World Series of Fighting 8 Results: Play-by-Play & Updates

Jose Caceres vs. Anderson Melo

Round 1

The rangier Caceres attacks with long strikes early, knocking the Brazilian to the canvas with a kick. Melo hits the deck again, now looking to pull guard. On Melo’s next attempt to lure “The Fresh Prince” to the ground, Caceres obliges, and Melo wraps him up tight in full guard. Melo dives on Caceres’ left leg and wrenches a heel hook that has Caceres tapping out quick.

The Official Result

Anderson Melo def. Jose Caceres via Submission (Heel Hook) R1 1:10

Freddy Assuncao vs. Brenson Hansen

Round 1

The featherweights open up trading low kicks in the center of the cage, with Assuncao getting the better on the legs. Hansen evens it up with some snappy punches up top and starts to be the aggressor, forcing Assuncao backward with hooks and straight shots. Assuncao scores with a one-two, countered by a right hook and a low kick. Hansen is whipping Assuncao’s lead leg with outside leg kicks now, and he mixes in a slapping kick to the breadbasket. Late in the round, Assuncao appears to catch a finger in the eye, but the fighters touch gloves and carry on. Hansen sticks a jab and lands another hard leg kick outside to finish the opening frame.

Sherdog Scores

Jordan Breen scores the round 10-9 Hansen
TJ De Santis scores the round 10-9 Hansen
Chris Nelson scores the round 10-9 Hansen

Round 2

Assuncao lands a slapping body kick and eats a left-handed counter over the top. He’s starting to find his mark with jabs and overhand rights, but Hansen is firing back with big right hands of his own. Still lots of give-and-take in the center of the cage as the featherweights exchange leg kicks and quick, one- or two-punch attacks. Assuncao snaps back Hansen’s head with a jab, backs out and returns for a leg kick. Hansen is waiting with a right hand when Assuncao wades back into range. Assuncao sends some front kicks up the middle and touches Hansen with one last short punch in the closing seconds.

Sherdog Scores

Jordan Breen scores the round 10-9 Assuncao
TJ De Santis scores the round 10-9 Hansen
Chris Nelson scores the round 10-9 Assuncao

Round 3

More standup fighting to start round three, though neither man is fully committing, mostly just picking a few strikes and wading back out of range. Assuncao finally shoots for a takedown midway through the round and Hansen snuffs it out quickly. Hansen slips on a kick shortly afterward but Assuncao can’t capitalize and the Hawaiian pops back up. Two minutes to go and the featherweights are still kicking at one another in the center. Hansen walks in on Assuncao and gets stung with a counter combo. Assuncao tries a spinning kick to the head, blocked by Hansen, who keeps kicking at Assuncao’s legs. Hansen goes for and completes a takedown against the fence in the final 10 seconds, and this one is headed to the scorecards.

Sherdog Scores

Jordan Breen scores the round 10-9 Hansen (29-28 Hansen)
TJ De Santis scores the round 10-9 Hansen (30-27 Hansen)
Chris Nelson scores the round 10-9 Hansen (29-28 Hansen)

The Official Result

Freddy Assuncao def. Brenson Hansen via Split Decision (29-28, 29-28, 28-29) R3 5:00

Alexis Vila vs. Sidemar Honorio

Round 1

After 90 seconds of feeling out with Honorio’s long kicks and Vila’s overhand punches, Vila rushes in to engage behind a leg kick. Honorio shoves him away and misses a wide left hand, then takes another leg kick inside. Vila circles his taller opponent, staying outside the range of Honorio’s long roundhouse kicks. With 1:45 on the clock, Vila hits a double-leg slam in the middle of the cage, but he’s forced to scramble up quickly as Honorio threatens with an armbar and a choke. Honorio finishes the round standing with a leg kick and a swiping right hand as Vila comes charging in.

Sherdog Scores

Jordan Breen scores the round 10-9 Vila
TJ De Santis scores the round 10-9 Vila
Chris Nelson scores the round 10-9 Vila

Round 2

More tentative striking begins round two, with Vila circling the outside and Honorio sitting back to strike with long low kicks. Vila plows Honorio to the mat with a double-leg, but again they’re back up just as quickly. Honorio backs Vila away with a front kick up the center, then a low kick inside. Vila lands an outside leg kick of his own and gets out of the way of Honorio’s right-hand counter. Honorio chops the leg out from under Vila, who hops back to his feet right away. It’s all kicks from the Brazilian, who raises his arms in an attempt to lure Vila in, but then backpedals when “The Exorcist” comes forward.

Honorio stuffs a takedown with 20 seconds left, lands another outside leg kick and circles away.

