UFC on ESPN 57 ‘Cannonier vs. Imavov’ Play-by-Play, Results & Round Scoring

Rayanne dos Santos (116) vs. Puja Tomar (116)

BETTING PREVIEW | SCOUTING REPORT | ODDS: Dos Santos (-245), Tomar (+200)

Round 1

For the first time since the UFC was on the Versus network (2011), the promotion is taking a trip back to Louisville, Kentucky, for some deep fried combat. A whopping 14 fights will play out in the span of about sixish hours, and the pace on the prelims might be hurried—potentially in a good way. We kick things off in the strawweight division, as former Invicta 105-pound champ dos Santos (14-7, 0-1 UFC) wants a second chance to make a first impression after her first UFC outing did not go her way. She meets the debuting Tomar (8-4, 0-0 UFC), who is the first Indian woman to fight in the promotion but does not measure anywhere near the 5-foot-4 that the UFC bills her at. Referee George Conley will receive the first assignment of the night, and he checks the ladies in they clap hands. Tomar is quick to measure with multiple kicks, and dos Santos walks right through them and swings with wild hands. The Brazilian sneaks in a right hand while Tomar lets her feet fly. Tomar backpedals and prods with body kicks and side kicks, while dos Santos fearlessly pursues her and sets up her right hand a few times. Tomar times an advancing dos Santos with an overhand right, and she catches dos Santos with a second. Tomar flicks out a high kick to make dos Santos think twice about advancing, and the nose area of dos Santos is already turning read from a few absorbed strikes. Tomar slams two body kicks home, and dos Santos keeps a stiff upper lip but drops her hands in response to the blows. Tomar connects with one more, and dos Santos winces just a little but still strides forward. Tomar kiais when she tosses out kicks, and even with a reach disadvantage in the arms, she is able to get to the target. Tomar dings dos Santos with a right hand, and dos Santos no-sells it and slugs her in the chops. Tomar gets in a side kick right on the abdomen to slow dos Santos momentarily, only for dos Santos to get right back to stalking mode. Dos Santos lets her hands go, and she stings the woman from India with a sharp combination that bounces Tomar off the cage. “The Cyclone” acts like that kind of storm when she wings wild punches in rapid succession, and this causes dos Santos to break away for a moment. Dos Santos closes the distance with a jump knee, and she leans back from a flurry of punches that miss the mark. Dos Santos cracks Tomar with a solid right hand in the midst of a salvo of strikes, and Tomar circles away from the cage to reset. Tomar plants a few more side kicks on the body, and dos Santos leaps at her with a kick. Tomar snatches her out of the air and slings her to the floor, and the round ends.

Sherdog Scores

Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-9 Tomar
Scottie Smith scores the round: 10-9 dos Santos
Tyler Treese scores the round: 10-9 Tomar

Round 2

Dos Santos comes out of her corner ready to throw kicks, imitating the kick-heavy offense of her opponent. Tomar kicks her back, but the Brazilian’s land harder and add to her already effective pressure. They go kick-for-kick for a time, with dos Santos consistently keeping Tomar on her back foot. Dos Santos has her right foot slip over Tomar’s guard to slap her in the face, and Tomar is quick to retaliate with a body kick. Dos Santos looks for a massive overhand right, but Tomar is out of range, peppering her with kicks. Dos Santos plods forward and tags Tomar with a right hand, and both women let their hands fly in a brief speedy exchange. Tomar sticks out her side kick again and again, and dos Santos tries to check a few with a raised knee. Dos Santos switches things up by hunting for a single-leg takedown, and Tomar hops away to prevent it. Dos Santos gives chase, and the crowd grows restless about the tit-for-tat striking approach the two are taking. Dos Santos lands, Tomar gets her back, the Brazilian returns fire, and so on. Dos Santos drills her foe with an effective haymaker of a right hand, and Tomar shakes her head and circles away. Dos Santos walks her down and clacks her with a few more heavy hands. Tomar gets backed against the cage, and they swing it out until the bell sounds.

Sherdog Scores

Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-9 dos Santos
Scottie Smith scores the round: 10-9 Tomar
Tyler Treese scores the round: 10-9 dos Santos

Round 3

The strawweight meet in the middle, and Tomar kicks her back several feet with a strong side kick. When dos Santos comes back her direction, Tomar goes high with a side kick, and it grazes past the target. Dos Santos digs her toes to the midsection with a front kick, and she skirts away from a body kick in response but is reached by a subsequent side kick. The two trade low kicks, and then body kicks one after the other. The Brazilian closes the distance, crashing chest-to-chest so she can go after a body lock takedown. Tomar leans her back to the cage wall and fights off a first trip attempt to stay on her feet. Tomar manages to break away, and she wings a right hand but dos Santos is away. Tomar throws a naked kick, and dos Santos beans her with an overhand right. Tomar measures a side kick, and she knocks dos Santos clean off her feet as dos Santos stumbles back and falls over. The Brazilian jumps back to her feet, and walks right into a head kick. Dos Santos plods ever forward, but Tomar steels herself and slings leather. Dos Santos knocks her back with a clean right hand, and she has another skip off the top of the Indian woman’s head. Tomar gets in two side kicks before dos Santos can reach her, but dos Santos does end up reaching her with power right hands. Tomar swings back with everything she has, and dos Santos is psyched up. The women start screaming at one another, which drags them into a brief brawl that only ends when Tomar kicks her foe in the head. Dos Santos resets and backs away, and she surges forward. Tomar grabs her and is kneed in the gut, and she disengages the clinch only to eat two heavy right hands. Tomar is backed up to the fencing once more, and dos Santos whips her fists at her and smacks Tomar in the side of the head repeatedly. The ladies end their back-and-forth contest in the clinch, and when time expires, dos Santos celebrates by somersaulting away. This one could go either way.

Sherdog Scores

Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-9 dos Santos (29-28 dos Santos)
Scottie Smith scores the round: 10-9 dos Santos (29-28 dos Santos)
Tyler Treese scores the round: 10-9 dos Santos (29-28 dos Santos)

The Official Result

Puja Tomar def. Rayanne dos Santos via Split Decision (30-27, 27-30, 29-28)

Taylor Lapilus (135.5) vs. Cody Stamann (135.75)

BETTING PREVIEW | SCOUTING REPORT | ODDS: Lapilus (-270), Stamann (+220)

Round 1

Moving right along, bantamweights take the cage in a matchup between fighters that have no fear going to decision. Stamann (21-6-1, 7-5-1 UFC) will be coming off about a year layoff and is looking to bounce back from a loss, while Lapilus (19-4, 1-1 UFC) saw his six-fight win streak crumble in January. With any luck, one of two will return to the win column soon, and referee Blake Grice may know first. The two clap hands to get going, and Stamann immediately opens up with a body kick. Lapilus stands right in front of him and strings three punches together before Stamann backs up. Booming chants of “USA” rain down in support of Stamann, and he surges forward, energized by the calls, and lands a right hand. Lapilus retaliates with a few punches of his own, and he grabs hold of Stamann’s left wrist to disrupt his movement and strike approach. Lapilus lets go and lands a low kick, and he comes out swinging with an overhand left. Stamann lines up two left hands, but he ducks into a heavy knee and does not seem to bat an eye. Lapilus pushes off, and his knuckle brushes Stamann’s left eye. Stamann takes about 30 seconds to recover, and Grice asks if he is sure to get back to it. Stamann says yes, and they get right back to it. Lapilus goes right after him with a trio of punches, and Stamann ducks down and grabs hold of the Frenchman for a potential takedown. Lapilus leans his back up against the cage wall to stifle the attempt, and he is able to break off from the tie-up and get some space. Stamann gives chase and slings a right hook, and Lapilus counters and gets off a low kick. Stamann wipes his feet and starts shimmying to showboat a little, and he takes a flush body kick so he can shoot in for a takedown. Stamann is warned for fence grabs as he plants a knee on the chest, and Lapilus knees him back to break. Stamann ducks into another stern knee, and they crash together as he falls over. Stamann jumps right back to his feet and re-engages, and Lapilus pushes him away to shut down an entry. Lapilus pounds a knee on his foe’s chest, and he sneaks a head kick up and around the guard. Stamann tries his own high kick, and Lapilus looks for a head kick from either leg before the round ends.

