Tag: Donald Cerrone

UFC 246: McGregor vs. Cerrone Full Coverage

UFC held it’s first event of 2020 on Saturday, featuring easily their biggest star of the past decade: Conor McGregor. In his returning fight, “The Notorious” returned to face fan-favourite fighter “Cowboy” Donald Cerrone. The show included 11 fights in total, with six preliminary bouts. Here’s the full report of the show.

Quick Results:

Bout 1: Sabina Mazo def. JJ Aldrich via Decision, Split

Bout 2: Aleksa Camur def. Justin Ledet via Decision, Unanimous

Bout 3: Drew Dober def. Nasrat Haqparast via TKO, Punches (RD 1, 1:10)

Bout 4: Askar Askarov def. Tim Elliott via Decision, Unanimous

Bout 5: Sodiq Yusuff def. Andre Fili via Decision, Unanimous

Bout 6: Roxanne Modafferi def. Maycee Barber via Decision, Unanimous

Bout 7: Diego Ferreira def. Anthony Pettis via Submission, Rear Naked Choke (RD 2, 1:46)

Bout 8: Brian Kelleher def. Ode Osbourne via Submission, Guillotine (RD 1, 2:49)

Bout 9: Alexey Oleinik def. Maurice Greene via Submission, Armbar (RD 2, 4:38)

Bout 10: Holly Holm def. Raquel Pennington via Decision, Unanimous

Bout 11: Conor McGregor def. Donald Cerrone via TKO, Punches (RD 1, 0:40)

Full Coverage

Bout 1: JJ Aldrich (8-3) vs. Sabina Mazo (7-1) (Flyweight)

The UFC Fight Pass Early Prelims started with a flyweight fight between JJ Aldrich and Sabina Mazo. It was clear when seeing the fighters that Mazo had the height advantage. The fighters had a close stand-up battle to start the fight. Aldrich was coming in with small combinations of punches. Mazo was consistently backing up, but overall she was landing the better shots.

Mazo picked up the pace a little with her punches at the start of the second round. This round looked way better for Mazo, as not only was she constantly advancing but also landing more. Aldrich still had her moments with punches. Mazo started to bleed around her nose. Mazo landed a good knee in the clinch in the final minute of the fight, as well as a head kick in the closing seconds.

Mazo opened the final round with a clinch up against the cage. When they returned to stand-up, it was clear that Mazo was working a faster pace that Aldrich. Initiating another clinch, Mazo got a lot of strikes in. Aldrich had blood on her face, but it was hard to see if the blood was from her or Mazo. The referee separated them and brought them back to stand-up with just over a minute to go. The fighters survived all three rounds, going to the decision. When they went to the scorecards, Sabina Mazo won with a split decision (29-28, 29-28 & 29-28).

My Scorecard:

Fighter Round 1 Round 2 Round 3 Total
Aldrich 10 9 9 28
Mazo 9 10 10 29

Bout 2: Justin Ledet (9-2) vs. Aleksa Camur (5-0) (Light Heavyweight)

Making his UFC debut after earning a contract on Dana White’s Contender Series, Aleksa Camur faced Justin Ledet in the next fight. Camur tried for a spinning kick right off the bat. He did not connect with it. Ledet landed a combination of punches in the second minute which rocked Camur a little. The round was very back-and-forth. 

Camur was seemingly having cardio issues early on in the fight. He landed good one or two-piece shots in this round. Ledet had his shots as well. With Ledet against the cage in the final minute, Camur had a good combination of punches.

The final round was a slow paced one as both fighters were clearly tired. Camur got a takedown as the round ended, doing some very exhausted ground and pound. When going to decision, Aleksa Camur got the unanimous decision win (29-28, 30-27 & 30-27).

My Scorecard:

Fighter Round 1 Round 2 Round 3 Total
Ledet 9 9 10 29
Camur 10 10 9 28

Bout 3: Nasrat Haqparast (11-2) vs. Drew Dober (21-9) (Lightweight)

Kicking off the ESPN preliminary card was a lightweight battle between Nasrat Haqparast and UFC veteran Drew Dober. Dober landed a good jab to start the fight. Haqparast landed a good combination of strikes, but slipped at the end. Dober landed an overhand punch which dropped Haqparast. Dober followed up with numerous punches on the ground until the referee stepped in. The stoppage was way late, but nonetheless a great performance by Drew Dober.

My Scorecard:

Fighter Round 1 Round 2 Round 3 Total
Haqparast
Dober

Bout 4: Askar Askarov (10-0-1) (#12) vs. Tim Elliott (15-9) (#7) (Flyweight)

In the first fight of the evening that featured ranked fighters, undefeated Askar Askarov fought Tim Elliott. Elliott’s outside of the box movement made him hard to hit, but Askarov landed a shot which rocked him hard in the second minute. Askarov took top position on the ground after the knockdown. Elliott tried for a guillotine choke from the bottom position. Askarov did some ground and pound from top position. They stayed on the ground until the round ended.

Elliott got a judo throw at the start of the second round and tried for a guillotine on the ground, but Askarov slipped out and stood back up. Askarov put Elliott against the cage, failing to get a takedown before they went back to stand-up. Elliott landed another throw takedown. Askarov tried for an armbar for a moment but didn’t commit to it. Elliott went into side control, escaping a possible triangle choke. Despite Elliott putting them on the ground, it felt like he was fully playing defence in the position. They went back to stand-up in the final minute. Elliott shot for another takedown but did not get it.

Askarov was connecting with some punches early in the final round. Elliott was egging on Askarov, telling him to do more and putting his hands down. Elliott was landing, but getting hit just as much by a backpedalling Askarov. They were in a clinch for a bit of the final minute, with Elliott getting them to the ground for a moment. They went the distance, clearly both tired at the end. When going to the scorecard, Askar Askarov saw the victory (29-28, 30-27 & 30-27).

My Scorecard:

Fighter Round 1 Round 2 Round 3 Total
Askarov 10 9 10 29
Elliott 9 10 9 28

Bout 5: Sodiq Yusuff (10-1) vs. Andre Fili (20-6) (Featherweight)

Continuing into the second hour of the prelims, Sodiq Yusuff fought Andre Fili. Both fighters were swinging hard punches right from the jump. Yusuff was connecting good with a jab. Fili tried for a takedown in the second minute of the fight, failing to take the fight to the ground. He tried again a minute later, getting the takedown this time. Yusuff was quick to get back to his feet. Fili’s face was starting to turn red from strikes. Fili got another takedown, although Yusuff got back up in a clinch. Fili landed his best shot of the round in the fourth minute, almost dropping Yusuff with a shot. He got a takedown on the rocked Yusuff, although they got back to their feet. They went back down as Yusuff put in a kimura. It looked good, but Fili escaped eventually. Fili tried for an armbar from bottom position but let go as Yusuff lifted him up and possibly tried to slam him.

Yusuff caught a leg kick by Fili, sweeping him to the ground in the first minute of the second round. Yusuff was in control on the ground, landing some knees to the body while in side control. When Yusuff got up, Fili threw some upkicks. Yusuff went back down to the ground into full mount. They got back up with a minute left in the round. Fili got a double leg takedown, but Yusuff stood back up again. They went into a standing clinch up against the cage.

In the third round, Yusuff was connecting with powerful singular shots again. Fili got a good counter-punch in the round. The whole round was slower pace striking, with nobody ever landing anything that showed particular damage. The fight went to the scorecards with Sodiq Yusuff earning the unanimous decision (29-28, 29-28 & 29-28).

My Scorecard:

Fighter Round 1 Round 2 Round 3 Total
Yusuff 10 10 10 30
Fili 9 9 9 27

Bout 6: Roxanne Modafferi (23-16) (#7)  vs. Maycee Barber (8-0) (#9) (Flyweight)

Finishing off the preliminary card, undefeated prospect Maycee Barber was pitted against MMA veteran Roxanne Modafferi. Ben Askren was in the corner of Barber. After landing a few punches, Modafferi got a takedown from a clinch. Modafferi did short little punches from half guard. From bottom position, Barber tried for a guillotine choke, but Modafferi’s head popped out eventually. Modafferi got on Barber’s back for a moment, but ended on her back on the ground as the round ended.

Modafferi dropped Barber with a leg jab at the start of the second round. Modafferi went to the ground and took side control. She went into full mount, and started to do some ground and pound. Modafferi started to throw some elbows. Barber was able flip the position, taking control on the ground. It was clear that the elbows cut Barber open. Modafferi was able to get back in top position, focusing on strikes. She took Barber’s back, trying for a rear naked choke for a moment. Barber flipped around again, with Modaffering in half guard. Barber was really bleeding at this point. When Barber got up at the end of the round, it was clear her left leg was injured, limping badly. 

A timeout was called at the start of the final round, letting a doctor check out her left leg. The doctor said she has an ACL tear, but she’s fine. When the third round started, Barber was having tons of trouble moving around. Modafferi was landing some good punches, knocking Barber back quite a bit. Modafferi got another takedown, where Barber tried for a guillotine at the bottom. Barber flipped into top position, trying for an americana. They eventually got out of the position. Modafferi went back into top position for the rest of the round. Barber didn’t bleed as much this round, but did start to bleed more near the end of the round. Upsetting the Vegas oddsmakers, Roxanne Modafferi went on to get a unanimous decision win (30-27, 30-27 & 30-26).

