UFC on ESPN 40 ‘Santos vs. Hill’ Play-by-Play, Results & Round Scoring

Stephanie Egger (134.5) vs. Mayra Bueno Silva (135.5)

BETTING PREVIEW | SCOUTING REPORT | ODDS: Silva (-110), Egger (-110)

Round 1

This ESPN card has taken some hits right before it was set to go down, but it will proceed with 10 fights at the UFC Apex. The first comes in the women’s bantamweight category, as two finish-minded ladies each sporting stoppage rates at 75% or above toe the line. Brazil’s Bueno Silva (8-2-1, 3-2-1 UFC) will battle it out with well-rounded Egger (7-2, 2-1 UFC), and the referee in charge of their meeting is Chris Tognoni. The gloves get to touched to start off this evening’s violence, and the women measure their range and clash shins together with the first strikes of the night. Bueno Silva swats at her foe with a few punches, and Egger responds by grabbing her and hip tossing Bueno Silva over. Bueno Silva takes her back for a moment, only to get rolled around. When Egger claims top position, she starts smashing down punches and elbows. Egger falls into an armbar as she is throwing strikes, and Bueno Silva locks it up fast. The Swiss fighter stacks her up, but she falls forward and the submission is tighter. Bueno Silva shouts to Tognoni that Egger tapped, and she lets go of the move and holds her arms up. Everyone is confused, because Egger does not admit she tapped out, and just glances at Tognoni with a quizzical look. After a few seconds of awkwardness, Tognoni waves the fight off, apparently from Bueno Silva’s claim of the tap. Tognoni goes to consult the replay official to review the stoppage, and when this does not prove conclusive, he does the rare but proper call of polling the judges – this means, asking the judges what they saw and if there is something only seen from one of their vantage points. Judge Ron McCarthy declares that he clearly saw a tapout, and that is all that is needed to put this result in the books. A unique instance, but proper in the confines of the rules. Egger protests that she did not tap out, but it’s all over. This speedy submission for Bueno Silva goes down as one of the quickest in UFC women’s divisional history.

The Official Result

Mayra Bueno Silva def. Stephanie Egger R1 1:17 via Submission (Armbar)

Miranda Granger (115.5) vs. Cory McKenna (115.5)

BETTING PREVIEW | SCOUTING REPORT | ODDS: McKenna (-225), Granger (+185)

Round 1

Women take center stage once more, this time at 115 pounds. When the dust settles, either one will have a UFC record above .500, or one will reach that mark. Whether it is McKenna (6-2, 1-1 UFC) that rises above the midpoint line or Granger (7-2, 1-2 UFC) righting her ship, it remains to be seen as referee Keith Peterson watches on. There is plenty of respect and absolutely zero nonsense, and it is shown in the form of a glove touch. Granger, with a major reach advantage, paws out a jab early. McKenna pressures forward, throwing punches to close the distance and duck in past the rangy strikes coming at her. “Poppins” hurls a leg kick, and Granger responds with one square on the calf. McKenna dips in and out to land a big punch, and her fan contingent in the UFC Apex cheers for her like they were watching a muay Thai fight. McKenna plods forward to tie her opponent up, and Granger turns her around and knees her to the body repeatedly. McKenna grips her hands around the waist, and she bails on it to search for a single-leg takedown. The transition back to a double-leg entry succeeds for the Welshwoman, who sets Granger down gingerly. Granger pops back up walking up the wall, so McKenna lifts her in the air and drops her down in the center of the cage. McKenna forces the guard to open up with some heavy ground-and-pound, and she advances to half guard while slugging down with undefended left hands. The Team Alpha Male prospect stays heavy and composed on top, working Granger over with punches and elbows while limiting Granger’s offense to practically nothing. McKenna keeps active to stave off any intervention from Peterson, and she steps into mount until Granger bucks her off. McKenna hops back over to side control and shucks off a high triangle setup from Granger. When McKenna prepares to slice to full mount, Granger keeps a high knee up. McKenna steps all the way over to the other side, and she locks down an arm-triangle choke. McKenna squeezes with all her might, but the clock is her enemy as time expires before she can elicit a tap or put “Danger” away.

Sherdog Scores

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

Round 2

The ladies meet in the middle and think about touching gloves, but Granger instead circles away and starts to set up her jab again. McKenna moves towards her, so Granger pushes her back with a front kick. The kick gets caught after smacking McKenna in the face, and McKenna uses this leverage to lift the leg up and plant Granger down on the mat again. “Poppins” lands in side control, and Granger holds on from her back with a guillotine choke. This is extremely dangerous for her, as McKenna sees the opening and attacks with her shoulder. McKenna secures a Von Flue – Von Preux to some – choke, where she uses Granger’s own grip against her, and it is only a matter of time at this point. Granger considers going out on her shield, but she taps out from the maneuver to save face. This is a big win for the Welsh fighter training in California, as she becomes the first female fighter in UFC history to land one of these types of chokes.