Sherdog Scores

Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-9 Lapilus
Scottie Smith scores the round: 10-9 Lapilus
Tyler Treese scores the round: 10-9 Lapilus

Round 2

The fists are quickly bumped between the two, and just like before, Stamann follows the touch with a strike. This time, it is a right hand down the middle, and Lapilus sways to the side. Grice has to hop away from the fast-moving bantamweights, and they both meet one another with punches that land with audible pops. When Stamann gets off a right hand, Lapilus instantly responds with a knee up the middle. Stamann tries to use his wrestling, only for the Frenchman to power him to the wall and knee him a few times. As Stamann disengages, Lapilus tags him with an elbow and pushes his fingers into Stamann’s face. Stamann complains about an eye poke, but it goes uncalled. They return to striking range, and Stamann strikes first and eats a counter in response. They pursue leg kicks one after the other, and Stamann ducks in for a possible takedown. “Double Impact” shuts down the effort and instinctively attacks with a knee up the middle. A low kick from Lapilus bounces up the thigh and into the cup, and Stamann shrugs at him but does not ask for time. Instead, he slugs his way into a takedown after absorbing a body kick, and Lapilus shuts him down and elbows him once before backing off. As Stamann advances, Lapilus unloads with a low kick that pounds into the bottom of his cup. Stamann groans as Grice calls time, and he tries to hurry back but Grice gives him a little more recovery time by admonishing Lapilus. After about 40 seconds, they return to action, and Stamann measures out with a one-two. Lapilus sits down on a left hook, and he lets fly a slapping inside thigh kick. Stamann wiggles out his right hand, and Lapilus awkwardly paws out with a punch before kicking the body. As Stamann changes levels, Lapilus belts him with a left hand on the forehead. Stamann gathers a full head of steam and wings two home run punches so he can shoot in for a double-leg takedown. “The Spartan” succeeds in jamming Lapilus up against the wire, but he cannot ground him. They trade knees, and as Lapilus circles away, they tag one another with hooks. Lapilus strings together a few punches and two leg kicks, and the horn sounds.

Sherdog Scores

Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-9 Lapilus
Scottie Smith scores the round: 10-9 Lapilus
Tyler Treese scores the round: 10-9 Lapilus

Round 3

After a glove touch, Stamann is the initial aggressor in the final frame. Doubling up on a jab, Stamann lands a follow-up right hand. Lapilus drives him back with a right hook, and Stamann kicks his leg out in response. Lapilus awkwardly gets back upright, and he chains a low kick into a head kick. As Lapilus circles away, he plans a kick on the ribs, and he spins with an elbow that catches the wrestler flush. Stamann does not flinch, rushing forward and grabbing hold of the Frenchman. Deciding to not pursue a standard entry, he instead lifts “Double Impact” in the air and slams him down to the mat with emphasis. Stamann lands on top in side control, and perhaps due to a head clash during the slam or the spinning elbow, Stamann’s nose is busted and starts leaking. Stamann pays it no mind and ignores the crowd voicing its objections over his grappling so he can slowly pursue a crucifix. Stamann partially gets it and bops Lapilus a few times in the side of the head until Lapilus explodes back to his feet. Stamann hangs tight, but Lapilus is away and connects with a strong series of punches. Stamann motions at him that they did not hurt, and he shoots in for a telegraphed takedown and is easily stuffed. Lapilus responds with a high kick that clacks into the raised guard of his foe, and Stamann walks him down. Stamann swings for the fences, and Lapilus ducks away and looks around to showboat right before the final bell sounds.

Sherdog Scores

Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-9 Lapilus (30-27 Lapilus)
Scottie Smith scores the round: 10-9 Lapilus (30-27 Lapilus)
Tyler Treese scores the round: 10-9 Lapilus (30-27 Lapilus)

The Official Result

Taylor Lapilus def. Cody Stamann via Unanimous Decision (30-27, 30-27, 30-27)

Denise Gomes (116) vs. Eduarda Moura (116.5: Missed Weight)

BETTING PREVIEW | SCOUTING REPORT | ODDS: Moura (-170), Gomes (+142)

Round 1

The lone catchweight affair today comes between women initially booked at strawweight. For the second time in two UFC fights, Moura (10-0, 1-0 UFC) missed weight, this time coming in at 116.5 pounds. She takes on fellow countrywoman Gomes (8-3, 2-2 UFC) in what could be a fun clash of styles between two finishers. With 15 stoppages in their 18 wins, referee Rob Mooney might be included before it’s all said and done. They tap hands to engage, and Moura strides forward fearlessly to strike. Gomes backs away, prepared to counter, and she lands a few effective strikes before Moura crashes forward and presses her to the fence. Gomes snatches up a guillotine choke, and she leans back and sets it up. The choke is surprisingly tight, and Moura does not appear remotely concerned. Slowly but surely, Moura fights her way out of the danger, and she wrests the smaller woman to the mat. Gomes climbs back up, and she manages to turn Moura around and shove her into the fence, where she starts delivering knees to the thigh. Moura attempts to explode out, and Gomes hangs onto her until she trips Moura to the mat. Moura shoves Gomes over and briefly winds up on top, but they both climb back to their feet. Moura goes after her own guillotine choke, but she lets it go and they reset. Gomes strides ahead and lands a few punches, and Moura shoots in from a distance and hits a double to plant Gomes on her back. “Ronda” lands in the guard and looks for short punches so she can open up her ground-and-pound. Gomes hangs on tight, keeping her guard busy and making Moura think about a potential submission setup she should avoid. A few punches from Moura result in Gomes thinking again, but Gomes bursts back to her feet and bowls Moura over. Moura muscles her way to her feet, and she shoots for a takedown that only presses Gomes to the fence before the round ends.

Sherdog Scores

Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-9 Gomes
Scottie Smith scores the round: 10-9 Gomes
Tyler Treese scores the round: 10-9 Gomes

Round 2

After a quick touch of gloves, Gomes lines up a front kick and a left hand. Moura lunges at her with a counter right, and Gomes skips back and scores a low kick. Moura ducks for a level change, and Gomes meets her with a left hand but cannot keep Moura from going after her. Moura uses sheer power to drag Gomes down to the floor, and she circles around to take Gomes’ back. Gomes looks to lean forward and wriggle Moura off of her, and Moura defends by setting up a body triangle. Gomes manages to turn Moura over, and Moura responds with an armbar attempt. Gomes pushes through it and fights off a leglock so she can drop down a hearty hammerfist on Moura’s face. Gomes backs off to force Moura to stand, and Mooney has Moura get back up. Gomes whips a low kick and knees the heavier woman’s belly, and she targets the same spot with a front kick. Moura catches the kick and wraps Gomes up, pushing Gomes to the wall and diving down for a single. Gomes turns and allows Moura to fall on her face, and she retreats to get back up. Moura follows her up and then dives for a low single, and it is desperate and easy to avoid. Gomes stifles it and a second that comes shortly thereafter, and she drives a knee to the midsection. Gomes mashes Moura against the cage and lifts a knee to the head, and she imposes her full body weight on the flagging fighter. Gomes knees the thigh and body a few times, and Mooney asks for more action. Gomes obliges with several punches on the inside, and Moura sells out for a single. Gomes hops away, dings Moura with an uppercut, and backs herself to the cage and spreads her hips to stop the single from being completed. Gomes smacks Moura in the side of the head a couple dozen times, and the round ends.

Sherdog Scores

Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-9 Gomes
Scottie Smith scores the round: 10-9 Gomes
Tyler Treese scores the round: 10-9 Gomes

Round 3

The Brazilians touch hands to start the last round, and Gomes switches stances several times but only engages with a single jab to the body. Moura whiffs on a labored right hook, and a second misses the mark as she is out of range. Gomes jumps forward to land to the body, and she evades the counters. Gomes lands a low kick and catches a body kick, and she sets the leg down as she does not want to grapple. Gomes meanders forward, landing low and body kicks as Moura’s own offense drops of a cliff. Moura lands a single jab, and a one-two is feet off the mark. Gomes picks and moves, ignoring a slowly turning wheel kick buzzing past her face, and she defends a takedown by backing up to the wall. Gomes snatches up a ninja choke, and Moura pushes forward to leverage Gomes to the mat while breaking up the submission. Both women climb back to their feet at the same time, and Moura trips her up for a moment but cannot keep her grounded. Gomes pushes her away and spins with a back kick to the body, and she plants her feet when landing to kick the calf. Moura misses a punch by a mile, and she races down low for a single. Gomes hops on one foot back to the wall, and Moura lifts the leg in the air but is unable to set Gomes down this time. Gomes thinks about a guillotine choke, using it to press Moura down. Gomes lets it go and potshots the body with kicks and jabs, and she stuffs a tackling takedown but is pushed to her back on a second effort from the unbeaten woman. Gomes bursts back to her feet, where she marches after her exhausted foe. Gomes lines up two punches on the chin, and Moura shakes her head at her and shoots in for a single. Gomes stops it in its tracks and shrugs off a knee to the head as the matchup concludes.