My Scorecard:

Fighter Round 1 Round 2 Round 3 Total
Modafferi 10 10 10 30
Barber 9 9 9 27

Bout 7: Diego Ferreira (16-2) vs. Anthony Pettis (22-9) (#11) (Lightweight)

Kicking off the main card, ranked fighter Anthony Pettis fought Diego Ferreira in a lightweight fight. Ferreira shot for a takedown in the first minute but did not get it. He tried again halfway through the round, getting it to the ground on the back of Pettis. They returned to stand-up a minute later. Ferreira got a second takedown in the final 30 seconds of the first round. From side control he landed a couple of short elbows.

Ferreira caught a kick at the start of the second round, getting a takedown and hopping on the back of Pettis on the ground. Pettis moved around, but Ferreira got back on the back of Pettis. After throwing lots of punches, Ferreira committed to the rear naked choke, which made Pettis tap out. Diego Ferreira should expect to crash the rankings, stopping Anthony Pettis in the second round and extending his winning streak to six in a row.

My Scorecard:

Fighter Round 1 Round 2 Round 3 Total
Ferreira 10
Pettis 9

Bout 8: Ode Osbourne (8-2) vs. Brian Kelleher (19-10) (Bantamweight)

Contender Series success story Ode Osbourne debuted against Brian Kelleher in the next fight. This matchup was originally meant for the preliminary card, but after some changes, found itself pushed up two slots. Right at the start, Osbourne landed an odd jumping punch. Kelleher’s stance seemed very shelled up, while Osbourne had his arms out quite often. Kelleher got a takedown in the first minute. He did some ground and pound from top position. Kellher put in a guillotine choke which made Osbourne tap out eventually. Bouncing back from a two-fight losing streak, Brian Kelleher got a fast win against the still learning Ode Osbourne.

Fighter Round 1 Round 2 Round 3 Total
Osbourne
Kelleher

Bout 9: Alexey Oleinik (57-13-1) (#12) vs. Maurice Greene (8-3) (Heavyweight)

In the next fight, MMA veteran Alexey Oleinik fought Maurice Greene. Oleinik got dropped right off the bat from a kick. He got back up immediately. Dodging a kick, Oleinik clinched up and took him down. He took side control on the ground. Green tried for a triangle from bottom position, but Oleinik escaped quickly. The crowd was booing the whole time they were on the ground. They got up for a second but went back down where Oleinik was in full mount. He went into side control and tried for a head and arm choke. Greene endured for a while, eventually throwing some hammerfist punches too. He survived the choke until the round ended.

At the start of the second round, Oleinik seemed fatigued. He was eating lots of strikes from Greene, including a head kick. Oleinik walked down Green, starting another clinch. Greene got out, throwing more punches. Oleinik tried for a takedown, eventually getting it. Oleinik tried for a choke from top position again. The crowd went back to booing. Greene tried for a kimura from the bottom position. Oleinik, who was now bleeding a bit on his forehead, tried for an armbar in the final minute. He was really huffing and puffing while trying for this hold. Eventually, Greene tapped out, giving Alexey Oleinik another win.

My Scorecard:

Fighter Round 1 Round 2 Round 3 Total
Oleinik 10
Greene 9

Bout 10: Raquel Pennington (10-7) (#5) vs. Holly Holm (12-5) (#3) (Bantamweight)

In the co-main event of the evening, high ranked bantamweights Raquel Pennington and Holly Holm collided. The first two minutes of the fight were slow. Holm charged in and put Pennington put against the cage in the third minute. Holm landed many strikes in the clinch. Holm was controlling up against the cage until the end of the round, trying for a guillotine as it closed out.

Holm put Pennington up against the cage early in the second round. They went back to stand-up with two minutes left. The crowd cheered for that. Holm put Pennington back up against the cage moments later, to the crowd’s displeasure.

The third round was slow paced with more clinch work. It felt like this was Pennington’s best round, throwing lots of shots when they did stand-up. The referee separated a clinch near the end of the round. The fight went the distance, with Holly Holm getting the unanimous decision (29-28, 30-27 & 30-27)

My Scorecard:

Fighter Round 1 Round 2 Round 3 Total
Pennington 9 9 10 28
Holm 10 10 9 29

Bout 11: Conor McGregor (21-4) vs. Donald Cerrone (36-13) (Welterweight)

 

The main event saw the return of “The Notorious” Conor McGregor against fan-friendly fighter Donald “Cowboy” Cerrone. The welterweight fight was not for a championship but was for five rounds. The crowd was heavily in favour of McGregor, although there wasn’t much hostility towards Cerrone. McGregor came charing at Cerrone right off the bat, throwing strikes in the clinch. When they left the clinch, it was clear damage was done to Cerrone’s nose. He threw a leg kick which had Cerrone retreating. He then got dropped by punches. McGregor kept with punches until referee Herb Dean stepped in and ended the fight. Winning in under a minute, Conor McGregor had a successful return to MMA. 

My Scorecard:

Fighter Round 1 Round 2 Round 3 Round 4 Round 5 Total
McGregor
Cerrone

Conor McGregor Has Successful Return, Stopping Donald Cerrone In Under A Minute

In quick fashion, Conor McGregor defeated Donald Cerrone via strikes in the first minute of the UFC 246 main event at the T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas, Nevada, USA.

McGregor was aggressive from start to finish, winning in under a minute. He charged at Cerrone at the start, landing a knee to the head after missing a punch. McGregor threw strikes in the clinch, including elbows.

What put Cerrone down was a head kick, and following strikes by McGregor made referee Herb Dean step in and end the fight.

“I like this weight division it’s really good … I don’t believe I’m there yet though, I still have to do to get back to where I was.”

The win was McGregor’s return to welterweight, last fighting at the class when he fought Nate Diaz twice in 2016. McGregor is a former champion in the lightweight and featherweight class.

Many high ranked welterweight names like Kamaru Usman and Jorge Masvidal were present at the event.

In the co-main event of UFC 246, Holly Holm glided to a safe scorecard victory win over Raquel Pennington.

 

UFC 246: McGregor vs. Cowboy Preview

UFC prefers to have the main events of their high-tier cards with a championship belt attached. You see that nearly every time there’s a pay-per-view. But, sometimes, they make exceptions. Sometimes due to the main event being scrapped last minute, and other times due to large star power. This was seem in November, with Jorge Masvidal and Nate Diaz fighting in Madison Square Garden for an imaginary belt, “The Baddest M*****F*****” belt. Masvidal’s explosive mainstream rise in 2019 allowed him to pair himself with Diaz, and draw a fair amount of viewers.

This exception will be made yet again this weekend, with arguably the biggest UFC star in the last decade, Conor McGregor, making his octagon return against Donald “Cowboy” Cerrone. The fight is easily the lowest-caliber one McGrgeor has seen in a long time, although a good test for a star who has lost more than he has won in recent years.

With those losses lies a question of when the diamond that is McGregor will lose his value. Can McGregor afford to lose again, better-yet to a fighter who is a gatekeeper to the division? Well, to answer that question would be getting ahead of ourselves, because it’s not a relevant question unless he actually loses. And that will be found out this weekend in the main event of UFC 246.

As it is a pay-per-view event, the card features many recognizable names to UFC fans throughout. Live this Saturday from the T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas, Nevada, USA, let’s preview this weekend’s UFC 246 card.

Bout 1: Sabina Mazo (7-1) vs. JJ Aldrich (8-3) (Flyweight)

The evening will begin at 6:30PM EST with three fights on the UFC Fight Pass early prelims. The first of the trio is between flyweights Sabina Mazo and JJ Aldrich. Two fights into her UFC career, Mazo has a 1-1 record, recently winning over Shana Dobson via decision. Aldrich has much more experience in the big leagues, with a 4-2 record since joining the UFC in 2016.

Bout 2: Ode Osbourne (8-2) vs. Brian Kelleher (19-10) (Bantamweight)

Dana White’s Contender Series winner Ode Osbourne will see his UFC debut in a fight against Brian Kelleher, who will try to break his two-fight losing streak. Osbourne finished Armando Villarreal with an armbar within a round on the Contender Series to earn his contract. Kelleher last lost to Montel Jackson in late 2018. He was absent throughout 2019, as a scheduled fight in May against Mitch Gagnon was cancelled due to an injury.

Bout 3: Aleksa Camur (5-0) vs. Justin Ledet (9-2) (Light Heavyweight)

The fight following Osbourne versus Kelleher is one that feels like the exact same scenario. Aleksa Camur, who got a UFC contract through the Contender Series will face Justin Ledet, who is on a two-fight losing streak. Camur has won all five of his pro fights via strikes, being undefeated as a pro and amateur. Ledet’s last fight saw him fall victim to the unpredictable striking of Johnny Walker, back in February.

Bout 4: Nasrat Haqparast (11-2) vs. Drew Dober (21-9) (Lightweight)

At 8PM EST, the preliminary card will switch to ESPN (TSN 3 in Canada) for four more bouts. The first of the group is a lightweight bout between Nasrat Haqparast and Drew Dober. After a road bump UFC debut against Marcin Held, Haqparast has won three in a row, most recently over Joaquim Silva. Dober has much more experience in the UFC, fighting for the promotion since 2013. His most recent win saw him stop Polo Reyes in just over a minute.