The Official Result

Cory McKenna def. Miranda Granger R2 1:03 via Submission (Shoulder Choke)

Josh Quinlan (169) vs. Jason Witt (170)

BETTING PREVIEW | SCOUTING REPORT | ODDS: Quinlan (-210), Witt (+180)

Round 1

The fight was postponed on Friday after Quinlan was flagged by the NAC for a metabolite of turinabol, as first reported by Combate.

Bryan Battle (171) vs. Takashi Sato (170.5)

BETTING PREVIEW | SCOUTING REPORT | ODDS: Battle (-215), Sato (+185)

Round 1

Carrying on the prelims is a welterweight battle between TUF 29 middleweight winner Battle (7-1, 2-0 UFC) – who is dropping down to 170 pounds for the first time – and the struggling striker Sato (15-5, 2-3 UFC). This classic stylistic clash will draw officiating from referee Mark Smith, who clocks them in after they touch ‘em up. Battle is warned for outstretched fingers immediately, and he steps back when Sato lightly tosses a front kick at him. Battle wings a high kick, and Sato blocks it in time. Battle scores a calf kick and he stays light on his feet pecking away from afar. From the depths of the underworld, Battle chambers and looses a destructive head kick that smashes square into Sato’s chin. Sato is frozen in time as he absorbs the blow, with his arms locked up, and he falls back lifelessly to the mat. It is purely academic at that point when Battle scores a few punches to a clearly unconsciously Sato, and Smith charges as fast as he can to pull “Pooh Bear” off of the doomed Sato. This is a massive statement for Battle, who proved he had no trouble getting to welterweight and beat a striker at his own game in dramatic fashion.

The Official Result

Bryan Battle def. Takashi Sato R1 0:44 via KO (Head Kick)

Sam Alvey (186) vs. Michal Oleksiejczuk (185.5)

BETTING PREVIEW | SCOUTING REPORT | ODDS: Oleksiejczuk (-560), Alvey (+430)

Round 1

To conclude this briefer than expected prelim card, striker battles striker when the much-maligned Alvey (33-17-1, 1 NC; 10-12-1 UFC) tries to finish his UFC contract on a high note and end a nearly historic skid against Oleksiejczuk (16-5, 1 NC; 4-3, 1 NC UFC). With 30 knockouts across their 49 wins, compared to just four submissions between them, it is clear what the gameplan is for both middleweights. Alvey struggled to hit his marks, while Oleksiejczuk dropped down to 185 for the first time. The fight opens with a partial glove touch, and Alvey’s smile is so infectious that even referee Herb Dean cracks one. Oleksiejczuk gives chase and immediately throws a left hand from downtown. Oleksiejczuk is out for blood, and he swings wildly and catches Alvey with his looping punches. Alvey escapes out the side and sneaks out a right hand, and Oleksiejczuk has to take a moment to recalculate his decision. Oleksiejczuk winds up with an absolutely massive left hand, and he knocks “Smile’n Sam” clear off his feet. Oleksiejczuk dives on top to pound on Alvey, and Alvey survives but is bloodied from the blows. Oleksiejczuk swarms him and forces Alvey to turn to his knees, and he pounds on Alvey with a long slew of left hands. Alvey explodes back up and shrugs at Oleksiejczuk, and he times an Oleksiejczuk punch with a double-leg takedown shot. Oleksiejczuk stuffs it and pushes Alvey back. Alvey pops his foe with a right hand, and Oleksiejczuk comes out guns blazing. The Polish fighter rips a left to the body, pushes out a distracting right up high and follows it with a bomb of a left hand that detonates on Alvey’s jaw. Alvey hits the floor like a sack of potatoes as his children cry out from the outskirts of the cage, and Dean rushes in to rescue a busted up Alvey from his own toughness. With the fight over, the defeated Alvey leans back with a bloody grimace, not protesting the stoppage this time. He sits up, and stands to go stick his tongue out at the camera, showing that he is not as hurt as he seemed. Unfortunately for Alvey, his nine-fight winless stretch is now a new UFC record, breaking a tie with B.J. Penn. Meanwhile, Oleksiejczuk announces himself in his new division with a crushing knockout of a durable foe.