Sherdog Scores

Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-9 Gomes (30-27 Gomes)
Scottie Smith scores the round: 10-9 Gomes (30-27 Gomes)
Tyler Treese scores the round: 10-9 Gomes (30-27 Gomes)

The Official Result

Denise Gomes def. Eduarda Moura via Split Decision (28-29, 30-27, 30-27)

John Castaneda (136) vs. Daniel Marcos (135.25)

BETTING PREVIEW | SCOUTING REPORT | ODDS: Marcos (-120), Castaneda (+100)

Round 1

A pair of bantamweights that hold exactly eight knockout victories and seven triumphs on the scorecards meet as the prelims keep on pushing. Castaneda (21-6, 4-2 UFC) rides a two-fight win streak into this matchup, with a potential pattern brewing of him winning two and losing the third. His Peruvian foe Marcos (15-0, 1 NC; 2-0, 1 NC UFC) has never tasted defeat as a pro, and his lone non-victorious performance came in February when he kicked a flying Qileng Aori in the groin to result in a no contest. The third man in the Octagon for this one will be Dan Miragliotta, and he begins the fight when the two men touch ‘em up. Castaneda springs in and out of range, slapping a few leg kicks on the fiery haired man from Peru. Marcos throws one back, and he walks through a counter low kick to punch “Sexi Mexi” in the face three times. Castaneda slips to the side and keeps snapping out leg kicks, targeting the calf repeatedly while attempting to parry or dodge anything Marcos throws his way. Marcos slowly cuts his foe off, and he lines a right hand down the middle and drills him with a step-in knee. Marcos gets off a body kick, and Castaneda slaps a few more leg kicks off the calf for good measure. Marcos marches in with a heavy right hand, sending Castaneda flying, and Castaneda bounces off the cage wall and hits one knee. Castaneda gets back up and scampers away, and Marcos grins and pursues another overhand right. A body kick is swatted away by Marcos, and he coils and looses his right hand again. Castaneda prods with low kick after low kick, and he is met with a right hand and a pair of knees. Two quick hands from Marcos find the chin of his opponent, and Castaneda’s nose starts to turn red. A front kick from Marcos does not help, as it grazes the beak as Castaneda is retreating. Castaneda pecks with another leg kick and hops away, and Marcos’ right hand marks up the bridge of Castaneda’s nose. Marcos parries a punch and drills Castaneda with three before Castaneda can get away. Marcos plants a kick on the ribs of his foe, and Castaneda’s low kicks keep slapping but are frequently countered by a right hook. A few more from Marcos send Castaneda down to his knees, and Castaneda climbs up and rushes away while Marcos gives chase. As Marcos lands a few more, the bell rings.

Sherdog Scores

Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-9 Marcos
Scottie Smith scores the round: 10-9 Marcos
Tyler Treese scores the round: 10-9 Marcos

Round 2

Gloves are touched to commence the round, and they trade leg kicks right off the bat. Marcos connects with a quick combination of punches, resulting in Castaneda crashing the pocket and clinching up. Castaneda presses tightly in the clinch, stomping the undefeated fighter’s toes. Marcos breaks off and chases after Castaneda, blasting him in the face with a knee and several right hands. The strikes cause blood to blow from the nose of “Sexi Mexi,” and Marcos targets the same place with a few more knees and rights. Castaneda tries to take the fight down to slow down the onslaught of the Peruvian, where he succeeds in clinging to him and briefly halting the offense. As Marcos turns him about, he knees Castaneda in the face and thigh a few times, as Castaneda leans his shoulder on the wall before splitting off. Castaneda sells out for a double, and Marcos’ defense holds up as he leans his back on the fence and knees Castaneda square in the face. Marcos finds Castaneda’s face with punches, a head kick and a follow-up one-two, and Castaneda is tough but taking damage. Marcos chases after Castaneda and lets Castaneda hit him back so he can slug him harder. Castaneda finds a different angle, rushes forward and scoops “Soncora” up to slam him on the canvas. Marcos turns to a knee and is up after a few seconds, and he lays into Castaneda with punches and a vicious knee until Castaneda shoots once more. Castaneda spins with an elbow that brushes past the shoulder, and Marcos drives him back with a front kick and a leaping right hand. Castaneda counters and bloodies up the bridge of Marcos’ nose, and the round ends.

Sherdog Scores

Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-9 Marcos
Scottie Smith scores the round: 10-9 Marcos
Tyler Treese scores the round: 10-9 Marcos

Round 3

The fighters hug it out to start the last round, and Marcos leads the dance with a clean right hand. Castaneda strafes to the side and responds with a straight right hand, and he spins with a kick that misses the mark. Marcos kicks his foe in the ribs, and he chops at the inside calf and then jams his shin into the solar plexus. Castaneda retaliates with a head kick, and Marcos kicks him back only for the foot to bounce off the stomach and potentially the cup. After a brief look at the replay, Miragliotta tells them it was legal, so they resume fighting and Marcos kicks the same spot. Castaneda cries foul again for a cup shot, and Miragliotta once more tells him they are legal. Marcos rushes at Castaneda, who is turned around and upset, and he punches his way forward until Castaneda grabs hold of him to tie him up. Marcos is turned around, but he muscles his way out of the tie-up. Castaneda goes after him, kicking the lead leg and body before Marcos lines up a right hand down the pipe. Marcos jabs the body with a kick, and Castaneda responds with a low kick. They trade strikes one after the other, and Marcos lands a right as Castaneda trips. Castaneda is upright in an instant, and he throws a few punches that are out of range. Castaneda gets off a solid body kick, and Marcos comes back at him with three punches and a much heavier body kick of his own. Castaneda races forward, keeping Marcos on the back foot, and he throws punches and kicks. Castaneda winds up with a big right hand, and Marcos says, “two can play that game,” and decks Castaneda with his own fastball. Castaneda hits his seat and jumps back up to his feet after the flash knockdown, and Marcos elects to tie him up instead of land much more. On the break, Marcos digs a right to the body and one to the head, and Castaneda punches his foe in the chest in response. Castaneda scores a right hand and lets loose with a head kick, and Marcos suddenly realizes that he is in trouble. Castaneda sprints at him trying to do some finalizing damage, and Marcos gets his feet back and cracks Castaneda with a thudding elbow right before the fight wraps.

Sherdog Scores

Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-9 Marcos (30-27 Marcos)
Scottie Smith scores the round: 10-9 Marcos (30-27 Marcos)
Tyler Treese scores the round: 10-9 Marcos (30-27 Marcos)

The Official Result

Daniel Marcos def. John Castaneda via Unanimous Decision (30-27, 30-27, 30-27)

Montana De La Rosa (126) vs. Andrea Lee (126)

BETTING PREVIEW | SCOUTING REPORT | ODDS: Lee (-142), De La Rosa (+120)

Round 1

In 2019, Lee (13-9, 5-7 UFC) extended her career-long win streak to seven when she outpointed De La Rosa (12-9-1, 5-5-1 UFC) at UFC Fight Night 154. A little under five years later, the two will run it back, coming into this rematch having lost a combined seven straight fights. Someone’s fortunes will shift and the victor may likely save their job for the time being, and there is no bad blood coming into this second encounter between the two. They show it with a speedy glove touch in front of George Conley. It takes about one second for the ladies to reach one another, as they practically sprint towards one another to start fighting. De La Rosa stands her ground and throws hands, and Lee responds in kind and strikes with kiais. Lee gets a little distance and pecks out a few jabs, and De La Rosa comes in close and eats several knees to the body. De La Rosa is fine with this, as she grabs hold of the body lock and dumps “KGB” to the mat. De La Rosa climbs right into full mount, and she is surprised when Lee flips her over with a sudden reversal. De La Rosa throws her legs up and she pursues a triangle choke, but Lee does not appear concerned as she pushes through the submission and works back to her feet. Lee presses De La Rosa against the cage wall and knees her repeatedly, and De La Rosa punches her way out of the tie-up. De La Rosa plants three fists on Lee’s face before Lee can respond, but Lee does get her back with a body kick and a sneaky spinning back fist. De La Rosa drops to a knee and springs back up, and she races around to take Lee’s back standing and pursues a rear-naked choke. De La Rosa switches her grip around as Lee twists, and she gets hold of something akin to a front-naked choke, where she hurls Lee down to the mat. De La Rosa keeps the arm-triangle choke type of grip when she falls to her back, and Lee wriggles out of the submission danger. De La Rosa shoots low for a double, and Lee stands her up and knees her in the face. Lee has a spinning back fist bounce off the guard, and she ducks one from De La Rosa as De La Rosa almost falls over. Lee grapples her and knees her several times in the sternum, and De La Rosa gives her a few back before they split apart. Lee spins with a back kick to the ribs, and the round ends.