Bout 5: Tim Elliott (15-9-1) vs. Askar Askarov (10-0-1) (Flyweight)

In September, Askar Askarov made his UFC debut, wagering his undefeated record. And while he remained undefeated, he did not see the satisfaction of a win, going to a draw against Brandon Moreno. This time around he will face Tim Elliott, who has a 2-3 record in the UFC, recently losing to Deiveson Figueiredo. In a thin division like the flyweight one, a win could bring either fighter into higher relevance.

Bout 6: Andre Fili (20-6) vs. Sodiq Yusuff (10-1) (Featherweight)

Since winning a contract on Dana White’s Contender Series, Sodiq Yusuff has been flawless in the UFC at 3-0. Now, he will see the biggest challenge of his career so far, facing Andre Fili. The now-UFC veteran has a 7-5 record within the promotion.

Bout 7: Maycee Barber (8-0) vs. Roxanne Modafferi (23-16) (Flyweight)

Still undefeated three fights into her UFC career, Maycee Barber could easily be the top flyweight prospect. However, her next matchup should be a good text, as she will face Roxanne Modafferi. “The Happy Warrior” has been fighting since 2003, with a current 2-3 record in the UFC. There’s no doubt that Modafferi’s advantage in this matchup is experience. However, experience means nothing until it’s used in competition. Many have written off Modafferi, with Vegas odds having her as a heavy underdog.

Bout 8: Anthony Pettis (22-9) vs. Diego Ferreira (16-2) (Lightweight)

Kicking off the pay-per-view portion of the card at 10PM EST will be Anthony Pettis and Diego Ferreira. Brazil’s Ferreira has been on fire lately, on a five-fight winning streak. Pettis is coming off a loss, going to decision against Nate Diaz. In the fight before that, Pettis became the first fighter to knock out Stephen Thompson, landing a superman punch in the first round.

Claudia Gadelha versus Alexa Grasso was meant to also be on the main card, but was cancelled due to the fighters not being within a three pounds of eachother. Grasso couldn’t make the 116-pound strawweight limit, coming in at 121 pounds.

Bout 10: Alexey Oleinik (57-13-1) vs. Maurice Greene (8-3) (Heavyweight)

With a 3-1 record so far in the UFC, Maurice Greene could be described as a prospect for the heavyweight division. However, similar to the Barber/Modafferi matchup earlier in the card, he will face the extremely experienced Alexey Oleinik in his next fight. Oleinik has been finished in his last two fights, those being losses to Alistair Overeem and Walt Harris. After a three-fight winning streak, Greene saw his first UFC setback in October when he lost to Sergey Pavlovich.

Bout 11: Holly Holm (12-5) vs. Raquel Pennington (10-7) (Bantamweight)

The co-main event of the evening will see Holly Holm and Raquel Pennington compete. The fight is Holm’s return after losing to Amanda Nunes in July, failing to take the UFC Bantamweight Championship. Pennington got a split decision in the same month over Irene Aldana, snapping her losing streak. Like most of this card, this fight hasn’t gotten much attention in the media. That could be because there’s no real angle or explicit implications for whoever wins this.

Bout 12: Conor McGregor (21-4) vs. Donald Cerrone (36-13) (Welterweight)

Finally, the main event will be between “The Notorious” Conor McGregor and “Cowboy” Donald Cerrone. Like mentioned before, this fight is one for McGregor that skill-wise is the lowest quality opponent he’s gotten in a while. However, it’s not sure where his skill lies too, so this bout could be a good litmus test for him.

McGregor’s last fight was a failed attempt to win the UFC Lightweight Championship in October of 2018, tapping out to a rear naked choke in the fourth round. His last mixed-martial-arts fight before then was in fall of 2016, winning over Eddie Alvarez. Since his last fight, McGregor has found himself entrenched in controversy outside of the octagon. In August, McGregor plead guilty to assault, following an incident where he punched a man in a Dublin bar. He was given a 1,000 euro fine for the incident.

Also during the layoff, the New York Times reported that two investigations for sexual assault were launched on McGregor. When the allegations were brought up at a press conference on Wednesday, the crowd and panelists reacted negatively.

Cerrone has fought five times since McGregor last fought. He is currently on a two-fight losing streak, dropping to Tony Ferguson and Justin Gaethje. Before then however, Cerrone won three in a row, notably going five rounds with Al Iaquinta.

The fight is held at welterweight, which is uncommon for McGregor. Cerrone has fought in welterweight before, but not in recent bouts.

Following UFC 246, the next UFC event will be on January 25th, in Raleigh, North Carolina, USA, going head-to-head with Bellator’s show in California. The next pay-per-view event by the UFC is on February 8th, with Jon Jones attempting to defend his UFC Light Heavyweight Championship against Dominic Reyes.

Conor McGregor To Return On Jan. 18 To Face Donald Cerrone

After a 15-month layoff from MMA which included numerous controversies, Conor McGregor will return to fight “Cowboy” Donald Cerrone at UFC 246 in Las Vegas, Nevada, USA.

First reported by Brett Okamoto at ESPN, news broke Thursday afternoon that McGregor and Cerrone would fight in a headlining fight that is not for a championship and is a welterweight bout.

In his time off, McGregor has been competing in court. Last March, McGregor had criminal charges dismissed in a case where he took someone’s phone and threw it into the ground.

More famously, in August a video surfaced of McGregor punching a man at a bar. Earlier this month he received a fine of 1,000 euro, pleading guilty to assault.

Last month, the New York Times reported that McGregor was being investigated in Ireland for sexual assault for the second time this year.

McGregor’s last fight was in late 2018, losing to Khabib Nurmagomedov in the fourth round via rear naked choke. That fight was for the Lightweight Championship.

Cerrone will attempt to snap a two-fight losing streak, recently losing in the first round to Justin Gathje.

 

UFC on ESPN+ 16: Cowboy vs. Gaethje Full Report

Just a week after the UFC Lightweight Championship was defended by Khabib Nurmagomdeov in the United Arab Emirates, UFC brought another Lightweight main event, this time to Vancouver. With “Cowboy” Donald Cerrone and Justin Gaethje main eventing the show, fireworks were expected. The show also included many prospects, fighters debuting from the Contender Series, some Canadians, and much more. The night started at 5PM EST (2PM Vancouver time) with the ESPN+ preliminary card.

Bout 1: Austin Hubbard (10-3) vs. Kyle Prepolec (12-6) (Lightweight)

The evening opened with a lightweight battle between Austin Hubbard and Canadian Kyle Prepolec. While Hubbard was moving better, one of the first times he came in for a punch he got cracked by a counter-punch. Both fighters had their shots in the stand-up. In the final seconds of the first round, Hubbard got wobbled by another punch. Hubbard got a takedown in the second round. They got back up shortly after. Hubbard was able to engage more in the second round without getting hit with hard shots. There was a pause halfway through the round as Prepolec was poked in the eye. The fight resumed shortly after. Hubbard got another takedown with two minutes left and landed strikes from top position. Early in the final round Prepolec tried for a guillotine but couldn’t get it. Prepolec landed some good punches but didn’t defend a single leg takedown. Hubbard took the back of Prepolec for a couple of minutes. Prepolec was on Hubbard’s back as the fight ran out of time. The judges were all in agreement, giving the fight to Austin Hubbard (29-28, 29-28 & 29-28). Hubbard said after the fight that he was “disappointed” in his performance.

My Scorecard:

Fighter Round 1 Round 2 Round 3 Total
Hubbard 9 10 10 29
Prepolec 10 9 9 28

Bout 2: Ryan MacDonald (10-1) vs. Louis Smolka (15-6) (Bantamweight)

The next preliminary fight was between Ryan MacDonald and Louis Smolka. Smolka was a favourite to win the bout. Smolka was the one coming forward with strikes early on. Both fighters kept a fast tempo throughout the first round. Smolka tagged MacDonald in the final minute of the round. He dropped MacDonald with punches, making the referee step in and end the bout.

My Scorecard:

Fighter Round 1 Round 2 Round 3 Total
MacDonald
Smolka

Bout 3: Jordan Griffin (17-6) vs. Chas Skelly (17-4) (Featherweight)

Moving up a weight class, the next fight was a featherweight battle between Jordan Griffin and Chas Skelly. Skelly took the fight to the ground early on. On Griffin’s back, Skelly tried for a rear naked choke. Skelly continued with the pressure on the ground, trying to choke Griffin. He was able to endure for a long time, eventually escaping with a minute left. Finally when they went back to stand-up, Skelly seemed much more fatigued and less skilled. Griffin got a takedown in the second round after getting some shots in. On the ground, Skelly was able to get on Griffin’s back again and try for a rear naked choke via some odd somersault. Heading into the third round, Griffin’s corner was under the assumption that they were down two rounds. Skelly shot for a single leg takedown, but Griffin turned it into a guillotine. Yet again, Skelly was able to take Griffin’s back and try for the rear naked choke again. Griffin escaped the move, but was put in a head and arm choke. Griffin got up and tried for a choke himself as the fight clock ran out. Both fighters were very respectful to each other afterwards. When going to the scorecards, all three judges handed the victory to Chas Skelly (29-28, 29-28 & 29-28).