The Official Result

Michal Oleksiejczuk def. Sam Alvey R1 1:56 via TKO (Punches)

Erick Gonzalez (155) vs. Terrance McKinney (155.5)

BETTING PREVIEW | SCOUTING REPORT | ODDS: McKinney (-850), Gonzalez (+600)

Round 1

After some last-minute finagling, the main card will now open with a lightweight banger between well-nicknamed gentlemen “T.Wrecks” McKinney (12-4, 2-1 UFC) and “The Ghost Pepper” Gonzalez (14-6, 0-1 UFC). Referee Chris Tognoni will need to be on his A-game in case he has to step in at a moment’s notice, given how these two can engage. They do not bother to touch gloves, and McKinney quickly starts walking his foe down and kicks him upside the head. Gonzalez absorbs or blocks a few winging punches, and he swings with a kick that makes him slip and hit the mat. McKinney cannot reach him before Gonzalez gets upright again, and Gonzalez lets go with a body kick. When “The Ghost Pepper” spices things up with a few punches, McKinney meets him with a clean one-two and an uppercut that wobbles Gonzalez’ legs. McKinney works his way in to start scoring knees, and Gonzalez grabs him and tries to take him down. McKinney hops back to keep his balance, and he gets stung with a sharp left hand. McKinney shakes his head, ducks another and hits a speedy takedown to plant Gonzalez firmly on his back. McKinney steps into half guard and postures up to start dropping down punches, and Gonzalez pushes him off with his feet. Gonzalez turns to his knees and gives up his back, and McKinney climbs on to take his back. Gonzalez stands up despite having “T.Wrecks” on his back, and this is a dangerous strategy as McKinney starts fishing for the neck while Gonzalez is more focused on getting upright. McKinney latches on with his forearm around the chin, and he slides it beneath the chin to get the choke on lock. Gonzalez leans to his side and motions to Tognoni that he is good to go, but this is short-lived. McKinney continues to squeeze with the rear-naked choke grip tightly wrapped around the throat, and Gonzalez leans to his side practically 90 degrees before he surrenders, not wanting to get put out cold. McKinney releases immediately when Tognoni steps in, and he has just moved back into the win column thanks to a slick submission.

The Official Result

Terrance McKinney def. Erick Gonzalez R1 2:17 via Submission (Rear-Naked Choke)

Priscila Cachoeira (125.5) vs. Ariane Lipski (128.5: Missed Weight)

BETTING PREVIEW | SCOUTING REPORT | ODDS: Lipski (-170), Cachoeira (+145)

Round 1

The fight was postponed on Friday after Lipski failed her medicals, as first reported by Combate. It will be held at UFC on ESPN 41 in one week.

Augusto Sakai (260) vs. Sergey Spivak (249.5)

BETTING PREVIEW | SCOUTING REPORT | ODDS: Spivak (-225), Sakai (+190)

Round 1

A potentially violent heavyweight collision is on deck when knockout-friendly Brazilian brawler Sakai (15-4-1, 4-3 UFC) tangles with Moldovan powerhouse Spivak (14-3, 5-3 UFC). Referee Mark Smith may not be needed for the full 15-minute stretch, but he is nonetheless prepared should we get that far. The fists are bumped ahead of being traded, and Sakai looks to establish his jab early. Spivak smacks him back with a left hand, and Sakai sits down on a low kick. Spivak sprints forwards, and he uses his power and momentum to trip Sakai over and dump him to the ground. As Sakai fights back to his feet, his neck falls in submission danger. The Brazilian fights out of choke danger, but Spivak turns him around and throws him down to the mat. Spivak opens up with a couple elbows as Sakai twists, and fingers from the Moldovan drift into Sakai’s eyes to merit a warning. Spivak drops down a thudding elbow and a couple short punches, and Sakai looks to frame off with his knees while taking strikes. Spivak turns all the way around to north-south position and transitions to an armbar setup, but Sakai bucks fast enough to not fall victim to a submission. Sakai scoots his way to a knee up against the fence, and Spivak starts hunting for a rear-naked choke before slamming his fist in the side of Sakai’s head. Spivak cannot keep him grounded with this angle, so he decides to wrap his arms around his foe’s waist and drag him down again. Sakai bursts back upright, pinned against the fencing, and he looks irritated as he is held in this position. Spivak wrenches Sakai down with a scarf hold of sorts, and he lands on the mat and slides over to side control to grab a two-on-one wrist lock. Spivak has a punch or two land to the back of the head, and Smith admonishes him of these fouls. Spivak adjusts his target and pounds the side of Sakai’s head until Sakai gives up his back. Sakai works to a knee, and Spivak does not mind as he grabs on to a rear-naked choke. Sakai stands all the way up to halt the choke from succeeding, and he scores a pair of knees and an elbow to break away. Spivak takes a deep breath as they are separated with about 30 seconds to go, and he strides forward with three punches that knock Sakai back to the wall. Spivak bowls his way forward to tie the Brazilian up, and Sakai knees him in the gut once before the round ends.