Sherdog Scores

Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-9 Lee
Scottie Smith scores the round: 10-9 Lee
Tyler Treese scores the round: 10-9 Lee

Round 2

Between rounds, Lee and corner-slash-partner Tony Kelley share a kiss, and this appears to energize her. She rushes out of her corner, ready to throw in rapid succession, and she does just that. De La Rosa swings back with slower but more powerful strikes, while Lee is more content on touching with jabs and follow-up strikes. Lee keeps her guard up to block a spinning back fist, and she kicks De La Rosa in the stomach when De La Rosa rushes after her. Lee reaches her foe with a right hand, and her left comes up short. They jab at one another, and Lee checks a low kick and stops a takedown. De La Rosa takes a takedown entry, and she rifles off an uppercut that snaps Lee’s head back. Lee swings hard with a right hand, and De La Rosa leans back and catches her with a counter right. Lee walks face-first into a quick right, and she backpedals and circles away. De La Rosa surprises her opponent with a step-up vertical elbow in the same vein of Anderson Silva against Tony Fryklund, but Lee does not budge. De La Rosa beats Lee to the punch with an elbow, and Lee’s pace wanes. Lee misses with a front kick, and De La Rosa lands another one of those unorthodox elbows. They tie up and tag one another with uppercuts until breaking off, and De La Rosa dings Lee with three punches as Lee shoots in for a single. De La Rosa stands her up and pushes her away, and she eats a few jabs for her handiwork. De La Rosa goes after a single as well, and Lee blocks it and kicks at her face. De La Rosa is able to guard against it, and she knees Lee in the face to redden Lee’s nose. De La Rosa reaches with a one-two, and she lands a second before Lee is able to pay her back. De La Rosa is stonewalled from a takedown try, and she avoids a spinning back fist before the bell.

Sherdog Scores

Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-9 De La Rosa
Scottie Smith scores the round: 10-9 De La Rosa
Tyler Treese scores the round: 10-9 De La Rosa

Round 3

The ladies touch their hands together to begin the last round, and De La Rosa throws and lands first with a punch combination. Lee sits down on a hard right hand after a jab to pay her back, and De La Rosa slashes with a vertical elbow. Lee catches De La Rosa with a left hand, and De La Rosa ties her up and tries to elbow her but she cannot reach her as Lee breaks off. A strike on the inside from Lee smashes open De La Rosa’s nose, and blood flows in a hurry as De La Rosa paws at it. Lee jabs at the red target, and she leans back as De La Rosa swats at her with a right hand. De La Rosa lands two right hands, and she ducks under and circles behind Lee so that she can pick “KGB” up her and throw her to the floor. Lee moves enough to stop De La Rosa from setting up a modified kneebar also known as a Suloev Stretch, and De La Rosa follows her and keeps her stuck on a knee. Lee hand-fights but De La Rosa is clinging to her from behind, and De La Rosa flattens Lee out and begins to slug her on the sides of the head. Lee explodes to get back to her knees, and she uses sheer force of will to roll De La Rosa over and wind up on top. Lee stands up rather than playing in the guard, and De La Rosa follows her back up and tries to punch her and kick her in the head. Lee is out of range, but she absorbs an overhand right and a step-in knee. De La Rosa lands two punches to Lee’s one, and she again beats Lee to the punch as she lashes out with a combination. They trade uppercuts from up close, and Lee has a spinning back fist miss the mark. De La Rosa boots her upside the head and body lock throws Lee to the mat, where she concludes the close fight with hammerfists.

Sherdog Scores

Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-9 De La Rosa (29-28 De La Rosa)
Scottie Smith scores the round: 10-9 De La Rosa (29-28 De La Rosa)
Tyler Treese scores the round: 10-9 De La Rosa (29-28 De La Rosa)

The Official Result

Montana De La Rosa def. Andrea Lee via Split Decision (28-29, 29-28, 29-28)

Jesse Butler (136) vs. Brad Katona (136)

BETTING PREVIEW | SCOUTING REPORT | ODDS: Katona (-625), Butler (+455)

Round 1

After five straight decisions tonight, fans will put their hopes—and loud boos—towards heavily favored Canadian’s Katona (13-3, 3-3 UFC) to break the long stretch. With 12 of his 16 fights going the distance, that might not be the case. He faces former lightweight Butler (12-5, 0-1 UFC), who is moving down two weight divisions and celebrates a 75% finish rate on his own ledger. The referee of this match will be gold-standard Jason Herzog, and there is no glove touch to begin. Butler uses his reach advantage to keep Katona back, with long jabs and kicks that catch the chin of “Superman” early. As Butler feels himself, he throws a body kick, and Katona winds up with a right hand that knocks Butler clean off his feet. Katona leaps on top into the guard of his opponent, and Butler takes a few seconds to clear the cobwebs before throwing his legs up aggressively. Katona slowly works his way to half guard as he grinds out his foe, and Butler shifts him back to the closed guard as soon as the Canadian advances. Katona once more climbs to half guard, and he grinds down with elbows before dropping a few down. Using a butterfly guard, Butler is able to keep Katona from taking a dominant position. The boos rain down as Katona holds on from on top, and Butler recovers his guard but can do little else as he remains nullified. Katona sneaks in the occasional elbow to stave off Herzog’s possible intervention, and Butler eventually powers his way to his knees before the 10-second clapper sounds. Katona squeezes him against the fence until the round ends.

Sherdog Scores

Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-9 Katona
Scottie Smith scores the round: 10-9 Katona
Tyler Treese scores the round: 10-9 Katona

Round 2

Katona is quick to come out throwing hands, and Butler is ready for him. Butler connects with a big right hand, and he loads up with a body kick. The Canadian licks his chops at he catches it and dumps Butler to the mat, and the audience admonishes the fighters with a chorus of boos. Katona gets right back to where he left off, with an elbow here and there while Butler clings to him in guard. As Katona hacks down with elbows, he slashes open a cut on Butler’s forehead, and blood pours from the wound right into his eyes. Butler sits up to set up a guillotine choke, but there is nothing there as Katona completely shrugs it off and jacks him up with a few more elbows. Katona drops down elbow after unanswered elbow, and Butler’s face transforms into a crimson mask while he remains trapped beneath the SBG Ireland fighter. Katona hammers Butler with a series of right hands, only stopping when the Louisiana native throws his legs up for a triangle choke setup. Katona laughs it off and stays busy with ground-and-pound, while trying to climb up and around the guard to get to a dominant position. Katona briefly takes half guard and drops down four elbows before he is pulled back into the guard, and Herzog asks for a bit more action. Katona answers him with a number of right hands, resulting in Butler turning over and climbing to his knees. Katona hits a mat return, and Butler wall-walks his way upright while he hangs on with a kimura grip. The round ends in the clinch.

