdog Scores

Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-9 Morozov
Ben Duffy scores the round: 10-9 Morozov
Tristen Critchfield scores the round: 10-9 Morozov

Round 3

There is a delightful hug between the two men before the violence resumes, and Morozov backs away and tosses out a half-hearted leg kick. Paiva keeps his range with a jab, but Morozov still manages to march forward and connect with a left hand on the chin. Morozov leads the dance with a few more punches, which he uses to drop down for a takedown. Paiva rolls through the attempt to reach the wall and stand back up, and Morozov sucks his leg out and yanks him down to the mat with emphasis. The Brazilian climbs back to his feet instead of attempting a sub, and when they break apart, Morozov clips him with a right hand. Not to be outdone, Paiva connects with one in response. Paiva absorbs several clean lefts on his way forward, and he loads up on a right that Morozov rolls with and keeps moving. Paiva pulls back on most of his punches, perhaps concerned a takedown may come if he overextends himself, and he resorts to jabs. Morozov crashes forward for a takedown, and Paiva shoves him back and brawls it out with him momentarily. Morozov answers with a punch or two before diving for a takedown, and Paiva sprawls. When back on his feet, Morozov spins with a back fist that glances off the top of the head, and Paiva totally ignores it and wades forward to throw hands. Morozov is the more active and accurate, and Paiva’s blows are not appearing to have near the same impact they did in the first round. Paiva swings with a left, and Morozov times a level change but cannot ground the Brazilian. Paiva gets caught with a few punches, and they swing for the fences and catch one another on the jaws. Both men shoot at the same time, and Morozov recovers and fights off a second effort. When the man from Kazakhstan stuffs it, he goes for one of his own, and Paiva tosses it aside. Paiva turns his hips into several kicks to the body, and he scoops up the legs to land a double with seconds to spare. The fight concludes as Morozov scoots his backside to the wall, and this one will go to the judges.

Sherdog Scores

Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-9 Morozov (29-28 Morozov)
Ben Duffy scores the round: 10-9 Morozov (29-28 Morozov)
Tristen Critchfield scores the round: 10-9 Morozov (29-28 Morozov)

The Official Result

Sergey Morozov def. Raulian Paiva via Unanimous Decision (29-28, 29-28, 29-28)

Nuerdanbieke Shayilan (146) vs. T.J. Brown (145.5)

BETTING PREVIEW | SCOUTING REPORT | ODDS: Brown (-210), Nuerdanbieke (+180)

Round 1

If you are confused by what you see for Shayilan’s (37-10, 1-1 UFC) record, do not be alarmed. In 2021, when he faced Sean Soriano, he elevated his record to 20-7 per the UFC broadcast. Since then, Sherdog Fight Finder conducted a massive investigation of missing and misclassified matches in China, hence the 17 new wins and three additional defeats on his ledger. This will not stifle Brown (16-8, 2-2 UFC), who brims with confidence with his Glory MMA & Fitness team at his back. The featherweights will be joined in the cage by Octagon official Chris Tognoni, who clocks them in after a sporting glove touch. Brown comes out hot, with jabs to the body, and Shayilan is right there to boot him in the head with his shin. They both clock one another, and Shayilan connects with a left that shakes Brown up. Brown gathers himself and slows down, reaching out with a low kick. Brown comes forward with two punches that lead into a clinch, where he tees off with several knees up the middle. Shayilan looks to time a right hand over the top, and he scores two punches that redden the nose and make Brown’s legs betray him. Brown tries to gain his footing and dive forward for a takedown, but the Chinese fighter reverses him fully and plants Brown on his back. Shayilan on top lands into the guard of his opponent, where he jams Brown’s neck up against the corner between the wall and the floor. “Downtown” sneaks his legs up to go after a triangle choke, and as Shayilan sits up, Brown switches it up to an armbar. Shayilan stands all the way up to slam him down, which then prompts Brown to turn in search of a calf slicer. Shayilan responds with an unorthodox leglock with shades of a kneebar to counter it, and although neither land the submission, Shayilan uses his own attempt to break them apart and stand back up. They blast each other with powerful punches when back upright, and Brown backs Shayilan into the wall with punches and a head kick. Brown says “how’s taste my feet” as he plants the ball of his foot on Shayilan’s face, to which Shayilan responds with a low takedown try that gets stuffed. Brown counters a jab with a right hand, and he finds himself meeting Shayilan’s foot as well. Shayilan slips a punch to fire back, and Brown is more aggressive and wilder as he wings a right hand that staggers “Wolverine.” Shayilan changes levels when Brown is loosing strikes to secure a takedown, and he puts the American on his back once more. Brown defends with a kimura in hopes of sweeping, and he cannot get anything from it before the horn sounds to end this wild round.

Sherdog Scores

Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-9 Shayilan
Ben Duffy scores the round: 10-9 Brown
Tristen Critchfield scores the round: 10-9 Shayilan

Round 2

The featherweights touch ‘em up, and the first strike comes from Shayilan in the form of a leg kick. Brown walks him down and splits the guard with a few punches, and he stuffs a takedown that comes immediately after. The mat return, after Brown ricochets off the wall to defend, is successful, and Shayilan plops Brown down on his seat. Brown gives his back up walking his way up, and Shayilan trips him back down once more. “Downtown” goes down for a kimura to reverse position, but Shayilan is not remotely concerned and slides his neck out so that he can take Brown’s back and put him back down on the ground. Brown manages to turn the tables and shift around to take Shayilan’s back in a sudden scramble and reverse of fortune, and he gets one hook in and starts slugging Shayilan with left hands. Brown looks to fully take the back, but Shayilan keeps his own against the fencing to prevent Brown from doing so and thereby setting up a choke. Brown attempts to lock up a choke without a second hook, and Shayilan turns all the way through it to break it up. Brown once more attacks a kimura off his back, and he puts his legs up high to threaten in multiple ways. The fighter from China keeps Brown stacked up, and Brown remains in pursuit of it with his feet linked together. Brown squeezes with a modified triangle in hopes of eliciting some kind of tap, but Shayilan elects to pound on his ribs until the round ends.