Sherdog Scores

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

Round 2

The heavyweights are amped up to get back to it, and Smith has to back them off before clocking in the round. Spivak leads the dance with a jab, and he hops back as Sakai swings recklessly with looping but inaccurate hooks at him. Spivak punches his way into a tie-up, and Sakai pushes him back and lands a few short shots on the inside. Spivak rings Sakai’s bell with straight punches, and Sakai’s nose starts to leak scarlet fluid. Spivak charges in and lifts Sakai up before slamming him down hard. Sakai puts himself in a precarious position, even giving up his neck for a possible check momentarily, but he muscles his way up and ignores what Spivak throws at him submission-wise. Sakai grabs the top of the cage to keep his balance, and Spivak judo throws him back down. Spivak lords over his opponent and hammers him with left hands and elbows, and Smith tells a bloodied Sakai he needs to fight back. Spivak senses he might be able to record a finish soon, and he unloads with several Donkey Kong-style hammerfists. Try as he might, Sakai cannot get any higher than his knees, all while Spivak is pounding on him methodically. The individual strikes of ground-and-pound are not brutally powerful, but they add up and are only partially being defended. Smith tells Sakai that he needs to do something or he will stop it, and Sakai answers by trying to fight his way up with all his energy. Spivak dumps his foe back down on his face, with blood splattering the canvas, and he delivers a line of punches until Smith has seen enough. Sakai sits up and protests the stoppage, but he appeared to have very little left to give and was getting mauled on the ground for a fair amount of time. Now celebrating five wins in his last six, Spivak is likely to re-enter the rankings at the heavyweight division this coming week.

The Official Result

Sergey Spivak def. Augusto Sakai R2 3:42 via TKO (Punches)

Juliana Miller (125) vs. Brogan Walker (125.5)

BETTING PREVIEW | SCOUTING REPORT | ODDS: Miller (-125), Walker (+105)

Round 1

The women’s flyweight bracket of “The Ultimate Fighter” Season 30 comes to a close with a final matchup between Invicta FC vets Walker (7-2, 0-0 UFC) and Miller (2-1, 0-0 UFC). Walker’s finish rate may be low at 14%, and both of her wins on the season also came on the scorecards, but she is ready to push “Killer” Miller to the deep waters. Referee Keith Peterson has attached his no-nonsense floaties in the event that said waters get reached, and there is no love lost and the ladies do not touch gloves before vying for a six-figure contract. Walker mean mugs her opponent as she stares her down, and both women engage in a fierce striking exchange. Walker punches her way into a clinch, only to get turned around and tripped down to the canvas. Miller claims half guard and starts landing a few strikes, but her attention is far more devoted on maintaining position and not allowing Walker to drag her back to her guard. Walker hangs on from beneath, slowing the offense down from above, and Miller occasionally scores punches to the loud cheers of her team and fans. The stalemate on the ground continues with Miller unable to advance position or get off significant ground-and-pound until Walker pulls her back and closes the guard around her waist. Miller punches a few times to break the leg grip around her ribs, and Walker switches to a high guard before getting elbowed in the face. Walker turns and flinches when absorbing strikes, and Miller comfortably keeps her trapped while the pace slows to a crawl. An occasional elbow comes from “Killer,” and Walker decides she is tired of absorbing these strikes and brings her legs up high to isolate a shoulder. Walker turns to set up an armbar, but she bails on it when the leverage is not right. Miller comfortably drives elbows home on the cheek until the slow round ends.

Sherdog Scores

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

Round 2

Things get a little chippy at the end of the second round, but cooler heads prevail to allow them to get to their corners and take the minute break. When the second round begins, Walker comes out with a largely swollen left cheek, closing her eye up. She pays this no mind as they start striking, with Walker’s longer, rangy punches finding the mark. Miller gets tagged with a right hand, and Walker powers her way into a clinch. Like the last round, Miller is the one to reverse the position and dump Walker on her back. As Walker hits the ground, she snatches up Miller’s ankle, and she threatens with a leglock. Miller falls over as she tries to get herself free, and she leaps on to the side of Walker to keep her pressed down to her knees. Miller takes the back without any hook in, and Walker sits up and tries to explode up but finds no space. Miller pulls her back down and gets one hook in around the side, and she shifts her arm grip to cinch up a rear-naked choke right on the jaw of her opponent. Walker grits it out and lets Miller gas her arms so that she can power her way up, and she turns the tables and puts Miller on her back. “Killer” walks up the wall to stand again, and Walker greets her with a knee to the body before attempting to take her back down. This fails, and Miller wings a punch to break them up. Walker does not stay at range for more than a second before crashing forward to a clinch. Miller spins her around against the cage, and when Walker is looking at a monitor to find out her position, Miller blasts her in the face with an elbow. Miller deftly snakes her legs between her adversary’s, allowing her to trip Walker over and drop her down to the floor. Miller lands in side control and hammers down elbows, and the round ends with Walker hanging on tight.