My Scorecard:

Fighter Round 1 Round 2 Round 3 Total
Griffin 9 9 9 27
Skelly 10 10 10 30

Bout 4: Hunter Azure (7-0) vs. Brad Katona (9-1) (Bantamweight)

Another Canadian in Brad Katona fought next, facing undefeated fighter Hunter Azure. Katona was looking to bounce back from his first professional loss. In the first minute of the fight, Azure dropped Katona with a combo of punches. Katona recovered and put Azure up against the cage in a standing clinch. They went back to stand-up with two or so minutes left in the round. Katona shot for another takedown, starting another clinch up against the cage. Similar to the first round, Azure dropped Katona early in the second round as well. Katona finally got a takedown halfway through the second round. They got back up, but Katona kept Azure pinned against the cage. The final round saw the most stand-up. Azure slowed down which gave Katona a better chance with the striking. Azure went for a body clinch, which allowed Katona to get a trip takedown. Katona took Azure’s back with a minute left. He tried for a rear naked choke which Azure escaped. Azure took top position for the final moments of the fight. Via unanimous decision, Hunter Azure got the victory (29-28, 30-27 & 29-28).

My Scorecard:

Fighter Round 1 Round 2 Round 3 Total
Azure 9 9 9 27
Katona 10 10 10 30

Bout 5: Miles Johns (9-0) vs. Cole Smith (7-0) (Bantamweight)

Vancouver’s own Cole Smith faced Contender Series fighter Miles Johns in the next bout. Not to mention, this was also a matchup of two undefeated fighters. Smith walked out to the Pride FC theme. Smith shot for a takedown in the opening 10 seconds. He fought for the takedown for a long time, mounting the back of Johns while still standing. With just over a minute left in the round, Johns got Smith off of his back. Johns got a takedown early in the second round. Smith got up eventually and took the back of Johns. Johns took top position by turning himself over. Smith had Johns pinned against the cage for a few minutes at the start of round three. When they separated, Johns was more aggressive than ever with his striking. Smith was dropped/shoved by a jab. Smith shot for another takedown, this time Johns was able to stop him and keep it in stand-up. The fight went the distance with a split decision giving Miles Johns his 10th pro win (29-28, 29-28 & 29-28).

My Scorecard:

Fighter Round 1 Round 2 Round 3 Total
Johns 9 9 10 28
Smith 10 10 9 29

Bout 6: Augusto Sakai (13-1-1) (#15) vs. Marcin Tybura (17-5) (#14)  (Heavyweight)

The preliminary part of the card finished with a ranked heavyweight battle. In the first minute of the bout, Tybura was eating a lot of punches. Sakai kept the punches coming until Tybura dropped, forcing the referee to end the competition. Augusto Sakai earned his fifth win in a row in a minute’s time.

My Scorecard:

Fighter Round 1 Round 2 Round 3 Total
Sakai
Tybura

Bout 7: Jimmy Crute (10-0) vs. Misha Cirkunov (14-5) (#15) (Light Heavyweight)

Continuing on ESPN+, the main card of the show started with a light heavyweight contest. The undefeated light heavyweight Jimmy Crute faced the #15 ranked Misha Cirkunov. Cirkunov got a double leg takedown in the first few seconds of the fight. Crute was able to get up and land a takedown of his own. After getting another takedown, Crute let some punches go. Cirkunov was able to endure the strikes and escape the position. Cirkunov was able to slip in a peruvian necktie to make Crute tap out. Despite nearly getting finished via strikes, Misha Cirkunov turned his situation around and won the fight.

My Scorecard:

Fighter Round 1 Round 2 Round 3 Total
Crute
Cirkunov

Bout 8: Antonio Carlos Junior (11-3 1 NC) (#13) vs. Uriah Hall (15-9) (#12) (Middleweight)

Switching to the middleweight division, ranked fighters Antonio Carlos Junior and Uriah Hall fought next. Carlos Junior was working his jab early on. He shot for a single leg takedown which Hall resisted but eventually fell victim to. Carlos Junior took Hall’s back and stayed on it despite Hall standing up. Carlos Junior had started bleeding around his nose at some point in the first round. They went back to stand-up with two minutes left in the round. Carlos Junior tried for another single leg but was completely stopped. Carlos Junior got a takedown in the final minute of the first round. After Carlos Junior had Hall up against the cage for a minute or so in the second round, Hall dropped Carlos Junior. With Carlos Junior on the ground, Hall was swinging away from top position. Hall let him get back up. Carlos Junior went back to putting Hall against the fence. The crowd, which was quite enthused was encouraged by Hall before the final round started. Carlos Junior got a trip takedown in the first minute of the third round. He stayed on his back for the rest of the round, staying active enough for the referee to not stand them up. Looking at the scorecards, it was Uriah Hall who got the victory via split decision (29-28, 29-28 & 29-28)

My Scorecard:

Fighter Round 1 Round 2 Round 3 Total
Carlos Junior 10 9 10 29
Hall 9 10 9 28

Bout 9: Tristan Connelly (13-6) vs. Michel Pereira (23-9 2 NC) (Welterweight)

Michel Pereira returned for his second UFC fight next, his first one on a main card against Tristan Connelly, who was making his UFC debut. Pereira gave up 20% of his fight purse due to weighing in 2 pounds over the welterweight limit. Connelly stepped in on a week’s notice after Pereira’s original opponent pulled out from the fight. Pereira did his trademark breakdancing while Bruce Buffer announced his name. Early on, Pereira did a superman punch off the fence and did a backflip. It was hard to tell if the backflip was meant to do any damage. Connelly had two takedown attempts denied. Pereira did a variation of a rolling thunder, spinning completely forwards instead of off to the side like a normal one. Pereira got a double leg takedown halfway through the round. Pereira stood up while Connelly was on the ground and did a backflip, avoiding stomping him. He’s went viral for doing a similar move in Road FC. Back on the ground, Connelly took top position after avoiding a guillotine. Connelly had good ground game against Pereira. Connelly put in another guillotine attempt as the round concluded. After the round ended, Pereira walked to the wrong corner. Connelly failed to get another takedown early in the second round. Connelly was the fresher fighter and was doing more. Pereira secured a takedown with two minutes left in the round. Connelly tried for a kimura but couldn’t get it. Connelly tried for a guillotine in the first minute of the final round but Pereira escaped. Connelly took top position shortly after and stayed there for the rest of the fight. Connelly threw some punches before the fight ran out of time. When it concluded, the Vancouver crowd was on their feet. Heading to the scorecards, Tristan Connelly earned his first UFC victory (29-28, 29-27 & 29-27).

My Scorecard:

Fighter Round 1 Round 2 Round 3 Total
Pereira 9 9 9 27
Connelly 10 10 10 30

Bout 10: Jeff Hughes (10-2) vs. Todd Duffee (9-3) (Heavyweight)

Coming back to the heavyweight division for the final time on the card, Jeff Hughes faced Todd Duffee. Duffee came forward with strikes early on. He got a takedown, but Hughes got up moments later. Duffee was landing tons of punches and Hughes was in trouble. Hughes pushed away from Duffee and in the process poked him in the eye, causing a stop in the fight. Duffee told the referee that he was “seeing double.” A doctor was called in, and eventually the fight was waved off and ruled a no contest.

My Scorecard:

Fighter Round 1 Round 2 Round 3 Total
Hughes
Duffee

Bout 11: Nikita Krylov (26-6) (#13) vs. Glover Teixeira (29-7) (#9) (Light Heavyweight)

In the co-main event of the evening, ranked light heavyweights Nikita Krylov and Glover Teixeira squared off. Teixeira got a takedown in the first minute of the fight. Kyrlov was able to take top position after Teixeira held it for a couple of minutes. Texeira got up, but then Krylov put in a deep rear naked choke which put them back on the ground. Teixeira escaped the choke and brought the fight back to stand-up. Both fighters had pretty inactive stand-up in the second round before Krylov got a takedown as the round ended. Teixeira put in a guillotine choke early in the third round. On the ground Krylov escaped the choke and took Teixeira’s back. Teixeira got him off of his back and took top position. Krylov took top position for a while before the final round ended. The judges had a split decision, with two of the three judges awarding the fight to Glover Teixeira (29-28, 29-28 & 29-28).

My Scorecard:

Fighter Round 1 Round 2 Round 3 Total
Krylov 9 10 10 29
Teixeira 10 9 9 28

Bout 12: Justin Gaethje (20-2) (#5) vs. Donald Cerrone (36-12 1 NC) (#4) (Lightweight)

The main event of the evening was a lightweight division showcase between Justin Gaethje and Donald Cerrone. This was Cerrone’s 50th professional MMA bout. It became apparent early on that both fighters were interested in swinging. Gaethje landed a right hook which dropped Cerrone. Gaethje hit a few more shots, looked at the ref to stop the fight and then landed a couple more. After the stoppage it was clear that Gaethje didn’t like how late the referee made the fight go.

My Scorecard:

Fighter Round 1 Round 2 Round 3 Round 4 Round 5 Total
Gaethje
Cerrone

UFC will head to Mexico City next weekend for UFC on ESPN+ 17, headlined by Yair Rodriguez and Jeremy Stephens. Rodriguez is one of the seven Mexican fighters scheduled to appear on the card. The prelims start at 5PM EST with the main card beginning three hours afterwards.

UFC on ESPN+ 16: Cowboy vs. Gaethje Full Preview

This Saturday it will be a clash of two fan-friendly fighters in Justin Gaethje and Donald “Cowboy” Cerrone at the Rogers Arena in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada. Along with 12 other fights broadcasted on ESPN+ (TSN 4 in Canada), starting at 5PM EST, the fight will headline “UFC on ESPN+ 16.” The show doesn’t feature as much Canadian talent as most shows up North, the reason being that UFC’s last show within the country, UFC 240 in July had tons of the promotion’s talent from the region. Let’s look at the card from start to bottom.