Sherdog Scores

Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-9 Brown
Ben Duffy scores the round: 10-9 Brown
Tristen Critchfield scores the round: 10-9 Brown

Round 3

There is one last glove touch to start off the final round, and Shayilan puts on a one-two down the middle to land first. They trade big punches one after the other, and Shayilan gets the better of the exchange with a solid one-two. Shayilan ignores a punch and leans back from an uppercut so that he can push out a few jabs, and they are standing in the pocket and trading viciously. The pace slows but they are putting everything they have into these punches, and one right hand in particular busts Brown’s nose up. Shayilan gets countered to the body, leading for him to scoop up the legs and drop “Downtown” down to the ground. Shayilan gladly embraces the grind from top position, landing sporadic shows but racking up control time while in half guard. The American remains trapped flat on his back, unable to buck his man off of him, and he flails his legs and cannot get anything going. Shayilan drags him towards the wall for a change of position, and Brown tries to kick off the wall to no avail. The Shayilan shoulder keeps Brown stuck until Brown explodes to push Shayilan all the way off, and this allows him to take Shayilan’s back while Shayilan is on his knees. “Wolverine” turns all the way to land on his back on the mat, and Brown drops down a few punches as Shayilan sits up. Brown gets through a few hammerfists as Shayilan scrambles with all his might, and Brown keeps him stuck down until 30 seconds left in the fight. Shayilan gives up his back, and Brown lands punches in hopes of turning the tide in his favor. When the final bell sounds, Brown keeps punching, leading Shayilan to kick him off in the chest. Cooler heads prevail immediately after this awkward moment, and the judges have some work to do.

Sherdog Scores

Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-9 Shayilan (29-28 Shayilan)
Ben Duffy scores the round: 10-9 Shayilan (29-28 Brown)
Tristen Critchfield scores the round: 10-9 Shayilan (29-28 Shayilan)

The Official Result

Nuerdanbieke Shayilan def. T.J. Brown via Unanimous Decision (29-28, 29-28, 29-28)

Carlos Ulberg (204.5) vs. Tafon Nchukwi (206)

BETTING PREVIEW | SCOUTING REPORT | ODDS: Ulberg (-115), Nchukwi (-105)

Round 1

Two inexperienced but powerful light heavyweights with a lot to prove step into the cage, as City Kickboxing’s Ulberg (4-1, 1-1 UFC) throws down with fellow Contender Series signee Nchukwi (6-2, 2-2 UFC). Referee Herb Dean will need to keep his wits about him so that he does not get clocked, and the two touch ‘em up before the gunslinging begins. Ulberg slaps out two low kicks on both sides, and Nchukwi answers him with one that is much heavier. Nchukwi keeps a high guard to block a head kick, and he goes to work chopping down the legs of the Kiwi. Nchukwi slowly works his way forward, tossing out leg kicks and forcing Ulberg to fight off his back foot. Ulberg circles on the outside with an arm outstretched, and Nchukwi is stalking him and keeping his right hand ready. Ulberg catches him coming forward with a nasty left hook, and the Cameroon native is on baby deer legs from that single strike. Ulberg smells blood, unleashing four power punches to drop Nchukwi down to his knees. “Black Jag” knows the end is near, and he swarms Nchukwi with a long salvo of punches as Nchukwi tries to defend himself and get back to his feet. Dean intervenes as Nchukwi is taking unanswered punishment, and the City Kickboxing fighter immediately sprints towards his corner and his celebrating teammates that are hooting and hollering for him in the front row.

The Official Result

Carlos Ulberg def. Tafon Nchukwi R1 1:15 via TKO (Punches)

Chris Curtis (185.5) vs. Rodolfo Vieira (185)

BETTING PREVIEW | SCOUTING REPORT | ODDS: Curtis (-135), Vieira (+115)