Sherdog Scores

Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-8 Katona
Scottie Smith scores the round: 10-8 Katona
Tyler Treese scores the round: 10-8 Katona

Round 3

The final round kicks off with an aggressive Katona, and Butler slugs it out with him in a hurry. Butler keeps the Canadian honest as he tries to draws Katona into a brawl, and he throws a head kick and gets away with it. Katona closes in and lands a few punches from up close, and Butler kicks him in the ribs when he backs away. As the fighters trade, “USA” chants from the spectators look to bolster the American into a comeback. Butler sticks out a jab, changes stances and lines up another, and he jumps forward with a knee that bounces off the guard. Katona pressures his foe and eats a solid right hand, and he smiles. Katona scores a low kick, and a rude political chant is started by the Kentucky masses. Katona shrugs at Butler as they keep trading hands, and the cut above Butler’s right eyebrow shreds open further. Katona winds up on two haymakers, drilling the Fortis MMA fighter but not wobbling him. Butler doubles up on a jab and follows it with a right hand, and Katona gives chase and digs a left to the body and a right to the head. Butler motions for his foe to keep swinging, and he throws a pair of punches and two kicks. They loop hooks at one another, and Butler has two kicks miss. A third, a head kick, bounces off the guard. Butler falls to his back, and Katona sees the opening and pounces. Any time he can find an opening, Katona punches Butler in the face with his left hand. Katona jumps from half guard on one side to the other, and he drops down a series of right hands as Herzog takes a close look at the action. Butler defends himself and turns to his back, and he is met with a few elbows and more hammerfists. Katona’s elbows keep finding their mark, and Butler rains down one final bombardment of strikes until the horn blares.

Sherdog Scores

Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-9 Katona (30-26 Katona)
Scottie Smith scores the round: 10-9 Katona (30-26 Katona)
Tyler Treese scores the round: 10-9 Katona (30-26 Katona)

The Official Result

Brad Katona def. Jesse Butler via Unanimous Decision (30-26, 30-27, 30-27)

Carlos Prates (169.5) vs. Charlie Radtke (171)

BETTING PREVIEW | SCOUTING REPORT | ODDS: Prates (-238), Radtke (+195)

Round 1

Welterweights take center stage next, and one of these two unheralded competitors will be forced to suffer their first UFC loss while the other will maintain either a seven- or nine-fight win streak. Victorious in his last six, Radtke (9-3, 2-0 UFC) puts that on the line against Brazilian striker Prates (18-6, 1-0 UFC), who has not lost since a One Championship appearance in 2019. Drawing the charge will be referee Blake Grice, and the intense showdown kicks off without a glove touch. Radtke switches stances several times to work his way forward, while Prates kicks at his foe’s knee to push him back. Radtke whips a low kick as Prates recoils his leg, and a Prates head kick bounces harmlessly off the guard. Radtke punches his way into a single-leg takedown entry, pushing “Carlao” against the fence and holding up a leg. With Prates bent over, Radtke bops Prates many times with short, annoying punches, and he breaks off and lands one heavy right hand. Prates nails his foe’s front calf with a kick, and after Radtke flies by with a kick, he scores his own leg kick. Radtke has another kick land with a thud, and he winds up everything into a right hook that flies by his opponent. Radtke crashes forward in pursuit of a single, and he lets it go and misses with an overhand right. Two punches from Radtke miss the mark, but a leg kick does connect. Prates bobs and weaves his way forward, and he has his head snapped back by a right hand. Prates blasts the front leg with a kick, and Radtke starts limping as swelling forms almost immediately. Prates leans back from the counter and tags “Chuck Buffalo” with a right, and he backs off as Radtke tries to let him have it. A fake takedown from Radtke is stifled when Prates pokes him in the eye, and Grice calls time and lets Radtke take about 20 seconds to blink it out. When they resume, Prates starts to stalk his man down, his hands low and allowing him to eat a right hand so he can throw punches from strange angles. Radtke sneaks in a left hand before his lead leg is kicked hard, and Prates measures him with a straight left hand and lets out a woo. The Brazilian rips a knee to the liver as clean as can be, and Radtke hits the deck and is completely done. Prates walks off, knowing his work here is done, and Grice waves off the fight. The victorious “Carlao” goes over to Radtke’s corner, where he yells something at upcoming title challenger Belal Muhammad. With that crushing stoppage on the board, this is the first finish of the night and the first knockout in quite some time.

The Official Result

Carlos Prates def. Charlie Radtke R1 4:47 via KO (Knee to the Body)

Ludovit Klein (156) vs. Thiago Moises (156)

BETTING PREVIEW | SCOUTING REPORT | ODDS: Klein (-125), Moises (+105)

Round 1

The long prelims wrap up with a clash at 155 pounds between two men trying to reach the upper echelon of their talent-stacked division. Moises (18-7, 7-5 UFC) seems to never get any easy out, and that continues with “Mr. Highlight” Klein (21-4-1, 5-2-1 UFC). The 29-year-olds will meet under the watchful eye of George Conley, and they kick things off with a glove touch. Bouncing back and forth towards one another, they feint and fake at one another until Moises throws a body kick that slaps the midsection. Klein replies with a jab, and he absorbs a front kick to the chest right back. Klein narrowly avoids a head kick that whizzes past his face, and he prods out a front kick. Moises kicks high and low, and Klein lines up a head kick that knocks Moises back a few steps even though it was guarded. Moises kicks the body in response, and he chops at the front leg shortly thereafter. Moises works on the front leg, and Klein jabs him to the body. A sharp jab from Klein is not followed, as he ducks away from a one-two and leans back in to jab the chest. Klein blocks a head kick, but the calf kick from Moises keeps finding its mark. When Klein loads up on a one-two, Moises shoots in for a double, and Klein sprawls at the right moment to stop it. Moises shoves Klein up against the fence, only for Klein to break out of it with a knee and an elbow. Klein narrowly avoids a massive overhand right soaring at his dome by intercepting the Brazilian with a calf kick, and he breathes a sigh of relief. Moises comes up short on a head kick effort, and Klein does the exact same. Moises chips at both sides of Klein’s front leg with kicks, and Klein darts in to jab him in the sternum. Fans grow restless as the methodical back-and-forth approach is not particularly engaging coupled with the relative lack of action tonight, and the fighters briefly pick it up with a surge of punches. Klein lets loose with a left hand that smashes square into the jaw, and Moises takes a step away and suddenly realizes that he is in a bad way and stumbles to the cage wall and topples over. Klein rushes after him and tries to pound him out with hammerfists and punches, and Moises stands back up and clinches up to survive the round.

Sherdog Scores

Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-9 Klein
Scottie Smith scores the round: 10-9 Klein
Tyler Treese scores the round: 10-9 Klein

Round 2

The fighters meet in the middle to start the round, but they do not engage as they have tasted one another’s power. The first landed strike comes about 30 seconds in, with a calf kick from Moises. Klein jabs and kicks his foe’s front leg back, and he jabs the abdomen with the ball of his foot but inadvertently bounces off Moises’ cup. Moises takes less than 15 seconds to recover, and he reintroduces himself with a calf kick that gets Klein’s attention. The two trade low kicks, and Moises shoots for a fast single but is unable to reach Klein in time. Klein lines up a one-two that makes the Brazilian frown, and Moises loads up with a head kick that slips around the guard. Moises celebrates his handiwork by pounding a kick on the inside of Klein’s front leg, and he blocks a head kick and delivers a calf kick. Klein hammers a low kick back that makes Moises recoil his leg awkwardly, and he strings three punches into a head kick that all bounce off Moises’ raised guard. Klein slips a punch and has a right hook glance off the shoulder, and Moises responsively pursues a double that does not succeed. Klein stops him from succeeding and beans him with a two-punch series to knock Moises back. As the two trade strikes, the commentary booth devolves into a conversation about auctions and Micro Machines. Moises loads up a big right hand that he uses as forward momentum to back Klein against the cage, only for his takedown effort to fail. Klein turns him around and throws two punches and a head kick, and Moises blocks it and rushes forward. Klein uses the aggression against the Brazilian, suddenly turning the tables and slamming Moises to the ground. Moises turns over and snatches up a kneebar, and Klein turns through it and jackhammers Moises with ground-and-pound until the round ends.