Sherdog Scores

Jordan Breen scores the round 10-9 Honorio
TJ De Santis scores the round 10-9 Honorio
Chris Nelson scores the round 10-9 Honorio

Round 3

Vila is swinging for the fences, throwing murderous hooks and overhands, but he can’t quite get into range to slug. Honorio opts to go to the ground and pulls Vila to his open guard, but Vila wants him back up. Vila tries to put the fight on the fence, but Honorio circles out. Honorio shoots in, gets stuffed and circles left in the southpaw stance, threatening with a high kick. Honorio goes back to orthodox and fires a kick to Vila’s body, then one to the legs as they move to the final half of the final round. Vila keeps trying to get inside only to be swept out by wide left hooks. Honorio tries to pull guard again; Vila won’t follow this time. Now, Vila hits a double-leg, but Honorio keeps him away with a long open guard. Honorio is warned for kicking at the kneeling Vila’s head. The flyweights fight on with Honorio’s feet on Vila’s hips, keeping him away. Vila stands up with 50 seconds to go and immediately plows Honorio to the ground again for one last takedown.

Sherdog Scores

Jordan Breen scores the round 10-9 Vila (29-28 Vila)
TJ De Santis scores the round 10-9 Vila (29-28 Vila)
Chris Nelson scores the round 10-9 Vila (29-28 Vila)

The Official Result

Alexis Vila def. Sidemar Honorio via Unanimous Decision (30-27, 29-28, 29-28) R3 5:00

Derrick Mehmen vs. Scott Barrett

Round 1

Mehmen circles the outside and throws hooking rights and uppercuts around the guard of the southpaw Barrett, who works from the center. Barrett begins pressing out with left hands but gets knocked to the canvas with a hard counter uppercut. Mehmen tries to swarm and finish but Barrett gets back to his feet, still under fire as Mehmen unloads with a flurry of punches. Barrett doesn’t go down again, and rather than punch himself out, Mehmen backs away to reset. Mehmen drills Barrett with another uppercut on the jaw, then one to the gut. Barrett is bloodied, swollen around the eyes, but he continues to press forward in the latter half of the round. Mehmen keeps drilling him with right hooks and uppercuts, then begins to mix in knees to the body and standing elbows.

Sherdog Scores

Jordan Breen scores the round 10-8 Mehmen
TJ De Santis scores the round 10-9 Mehmen
Chris Nelson scores the round 10-8 Mehmen

Round 2

Mehmen walks forward, punching with both hands, landing glancing, tired crosses. Barrett tries to swing back with both fists on a slowing Mehmen, but neither man is landing with much force now. Mehmen lurches forward and grabs Barrett in the double-collar tie, but is shrugged off before he can do much damage with knees. Barrett continues to plod forward and grabs the clinch for himself, but Mehmen punches himself free. Mehmen keeps his distance in the closing minute, throwing long, glancing punches, but Barrett rocks his head with a left hand in the closing seconds. The heavyweights finish the round in a tired tie-up.

Sherdog Scores

Jordan Breen scores the round 10-9 Mehmen
TJ De Santis scores the round 10-9 Mehmen
Chris Nelson scores the round 10-9 Mehmen

Round 3

The big men come out for round three throwing head-down punches, and they have to be warned by ref Troy Waugh to keep their hands closed while striking. Barrett moves in to grab the collar tie and slugs Mehmen with short, tired lefts. Mehmen breaks it off and connects with an uppercut, stands back and swings another short left hook-right uppercuts in Barrett’s direction. Down to the final minute and both guys are spent but still fighting, and Mehmen uses the Thai plum to throw a couple knees to the body. Barrett just keeps inching forward, throwing wild with short hooks and uppercuts, even a kick to the body. The heavyweights finish the fight in the clinch, with Mehmen’s face somehow looking just as bad or worse than Barrett’s.

Sherdog Scores

Jordan Breen scores the round 10-9 Mehmen (30-26 Mehmen)
TJ De Santis scores the round 10-9 Mehmen (30-27 Mehmen)
Chris Nelson scores the round 10-9 Mehmen (30-26 Mehmen)

The Official Result

Derrick Mehmen def. Scott Barrett via Unanimous Decision (30-27, 29-28, 29-28) R3 5:00

Valdir Araujo vs. Tyler Stinson

Round 1

Araujo aims for the head with right high kicks, blocked by Stinson, who creeps outward from the center of the cage in the southpaw stance. Araujo fakes a single-leg shot and moves his head out of the way of Stinson’s combination. The welterweights exchange leg kicks, and Stinson sneaks a glancing left hand around the outside. Both guys are sticking their kicks but missing with follow-up punches; Araujo is doing well with body kicks on Stinson’s left side, can’t quite land the right hooks behind them.