Round 1

The Cinderella story of Curtis (28-8, 2-0 UFC) continues with an exceptionally dangerous task ahead of him, as he faces “The Black Belt Hunter” Vieira (8-1, 3-1 UFC) and the Brazilian’s 100% finish rate. The interesting stylistic matchup will have referee Mark Smith on top of the proceedings, ready to step in at a moment’s notice. The middleweights shake hands, and Curtis claims the center of the cage to commence. A chess match ensues, with Vieira on the outside and a leg kick or two, while Curtis looks to cut him off. When Curtis lets go with two punches, Vieira darts forward in pursuit of a takedown. Totally fresh, Curtis muscles Vieira all the way around to end up on top. Vieira does not stay grounded for long before scrambling his way back to his feet, where he mashes Curtis into the fencing. Vieira looks to trip Curtis down, and he tosses out a knee. A second knee slams square into the cup, and Curtis falls to the ground in extreme pain. Smith sees it and gives Curtis time to recover, and Curtis takes 45 seconds before Smith resets them standing up. Curtis absorbs a low kick when advancing, and Vieira punches his way into a low-percentage takedown that is well short of the lead leg of his opponent. Vieira doubles down with a low single, jamming Curtis up to the wall, and Curtis leans against it so keep himself upright. Vieira keeps after the single, but Curtis stops it from landing. Vieira backs away and then dives into another attempt, and Curtis turns him aside and knees him in the face. The Brazilian slaps several clean leg kicks on the calf before loading up on an overhand right that stuns Curtis. “Action Man” gathers himself and loads up on a strike, but Vieira intercepts him with a kick that snaps into the cup. Curtis recovers as Smith determines with replay that the heel bumped into the cup, and that it was a legal blow, so he prompts Curtis to continue again without warning Vieira for a foul. Curtis keeps himself defensive so that he can stuff takedowns, and Vieira cracks him with several thumping punches on the chin. Curtis rips a pair of left hands to the liver, and Vieira sticks out a jab and goes back to the midsection with one of his own. The tense round ends with the horn.

Sherdog Scores

Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-9 Vieira
Ben Duffy scores the round: 10-9 Vieira
Tristen Critchfield scores the round: 10-9 Vieira

Round 2

The fighters touch gloves before getting after it, and Curtis leads the dance with a jab. Vieira is there to kick him back in the knee, and he lands another that makes Curtis recoil his leg. Curtis jabs the body and walks through a leg kick so that he can give chase, and he has a straight left hand go the midsection. Vieira scores a right hand and changes levels for a single, and it is deep as he lifts Curtis’ leg up in the air and pushes him all the way back to the fence. Vieira chains the attempt to a double, and that too fails as Curtis is able to stuff the attempt, even with his right leg trapped between Vieira’s. Vieira lets the leg go so that he can swing an uppercut, and Curtis absorbs it and comes out swinging. Vieira throws a body kick that connects with the cup, and Smith tells him to not worry about it and keep fighting. Vieira charges in for a takedown, and Curtis gets all the way back to pull his leg away and get to his feet. Curtis digs punches to the body while Vieira is aiming punches to the head, and Curtis is taking damage and getting shelled but not flinching. “Action Man” continues his assault to the body, and Vieira kicks him in the knee and it slides up to bump the cup of the unlucky Curtis. There is no pause here, and Curtis lets Vieira punch him so that he can counter him. Curtis slings a head kick that brushes past Vieira’s hair, and he knocks Vieira’s head back with a left hand. Vieira appears to be slowing, and Curtis acknowledges this with a brutal left to the sternum. Two punches on the nose get Vieira’s attention, as it is bloodied and damaged. Curtis aims his left to the liver again, and he follows it with a right over the top. Curtis totally shrugs off three punches so that he can strike, but the round ends before he can release.

Sherdog Scores

Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-9 Curtis
Ben Duffy scores the round: 10-9 Curtis
Tristen Critchfield scores the round: 10-9 Curtis

Round 3

The gloves get touched, and Curtis follows it immediately with a left hand. Curtis measures another, and he kicks out and lands on the elbow. Curtis is aggressive, throwing hands and backing Vieira up. The volume from Vieira is diminished while Curtis keeps swinging at him. Vieira shoots in for a desperation takedown, and Curtis shuts him down without batting an eye and sticks his hand in Vieira’s face. The Brazilian lunges in for a low takedown, and Curtis stuffs him and scores two punches over the top. Vieira reaches out with a one-two, and he jabs to disrupt Curtis. “Action Man” keeps the action going as he works the body, and he effortlessly stuffs a takedown and hops away to celebrate his perfect takedown defense. Vieira leans all the way in for another, and Curtis will not accept it. Vieira unleashes three powerful blows, and Curtis eats them all and gives a few back for good measure. Curtis aims punches to the head and body as Vieira tries to answer him back, but the punches continue to find the bloodied nose of Vieira. Curtis sees a telegraphed takedown coming, and after stopping it, he stuffs a second one. The American might get stung from a right hand, as his hands are low, but he uses the angle to blast Vieira in the ribs. Vieira comes up short on his umpteenth takedown, and his shots are labored and Curtis is able to make him pay with body shots. Curtis busts up the nose with a left hook, and Vieira slips it and stuffs a takedown. Vieira struggles to get back to his feet, but he tries another and fails. Vieira spams them to no avail, with Curtis clearly having done his homework and never once letting himself hit the mat thanks to Vieira’s effort. The final horn sounds as Vieira falls to his back, frustrated that his grappling was completely nullified after 15 minutes of exhausting action.

Sherdog Scores

Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-9 Curtis (29-28 Curtis)
Ben Duffy scores the round: 10-9 Curtis (29-28 Curtis)
Tristen Critchfield scores the round: 10-9 Curtis (29-28 Curtis)

The Official Result

Chris Curtis def. Rodolfo Vieira via Unanimous Decision (29-28, 29-28, 29-28)

Nathan Maness (135) vs. Umar Nurmagomedov (136)

BETTING PREVIEW | SCOUTING REPORT | ODDS: Nurmagomedov (-900), Maness (+625)