Sherdog Scores

Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-9 Klein
Scottie Smith scores the round: 10-9 Klein
Tyler Treese scores the round: 10-9 Klein

Round 3

There is one more glove touch to commence the final round. Klein starts off with a body kick and a lunging jab, and Moises meets him with a head kick that ricochets off the guard. Klein’s front kick goes low, clacking into the cup, and Moises groans as Conley calls time. Moises takes a minute to recover before starting again, and Klein is eager to start again. The Slovakian darts forward with punches, only to be met with a charging Moises going after a takedown. The resulting clash of chests allows Klein to shove Moises against the wall, where he shoulder bumps the Brazilian in the face a few times. Moises gets his back off the cage and knees Klein a few times before Klein fights out of it. When Moises jabs, Klein drives as one-two down Broadway and kicks the body with a little extra mustard on it. Moises has to shoot for a takedown after absorbing the attack, but Klein stonewalls him and backs him off with strikes that even when guarded knock Moises back a step. Moises punches his way to a takedown, and Klein stops the first effort and gets tossed to the ground on the second. Klein is able to get right back to his feet after less than a second on the mat, and he pushes Moises against the chain-link fence to shoulder check him. Conley asks for more work, and Klein obliges by breaking off and popping the Brazilian in the chops with a stiff right hand. Klein reaches out with a one-two, and Moicano goes after him with a takedown. “Mr. Highlight” lifts up a perfectly timed knee right to the liver of his opponent, and a compromised Moises backs away and drops down to the ground in pain. Klein leaps on top of him and lets loose with a bevy of hammerfists, and he looks for Conley to intervene even as all of the strikes are blocked. Seeing he might not finish the fight here, he settles down and drums on Moises with punches and elbows. Moises stands up with seconds to spare, and Klein lands another couple strikes for lasting impressions right as the fight ends.

Sherdog Scores

Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-9 Klein (30-27 Klein)
Scottie Smith scores the round: 10-9 Klein (30-27 Klein)
Tyler Treese scores the round: 10-9 Klein (30-27 Klein)

The Official Result

Ludovit Klein def. Thiago Moises via Unanimous Decision (30-27, 30-27, 30-27)

Miguel Baeza (171) vs. Punahele Soriano (171)

BETTING PREVIEW | SCOUTING REPORT | ODDS: Baeza (-198), Soriano (+164)

Round 1

A pair of struggling 170-pound knockout artists will try to turn their career trajectory around in the main card opener. With three straight defeats and a two-year layoff, Baeza (10-3, 3-3 UFC) will be swinging hard to keep a place on the roster. Fellow slugger Soriano (9-4, 3-4 UFC) is hoping a shift down 15 pounds will turn things around for him, as he has dropped four of his last five. One man will get back into the win column in the next 15 minutes or less, and referee Rob Mooney will be there for it every step of the way. They calmly touch gloves, and Baeza says hello with a side kick to the chest right after. Baeza is warned for outstretched fingers, and he lands another side kick and two low kicks. Mooney warns Baeza again for his fingers pointed at his opponent, and Soriano throws his own strike 45 seconds in with a leg kick and a pair of wide hooks. Baeza closes in and pushes the Hawaiian to the fence, and he holds Soriano there. Short knees are traded, and Baeza slams his shoulder into Soriano’s face while looking for an outside trip. Baeza lifts Soriano up, but cannot get him off-balance so he sets him down. Soriano turns him around in the clinch and goes low for a double, allowing Baeza to responds with a guillotine choke. Soriano pops his head out and slams Baeza down to the floor, where he hammers him with hammerfists. Soriano lowers himself into the guard, and he Baeza fishes for a leglock and gets hold of a heel hook. Soriano sits up, ignoring the submission so he can smash Baeza’s unguarded face with ferocious right hands. Soriano punches his way out of danger, even as Baeza turns and torques the heel hook with all his might. Baeza smacks him with back fists that have little on them, while Soriano’s right hands from his seat are stinging “Caramel Thunder.” Baeza recommits to the submission, and he answers a few punches with an elbow. Soriano rails the Florida native with nasty punches, and Baeza turns around to his back and transitions to a kneebar. Soriano remains calm, his knee not in danger, and he sits up and lands a few punches to the back of the head. Baeza looks up at the referee, and Soriano is making him pay with a series of punches. Baeza fights his way back to his feet and backs away, but “Story Time” deposits him back down to the ground. Once more, Baeza stands up, and the intense round ends.

Sherdog Scores

Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-9 Soriano
Scottie Smith scores the round: 10-9 Soriano
Tyler Treese scores the round: 10-9 Soriano

Round 2

The middleweights touch ‘em up before engaging. Baeza leads off with a jabbing front kick, and Soriano punches his way into a takedown that he easily lands. As Soriano lands punches, he manages to take Baeza’s back, but lets it go when Baeza turns to go after an armbar. Soriano slugs his way through the setup to open up Baeza’s guard, and he continues striking even as Baeza pursues one more armbar. Soriano’s strikes stop the sub from coming together, and Baeza briefly pushes off the chest with upkicks before Soriano gets back on top of him. Soriano rains down punches and hammerfists, and Baeza snatches up another armbar that is more serious than the others. Soriano stays tightly pressed to his man, and he knees Baeza in the ribs a few times to make Baeza think twice about opening himself up like that. Baeza wrenches on the limb while Soriano leans on him, stacking the Floridian up to stop it from completing. Soriano pounds on Baeza until Baeza lets go of the submission, and his ruthless left hands hurt Baeza and make him turn around to surrender his back. Soriano sits up to beat Baeza down with his left fist rather than pursue a submission, and Baeza tugs on the fence in hopes of standing. Soriano stays tight to him, kneeing Baeza and punching him under the armpits when he can find openings. Soriano works Baeza over with punches, and Baeza stays with it but is getting hammered. Baeza leans against the fence as Mooney asks him to do more, and he explodes upright but is yanked down immediately by the Hawaiian. Soriano wraps an arm around the side to hold Baeza down, and he lines up a blistering knee to the ribs until Baeza stands. Soriano belts Baeza with a few more punches until the horn blares.

Sherdog Scores

Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-8 Soriano
Scottie Smith scores the round: 10-8 Soriano
Tyler Treese scores the round: 10-8 Soriano

Round 3

There is a glove touch to open the final frame, and Soriano greets his opponent with a body kick and an easy takedown. Soriano is quick to start working on the body from both sides while sitting on top of Baeza, and Mooney is watching very closely. Baeza sits up and leans against the fencing, and Mooney asks for Baeza to defend himself. Baeza turns over, and he ignores a brabo choke from the Hawaiian while trying to will himself to his feet. Soriano punches his man anywhere he finds a spot, driving his fists into Baeza’s torso mercilessly. Baeza turns over and absorbs several hammerfists and a few shots to the back of the head, and he sits up only to get bowled over. Soriano pounds on “Caramel Thunder” with a light but effective barrage of punches, setting himself down by sitting in half guard, smacking Baeza in the face again and again. The ground strike totals will be off the charts when this one-sided shellacking concludes. Soriano keeps right on punching the head, body, shoulder or anywhere he wants, and Baeza closes his guard around him in hopes of riding out to the final bell. Even with the number of blows landed by the Hawaiian, Baeza does not have many marks on him. Soriano’s short strikes continue to find their targets, and while they are not fight-ending blows, they are seemingly unending. Soriano drives down one final elbow, and the beatdown concludes with Soriano helping the Floridian to his feet.

Sherdog Scores

Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-8 Soriano (30-25 Soriano)
Scottie Smith scores the round: 10-8 Soriano (30-25 Soriano)
Tyler Treese scores the round: 10-8 Soriano (30-25 Soriano)

The Official Result

Punahele Soriano def. Miguel Baeza via Unanimous Decision (30-25, 30-25, 30-27)

Julian Marquez (185.5) vs. Zachary Reese (185)

BETTING PREVIEW | SCOUTING REPORT | ODDS: Marquez (-130), Reese (+110)

Round 1

From one all-action fight to another we go, as dueling middleweights with 100% finish rates put referee Dan Miragliotta on notice. Marquez (9-4, 3-3 UFC) has not had his hand raised since putting Sam Alvey away in 2021, while Reese (6-1, 0-1 UFC) was unsuccessful in his promotional debut in December when Cody Brundage slammed him through the cage floor. The judges may be able to take this one off. The fighters clap hands, and Marquez reaches out with jabs and a low kick. Reese chambers and fires off a body kick, and Marquez backs away as that got him cleanly. The mulleted fighter chases and unloads a left hand and an uppercut right on the button, and Marquez collapses to the canvas, already done. To seal the deal, “Savage” clobbers the Missouri native with a salvo of hammerfists, and Miragliotta calls a halt to the match as the crowd goes wild. Marquez sits up and is a little upset by the stoppage, but he understands why Miragliotta had to get involved, as it was likely only to get worse from there. After eight fights, Reese has still yet to reach the second round, and this is easily his quickest stoppage to date.