Bout 1: Kyle Prepolec (12-6) vs. Austin Hubbard (10-3) (Lightweight)

Starting off the evening will be a meeting between two fighters looking to bounce back from a debut loss. Canadian Kyle Prepolec lost to Tristar talent Nordine Taleb via decision back in May, on the undercard of UFC on ESPN+ 9. In the same month, Austin Hubbard also lost via unanimous decision to Davi Ramos. Both having tough opponents to enter the promotion against, they’ll get a more fair pairing this time around.

Bout 2: Louis Smolka (15-6) vs. Ryan MacDonald (10-1) (Bantamweight)

Back in March, Louis Smolka took his first loss since his return to the UFC to Matt Schnell. Hoping to avoid another loss streak that could knock him out of the promotion like it did in 2017, Smolka will aim to defeat Ryan MacDonald on Saturday. MacDonald is less experienced in the promotion, losing in his debut against Chris Gutierrez earlier this year, also getting his first loss as a pro. Both with something to prove, Smolka and MacDonald have an important fight early on the show.

Bout 3: Chas Skelly (17-4) vs. Jordan Griffin (17-6) (Featherweight)

It’s do or die for Chas Skelly. For the first time in his career, the American fighter is on a two-fight losing streak. Now coming back from a 10-month layoff, Skelly lost previously to Jason Knight and Bobby Moffett. He was paired up with Jordan Griffin, who lost his UFC debut to Dan Ige back in December. Griffin comes from the Contender Series, being signed after getting a round one rear naked choke victory on the show.

Bout 4: Brad Katona (8-1) vs. Hunter Azure (7-0) (Bantamweight)

Canadian prospect Brad Katona was handed his last professional loss in his last appearance. A winner of The Ultimate Fighter 27, the Manitoban fighter defeated Matthew Lopez before dropping to Merab Dvalishvili back in May. He will aim to bounce back against undefeated Hunter Azure in this preliminary bout. Azure comes from the most recent season of Dana White’s Contender Series. He previously found success in the regional LFA promotion. Both early in their careers, 

Bout 5: Cole Smith (7-0) vs. Miles Johns (9-0) (Bantamweight)

Still somewhat early in the show is a high level matchup between undefeated bantamweights. Cole Smith made a successful UFC debut in May, fighting in Ottawa. Before then, the fighter had attained a large number of his wins in the regional Canadian promotion Battlefield Fight League (BFL). Miles Johns extended his undefeated record this summer, defeating Richie Santiago via decision in Dana White’s Contender Series, earning a contract. Smith has the home court advantage, but can Johns be the victor in his promotional debut?

Bout 6: Augusto Sakai (13-1-1) vs. Marcin Tybura (17-5) (Heavyweight)

Finishing off the preliminary portion of the card will be a heavyweight fight. Augusto Sakai, who is currently riding a three fight winning streak will face Marcin Tybura, who is 1-3 in his last four fights. While the matchup seems lopsided on paper, the Vegas betting odds are pretty close. Augusto Sakai arrived in the UFC via a contract signing in the Brazil spinoff series of Dana White’s Contender Series. Tybura has been in the promotion for a longer time, debuting in 2016 after racking up lots of wins in the promotion M-1.

Bout 7: Misha Cirkunov (14-5) vs. Jimmy Crute (10-0) (Light Heavyweight)

Misha Circukov will look to hand Jimmy Crute his first loss as the main card begins. Cirkunov hasn’t had a great 2019, being on the less desirable side of a knockout of the year contender back in March, taking a flying knee from Johnny Walker. Crute came in through the contender series and has proven himself as an interesting fighter and a versatile one, getting a submission and striking victory so far. Cirkunov is from Latvia, but trains out of Xtreme Couture in Toronto, Ontario, making him a proxy Canadian fighter on this card.

Bout 8: Antonio Carlos Junior (10-3) vs. Uriah Hall (14-9) (Middleweight)

Moving down a few weight classes but still staying on the heavy side of the scale, Antonio Carlos Junior and Uriah Hall face off in the next bout. Carlos Junior lost to Ian Heinisch in May, breaking a five fight winning streak that he had before. Hall on the other hand is coming off a third round TKO victory over Bevon Lewis. He previously lost to middleweight contender Paulo Costa, getting finished in the second round.

Bout 9: Michel Pereira (23-9) vs. Tristan Connelly (13-6) (Welterweight)

Michel Pereira has quite the resume of being an entertaining fighter. This was known before his UFC debut but further solidified when he touched down in the promotion back in May. For context, Pereira has viral videos online from his Road FC days where, whether they were allowed or not, would land standing moonsaults and moonsaults off the cage. Yes, like the pro wrestling move. In his UFC debut, Pereira stopped Danny Roberts in under two minutes. His performance included breakdancing, tears, a flying knee and some explosive hands. He’ll be tested on the big stage for the second time on Saturday, facing Tristan Connelly who will be making his UFC debut after fighting in Canadian regionals. Some were concerned that Pereira wouldn’t fight on the show after his original opponent Sergey Khandozhko pulled out of the show. Luckily, an opponent was found. On Friday, Michel Pereira weighed in at 172 pounds, two pounds over the welterweight limit. While his fight is still scheduled, he forfeited 20% of his fight purse to Connelly.

Bout 10: Todd Duffee (9-3) vs. Jeff Hughes (10-2) (Heavyweight)

To say that Todd Duffee has been gone for a while would be a cruel understatement. Duffee hasn’t been under the bright lights since 2015, when he lost to Frank Mir. After battling back from numerous injuries including a knee injury which was infected with MRSA, Duffee has finally been cleared to return. He won’t have an easy welcome back though, as he faces Jeff Hughes, who has been an active fighter the whole time. Coming from Legacy Fighting Alliance (LFA), Hughes punched in his UFC ticket with a first round win over Josh Appelt in 2018. His UFC debut didn’t give him what he desired, as he took a scorecard loss over Maurice Greene.

Bout 11: Glover Teixeira (29-7) vs. Nikita Krylov (26-6) (Light Heavyweight)

The co-main event features two ranked light heavyweights in Glover Teixeira and Nikita Krylov competing. Krylov is only two fights into his second UFC stint, but a recent win over Ovince St. Preux made him crash the rankings, put at the #13 spot. Teixeira has had a great 2019, currently riding a two-fight winning streak, stopping both fights via submission.

Bout 12: Donald Cerrone (36-12) vs. Justin Gaethje (20-2) (Lightweight)

The main event of the evening is “Cowboy” Donald Cerrone facing Justin Gaethje. Both fighters have had a pretty exciting year. Moreso the case for Cerrone. His year started off early, getting a win over Alexander Hernandez via the second round. The fight was billed as prospect versus veteran, with the veteran prevailing in the end. Fast forward four more months, Al Iaquinta went 25 minutes with Cerrone, with all three judges awarding Cerrone the win. Worth noting that took place in Ottawa, making this show the second Canadian appearance this year for Cerrone. 

Most recently, Cerrone faced Tony Ferguson on the undercard of UFC 238. The fight was a close and intense one, ending prematurely after an eye of Cerrone swelled up, causing a doctor to end the bout before the third round. Cerrone has been known throughout his career for fighting frequently. At 36-years-old, 2019 is the seventh year in a row that he has fought three or more times within a year.

Justin Gaethje hasn’t fought nearly as many times as Cerrone, but has seen success in his last two appearances. Just over a year ago, it took Gaethje less that 90 seconds to finish James Vick, putting himself in the win column after being finished by Eddie Alvarez and Dustin Poirier. Earlier this year, Gaethje stopped Edson Barboza within a round, finishing him with a right hook. Gaethje is known for his fighting style which encourages his opponent to throw and even land punches on him.

On Wednesday, Gaethje told media that he suffered an eye infection recently that risked his withdrawal from the fight. Despite saying he’s able to compete, and obviously he’s been cleared to fight by the commission too, he claimed that he was sensitive to light.

UFC will have another ESPN+ broadcast a week from tomorrow, taking place in Arena Ciudad de Mexico in Mexico City, Mexico. With 12 scheduled bouts currently, the show is set to be headlined by Yair Rodriguez and Jeremy Stephens. UFC’s next pay-per-view will take place in early October, with Israel Adesanya attempting to take Robert Whittaker’s UFC Middleweight Championship.

 

UFC 238 Full Report: Henry Cejudo Becomes Double Champ

On Saturday, UFC came back with their PPV event “UFC 238.” The stacked card included two championship bouts, with Valentina Shevchenko battling Jessica Eye and Henry Cejudo chasing his second belt against Marlon Moraes. Before we get to those bouts lets look at the prelims.

Preliminary Card

Bout 1: Katlyn Chookagian (#2) (11-2) vs. Joanne Calderwood (#6) (13-3) (Flyweight)

The evening started with the first of five women’s fights on the card. Katlyn Chookagian faced Joanne Calderwood. Early on in the bout Calderwood was utilizing her leg kicks quite frequently. Chookagian was more focused on throwing punches and knees. She seemingly was trying for a takedown but never really committed to it. Calderwood landed a takedown in the first minute of the second, with both fighters standing up shortly after. Chookagian started to land strong combos of punches in the second. Calderwood shot for a takedown but was denied by Chookagian. She did land a slam after catching a kick a minute later though. The round ended with Calderwood in a top position while Chookagian was an armbar. A very large hematoma started to form on Chookagian’s forehead as the round concluded. In the third around another kick was caught and turned into a takedown by Calderwood. Once they got back up, Chookagian landed another hard two punch combination. Calderwood taunted Chookagian in the final minute of the fight. The fight went the distance with Katlyn Chookagian winning the fight unanimously (30-27, 29-28 & 29-28).