Sherdog Scores

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

Round 3

After 10 minutes of combat, the ladies decide to bury the hatchet and touch gloves. They come out swinging, and Walker pushes her opponent back with her strikes. Low kicks come at the same time and the shins clack together, and Miller presses forward only to get bopped in the face with a left hand. Walker sneaks out a front kick as Miller is advancing, and she flails with a few loose punches. Miller walks through a low kick to score a one-two on the chin, and she delivers the ball of her foot to Walker’s ribcage. They both throw hands, and Miller is reaching Walker while Walker’s responses are short of the mark. Miller scores a solid left hand, forcing Walker to initiate a clinch. Miller puts her foe on her heels as she lowers herself down, and slowly tackles Walker down. Miller lands in full mount, and she commences a bombardment of punches and elbows as Walker turtles up. Miller hacks at her with elbows while Peterson takes a close eye on the action, and the elbows continue to punish “The Bear.” Walker kicks off the fence to try to stand, and Miller does not mind as she stays heavy and clobbers her opponent with vicious elbow strikes. Walker bucks and turns to her side, but Miller is not letting her up and continues to smack her around. Miller methodically works ground-and-pound, and Peterson once more is watching like a hawk as a finish could be right around the corner. Miller turns up the heat and unleashes a hellacious salvo of punches and elbows, and Peterson jumps in to stop the contest. Miller is not done yet, and she stands up, motions the pro wrestling X chop symbol and gives Walker a shove – while also partially pushing Peterson. The new TUF flyweight tourney winner gets pushed back and she drops it, sprinting over to her corner to celebrate. This was one-way traffic for the young Miller, who with just four pro fights now earns a shiny six-figure UFC contract.

The Official Result

Juliana Miller def. Brogan Walker R3 3:57 via TKO (Punches and Elbows)

Zac Pauga (239) vs. Mohammed Usman (236.5)

BETTING PREVIEW | SCOUTING REPORT | ODDS: Pauga (-230), Usman (+195)

Round 1

The 30th season of TUF will officially conclude with a heavyweight finals match when Usman (7-2, 0-0 UFC), the brother of the welterweight king, battles it out with ex-light heavyweight Pauga (5-0, 0-0 UFC). These two know the stakes, as does referee Mark Smith, and the fighters have absolutely no interest in touching them up. Instead, Pauga leaps forward with a front kick, and Usman just slides out of the way from getting his block knocked off. Pauga sticks out several jabs to knock Usman back, and Usman comes up short with his own. They load up on power punches, and each connects with one single hook like two cars crashing together. Neither appears to get the worse of it, and Pauga leaps forward with a superman punch and a leg kick to surprise his opponent. Pauga’s feints and fakes irritate Usman, and he slings a head kick that Usman catches. Usman throws him down to the mat angrily, and Pauga climbs right back upright and pops Usman with a left hand. Pauga stands right in front of his adversary, waiting and watching and evading the inaccurate strikes of the Nigerian. Pauga wades into close range and throws a few punches, and Usman cracks him with a booming right hand that staggers “The Ripper” momentarily. Pauga gets his bearings as Usman does not give chase, and Pauga pushes out a jumping push kick when Usman just stands around. Usman throws wildly and hits air, and Pauga taunts him by pumping his hand in the air a few times. Pauga darts in again with a jab, and he fakes a punch and draws a huge reaction out of Usman. Pauga ducks a swing from his opponent, and he gets bopped with a back fist on the way out to zero effect. Pauga pays him back with a pair of punches on the outside, and he fires off a head kick that slides up the shoulder. Pauga rips the body with a kick, and his superman leap gets countered this time with a looping left from Usman. Pauga’s volume is far higher than that of his opponent’s, at least as far as landing strikes, and Usman punches once and misses when blitzing. Pauga loads up on a leg kick, and he chains two jabs into it and lowers his hands. They both land hard punches right at the bell, and Usman is enraged and tries to club Pauga after it sounds, only for Smith to be there to grab hold of him and drag him away.

Sherdog Scores

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

Round 2

The heavyweights meet in the middle, having cooled down from the exchange at the end of the round, and they proceed cautiously. Pauga swipes out a high body kick and paws away a jab, staying light on his feet. The rage begins to build from Usman as Pauga picks and pokes at him, and Pauga leaves a jab out too long. This is the worst possible thing imaginable, as Usman curls a short but crushing left hand around the guard that completely disables Pauga. “The Ripper” collapses to his back, out like a light, and Usman is not finished yet. Before Smith can get to them, Usman is on Pauga, pounding on him like a drum with several ruthless hammerfists that give commentator Michael Bisping flashbacks of his first meeting with Dan Henderson. When Smith gets in to split them up, Usman hulks up and storms away, screaming in victory and letting every last bit of emotion out while the walls of the Apex rattle from his shouts. Usman is now the Ultimate Fighter just like his big brother Kamaru, having displayed he possesses the kind of fight-changing power where even a short blow can level the person he stands against in the cage.