The Official Result

Zachary Reese def. Julian Marquez R1 0:20 via TKO (Body Kick and Punches)

Brunno Ferreira (186) vs. Dustin Stoltzfus (184.5)

BETTING PREVIEW | SCOUTING REPORT | ODDS: Ferreira (-265), Stoltzfus (+215)

Round 1

Win or lose, all 12 of Brazilian bomber Ferreira’s (11-1, 2-1 UFC) pro outings have ended before the 6:08 mark. The same cannot be said for Pennsylvania-based grappler Stoltzfus (15-5, 2-4 UFC), but he knows his way around a stoppage as well. Referee Jason Herzog dons his hard hat for the middleweight proceeding, one that commences with them coming together in the center of the cage but not to touch gloves. They back off, as Ferreira retreats around the edge of the cage while Stoltzfus walks his way forward. Stoltzfus lands a right hand as Ferreira zips away, and Ferreira lands a low kick that gets countered with a straight right. Ferreira unloads with a ferocious right hand that stings the Pennsylvanian, and he blasts him with a second as Stoltzfus counters to surprise him. Stoltzfus crashes the pocket and tosses Ferreira to the mat, and he pushes “The Hulk” over to get into his guard. Ferreira utilizes butterfly hooks to kick Stoltzfus off of him, and he turns over when he does this to stand but Stoltzfus leaps on his back to keep him grounded. Ferreira works his way back upright, and he fights off an armbar. Stoltzfus transitions into a kneebar, and Ferreira gets away with a fence grab to reposition himself. Ferreira rolls through to get out of the leglock, and Stoltzfus runs at him throwing hands before banging into him and pushing him to the wall. Stoltzfus lands a right hand, and Ferreira responds with a stern elbow before darting away to reset. Stoltzfus walks forward and kicks “The Hulk” high, and he dings him with a follow-up right hand. Ferreira misses with a right hand, and he guards another had kick effort. Stoltzfus spins with a back kick that slams square into Ferreira’s midsection, and Ferreira has to shake it out and kick him in the belly. Ferreira spins with a back elbow that hurts Stoltzfus, and the two start slugging with everything they have. Stoltzfus is in a bad way but still swinging for the fences, and he pursues a takedown but is pushed away by “The Hulk.” Stoltzfus drills his man with an elbow, but Ferreira is relentless, throwing everything he has into a right hand that slams into his foe’s temple. Stoltzfus staggers back, and Ferreira reaches him with a long right hand and whips a head kick at him that pounds into the shoulder. Ferreira leaps forward but his knee is not high enough, so he just ends up bumping chest-to-chest into his foe. The Brazilian lands two shots to the body, takes a few steps back and spins with a mighty elbow. The strike connects cleanly on the forehead, putting Stoltzfus down as Herzog springs between them to stop the fight. While Stoltzfus is still standing as Herzog halts the contest, he does not protest the stoppage as he is still out on his feet and needs to be caught so he does not fall over. Ferreira, who might be out of steam after his final onslaught, jumps on the ground and slams it with both hands like “The Hulk” does during his Hulk Smash move. This is a spectacular finish, and one of just a small handful of knockouts via spinning elbow in UFC history. The main card has undoubtedly picked up after a slow set of prelims, delivering a “Round of the Year” candidate along with a potential suitor for the “Knockout of the Year” list as well.

The Official Result

Bruno Ferreira def. Dustin Stoltzfus R1 4:51 via KO (Spinning Back Elbow)

Raul Rosas Jr. (136) vs. Ricky Turcios (136)

BETTING PREVIEW | SCOUTING REPORT | ODDS: Rosas Jr. (-230), Turcios (+190)

Round 1

A giant age gap separates these next two competitors, although that will be said for most of Rosas’ (8-1, 2-1 UFC) next few fights as he has not even turned 20 yet. Once scheduled to fight in February, the fight fell through when he succumbed to an illness on fight day. Pushed back several months, he now meets “The Ultimate Fighter” Season 29 winner Turcios (12-3, 2-1 UFC), who is ready for the challenge that the youthful grappler presents. While there was no bad blood before, the dragging out of their encounter has soured Turcios, to the point that they do not touch gloves and Turcios curses at him. Referee Blake Grice clocks them in, and Turcios angrily attacks the youngster. Turcios lets loose a salvo of body, low and head kicks, and Rosas blocks most of them. Turcios keeps kicking until Rosas closes in on him and takes the fight down, and Turcios hits his seat and immediately starts punching Rosas in the side. The crowd starts chanting profanity towards Turcios, and the commentary booth is bewildered by it. Rosas remains on top, not letting loose with ground-and-pound or pursuing anything of note. Turcios uses a butterfly guard to push off Rosas’ hips, but the 19-year-old is hanging on him like an ugly sweater. “Pretty Ricky” gets back to his feet, and Rosas dumps him right on his head. Turcios attempts to scramble, and Rosas keeps him grounded and ignores the strikes to the side of his head. Turcios hacks at the side of the head with elbows, and he explodes back to his feet. Turcios grabs the fence to remain on his feet, and Rosas wrenches him to the floor from behind despite the foul. Turcios turns Rosas around and frees his hands to open up with punches. Turcios takes his back and gets both hooks in, and he cinches up a rear-naked choke and settles to squeeze on the youngster’s chin. Rosas fights the hands while Turcios squeezes with all his might, and Rosas toughs out the face crank and turns over to get on top. Turcios scrambles madly, and Rosas takes his back and ends up sitting on the side. Rosas wraps his legs around his foe’s waist, and Turcios is stuck flailing from behind his head until the bell sounds.

Sherdog Scores

Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-9 Turcios
Scottie Smith scores the round: 10-9 Rosas Jr.
Tyler Treese scores the round: 10-9 Rosas Jr.

Round 2

Rosas starts the round off kicking, rather than his opponent. Rosas leaps at Turcios with a knee, and he manages to jump at him to score a second flying knee so he can get up close and personal. “El Nino Problema” succeeds in taking Turcios down, and Turcios defends by hacking with elbows that are landing near the back of the head and spine. Grice warns him of these infractions, and he apologizes as they continue grappling. Rosas circles around to take the back, and he grips a body triangle with his legs and hunts for a rear-naked choke with his arms at the same time. The flailing strikes from Turcios have cut open the youngster, but his scrambles do not get anywhere. Turcios sits up to try to get away, and Rosas pulls him down twice and secures the rear-naked choke on top of the chin. Rosas cranks with every bit of energy, and the forearm slides under the jaw to make things academic, and it is only a matter of time at this point. Turcios hand-fights to the best of his ability, but the choke is locked down and there is nothing more he can do. Before he goes to sleep, Turcios taps his fist a few times to officially surrender, and Grice pulls them apart when seeing it. This is a huge feather in the cap for Rosas, who tries to squash the hostility between them as soon as the fight is waved off by hugging Turcios. “Pretty Ricky” needs a moment before reciprocating, and they end up settling things between one another. That makes eight finishes in nine wins for the 19-year-old, who climbs on top of the cage to celebrate as the crowd showers him with affection.

The Official Result

Raul Rosas Jr. def. Ricky Turcios R2 2:22 via Submission (Rear-Naked Choke)

Dustin Jacoby (204.5) vs. Dominick Reyes (205)

BETTING PREVIEW | SCOUTING REPORT | ODDS: Jacoby (-238), Reyes (+195)

Round 1

In the co-main event, two light heavyweight flamethrowers in dire need of a win will get that opportunity against one another. Former title challenger Reyes (12-4, 6-4 UFC) is eager to put a four-fight losing streak behind him, while Jacoby (19-8-1, 7-4-1 UFC) has had just a whisker of more success in last four, winning one of those. With their predominant methods of victory the knockout, referee Dan Miragliotta is on guard. There is plenty of respect between the ranked 205ers, who touch ‘em up before getting after it. Reyes keeps Jacoby away with kicks early, although Jacoby walks him down and delivers a stern low kick. Reyes fires a few punches over the top and walks through another calf kick. Reyes connects with his own calf kick, and he digs his shin to the body and reaches out with a left hand. A Jacoby calf kick spins Reyes around, and he kicks Reyes a second time on the same spot when Reyes spins around. Jacoby marches forward and plants his right hand on the jaw, and he unloads with a combination of punches and gets caught with a quick counter left from “The Devastator.” Jacoby wobbles back, suddenly aware of the damage as message transfers from his brain to his no-longer-there legs. Keeping himself on his feet like a person retreating while on a sheet of ice, Jacoby reaches the wall and is quickly caught by the oncoming Reyes. “The Devastator” lets loose with a devastating pair of punches and a knee that puts Jacoby on the canvas. Jacoby climbs up despite getting railed by a handful of unanswered right hands, and he shells up while Reyes clubs him with punch after vicious punch. Miragliotta sees that Jacoby is out on his feet, and as soon as he gets between them, Jacoby falls face-first to the floor. “The Hanyak” comes to when his noggin collides with the floor, and he is completely confused and does not appear to know where he is or that a fight happened. Reyes jumps on top of the cage and breathes the largest sigh of relief imaginable, having ended a bad streak rather violently.