My Scorecard:

FighterRound 1Round 2Round 3Total
Chookagian910928
Calderwood1091029

Bout 2: Eddie Wineland (23-13-1) vs. Grigorii Popov (14-2) (Bantamweight)

Despite a close age range between these two fighters, veteran UFC fighter Eddie Wineland fought newcomer Grigorii Popov in the next bout. Wineland was stalking down Popov right off the bat. He started to land good right hands that were shaking Popov. Popov got a cut around his left eye which was bleeding quite a bit. He landed a few good knees to the head in the round, although Wineland’s punches seemed to be more effective. Wineland tried for a takedown at the start of the second round although Popov denied it. Wineland got a takedown with two minutes left but was flipped back up in only seconds. With under a minute in the second round, Wineland dropped Popov with strikes. He tried for a guillotine but eventually gave up. With 30 seconds left in the round Popov was retreating. He took a knee after being dropped by more punches, making the referee step in and end the bout.

My Scorecard:

FighterRound 1Round 2Round 3Total
Wineland10


Popov9


Bout 3: Bevon Lewis (6-1) vs. Darren Stewart (9-4) (Middleweight)

The third early prelim bout was Bevon Lewis versus Darren Stewart. Early on in the bout Lewis was falling over when getting hit with leg kicks. He clinched up against the cage for a while afterwards. At the end of the first round both fighters landed quite a few punches after the horn. Lewis landed a knee mid-way through the second that looked good. The second round was a more inactive one from both fighters. The fight went the distance,w with the crowd booing them afterwards. The judges gave Darren Stewart the win (29-28, 29-28 & 30-27).

My Scorecard:

FighterRound 1Round 2Round 3Total
Lewis910928
Stewart1091029

Bout 4: Yan Xiaonan (10-1) vs. Angela Hill (9-6) (Strawweight)

The final early prelim fight was Angela Hill facing Yan Xiaonan. In the first round Xiaonan was in top position but got caught in a triangle choke. Xiaonan survived the round, possibly being saved by the bell. The second round had some great striking from both figthers on display. Xiaonan landed a takedown in the finale minute of the round as well. The aggressive striking from both competitors continued through the third round. After the three roubnds, Yan Xiaonan won via unanimous decision (29-28, 29-28 & 29-28).

My Scorecard:

FighterRound 1Round 2Round 3Total
Xionan910928
Hill1091029

Bout 5: Ricardo Lamas (#10) (19-7) vs. Calvin Kattar (#15) (19-3) (Featherweight)

The first prelim on ESPN fight was Ricardo Lamas versus Calvin Kattar. Halfway through the first round, Lamas was hurt by a left jab. Before then, they both had some close striking, with not much landing. Kattar landed a two strike combo in the final minute of the first that folded Lamas.

My Scorecard:

FighterRound 1Round 2Round 3Total
Lamas



Kattar



Bout 6: Karolina Kowalkiewicz (#10) (13-4) vs. Alexa Grasso (#13) (10-2) (Strawweight)

Heading back to the strawweight division, Karolina Kowalkiewicz faced Alexa Grasso in the next bout. Early on it seemed like Grasso’s punches was landing consistently. Not only that, Grasso had a higher amount of punches thrown. At the end of the round Grasso clinched up against the cage. While Kowalkiewicz landed more in the second, Grasso’s success continued. In the final round, Grasso did a good combo of knees to the head while clinching Kowalkiewicz. Both fighters were swinging like crazy in the final seconds. Grasso put in a standing rear naked choke until the round ended. The crowd was very loud for the end of this bout. The judges gave Alexa Grasso the win unanimously (30-27, 30-27 & 30-27).

My Scorecard:

FighterRound 1Round 2Round 3Total
Kowalkiewicz99

Grasso1010

Bout 7: Aljamain Sterling (#3) (17-3) vs. Pedro Munhoz (#4) (18-3) (Bantamweight)

Aljamain Sterling and Pedro Munhoz fought in an eliminator bout to continue the prelims. For most of the round Sterling had the more dominant striking, keeping a distance and coming in when he had something to throw. At the end of the round Munhoz landed a good knee that possibly shook Sterling. The second round was much closer, with Munhoz finding success with leg kicks. In the second half of the round Sterling was dropped by a kick. Munhoz tried for a guillotine from that position but let it go almost right after. Both fighters kept a fast tempo of strikes through to the end of the third round. Sterling was getting fired up at the end, shouting at Munhoz in-between strikes. The fight went the full three rounds with the judges giving it to Aljamain Sterling unanimously (30-27, 30-27 & 30-27).

My Scorecard:

FighterRound 1Round 2Round 3Total
Sterling1091029
Munhoz910928

Bout 8: Tatiana Suarez (#2) (8-0) vs. Nina Ansaroff (#3) (10-5) (Strawweight)

Finishing off the prelims was a top contender bout for the strawweights. Not only 30 seconds into the first round, Suarez shot for a takedown on Ansaroff. She got the takedown, with the fighters standing up against the cage with three minutes left in the round. Suarez brought the fight right back down to the ground. Suarez stayed dominant throughout the first round. There was a pause in the second round as Ansaroff was hit win the groin. Suarez failed a takedown attempt in the third round. The final round was Ansaroff’s wheelhouse as it stayed stand-up the whole time. Ansaroff fired off a great combo of strikes at the end of the round. The judges all gave the fight to Tatiana Suarez (29-28, 29-28 & 29-28).

My Scorecard:

FighterRound 1Round 2Round 3Total
Suarez1010

Ansaroff99

Main Card

Bout 9: Tai Tuivasa #11 (10-1) vs. Blagoy Ivanov (#13) (17-2) (Heavyweight)

Starting off the PPV was a heavyweight clash between Tai Tuivasa and Blagoy Ivanov. Halfway through the first round, Tuivasa was tagged by Ivanov. Ivanov tried for a guillotine standing against the cage but Tuivasa escaped. Tuivasa got shook by some punches in the final seconds of the first round as well. Ivanov was the one retreating in the opening minutes of the second round. Ivanov put in a guillotine at the end of the round. Tuivasa tapped, but it was a second after the bell, whether it was to submit or to just tell him to get off of him. Ivanov tried for the guillotine once again but lost control of it. When he tried for the standing guillotine again, he landed knees to the head while doing so. The fighters were tremendously tired by the final round. The fight went the distance. Blagoy Ivanov was given the victory unanimously (29-28, 30-27 & 30-27).

My Scorecard:

FighterRound 1Round 2Round 3Total
Tuivasa99927
Ivanov10101030

Bout 10: Jimmie Rivera (#7) (22-3) vs. Petr Yan (#9) (12-1) (Bantamweight)

The next bout was Jimmie Rivera versus Petr Yan. In the final seconds of the first round Rivera was dropped be a strike. He survived until the horn went. Rivera was knocked down at the end of the second after a close competition. Yan was dominating the fight. Yan did a great spinning move to escape a single leg takedown attempt in the third. A pause happened in the third round after Yan was eye poked. The fight went all the rounds, with the judges giving Petr Yan the win (29-28, 29-28 & 30-27).

My Scorecard:

FighterRound 1Round 2Round 3Total
Rivera99

Yan1010

Bout 11: Donald Cerrone (36-11) (#4) vs. Tony Ferguson (25-3) (#2) (Lightweight)

In the final fight before title bouts, two people who don’t need an introduction, Donald Cerrone and Tony Ferguson, fought. Both fighters had their moments in the first round although Cerrone was landing better shots. Cerrone’s nose started to bleed heavily in the second round. Cerrone landed a takedown with two minutes to go in the second. They went back to stand-up right after they went down. In the second round Ferguson landed tons of head strikes, making it a dominant round for him. Ferguson landed a right hand a second after the second round horn went. The crowd booed quite heavily for this. There was a pause before the final round was set to start because Cerrone’s right eye had completely swollen up. The doctors did not allow him to fight, ending the bout in-between rounds. They checked a replay and made sure the shot after the bell to make sure the strike wasn’t what caused the eye swelling. The fight ended due to a doctors stoppage and Tony Ferguson was given the victory. After the fight Ferguson told Joe Rogan to talk to Cerrone.

My Scorecard:

FighterRound 1Round 2Round 3Total
Cerrone109

Ferguson910

Bout 12: Valentina Shevchenko (Champion) (16-3) vs. Jessica Eye (#1) (14-6) (Flyweight Championship)

In the first of two championship belts of the evening, Valentina Shevchenko fought Jessica Eye for the Flyweight Championship. Shevchenko was landing body kicks early on. She landed a body lock takedown in the first minute of the bout. Shevchenko was dominant on top for the rest of the round, putting Eye in trouble a few times. At the start of the second round, Valentina Shevchenko landed a kick to the head that floored Eye and ended the bout. There was a lot of worry about Eye afterwards as she was on the ground for a long time.