Round 1

One of these two bantamweights will take a big step back at the end of this contest. Whether it is “Mayhem” Maness (14-1, 3-0 UFC) or the first cousin of unbeaten ex-lightweight UFC champ, Nurmagomedov (14-0, 2-0 UFC), referee Jason Herzog should be the first to know. With the winner eyeing a place among the ranked players at 135 pounds, the two men acknowledge the stakes of this match with a solemn glove touch. The two are measured early, with Nurmagomedov missing with a kick while Maness comes up wide of the target with two punches. Nurmagomedov slaps a single kick home, and he backs away and slings a high kick. Maness darts forward so that the kick does not land, but he does not reach his opponent with his own strikes. Maness advances, but Nurmagomedov is able to scoot out of the way before he absorbs a single blow. Nurmagomedov slaps a high kick up that collides with the elbow, and he ducks back when Maness swarms him with punches. Nurmagomedov uses his foe’s momentum against him, clinches him up and tackles him down with a body lock takedown. Maness closes his guard to shut down offense coming at him, and Nurmagomedov stays busy with short punches to the body and head. Maness is able to stifle most the strikes that are attempted, but he is losing precious seconds with Nurmagomedov on top of him, smothering him. Maness squirms his way back to the fence with his neck pressed against the wire, and he hacks with a short elbow or two on the inside when he reaches it. The Russian stacks him up high, and Maness threatens with rubber guard when Nurmagomedov passes to half guard. Nurmagomedov moves his way to three-quarter mount and lands a punch or two, and Maness kicks off to attempt to get some space. Nurmagomedov threatens a two-on-one wrist lock, and he settles to score a few more punches from above before the bell rings.

Sherdog Scores

Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-9 Nurmagomedov
Ben Duffy scores the round: 10-9 Nurmagomedov
Tristen Critchfield scores the round: 10-9 Nurmagomedov

Round 2

They touch hands to open up Round 2, and Maness blocks high when Nurmagomedov whips a high kick at him. A second comes quickly from the Russian, who is pressuring his opponent now. Nurmagomedov just misses with a swinging right hand, and he changes levels to snatch a single and plant the American on his back. Nurmagomedov lands in half guard, and like a hot knife through butter, he cuts over to side control. Nurmagomedov attempts to snag mount, and Maness recovers to half guard when timing the pass. Nurmagomedov elbows his man a few times to soften him up and distract him, and he moves back to side control to knee Maness on the back. One knee might have landed on the spine, but there is no pause as Nurmagomedov continues his smothering top control that leads to a three-quarter mount. Nurmagomedov looks to tie up Maness with an arm-triangle choke, and he steps over to the side again. Maness once more gets him back to half guard, but Nurmagomedov is not letting him have a moment to breathe or get any offense of his own off. Nurmagomedov dings him with an elbow, and he scores another as Maness turns to his side. Nurmagomedov looks for a wrist lock, and he shifts to north-south only to come back around when Maness scrambles just enough. Maness surrenders his back in an effort to stand, and the Dagestan native gets a hook in and nearly flattens Maness out. Nurmagomedov starts pounding on Maness in the sides of his head, and Maness twists and turns to wind up on his back. The bell sounds to end the round.

Sherdog Scores

Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-9 Nurmagomedov
Ben Duffy scores the round: 10-8 Nurmagomedov
Tristen Critchfield scores the round: 10-8 Nurmagomedov

Round 3

The gloves get touched to start off the last round, and Nurmagomedov swings wildly with two hooks. The massive favorite whips a kick to the body, and he goes for two to the legs. Nurmagomedov punts Maness upside the head with his left shin, and Maness tanks it and throws looping punches back. Nurmagomedov slaps a low kick, and he comes up high with a front ball kick that slams right into Maness’ nose. Maness tries to make him pay, only to get smacked with a right hand when trying something. Maness whiffs on two punches and a head kick, and Nurmagomedov targets another of his karate-styled front push kicks to the face. Maness gets clipped with a right hand that drops him to a knee, but he springs back up before Nurmagomedov can pounce. Nurmagomedov does not entirely let him off the hook, as he pins the instep of his foot on Maness’ side. Nurmagomedov presses forward to snag hold of a leg, and he wrenches Maness down to the ground much to the dismay of the American and his corner. Nurmagomedov postures up and cracks Maness with an elbow, and the blow immediately starts some swelling developing on Maness’ forehead. Nurmagomedov, in side control, hammers down with additional elbows and some hammerfists to mix in, and he punches the floor a few times when Maness moves just in time. Nurmagomedov maintains his positional dominance, working “Mayhem” over with punches and elbows until Maness turns to his side. Nurmagomedov again stacks him up and methodically pounds on him with hammerfists, and Maness tightens his guard to save himself from any more brutal strikes. The grueling fight ends in this position.

Sherdog Scores

Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-9 Nurmagomedov (30-27 Nurmagomedov)
Ben Duffy scores the round: 10-9 Nurmagomedov (30-26 Nurmagomedov)
Tristen Critchfield scores the round: 10-9 Nurmagomedov (30-26 Nurmagomedov)

The Official Result

Umar Nurmagomedov def. Nathan Maness via Unanimous Decision (30-27, 30-26, 30-25)

Thiago Moises (155.5) vs. Christos Giagos (156)

BETTING PREVIEW | SCOUTING REPORT | ODDS: Moises (-255), Giagos (+215)