The Official Result

Mohammed Usman def. Zac Pauga R2 0:36 via KO (Punch)

Vicente Luque (170.5) vs. Geoff Neal (171)

BETTING PREVIEW | SCOUTING REPORT | ODDS: Luque (-175), Neal (+150)

Round 1

The matchmakers deserve a round of applause for putting this welterweight tilt together, between two thrilling combatants that should deliver in spades. Looking to rebound from his first five-round defeat will be Luque (21-8-1, 14-4 UFC), and he will put the “Handz of Steel” nickname of Neal (14-4, 6-2 UFC) to the test as they scrap it out. Referee Keith Peterson draws the charge for what could be an “edge of the seat” fight for as long as it lasts, but he will make sure no nonsense takes place on his watch. The two men are cautious to get too close with a glove touch, and instead opt against it so that they can find their initial angle. Luque strikes first with a slapping leg kick, and Neal blocks high and absorbs a body kick. Neal responds with one to the same spot on his foe’s body, and Luque slips a punch to crack Neal over the top. Neal scores a left as he circles away, and they both start trading in the pocket. Neal is the one to back off, and he intercepts a high kick with a jab. Both men land flush on one another, and Neal keeps the movement going with a swiping right hook. Luque hammers the lead leg with a kick, and Neal changes stances as a result. Luque stays in his face with a few punches, and Neal boxes him back and staggers “The Silent Assassin” with a few punches. Smelling blood, Neal gives chase, and he backs Luque up to the wall and unloads on him. Luque, actually bleeding from his face, shells up and dings Neal with an overhand right that hurts Neal. Both men take a moment to reset after their flurries, and Luque pushes the action again and walks into a straight left hand. Neal is comfortable allowing Luque to walk him down so that he can counter him with his quick left, and he ignores a jump knee so that he can target straight punches down the pipe. Luque swings with more arc on his blows, and Neal meets him in the middle and trades back. Luque gets knocked back when taking a jab as he kicks, and he somersaults backwards to get out of range and come back strong. Neal snipes him with a sharp combination ending with a left right on the nose, and Luque’s legs buckle but do not give way beneath him. Neal backs him off again, marking him up with a combination, and he rocks Luque and sends him tumbling to the mat. Neal lets him back up so that he can keep teeing off on Luque, and Luque gathers his thoughts and paws out a front kick. The Brazilian slings a kick to the body and absorbs a few punches over the top, causing blood to fly from his nose. Neal slips a punch to blast Luque with a left hand, and his footwork and head movement is giving Luque fits. “Handz of Steel” splits the guard with a straight left, hurting Luque once more, and Luque retreats on the outer edge of the cage until the horn blares.

Sherdog Scores

Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-9 Neal
Tristen Critchfield scores the round: 10-8 Neal
Tyler Treese scores the round: 10-8 Neal

Round 2

Luque begins the round as the aggressor as per usual, and he throws several low kicks. Neal answers him with his own, mimicking his foe and landing the better strikes on the response. Neal loops a right hand over the top, and he blocks a head kick that zooms at him. Neal sticks him with several left hands, and Luque throws back but is out of range. A high guard from Neal allows him to block a body kick, and he pops Luque with a pair of jabs. Luque goes to the body with a kick, and he leans back as Neal prepares a counter. The head kick from “The Silent Assassin” is blocked, but it still knocks Neal back a step from the impact on his guard. Luque marches forward fearlessly, his nose bleeding again, and he lines up another kick to the upper body. Neal’s jab is sharp, following some with left hands right down Broadway. Luque does not seem to take a backward step despite absorbing the blows on the way in, and he begins to work his own jab. Luque kicks the calf hard, forcing a stance switch, and Luque steps in with a shovel uppercut and a kick to the body. Neal finds its home a few times on the way in, but the power is not nearly as dramatic as the previous round. Luque scores a resounding body kick that bends Neal over momentarily, and Neal recovers and grabs the leg to throw Luque down. Luque pops back up and slashes an elbow when in the clinch, and Neal answers with three and a few punches for good measure. Neal backs off when Luque frames off for another elbow, only to stride forward with measuring punches one after the other that knock Luque’s head around. Luque digs a pair of lefts to the body and Neal is reacting from them, and Neal shoots in for a takedown from afar after absorbing a kick to the midsection. The Brazilian stuffs it and targets the body with his shin, and he blocks a few blows to go back to it with his other leg. Luque ignores the labored punches from Neal that swing at him so that he can back Neal off and connect on him. Luque hops forward with a low kick, and the competitive round ends.