My Scorecard:

FighterRound 1Round 2Round 3Round 4Round 5Total
Shevchenko10




Eye9




Bout 13: Henry Cejudo (14-2) (C) vs. Marlon Moraes (#1) (22-5-1) (Bantamweight Championship)

In the main event of the show, Henry Cejudo faced Marlon Moraes for the Bantamweight Championship. Moraes had quite striking at the start of the first round. Cejudo shot for a takedown after a minute or so but didn’t secure it. Moraes continued to have dominant striking through the first. Near the end of the second round Cejudo started to land some punches that looked to be damaging Moraes. Cejudo got much more aggressive. In clinch he landed knees to the head. Moraes shot for a takedown which was blocked. Both fighters were teeing off as the horn went. A timeout was called in the third round as Moraes was eye poked. Cejudo continued to see success with knees in a clinch in the third round. Cejudo put Moraes in a guillotine on the ground which looked pretty snug. He leg go of it, and did a knee to the body. Moraes tried for a submission hold that didn’t work either. Cejudo landed elbows from above in increments. He stood up and landed hammer fist strikes which made the referee end the bout. Henry Cejudo became one of the only people who have been a UFC double champion (Flyweight and Bantamweight). After the fight he called out Dominick Cruz, Cody Garbrandt and Uriah Faber, and said he wants to move up to 145 pounds sometime.

My Scorecard:

FighterRound 1Round 2Round 3Round 4Round 5Total
Cejudo910



Moraes109



As UFC concluded tonight, Henry Cejudo and Valentina Shevchenko continued to reign supreme. UFC’s next event is on the 22nd, with Renato Moicano facing Chan Sung Jung AKA “Korean Zombie” in Greenville, South Carolina. Two events after that, UFC 239 will take place at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas during International Fight Week.

Full coverage of UFC 238 can be found here

UFC on ESPN+ 9: Iaquinta vs. Cowboy Full Report

On Saturday, UFC headed to Ottawa for a card crammed full of Canadians. Besides the home country fighters competing, the show also featured a ranked Lightweight clash between “Cowboy” Donald Cerrone and “Ragin’” Al Iaquinta. Let’s look through the whole evening of fights.

Preliminary Card

Bout 1: Mitch Gagnon (12-4) vs. Cole Smith (6-0) (Bantamweight)

Ottawa’s evening of fights started with Mitch Gagnon facing Cole Smith in a Canadian versus Canadian matchup. Early in the first round, Gagnon found himself threatened by a standing kimura attempt. Smith landed a takedown after they were against the cage for a couple of minutes. They got back up moments later and went back against the cage. When they returned to striking, Smith was trying for kicks frequently. Smith was able to bring the fight to the ground in the second and try for a rear naked choke. Gagnon stayed defensive for the rest of the round but didn’t get finished by submission. Gagnon opened the third round very aggressively, advancing on Smith quite a bit. Smith was dropped by some strikes, giving Gagnon an opening. Gagnon tried for an armbar but it didn’t work. They stood back up and then went back down when Gagnon put in a guillotine. Smith got out of the move and took back mount. Smith put in a rear naked choke in the final minute. Gagnon’s mouthpiece also came out during this. The fight went the distance, relying on the judges to choose the fate of the fighters. The judges gave Cole Smith the win unanimously (29-28, 29-28 & 30-27).

My Scorecard:

FighterRound 1Round 2Round 3Total
Gagnon991028
Smith1010929

Bout 2: Arjan Bhullar (8-1) vs. Juan Adams (5-0) (Heavyweight)

Two up-and-coming Heavyweights in Arjan Bhullar and Juan Adams faced each other in the next bout. The first round was purely stand-up, with Adams throwing way more punches. Adams came out very aggressively in the second round. Bhullar landed a single leg takedown after a minute. Adam’s had his mouthpiece knocked out, which Bhullar’s corner noticed and repeatedly told him about. They got up shortly after, with not much happening on the ground. Bhullar landed a takedown late in the final round. Both fighters slowed their pace significantly in the third round. The judges all gave Arjan Bhullar the victory (29-28 29-28 & 30-27). Bhullar called out Andrei Arlovski after the fight.

My Scorecard:

FighterRound 1Round 2Round 3Total
Bhullar991028
Adams1010929

Bout 3: Kyle Nelson (12-2) vs. Matt Sayles (7-2) (Featherweight)

The next prelim bout was Kyle Nelson versus Matt Sayles. The first round opened with an aggressive stand-up battle between the two. Nelson was shoved down at one point and was given numerous hammer fist and normal strikes on the ground. Nelson survived the large volume of strikes, and then put Sayles in position for a leg lock. Sayles escaped the move and got into top mount where he landed even more strikes. Nelson was denied a takedown attempt early in the second. Later on however he landed more takedowns. Nelson tried for a rear naked choke for a while, and even had it in at one point but lost control. Nelson shot for tons of takedowns in the final round, not having much success. He did land one takedown but fell into a trap where Sayles took control and put in a head and arm choke to win the bout.

My Scorecard:

FighterRound 1Round 2Round 3Total
Nelson910
Sayles109

Bout 4: Nordine Taleb (14-6) vs. Kyle Prepolec (12-5) (Welterweight)

In the next fight, Nordine Taleb fought UFC newcomer Kyle Prepolec. The first round had very cautious striking from both fighters. The second round was similar but had Taleb landing some harder hitting combos. Prepolec was seemingly hurt by a kick in the final seconds of round three, as he sort of stopped and grabbed his leg. The fight went the distance with the judges giving Nordine Taleb the unanimous victory (30-27, 30-27 & 30-27).

My Scorecard:

FighterRound 1Round 2Round 3Total
Taleb10101030
Prepolec99927

Bout 5: Vince Morales (8-3) vs. Aiemann Zahabi (7-1) (Bantamweight)

Aiemann Zahabi, a brother of Firas Zahabi fought Vince Morales next. The first round was a slow one with Morales being the aggressor. The second was much of the same, although Zahabi did land a takedown in the final two minutes. The two fighters went all fifteen moments, not having many defining moments. The scorecards read a unanimous decision for Vince Morales (29-28, 29-28 & 29-28).

My Scorecard:

FighterRound 1Round 2Round 3Total
Morales1091029
Zahabi910928

Bout 6: Sarah Moras (5-4) vs. Macy Chiasson (#14) (4-0) (Bantamweight)

Finishing off the preliminary part of the card was Sarah Moras and Macy Chiasson. In the fist five seconds of the bout, Moras scored a takedown. Chiasson got into a top position and started to land strikes. Moras tried for a takedown at the start of the second, but Chiasson was able to gain control on the ground. Chiasson landed a flurry of strikes from above, making referee Yves Lavigne stop the bout.

My Scorecard:

FighterRound 1Round 2Round 3Total
Moras9
Chiasson10

Main Card

Bout 7: Andrew Sanchez (10-4) vs. Marc-Andre Barriault (11-1) (Middleweight)

Starting the main card was Andrew Sanchez and Marc-Andre Barriault. A story was told on commentary before the fight, explaining how these two fighters sparred the day before they were offered a fight against each other. Funny coincidence. Sanchez is a Tristar Fighter but got boos when being introduced. Sanchez landed a takedown in the first minute of the bout. They traded strikes while on the ground. In the final minute of the round Sanchez landed another takedown but Barriault got up immediately. Barrialt had dominant striking in the second round, making Sanchez clinch up. Sanchez kept getting it hard but never got dropped. Barriault defended a takedown for a while but eventually got tripped and went down. Sanchez had control on the ground for a good chunk of the round. The fight went all three rounds. The judges gave Sanchez the win via unanimous decision (29-28, 29-28 & 29-28). The crowd did not approve of this.

My Scorecard:

FighterRound 1Round 2Round 3Total
Sanchez1081028
Barriault910928

Bout 8: Walt Harris (12-7) vs. Sergey Spivak (9-0) (Heavyweight)

We saw a Heavyweight battle in the next bout on the card. Walt Harris fought Sergey Spivak. Early on, Harris was landing strong punches and knees. Spivak completely covered up and fell, getting hit more and more until the referee intervened.

My Scorecard:

FighterRound 1Round 2Round 3Total
Harris
Spivak

Bout 9: Brad Katona (8-0) vs. Merab Dvalishvili (8-4) (Bantamweight)

Undefeated Brad Katona fought Merab Dvalishvili in the next bout. After a close striking battle for the first couple of minutes, Dvalishvili scored a takedown. They both stood back up shortly after. Katona tried for a takedown too but found himself in a clinch that ended with Dvalishvili landing a trip and getting a takedown himself. At the start of the second round, Dvalishvili got another takedown. Dvalishvili was dominant throughout the round, landing a good trip takedown at the end as well. In the final round, Dvalishvili out-wrestled Katona. The scorecards were all in agreement, giving Dvalishvili the win (30-27, 30-27 & 30-27).

My Scorecard:

FighterRound 1Round 2Round 3Total
Katona99927
Dvalishvili10101030

Bout 10: Cub Swanson (#10) (25-10) vs. Shane Burgos (11-1) (Featherweight)

UFC veteran Cub Swanson faced younger fighter Shane Burgos in the next fight. The first round was kickboxing only from both fighters. The second round was very much the same. Swanson came out much more aggressively in the third round. Swanson tried for a takedown, but didn’t fully get it, being stuck against the cage for a while. Burgos had his moments in the second half of the round. The judges were split on the decision, but the majority selected Burgos as the winner (30-27 Swanson, 30-27 Burgos & 29-28 Burgos).