Round 1

Given the perceived upside for both fighters, it might come as a shock that both Moises (15-6, 4-4 UFC) and Giagos (19-9, 5-5 UFC) have won as many fights as they have lost in the Octagon. One will hope to earn a record above .500 in the UFC, with Giagos looking to do so in his second stint in the promotion. The cage commander for this lightweight matchup is referee Herb Dean, and he presides over the action and the glove touch that precedes it. Moises is the immediate aggressor, only to back off when Giagos swings a haymaker at him. Giagos goes to the body and Moises to the head, and Giagos follows him with a left. They nail one another with heavy punches, leading Moises to attack a takedown. The American stuffs it as he gets shoved back to the wire, and Moises keeps pursuing a single but cannot get it. Moises looks for an outside trip, and Giagos gets yanked down on the subsequent effort. As Giagos rolls through, Moises snatches hold of his back and gets his hooks in. Giagos stands all the way up, and he leans against the wall as Moises has his body triangle locked in on Giagos’ back. Moises softens his man up with punches above and beneath the guard, hoping to distract Giagos long enough to slip an arm under his neck. Moises squeezes his arm on the jaw, and when Giagos fights off the grip, Moises shifts to the other arm and this one is much more dangerous as his right arm wraps beneath the chin. With his arm crushing on Giagos' windpipe and carotid artery, the Brazilian reaches the other around to totally cinch it up, and Giagos taps out from the maneuver. He did not even need to get a traditional grip of rear-naked choke to force Giagos to give up, and Moises is back in the win column with style points.

The Official Result

Thiago Moises def. Christos Giagos R1 3:05 via Submission (Rear-Naked Choke)

Josh Parisian (265.5) vs. Alan Baudot (253)

BETTING PREVIEW | SCOUTING REPORT | ODDS: Baudot (-115), Parisian (-105)

Round 1

In the “featured fight of the night” slot, ranked fighters do not appear. Instead, two of the heavyweights on the lower echelon of the division are featured highly, likely because the potential for a dramatic stoppage is on the table. Hoping to turn things around will be Parisian (14-5, 1-2 UFC), while France’s Baudot (8-3, 1 NC; 0-2, 1 NC UFC) looks to get on the board altogether. The two check in with a glove touch, and referee Mark Smith watches on as the big men get ready to slug it out. Parisian sticks out a jab, and he targets another as he is forced to pull his shorts up. Baudot kicks the knee, and he swings for the fence with two inaccurate punches. Parisian pulls back from a spinning back fist, and Baudot punts him between the uprights with a front kick to cause a halt in the action. Less than a minute elapses before they resume, and Parisian kicks low with a heavy kick. Parisian again fakes a spin, and he lumbers forward to throw hands. Baudot greets him coming forward with an uppercut, backing the American off, and he kicks at the knee. Baudot swipes at him with two punches, and a standing hammerfist misses the mark. Parisian kicks the knee two times, and Baudot swipes at him again with a punch that is not much of a punch. Baudot throws an elbow, and Parisian returns fire to make the Frenchman retreat. Parisian scores a jab, and he walks into a low kick that allows him to clinch. Parisian goes up high with a kick, and he gets intercepted on the way in with a kick to the body. Parisian wings to punches up high, and he spins only to get countered and knocked off his feet. Baudot might have simply knocked him down with a shoulder check if not a punch, and he lands in Parisian’s half guard to score a few strikes. Parisian hunts for a kimura and bails on it when he does not have the leverage, and he isolates the right arm again to shut Baudot’s offense down. Baudot smashes down with an elbow, and damage begins to mount on Parisian’s left eye. Baudot slams several powerful hammerfists down, and Parisian rolls and stands back up in an explosive maneuver. Parisian swings back to get some space, and he charges forward to push Baudot from one side of the cage to the other. Parisian fishes for a trip and chains it into a double-leg entry, and he locks the hands and drops Baudot to the ground. Parisian lords over his opponent, pounding on him with right hand after unanswered right hand. Baudot blocks some of the blows, absorbs the rest, and makes it to the second round. The damage on Parisian’s eye is severe, so it is not a guarantee that Round 2 begins.

Sherdog Scores

Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-9 Baudot
Ben Duffy scores the round: 10-9 Baudot
Tristen Critchfield scores the round: 10-9 Baudot

Round 2

Parisian’s eye is swollen but checked, and he is good to go for the second round. He lunges out with a jab after a glove touch, and Baudot uses a standing hammerfist instead of an overhand right as if his punching technique is not quite there. Parisian walks through the violence that explodes on his chin so that he can pursue a takedown, and he wrenches the Frenchman down to the mat. Parisian flattens Baudot out with punches, and Baudot turns to his back only to absorb several brutal elbows. Parisian considers a keylock, and he abandons it to keep on pounding with hammerfists. Smith asks Baudot to keep fighting back, and Parisian drops down relentless hammers. Baudot rolls to his knees, and Smith tells him loudly that he needs to fight back or he will intervene. Baudot uses every bit of his energy reserves to stand, and Parisian looks to take him back down, but he gives up on it as he might be spent too. Parisian lets him go, but he stalks him down across the cage and pursues a takedown once more with his hands clasped around the waist. Parisian nearly pulls Baudot on top of him, but he manages to take top position over the more exhausted Baudot to step into side control. Baudot gives up full mount, and Parisian starts slamming him in the face with right hands that are slow but effective. Baudot turtles up on his side, and the punches from Parisian keep on dropping until Smith has no choice but to step in due to a lack of intelligent defense on Baudot’s part. With the fight over, the heavyweights both roll to their respective backs sucking wind. Nevertheless, Parisian has evened his UFC record to .500, and he very possibly allows the UFC to hand France’s Baudot a pink slip by making Baudot winless in four appearances.