Sherdog Scores

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

Round 3

The welterweight sluggers touch gloves to start off the last round, and Luque strides forward and fights off a takedown attempt. Luque kicks the leg as Neal is coming in, and Neal still manages to stick out his right hand and bop Luque on the nose. Luque measures another calf kick, this time following it with a one-two. Luque whips a kick to the side, and Neal throws hands right back hard. Luque jumps ahead with a flying body kick, and Neal takes it flush and drives his foe back with a string of punches. Neal pierces the guard with a straight right hand, busting up the nose once more, and he cracks Luque with a follow-up left. Neal rocks him with a left, and Luque bites down on his mouthpiece and slings back hard at him. Neal staggers his man with a left hand down the middle, and he pushes Luque back to the fencing and corners him. When Luque holds his guard up high, Neal switches it up to drill him with a swarm of left uppercuts. Luque’s head gets knocked back by the constant uppercut barrage, and Neal backs off for a second to celebrate his work. Seeing Luque is on the ropes, “Handz of Steel” drives the steel ball that is his fist into Luque’s face with a crushing salvo. One final left hand separates the eternally tough Luque from his senses, who collapses face-first to the ground. Peterson halts the fight as soon as he sees this, and Neal is now the first fighter to ever stop Luque with strikes. What a fight, and what a performance for the Fortis MMA contender.

The Official Result

Geoff Neal def. Vicente Luque R3 2:01 via KO (Punches) 

Thiago Santos (206) vs. Jamahal Hill (205)

BETTING PREVIEW | SCOUTING REPORT | ODDS: Hill (-260), Santos (+220)

Round 1

For Santos (22-10, 14-9 UFC), this is a must-win headliner, as he has dropped three of his last four since his razor-close loss to Jon Jones for the title. His opponent Hill (10-1, 1 NC; 4-1, 1 NC UFC) does not have his back against the wall, and he could make a statement and announce himself as an immediate contender should he get his hand raised. This light heavyweight headliner will be joined by referee Herb Dean, who watches the two greet one another outstretched hands. The formalities out of the way, it’s time to fight. Santos stays on his bike early, preparing a counter game, and Hill slowly walks him down and chips at his lead leg with a kick. Hill walks into a stern leg kick, and Santos dives in for a takedown that carries him straight into the wall with his own momentum, all while Hill dances out of the way. Hill does not overcommit to strikes, reaching out with his right hand and measuring with a left hook. Santos suddenly wings a head kick at him, and Hill blocks it and shakes his head. Hill sticks out a jab, and Santos counters over the top with a nasty left hand. Hill bends like a reed in the wind to absorb the brunt of the punishing blow, and he finds himself fighting off a takedown entry from his opponent once more. Santos tries for a double, and Hill gets backed to the fence and pulled his leg out so that he would not get tripped. “Sweet Dreams” drives a left hand to the body, and Santos leans on him heavily against the fencing. Santos chains into a single, and Hill cannot circle out so he decides to smack Santos in the side of the head. This one punch causes Santos to reconsider his attempt, but he does not let up. Hill lifts up a knee and it clanks into the cup, and Dean hears it and pauses the action to let Santos recover. “Marreta” takes about 30 seconds to get his wind back, and Dean resets them in the center of the cage instead of where Santos was holding. Hill, back at range controlling the center of the cage, marches Santos down but does not throw. The high-stakes chess match includes a few missed strikes, and Santos hops back to slam a leg kick home. Santos just misses a haymaker, and Hill drills him in the cheek with a left hand. Hill jabs his way in and follows them with a straight left hand, and Santos bounces off the cage wall and gathers his thoughts. Santos stumbles and tweaks his ankle, and he spins with a wheel kick that collides with the shoulder. A few heavy blows from Santos pound into Hill’s guard, and careful first round comes to a close.

Sherdog Scores

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

Round 2

The final strike from Santos to the left eye of Hill appears to have caused some damage, and the cutman attends to it between rounds. The second frame kicks off with a sporting glove touch, and Hill leads the dance with a few kicks. Santos checks one low kick to make Hill reconsider throwing them naked, and he chambers a high kick that bounces off the guard. Santos replies in kind, and it is similarly blocked. Hill pokes out a jab, and he gets backed of when the Brazilian gives one back at him. Santos bull-rushes his foe and slams Hill to the ground, and although Hill gets back up, Santos is on his hips with another double set up. An awkward shoulder strike dislodges the mouthpiece of Hill, and Dean picks it up and lets them fight it out. Hill cracks Santos with a series of strikes ending with a high kick, and Santos wobbles and throws back with reckless abandon. The aggression of Santos leads to a clinch, and Hill breaks off to start throwing bombs. They both trade missiles in the form of punches, stinging one another, and Santos appears to be the worse for wear after getting clubbed with a few punches. Hill glances a head kick off the top of Santos head, and Santos ducks a pair of swinging blows at him. Santos’ head movement keeps him safe from the most dangerous punches from Hill, who is putting everything he has into his strikes. Santos remains calm and composed in front of him, and he targets the body and misses with a spin kick. Hill slows himself down, walking right into a right hand that grazes his hair, and pushing Santos back with a right hand. Santos spins with a back fist that connects with the high guard, and Hill clips him with a check right hook. Hill lunges forward with a right, and Santos swings wildly again and finds himself absorbing a huge right hand. Santos motions Hill to bring it on, and Hill obliges with a head kick that slides off the shoulder. Hill scores three punches, and when the bell sounds, he goes over to high-five Santos much to the brief concern of Dean.