My Scorecard:

FighterRound 1Round 2Round 3Total
Swanson910928
Burgos1091029

Bout 11: Derek Brunson (#9) (18-7) vs. Elias Theodorou (#13) (16-2) (Middleweight)

In the co-main event slot was a battle between ranked Middleweight fighters Derek Brunson and Elias Theodorou. Brunson scored a takedown within the first minute of the fight. He took the back and put in a rear naked choke, but Theodorou escaped. Brunson kept trying for it but stopped being able to once Theodorou stood up. Both fighters, but especially Theodorou were throwing lots of kicks. While neither fighter had an amazing second round, and the crowd voiced their opinion on this, Theodorou out-struck Brunson. Brunson had an amazing takedown in the third, picking up and carrying Theodorou, then slamming him on is back. The final round ended with the crowd booing the two fighters. Derek Brunson won the fight unanimously (29-28, 29-28 & 30-27).

My Scorecard:

FighterRound 1Round 2Round 3Total
Brunson1091029
Theodorou910928

Bout 12: Al Iaquinta (#4) (14-4-1) vs. Donald Cerrone (#8) (35-11) (Lightweight)

Finally, it was time for the main event. In the main event, Al Iaquinta faced Donald “Cowboy” Cerrone. The first round was a feeling out process, with Cerrone landing a solid knee when Iaquinta tried for a takedown at one point. The second round was similar, with both fighters landing some good strikes periodically. In the third round Iaquinta started to bleed from his nose quite a bit. They started to really open up with strikes at the end of the third round. Iaquinta was dropped with a punch in the final seconds of the third. Cerrone landed strikes on the ground until the round ended. Iaquinta was dropped yet again in the fourth with a front kick. He got up shortly after. Cerrone strung together a good combination of punches in the final minute of the fourth. Iaquinta had a takedown blocked in the final seconds of the round. The fight went all 25 minutes with the final round being another methodical striking battle between the two. The fight was stand-up with periodic moments of fighting on the ground due to a knockdown. The judges gave “Cowboy” Donald Cerrone the win Unanimously (49-45, 49-45 & 49-46). Cerrone celebrated with his son.

My Scorecard:

FighterRound 1Round 2Round 3Round 4Round 5Total
Iaquinta91099946
Cerrone10910101049

UFC returns next week with the PPV event UFC 237. In the main event, Rose Namajunas will attempt to defend her Strawweight Championship against Jessica Andrade. The show will take place in Brazil, and feature home country talent like Anderson Silva and Jose Aldo on the main card.

UFC on ESPN+ 9: Iaquinta vs. Cowboy Preview

UFC’s last appearance in Canada was back in December when Toronto played host to UFC 231: Holloway vs. Ortega. This time around it’s Ottawa holding the event, with the event being much smaller scale than the pay-per-view event before. The card had an obvious Canada versus The World theme to it, with eight bouts being a Canadian versus someone from a different country. In the main event, Al Iaquinta is set to face Donald Cerrone. It’s an interesting matchup because, while it’s a high profile fight, the line for Lightweight contenders is long already. While the future of the winner of this bout is hard to call, an easier bet is that it will be a fun fight to watch. Cerrone and Iaquinta both have a past of putting on “fan friendly” fights, no matter win or loss. Before we go further into that bout, let’s go through the whole card.

Preliminary Card

Bout 1: Mitch Gagnon (12-4) vs. Cole Smith (6-0) (Bantamweight)

The opening fight of the show will pit one Canadian against another, as Mitch Gagnon will face Cole Smith. Gagnon has a 4-3 UFC record dating back to 2012 and hasn’t fought since 2016 when he lost to Matthew Lopez. Cole Smith will be making his UFC debut, currently holding an undefeated 6-0 record. He has mainly fought in the Canadian promotion BFL, being the promotion’s Bantamweight Champion for some time.

Bout 2: Arjan Bhullar (8-1) vs. Juan Adams (5-0) (Heavyweight)

In the first of two Heavyweight clashes in the evening, Arjan Bhullar will face Juan Adams. Bhullar is a Canadian fighter who currently has a 2-1 record in the UFC. Bhullar was the first Indo-Canadian to sign with the promotion. He fought in Alberta and British Columbia before making it to the big leagues. His only career win is to Adam Wieczorek, who caught him with an omoplata. Juan Adams will be putting his undefeated streak on the line in his second appearance in the UFC. He earned a contract through Dana White’s Tuesday Night Contender Series and got a win in December against Chris De La Rocha as well.

Bout 3: Kyle Nelson (12-2) vs. Matt Sayles (7-2) (Featherweight)

Kyle Nelson faces Matt Sayles in the next bout. Nelson, like many Canadians on this card, fought at UFC 231 in Toronto back in December. He came out of the event unsuccessful, losing to Diego Ferreira. Sayles is also coming off a loss, falling to Sheymon Moraes at the UFC 227 prelims.

Bout 4: Nordine Taleb (14-6) vs. Kyle Prepolec (12-5) (Welterweight)

Canadian fighter Kyle Prepolec will make his UFC debut against French fighter Nordine Taleb, who fights out of Tristar in Quebec. Taleb lost recently to Sean Strickland in the second round. He is currently on a two-fight losing streak. Prepolec is the flipside, as his last two fights were wins in the regional promotion “BTC.”

Bout 5: Vince Morales (8-3) vs. Aiemann Zahabi (7-1) (Bantamweight)

IN another Canada versus The World matchup, Canadian Aiemann Zahabi will face Vince Morales. Aiemann is the younger brother of Firas Zahabi, a well-known trainer from Tristar Gym. He is coming off an 18-month break from competition, losing to Ricardo Ramos at UFC 217 (which also featured fellow Tristar talent Georges St-Pierres. Morales lost his UFC debut in November but plans to bounce back from the loss.

Bout 6: Sarah Moras (5-4) vs. Macy Chiasson (4-0) (Bantamweight)

Ending off the prelims for the show will be Sarah Moras and Macy Chiasson. Moras, a Canadian, has been in the UFC since 2014 but has had a shaky record of 2-3 since then. She will face Macy Chiasson, who won The Ultimate Fighter Season 28 in late 2018. She fought back in March as well, getting a first-round stoppage over Gina Mazany.

Main Card

Bout 7: Andrew Sanchez (10-4) vs. Marc-Andre Barriault (11-1) (Middleweight)

Starting the ESPN+ main card will be Canadian Marc-Andre Barriault and Andrew Sanchez. Barriault will be making his UFC debut, coming from the Canadian promotion TKO. His record shows that he has powerful striking, picking up many early stoppage wins. Sanchez won season 23 of The Ultimate Fighter, defeating Khalil Rountree. He has won and lost twice since then, recently getting the nod over Markus Perez.

Bout 8: Walt Harris (12-7) vs. Sergey Spivak (9-0) (Heavyweight)

“The Big Ticket” Walt Harris will be Sergey Spivak’s first challenge under the bright lights of the UFC. Spivak currently has a 9-0 record, fighting most of them in WWFC, a Ukranian promotion. He has numerous recorded first-round finishes. His first UFC bout won’t be an easy one as his opponent, Harris, recently beat veteran Andrei Arlovski in December.

Bout 9: Brad Katona (8-0) vs. Merab Dvalishvili (8-4) (Bantamweight)

Brad Katona has had a great past 12 months. Back in July, he defeated Jay Cucciniello to win season 27 of The Ultimate Fighter. After that, he beat Matthew Lopez at UFC 231. Attempting to keep his undefeated streak intact, he will compete against Merab Dvalishvili. Dvalishvili had a rough start to his UFC career with two losses but defeated Terrion Ware in September via decision. It will be a clash between an untouchable fighter and a more experience one on the main card.

Bout 10: Cub Swanson (25-10) vs. Shane Burgos (11-1) (Featherweight)

Cub Swanson is an experienced UFC fighter but has gotten into a three-fight slump recently. Hoping to bounce back from the losses, he is scheduled to face Shane Burgos. Burgos will be competing in his sixth UFC bout, currently having 11 pro wins with only one blemish on his record.

Bout 11: Derek Brunson (18-7) vs. Elias Theodorou (16-2) (Middleweight)

Ontario’s own Elias Theodorou will face Derek Brunson in the co-main event of the show. Theodorou’s last performance was a decision victory over Eryk Anders at UFC 231. On a three-fight win streak, his last seven fights have ended via decision. Brunson is coming off a late 2018 loss to now-interim Middleweight Champion Israel Adesanya. The fight didn’t leave the first round, with Adesanya getting a stoppage victory.

Bout 12: Al Iaquinta (14-4-1) vs. Donald Cerrone (35-11) (Lightweight)

“Cowboy” Donald Cerrone will face Al Iaquinta in the main event of Fight Night Ottawa. Cerrone, who is nothing short of a UFC veteran will be trying to improve off of his two-fight win streak. He recently defeated Mike Perry and Alex Hernandez. His win over Hernandez came after extensive trash talk from the 26-year-old fighter. Iaquinta is coming off a dominant five-round performance against Kevin Lee. It was his first fight since going to a five round decision loss against current Lightweight Champion Khabib Nurmagomedov.

Next week, UFC will head to Rio de Janeiro, Brazil for UFC 237. The show will be headlined by Rose Namajunas, who will be defending her Strawweight Championship against Jessica Andrade. The show will also feature well known Brazilian talent Anderson Silva and Jose Aldo.