The Official Result

Josh Parisian def. Alan Baudot R2 3:04 via TKO (Punches)

Neil Magny (171) vs. Shavkat Rakhmonov (170.5)

BETTING PREVIEW | SCOUTING REPORT | ODDS: Rakhmonov (-390), Magny (+320)

Round 1

A significant welterweight match takes center stage in the co-main event, when longtime vet Magny (26-8, 19-7 UFC) aims to break Georges St. Pierre’s UFC welterweight win record as he takes on unbeaten powerhouse Rakhmonov (15-0, 3-0 UFC). The winner may find themselves among the top 10 with a decent performance, and Magny will need to mind his P’s and Q’s while Rakhmonov manages his gas tank and looks to stave off a savvy veteran. The referee presiding over what could be a fun one depending on where it goes is Chris Tognoni, and the competitors do not touch gloves in front of him to start off the match. Magny strikes first with a pair of low kicks, and he goes up high to the head with one to follow. Rakhmonov grabs a subsequent kick and trips Magny out, and Magny’s back hits the mat. As soon as he goes down, Magny fires off an upkick that glances off the chin, and Rakhmonov lowers himself into half guard comfortably. Magny hand-fights off his back to shut down strikes that could come from the unbeaten fighter, and he wriggles his way back to the fence. Rakhmonov postures up and starts slamming Magny in the face with his fists, and he pushes Rakhmonov back enough so that he can unleash several surprising upkicks. Rakhmonov jumps down into the mount position, and Magny turns with his feet off the wall to recover position back to a half guard-type position. Rakhmonov pounds on Magny with standing-to-ground punches before moving into a guillotine setup, and he gives that up when Magny twists his neck out of danger. Magny recovers the guard, but he gets elbows flush on the cheek. Rakhmonov attempts to push past Magny’s leg, and Magny attacks with hammerfists off his back as he tangles his leg up in the fighter’s from Kazakhstan. Rakhmonov hangs on to the leg with a threat of a leglock that does not let Rakhmonov from advancing, and he hunts briefly for a heel hook before changing it to one on the other side of his armpit. Magny hangs on to the heel, and Rakhmonov puts his hand on top of the cage to defend himself. Magny puts his foe’s heel beneath his armpit, and Rakhmonov does not look remotely fazed as he pulls his foot out and nails Magny with a few strikes to punctuate the round at the bell.

Sherdog Scores

Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-9 Rakhmonov
Ben Duffy scores the round: 10-9 Rakhmonov
Tristen Critchfield scores the round: 10-9 Rakhmonov

Round 2

The welterweights meet in the middle, and Magny gets off a body kick before Rakhmonov knocks him back with punches. Magny scores a front kick to the waist, and Rakhmonov grabs it and nearly takes him down again. Magny pulls his leg back in time, only to absorb a spinning kick to the ribs as Rakhmonov pushes forward to then clinch him up and pursue a takedown. The longtime vet works with short strikes on the inside as Rakhmonov ties his leg up, and Rakhmonov uses Magny’s trip against him to lower him down to the canvas. Rakhmonov stacks Magny up and drops down hammers, and Magny pushes off the fence with his feet but Rakhmonov is tightly pressed to him to not allow him to maneuver. Rakhmonov slams him with elbows, and Magny walks off the wall but is unable to get Rakhmonov out of side control. Magny bucks and kicks, and as he does, Rakhmonov turns to set up an armbar. Magny turns all the way to his stomach to stand up, but he gives up his back briefly and turns back over. Rakhmonov threatens with a brabo choke as Magny turns to his side, and the American attempts and fails to sweep Rakhmonov over. Rakhmonov sits up to slug Magny in the chops with a few unblocked left hands, and he frustrates the veteran by trapping him down with no way up. Rakhmonov rings Magny’s bell with a sharp right hand, and Magny pushes him off and attempts to upkick him. Magny aims for another upkick, so Rakhmonov answers him with a dropping punch that just misses by a matter of inches. Magny grabs the ankle to try to turn the tables, but Rakhmonov is powerful and able to turn him over. With seconds left in the round, Rakhmonov wraps his left arm around Magny’s neck, and he ties up a guillotine choke in a hurry. Magny’s corner shouts that he has a couple seconds left in the round and that he should not give up, and Magny twists with all his might to gain enough space to stay afloat. The grip strength, even this late into the fight, is impossibly strong for Rakhmonov, and Magny has no choice to tap out lest he get put out from the choke. That was a massive test for Rakhmonov, and one he passed with flying colors. It’s onward and upward for the undefeated 27-year-old, who celebrates 16 victories with all 16 by stoppage.

The Official Result

Shavkat Rakhmonov def. Neil Magny R2 4:58 via Submission (Guillotine Choke)

Arman Tsarukyan (156) vs. Mateusz Gamrot (156)

BETTING PREVIEW | SCOUTING REPORT | ODDS: Tsarukyan (-295), Gamrot (+245)