Sherdog Scores

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

Round 3

The third frame opens with a pair of tired light heavyweights, and Hill adds to the fatigue with two hard body kicks. Santos does not like this, charging forward and snagging a double that deposits Hill gingerly on the mat. “Sweet Dreams” demoralizes his opponent by climbing right back up with the fence at his back, and Santos keeps committed to a single. Santos sucks the leg out and grounds Hill, but Hill slides out the back door in a wild scramble and stands back up. The former title challenger bullies Hill to the wall again, and Hill stuffs it and forces Santos down to his own knees. Santos continues to hang on to the leg, and Hill grabs the fence to stop a takedown. Dean admonishes him for it, and Hill still gets taken down. Santos keeps his arms wrapped around Hill’s waist while Hill is on his seat, and he holds on tight and looks for a back-take. Hill gets to his feet even as Santos holds him from behind, and Santos knees him in the thigh as Hill turns around. Hill keeps his balance when standing up, but Santos wrenches him down once more. A quick mat return materializes for “Marreta,” who drops Hill to a knee. Hill muscles his way upright, not taking any damage in these exchanges from any strikes, and he opts to elbow Santos at an odd angle. Hill nails Santos with a pair of knees on the jaw, and he uses the strikes to separate. Santos gives chase, swinging for the bleachers, and Hill backpedals. Santos pushes for a single, and when that fails, he goes for a double. That also comes up short as Hill punches him in the gut a few times to stand him up. Hill wraps up a Thai clinch and knees Santos on the jaw. Santos doggedly pursues the single, tossing Hill to the ground as the round comes to a close.

Sherdog Scores

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

Round 4

The seemingly spent 205ers wade out of their corners to offer a slow glove touch, and no volume comes from either man. Hill stays back, ready to stop a takedown, and they both trade single low kicks. Santos lets go with a kick to the body, and Hill walks “Marreta” down and rings his bell with punches. Santos delights in these exchanges, motioning for Hill to keep swinging, and he prepares his own looping counters. Hill gets cracked to back him off, and he stings Santos on the way in with a right hand over the guard. Santos backs off with a pair of leg kicks, and he gets backed off when Hill finds his chin. Hill snaps the head back with a long series of punches, and Santos survives and turns around with his back to the fence. Santos swings his arms like a wounded animal, and the blows connect on Hill but cannot slow his onslaught. “Sweet Dreams” scores a right hand and pushes Santos over to the ground, and he leaps on top to try to finish the job. Hill sits up to deliver a bevy of hammerfists, and Dean is paying very close attention but letting the fight play out. Santos turns to his knees, still with his wits about him, and Hill follows him every step of the way and continues pounding on him. Santos crawls to the fence in hopes of surviving, but Hill is not going to let this slip away from him. Hill lords over the turtled-up Brazilian, with nothing left in the tank, and he unloads with a constant series of punches. Dean calls for Santos to fight back, so “Sweet Dreams” decides to finish the job by winding up with massive elbows and slashing them down on the head and guard of Santos. Hill continues raining these devastating blows down until Dean pushes him off and waves the fight off, and he collapses to his back in total exhaustion. Both men gave it everything they have in three-and-a-half rounds of combat, and Hill passed the test and announces himself as a contender at 205 pounds. They did it! Every single fight on this glorious fight card ended by stoppage, which is the first time a UFC card has achieved this feat since UFC Fight Night 55 in 2014 in Australia. Fun fact: Sam Alvey won by knockout at that special night in Sydney. Bonus checks are sure to fly off the books after this wild event comes to an end, with very few dull moments across the thrilling 10-finish night. The UFC event in San Diego next week will have a lot of work to do to match the excitement of this one, which is an immediate contender for “Event of the Year.” We will be here to see if the Dominick Cruz-headlined show in a week can measure up to this one, and we hope you are too.

The Official Result

Jamahal Hill def. Thiago Santos R4 2:31 via TKO (Punches and Elbows)