The Official Result

Dominick Reyes def. Dustin Jacoby R1 2:00 via KO (Punches)

Jared Cannonier (185) vs. Nassourdine Imavov (185)

BETTING PREVIEW | SCOUTING REPORT | ODDS: Imavov (-125), Cannonier (+105)

Round 1

At long last, we have reached the main event. Hopeful that this next win will put him in line for another crack at gold, the age-defying Cannonier (17-6, 10-6 UFC) celebrates recent wins over future champ Sean Strickland and top contender Marvin Vettori as of late. At the tender age of 40, he will come in 11 years the elder of French upstart Imavov (13-4, 1 NC; 5-2, 1 NC UFC). The 185ers conclude the evening with referee Jason Herzog serving as the Octagon ranger. The crowd is excited and calls for “USA” in support of Cannonier, and the fighters do not touch gloves. Instead, Cannonier wants the knockout right out of the gate, swinging his large fists at the Frenchman. Imavov avoids the worst of the blows, but Cannonier catches him a few times. Cannonier delivers a nasty low kick, and Imavov responds with a straight left hand but the kick was much more substantial. Cannonier goes for another kick, and the two punch their way into a clinch. Cannonier pushes his man to the fence, and he chucks Imavov to the floor effortlessly. Cannonier climbs on the back of his foe as Herzog slaps Imavov’s hand away from grabbing the fence. Imavov is able to stand up without much of an issue, and he breaks away. Imavov lands a knee up the middle, and Herzog calls time and gives Imavov a hard warning for his fingers pointed at the eyes before restarting the two. Cannonier scores a low kick and reaches his man with a right hand, and he measures up and fires another overhand right. Herzog issues another finger warning, and Imavov keeps his guard up in the nick of time to defend himself from oncoming fire. Imavov tags Cannonier with a knee, and Cannonier comes out swinging and catches him with a combination of dangerous fists. Imavov uses head movement to roll with the strikes and not absorb them flush, and he catches a calf kick and knocks Cannonier to his seat with a counter right hand. Cannonier stands back up, ignores a front choke setup and pushes Imavov back to the wall. Cannonier keeps heavy pressure on his adversary, not letting Imavov do much other than offer up a few knees on the inside. Imavov sets up a Thai clinch, and Cannonier drops down for a takedown effort but bails on it to try to lift Imavov up with a body lock. Imavov remains on his feet, back to the fencing, until the round ends.

Sherdog Scores

Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-9 Cannonier
Scottie Smith scores the round: 10-9 Cannonier
Tyler Treese scores the round: 10-9 Cannonier

Round 2

Round 2 begins after Herzog warns Imavov once more for outstretched fingers. Cannonier strikes first with an inside calf kick, and Imavov jabs him back. Cannonier complains of a partial eye poke, and Herzog shouts at Imavov to close his hands. Imavov jabs with the ball of his feet on the front knee, and Cannonier dips down to throw two body shots. Imavov times two punches, and Cannonier drives him back in a hurry with power punches. Imavov scores a knee and is bowled over by “The Killa Gorilla,” doing a backwards somersault and getting back to his feet before Cannonier can reach him. Cannonier isolates a single and lifts the leg up, but he sets it down when he cannot get the takedown. Imavov punches his way out of the clinch, and he clips the Alaskan with a right hand. Cannonier resets and comes back strong, with two jabs that snap the head back. Imavov gets shoved back to the wire, where Cannonier imposes his weight and will. Imavov slams two elbows to the side of the head while Cannonier pursues his takedown, and this stands “The Killa Gorilla” back up. Cannonier digs a body shot while Imavov presses down on the back of his neck, and Imavov sneaks in a knee and slashes with an elbow to get a little space. When Cannonier backs off, Imavov gives chase, and this results in a brief but damaging brawl that dislodges Cannonier’s mouthpiece. Herzog gives it to Cannonier to replace it, and he warns Imavov for his fingers once more. Imavov slugs Cannonier in the chops with a fierce right hand, and Cannonier staggers back but may be sandbagging a little as he unleashes a huge right hand that knocks Imavov back a few steps. Cannonier pressures forward until he meets Imavov in the clinch, and Imavov strings together a punch combination to end the round.

Sherdog Scores

Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-9 Cannonier
Scottie Smith scores the round: 10-9 Cannonier
Tyler Treese scores the round: 10-9 Cannonier

Round 3

Herzog once more is forced to fuss at Imavov for his fingers pointed towards his target, and Imavov nods at him. Cannonier comes out loaded for bear, swinging with a huge right hand that surprises Imavov right out of the gate. Imavov jabs him back, and he lets Cannonier overswing on a counter so he can circle around, take Cannonier’s back standing, and wrench him to the floor. Cannonier jumps back up in a second, but Imavov hangs on to deposit him gingerly down to the mat once more. Cannonier is able to return upright, and they trade knees on the inside before Cannonier spins his man around in the tie-up. They jockey for position until Cannonier punches his way out, and Imavov lets him have it with a solid one-two and a calf kick. Cannonier jabs twice and kicks the inside and outside of his foe’s leg, while Imavov stands firm and connects with a few right hands. Cannonier finds the chin with an uppercut, and he pushes Imavov back to the wall. Cannonier embraces the grind and stalls the Frenchman out, and Imavov frames off with an elbow. Imavov lets loose with a body kick on the break, and Cannonier whiffs on a right hand counter. Cannonier gets a right hand to slam into Imavov’s chin, and Imavov wears it well and responds with a one-two. Imavov paws out a left hook and pushes a one-two out when Cannonier kicks his calf, and his jab makes Cannonier change it up and clinch. Cannonier pushes Imavov back to the fence again, and fans start booing. Cannonier disengages with seconds to spare in the round, and he lands a right hand while getting caught with two punches and a head kick immediately before time expires.

Sherdog Scores

Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-9 Cannonier
Scottie Smith scores the round: 10-9 Cannonier
Tyler Treese scores the round: 10-9 Cannonier

Round 4

Every round, Herzog tells Imavov to knock it off with the pointing, and Imavov nods, whether he understands the words or not. Imavov takes to the center of the cage and is prepared to counter when Cannonier comes in, connecting with a few punches when Cannonier throws one. Cannonier spins with an elbow that bonks Imavov on the side of the head, and Imavov pushes through it and presses Cannonier to the chain-link fence. Cannonier explodes off of it, circling away and reaching his man with a left to the body. Imavov misses with a left hand, but he launches a heat-seeking missile of a right that explodes on the temple. Stung from the blow, Cannonier turns away and runs across the cage, and Imavov sprints after him hoping to finish the job. Imavov blasts him with another long right hand, and Cannonier bounces off the cage, with it likely keeping him on his feet. Imavov winds up to crack “The Killa Gorilla” with a huge right hook, and Cannonier plods towards him in search of a desperation takedown. Imavov intercepts him with a pair of knees, and he nails Cannonier with a left and a right. Cannonier bounces off the fence again and staggers to the right, with Imavov piecing him up with punches. As Imavov connects with a powerful left hand, Cannonier keeps moving to the side, and Herzog steps in between them to call the fight off. Cannonier is immediately incensed by the stoppage, as he tells Herzog he was still moving and completely in the fight. The audience in Louisville drowns everything out with a sea of boos, just as upset with the fight being called as Cannonier is. This is not a great look, considering Cannonier’s condition and that he appeared to be steady on his feet again and potentially recovering. No matter how people feel about the finish, it will officially go in the books as a knockout victory for Imavov, who earns the biggest win of his career and does so in the championship rounds. In his post-fight interview, Imavov remarks that it is not his responsibility to stop the fight, and that he was ready to keep going if they were able to continue. The Frenchman requests a rematch against Sean Strickland in Paris this September, in hopes that a victory would propel him to a title shot. If this fight comes together, we will be here for it. We hope you are too.

The Official Result

Nassourdine Imavov def. Jared Cannonier R4 1:34 via TKO (Punches)