Round 1

American Top Team stablemates Tsarukyan (18-2, 5-1 UFC) and Gamrot (20-1, 1 NC; 3-1 UFC) will serve as the headliner at 155 pounds, and the latter is the one who stayed at ATT for his full camp, while Tsarukyan traveled to avoid the concern of team favoritism. Both lightweights with momentum behind them, they will each enter their first UFC main event and look to introduce themselves to the masses. Referee Jason Herzog has his shoes laced up for a fight that could end in an instant or last all 25 minutes, and the men in the main event gladly touch ‘em up to seal the cage. Tsarukyan sticks out several jabs early, and Gamrot slings a kick to the calf. Gamrot blocks a high kick, and he ducks back when Tsarukyan comes out throwing. Tsarukyan changes levels for a takedown, and Gamrot turns the tables and threatens with one of his own. A wild scramble ensues, where both men hit their knees, gain an advantageous position, and have to release, so they get back to standup. Tsarukyan sinks in a heavy kick to the body, and he swipes his right hand out to the solar plexus to follow. Gamrot punches high and drops low for a knee tap, and Tsarukyan rebuffs him and kicks him in the side again. Gamrot attempts to respond with a leg kick, and the leg gets grabbed as Gamrot falls to his back. The Polish fighter rolls through to reverse the position, and he winds up on top briefly before Tsarukyan stands back up. Gamrot holds on from behind with wrist control, and he winds up clasping his own hands around the waist to try for his takedown. Tsarukyan pushes him back to the center of the cage while clinched up, and they let go so that Tsarukyan can aim a kick to the side. The Russian introduce his shin to the side of Gamrot’s head, and Gamrot does not flinch. Tsarukyan chips at the lead leg with a pair of kicks, and Gamrot charges forward with a pair of punches that come up shy of the intended target. Gamrot catches a body kick and goes to trip Tsarukyan down, but with his own leg high in the air, Tsarukyan still manages to hop back and pull his leg away before getting grounded. Gamrot blocks an overhand right and scores his own, and Tsarukyan sits down on a thudding kick to the ribcage. Gamrot attempts to land a short right hook counter, and the takedown effort results in a furious scrambling of hands and legs where neither man ends up grounded. Tsarukyan holds on while Gamrot is on his knees, and the horn sounds.

Sherdog Scores

Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-9 Tsarukyan
Ben Duffy scores the round: 10-9 Tsarukyan
Tristen Critchfield scores the round: 10-9 Tsarukyan

Round 2

The lightweights touch gloves to start off Round 2, and the Russian paws out with a right hand. Gamrot subsequently catches a body kick, and he releases it before turning it into a takedown entry. Tsarukyan assaults the lead leg with his shin, and Gamrot just misses with a looping uppercut. Gamrot plods forward and grazes the temple with an overhand right, and Tsarukyan answers him with a kick to the liver that lands with an audible thud. Gamrot gets beaten to the punch in an exchange, but he manages to sneak in a leg kick as he blocks the oncoming fists. A right from Gamrot backs Tsarukyan up to the wall, and Tsarukyan scores a straight right hand to the body. Tsarukyan just slides out of the way from a power punch, and Gamrot absorbs a slapping kick that resounds in the Apex. Gamrot catches it but there is nothing he can do with it, and he takes another on the same spot for good measure. Tsarukyan comes up high with a kick that gets blocked, but the low kick that follows connects cleanly. Gamrot stuffs a takedown entry as the two men hit the knees, and they rise back up together and release one another. Gamrot leaves a left hand out too long, allowing Tsarukyan to counter with a right hand and a low kick. Tsarukyan telegraphs a takedown from afar, and Gamrot scrambles all the way through to put Tsarukyan on his face. They hold one another down with their elbows interlocked, in a 50-50 type position, and Gamrot slugs him with a few short left hands. Gamrot just ducks an elbow when they stand up and break, and he pokes a left to the stomach. Tsarukyan kicks him back, and he strings a punch into a kick. Gamrot sticks and moves with a left, and Tsarukyan plants the ball of his foot on the sternum effectively. Tsarukyan gives chase with three punches that hit nothing but air, and a body kick bends Gamrot over briefly. “Gamer” gathers himself and throws a right hand, and he dances out of the way when a spinning back kick targets his body. Gamrot winds up with a clean right hand that connects flush, and Tsarukyan returns fire with a popping body kick. One last kick from Gamrot concludes the round.

Sherdog Scores

Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-9 Tsarukyan
Ben Duffy scores the round: 10-9 Tsarukyan
Tristen Critchfield scores the round: 10-9 Tsarukyan

Round 3

Tsarukyan loads up with a body kick to start off the third round one second after a glove touch, and Gamrot shrugs it off and barrels forward with a solid right hand. Tsarukyan chops down the leg, and he dips back as Gamrot swings and misses with a haymaker. Tsarukyan begins to implement a jab, interrupting his foe multiple times coming forward. Tsarukyan cracks his foe with a right hand, and Gamrot changes levels in an instant and hunts for a single that gets stuffed. Gamrot leaps forward with a right hand, and they trade single punches one after the other. Gamrot swats away a body kick, and he gets the attention of “Ahalkalakets” with a right hand. Gamrot ducks down for a double, and he cannot maintain top position for any notable stretch of time until the Russian springs to his feet. Gamrot grabs Tsarukyan from behind, and Tsarukyan grabs the fence to stay upright. Tsarukyan elbows his man in the face from behind while Gamrot holds him fight, and Gamrot mashes him into the fence before dragging him down. Gamrot manages to take the Russian’s back in the exchange, and Tsarukyan pulls himself back up by grabbing the cage again. Gamrot lets go, and he pops Tsarukyan with a right hand, before coming back in close to go for a throw. Tsarukyan stays upright, and the two split up. Gamrot scores a right hand, and Tsarukyan answers him with a pair of punches. Tsarukyan backs Gamrot up with a swarm of strikes, and Gamrot slides back and sticks him with a straight right hand down the pipe. Gamrot sprawls perfectly to stop Tsarukyan from taking him down, and he picks Gamrot’s right leg up in the air and tries to take him out. Gamrot elects to punch Tsarukyan several times while hopping on the other leg, and eventually Tsarukyan releases it. Gamrot ducks to prevent a takedown entry, and Tsarukyan changes things up with a head kick that the Polish fighter eats as cleanly as one can. Gamrot does not bat an eye, and the two trade hands with seconds left in the round. Tsarukyan advances, and Gamrot backs away until the horn blares.