Sherdog Scores

Jordan Breen scores the round 10-9 Araujo
TJ De Santis scores the round 10-9 Araujo
Chris Nelson scores the round 10-9 Araujo

Round 2

Araujo puts the fight on the fence immediately and takes the better part of a minute to pull Stinson to the ground. The American is quick to get back on his feet, but he’s pressed against the cage as Araujo works on a high double-leg. Midway through the round, with no progress on the takedown, Araujo switches to underhooks, then gets tossed away by Stinson. The 170-pounders go back to striking, and Stinson is warned by referee Jorge Ortiz for kicking at Araujo’s knees. Araujo lands a loud kick to the inside of Stinson’s lead leg.

Stinson is moving around plenty but not letting his hands go, just sitting back and pawing with the occasional jab while Araujo kicks at his legs. With 30 seconds left, Stinson lands a left hook and a right low kick. Araujo responds with a kick to the ribs to close out the round.

Sherdog Scores

Jordan Breen scores the round 10-9 Araujo
TJ De Santis scores the round 10-9 Araujo
Chris Nelson scores the round 10-9 Araujo

Round 3

Araujo sends a right straight in Stinson’s direction and gets caught with a quick, three-piece combination. Another hard kick lands to Stinson’s body, but Stinson responds with a kick of his own and a left hook. Stinson is coming on strong now, and he lands a cracking left hook on the end of a combo that appears to daze Araujo. A body shot has Araujo doubling over and shooting in; Stinson stuffs him to the ground and postures up to land more punches to the body, then elbows and punches to the face. With three minutes left, Stinson stands and invites Araujo back up; Araujo is slow to get up, much to the displeasure of ref Ortiz. Three hard left hooks in quick succession send Araujo crashing to the mat again. He’s still conscious, but referee Ortiz has seen enough and steps in to call an end to the fight.

The Official Result

Tyler Stinson def. Valdir Araujo via TKO (Punches) R3 2:23

Luis Palomino vs. Jorge Patino

Round 1

Patino sends front kicks up the middle and a few to the lead leg of Palomino, who swings heavy combinations from center cage as he tries to find his mark. Palomino rushes to the fence with a body kick and slips, winding up underneath Patino. The Brazilian stacks up Palomino and pulls at his head with a can opener, but there’s not much happening and referee Troy Waugh tells the lightweights to get busy. Patino tries to break his opponent’s posture with a few slams, can’t free himself from the closed guard. With 1:40 left in the round, Waugh stands them up. Both men miss with head kicks before Palomino connects with a clean left hook, then another. Patino is stung, cut above his left eye, and he’s diving at Palomino’s legs. Palomino won’t have it; he shoves Patino up against the cage and rips into the body with a hook. Patino grabs hold of him and pulls Palomino to the ground, working for a guillotine in the final 20 seconds.

Sherdog Scores

Jordan Breen scores the round 10-9 Patino
TJ De Santis scores the round 10-9 Palomino
Chris Nelson scores the round 10-9 Patino

Round 2

Patino is sporting a mouse on the outside of his right eye, and Palomino is adding to the damage with heavy two-punch combinations early in round two. Palomino looks to be in the driver’s seat now, working “Macaco” around the outside of the cage and sprawling on the Brazilian’s first takedown try. Both guys are throwing with heads down, and it’s Palomino clipping Patino behind the ear with a wide left hook. The lightweights trade leg kicks before Palomino beats Patino around the outside with a left.

A combination sends Patino bouncing off the fence, and he just misses a spinning back kick to the face. Palomino leaps in with a kick which misses, but he follows up with a right cross that sends Patino to the ground. Patino tries to drive forward and stand, and Palomino backs up to give himself space to strike. The next trio of punches bounce Patino’s head off the padding at the base of the cage, and referee Waugh dives in to save the vale tudo veteran.

The Official Result

Luis Palomino def. Jorge Patino via KO (Punches) R2 4:20

Tyson Nam vs. Cody Bollinger

Round 1

Bollinger swipes with a long left hand and then backs away, dragging his foot across the canvas as if to scrape off some excess moisture. The bantamweights clash kicks, then Bollinger comes into the pocket and pulls the Thai plum to deliver a pair of knees up the center. Good, long left hands landing for Bollinger as he steps off and angles away from Nam. Midway through the opening round, Nam is still laying back, looking to counter the more active Bollinger. A short counter right hook up top scores for Nam, and he bounces around to the outside until Bollinger chases him down with a looping right of his own. Nam ducks a wide right hand and lands one of his own behind Bollinger’s ear. Bollinger hits the ground but pops up after Nam scores with five or six quick ground-and-pound punches. They spend the remainder of the round feinting and probing with punches.