Sherdog Scores

Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-9 Gamrot
Ben Duffy scores the round: 10-9 Tsarukyan
Tristen Critchfield scores the round: 10-9 Gamrot

Round 4

The gloves are touched, and Gamrot is prepared for a strike that follows. It does, in the form of a jab. Tsarukyan then takes a step back and a breath, and he marches forward to brawl. Gamrot answers with a few blows of his own, and he mixes it up with a takedown that is stopped. Tsarukyan gains a little space to kick the side, and Gamrot winds up with a bomb of a right hand that staggers Tsarukyan. Tsarukyan swings back heavily, and Gamrot spins with a back fist. Gamrot hunts low for a single, and he bails on it when the leverage is not there. Gamrot chases with a left and a right that misses, and Tsarukyan reaches him with a straight strike. As Gamrot sprints forward, Tsarukyan spins with a back fist that knocks Gamrot off his feet. Whether from damage or an off-balance blow, Gamrot hits the floor but fights incredibly hard to turn things around and takes Tsarukyan to a knee with his own takedown effort. The Russian works his way to the fence so that he can walk up it, and he breaks free. Gamrot comes over the top with a right hand, and Tsarukyan answers him with a multiple-punch salvo. Tsarukyan takes a hard look at the clock – which shows two minutes left – and Gamrot comes at him with his fists locked and loaded. Tsarukyan spins with an elbow that bounces off the shoulder, and Gamrot ducks down to pursue a takedown, only to meet Tsarukyan’s shin flush. Gamrot absorbs it and charges in to take his foe down, where he cannot keep down for more than a second or two. Gamrot secures a mat return, and he gets a hook in around the back as Tsarukyan attempts to scramble. Gamrot starts working on him with short punches before hooking his right arm around the back, and he threatens with a choke as he stretches Tsarukyan’s back out. Tsarukyan gets away with yet another fence grab to regain position, and he turns with his back to the fence to stand up. He gets to his feet as soon as the bell rings.

Sherdog Scores

Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-9 Gamrot
Ben Duffy scores the round: 10-9 Gamrot
Tristen Critchfield scores the round: 10-9 Gamrot

Round 5

The lightweights meet in the middle for a glove touch, and they show the respect and do not try something funny this time. Gamrot strides forward with confidence, and he smacks Tsarukyan in the face with a right hand on the button. Tsarukyan responds with a leg kick that sweeps Gamrot clean off his feet, but he does not pounce and instead allows Gamrot to stand back up. Tsarukyan doubles down on the leg kick when back up, and Gamrot steps in with a right hand. Tsarukyan dives at him for a takedown, and Gamrot’s sprawl holds up again as he stands Tsarukyan back up and slugs him in the face with a right hand. Gamrot rushes in and tackles Tsarukyan over, forcing the Russian to hit the mat in the most emphatic takedown of the fight thus far. Tsarukyan gets his back to the fence but he is not as quick to walk his way up, eventually doing so but not before absorbing a few punches. Gamrot keeps trying for a body lock takedown from behind, but Tsarukyan spins out and returns to the center of the cage. Gamrot senses a spinning strike is coming, and he times a takedown to avoid the blow and force Tsarukyan to a knee. Tsarukyan does not go all the way down, and he climbs back up to kick Gamrot in the side. Tsarukyan strings three punches together, and he chambers and looses another loud body kick. Gamrot fakes for a takedown try to score with a right, but the right grazes past the side of the head. Tsarukyan gets the attention of his opponent with a few clean strikes, and Gamrot drops to his knees to go after a takedown entry. Tsarukyan stuffs him and threatens with a choke, but it is more for control than danger. Tsarukyan lets him up, and he punches him a few times. Tsarukyan aims a low kick, and Gamrot comes out firing with a left and a right that misses. Tsarukyan delivers another kick to the body, and Gamrot wobbles back and loads up on a right hand. Tsarukyan slaps a kick off the guard, and Gamrot leaps forward to take Tsarukyan down to his seat. Tsarukyan stands up, and he gets dragged back down with a mat return. Gamrot drops down for one last takedown try, and Tsarukyan sprawls it as this incredibly close fight comes to an end. It's anyone’s guess how the judges will see this one, as most of these rounds were up for grabs and separated by a cigarette paper. The UFC did right by making this bout five rounds, as it delivered from bell to bell with a real thriller that would be fun to see run back a few years down the line. Gamrot will move forward in the shark tank at 155 pounds, but Tsarukyan’s stock certainly will not fall far here after that 25-minute battle. Next week, the UFC is pulling out all the stops, as UFC 276 on paper should be one to remember for quite some time. We will certainly be here for it, and we hope you are too.

Sherdog Scores

Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-9 Gamrot (48-47 Gamrot)
Ben Duffy scores the round: 10-9 Gamrot (48-47 Tsarukyan)
Tristen Critchfield scores the round: 10-9 Gamrot (48-47 Gamrot)

The Official Result

Mateusz Gamrot def. Arman Tsarukyan via Unanimous Decision (48-47, 48-47, 48-47)