Sherdog Scores

Jordan Breen scores the round 10-9 Nam
TJ De Santis scores the round 10-9 Bollinger
Chris Nelson scores the round 10-9 Nam

Round 2

More feeling out, kicking and feinting through the opening minute of round two, until Bollinger clubs a kicking Nam with a wide left hook which knocks Nam to the ground. Bollinger allows him to stand and they resume single-punching and circling. Bollinger misses with a cartwheel kick, lands a straight right and eats one in return, followed by a pair of solid leg kicks. Nam catches Bollinger stepping in and kicks the leg out from under him, but he allows “Bam Bam” back up. Bollinger is having his kicks blocked, and Nam’s counterstrikes are going off Bollinger’s arms, leading to a stalemate.

Bollinger dives on a takedown and gets stood up. Nam walks after him, throws to the body and misses. Nam grazes with a right hand as Bollinger leaps in with a missed knee. Bollinger slips on a kick and gets pounced on, but he stands back up before round’s end.

Sherdog Scores

Jordan Breen scores the round 10-9 Nam
TJ De Santis scores the round 10-9 Nam
Chris Nelson scores the round 10-9 Nam

Round 3

Good footwork from Nam early in round three, dancing out of the way of Bollinger’s knees and punches to deliver right hand counters. Nam flashes a smile at Bollinger, who responds with a spinning kick to the midsection. Nam goes back to circling, makes Bollinger miss on an awkward head kick but doesn’t capitalize. Bollinger thuds a heavy right hand off Nam’s glove, then does the same with a left hook. Nam is defending well and staying out of Bollinger’s way, but his offense is almost nonexistent as the fight enters its final 90 seconds. Now, Nam gets busy with a few leg kicks and comes forward to walk Bollinger toward the fence. Nam lands a long right to the body, backs away and covers up as Bollinger throws another blocked combo. Nam deflects a high kick and rushes after Bollinger, but in a fitting ending to the bout, neither man lands anything clean in the final flurry.

Sherdog Scores

Jordan Breen scores the round 10-9 Nam (30-27 Nam)
TJ De Santis scores the round 10-10 (29-29 Draw)
Chris Nelson scores the round 10-10 (30-28 Nam)

The Official Result

Cody Bollinger def. Tyson Nam via Unanimous Decision (29-28, 29-28, 29-28) R3 5:00

WSOF Women's Strawweight Title Fight
Jessica Aguilar vs. Alida Gray

Round 1

Aguilar walks Gray toward the fence and grabs hold with a rear waistlock, lifting and slamming the judo stylist to the ground. Gray gets right back to her feet but is held against the fence, where she widens her base to defend another takedown and hits Aguilar with a couple elbows to the head. Aguilar finishes another takedown and comes down to Gray’s half-guard, throwing short right hands to the body as Gray wraps her up. Aguilar pulls her off the cage to drop some heavy elbows and forearms before framing up an arm-triangle choke and hopping off to side control on Gray’s left. “Jag” squeezes the choke and Gray quickly taps out.

The Official Result

Jessica Aguilar def. Alida Gray via Submission (Arm-Triangle Choke) R1 2:45

Anthony Johnson vs. Mike Kyle

Round 1

Johnson walks straight at Kyle, sending kicks to the midsection and legs, then backing off when Kyle fires punches up top. Kyle steps in and sticks a jab and has to back out as Johnson slaps his chest with a kick. Now it’s Kyle grabbing hold of Johnson and pressing him against the fence, driving knees to the legs of “Rumble.” Johnson frees himself from the clutches and shoves off but Kyle leaves him with a left hook on the exit. Kyle steps forward to throw and walks into a left hook on the chin, then a right hand behind the ear which sends him slumping face-first to the canvas.

Johnson moves in to finish, but Kyle is already out and referee Troy Waugh peels him off.

The Official Result

Anthony Johnson def. Mike Kyle via KO (Punches) R1 2:03

WSOF Lightweight Title Fight
Justin Gaethje vs. Richard Patishnock

Round 1

Gaethje leaps at Patishnock with a knee and gets caught in the tie-up, and Patishnock hits him with some solid uppercuts before they break. Gaethje drills Patishnock with a knee and short punches as they fight along the fence. They clinch up and Patishnock answers back with uppercuts and short elbows, but he’s clearly dazed and leaking blood from his mouth, with a cut beneath his left eye. Gaethje traps Patishnock against the fence and bangs him up with huge uppercuts and standing, over-the-top elbows, and referee Troy Waugh has seen enough. Justin Gaethje gets a quick, brutal stoppage to become the first WSOF lightweight champion.

The Official Result

Justin Gaethje def. Richard Patishnock via TKO (Punches and Elbows) R1 1:09