Laying Down Leather #8: UFC 246

Good morning and welcome to another edition of Laying Down Leather, the casual blog post discussing my thoughts on events throughout the past week. Happy Martin Luther King day.

MMA

I watched three MMA events this weekend, those being Future MMA 11, LFA 80 and of course UFC 246. I’ll get to UFC in a second.

Future MMA was a fun card with some real exciting fights. Honestly, LFA wasn’t worth watching, mostly because of the horrible reffing throughout.

UFC was a weak card on paper, but in general was fun to watch. Maybe I am giving it more credit cause I haven’t watched a UFC show in quite a while. It’s possible.

Three Stars

Star 1: Conor McGregor

Many people were confident that Conor McGregor would come back and beat Donald Cerrone. With that being said, not many predicted that he would win in 40 seconds. Actually, Straight Blast Gym member James Gallagher got it perfectly right a few months back, but besides him not many saw it ending that way. Without a scratch on him, McGregor should be seen again in 2020

Star 2: Drew Dober

Drew Dober was the most discussed name from the UFC 246 undercard, stopping Nasrat Haqparast in the first round. The impressive win deservedly gave him some press. Unfortunately, the referee gave Haqparast one too many chances at the end, letting him eat more than 10 unanswered shots.

Star 3: Alexey Oleinik

The gassed and slow moving Alexey Oleinik had some trouble against Maurice Greene, but nonetheless got it done within two rounds. I can’t put it any better, so I’ll borrow the words of Mike Bohn by saying he’s the “Vince Carter of MMA.”

Fight of the Night: Roxanne Modafferi vs. Maycee Barber

The classic veteran versus up-and-comer booking for Roxanne Modafferi versus Maycee Barber proved to be entertaining. Upsetting the Vegas odds which put her at +550, Roxanne Modafferi beat Maycee Barber in a bloody and dominant fashion. Also, props to Barber, who endured a torn ACL and becoming a mess, showing pure toughness. With that being said, a case could be made that her corner or Barber herself should have thrown in the towel. For the many possible first losses a fighter could experience, Barber went through a pretty good one.

This week, I’ll have some articles leading up to Bellator 238 and UFC on ESPN+ 4, which take place this weekend. And of course expect coverage of those events afterwards as well. Sadly, not live due to work.

A little side note. No more cryptic stuff, folks. Next week on Laying Down Leather, I’ll announce the next big project I’ll be undertaking, which starts in February. Stay tuned.

Have a great week.

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

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.

UFC on ESPN 3: N’Gannou vs. Dos Santos Full Report

A week before UFC’s next PPV, Minneapolis, Minnesota hosted a heavyweight clash between Francis Ngannou and Junior Dos Santos. Along with the main event was 11 other fights, including six on the prelims. Let’s first look at how the preliminary card went down.

Bout 1: Junior Albini (14-5) vs. Maurice Greene (7-3) (Heavyweight)

Fittingly, the evening started with a heavyweight fight. Junior Albini faced Maurice Greene, who was fighting in his home state. Early in the first round, Greene landed a combination of punches which shook Albini. Halfway into the round, Albini was dropped by punches. When they got back up Albini had Greene retreating with some punches. Albini was taken down by punches once again with a minute and a half left in the round, with Greene landing a few more punches before referee Jason Herzog called an end to the bout.

My Scorecard:

Fighter	Round 1	Round 2	Round 3	Total
Albini
Greene

Bout 2: Amanda Ribas (6-1) vs. Emily Whitmire (4-2) (Strawweight)

In the next bout, we had a fight between two Strawweights who have small MMA records. This was also Ribas’ UFC debut. In the first round, Ribas got on Whitmire’s back while she was standing. She tried for a rear naked choke for over a minute. They eventually went to the ground where Ribas’ control continued. Whitmire was able to turn herself over and take top position on Ribas. After battling up against the cage in the second round Ribas took down Whitmire again. In top position, she landed some punches and then tried for the rear naked choke again. Whitmire tapped out shortly after. She gave a very grateful in the interview afterwards.

My Scorecard:

Fighter	Round 1	Round 2	Round 3	Total
Ribas	10
Whitmire	9

Bout 3: Dequan Townsend (21-8) vs. Dalcha Lungiambula (9-1) (Light Heavyweight)

Continuing with the prelims, Dequan Townsend fought Dalcha Lungiambula in a light heavyweight contest. There was a clear height difference between the fighters with Townsend having the advantage. Both fighters showcased their fast and powerful punches early on. They clinched up against the cage after an exchange of punches. Lumbiambula tried to throw Townsend on the ground but they got back up shortly. They stayed on the ground for longer when Lungiambula tripped Townsend. He landed another takedown when they got back up. Lunbiambula landed another takedown within the first minute of the second round. The fight stayed on the ground until the final 10 seconds of the round when the referee stood them up. In the first 30 seconds of the final round, Lungiambula dropped Townsend with punches. He landed a few more on the ground before it was ended.

My Scorecard:

Fighter	Round 1	Round 2	Round 3	Total
Townsend	9	9
Lunbiambula	10	10

Bout 4: Dan Moret (13-5) vs. Jared Gordon (14-3) (Lightweight)

In the next bout Dan Moret battled Jared Gordon. In the second minute of the fight Gordon landed a takedown on Moret after taking a head kick. Moret fought his way back to his feet eventually. He landed knees in a clinch which woke up the crowd. Moret started to string together punches on the feet. Moret got a takedown but they stood back up against the cage right after. Gordon tried for a takedown early in the second, but Moret reversed it into a leg sweep which gave him a takedown instead. Moret tried for a rear naked choke and an armbar. Gordon landed some strikes by standing up and punching Moret who was on the ground. Moret put in a rear naked choke early in the third round after Gordon slipped from a kick. Gordon got out of it and went back to hitting Moret from top position. Moret escaped being smothered by Gordon with a minute and a half left in the round. Gordon shot for a takedown but Moret turned it into a scenario where he could take his back. Gordon was on his back but was just able to turn around and take top position yet again. The fight became the first one of the night to go the distance, with the judges giving it to Jared Gordon (30-27, 30-27 29-28).

My Scorecard:

Fighter	Round 1	Round 2	Round 3	Total
Moret	10	9	9	28
Gordon	9	10	10	29

Bout 5: Vinicius Moreira (9-2) vs. Eryk Anders (11-4) (Light Heavyweight)

In the next fight we had Vinicius Moriera and Eryk Anders squared off. In the opening seconds of the fight Moreira tried to land a takedown but instead found himself on bottom position. They stood back up quickly, with Moreira trying for a single leg takedown. Anders got out of the predicament and caught Moreira in an awkward position, being able to land punches on him. Anders landed tons of strikes until the referee ended the fight. Afterwards the commentators were scrutinizing the referee for stopping the fight so late.

My Scorecard:

Fighter	Round 1	Round 2	Round 3	Total
Moreira
Anders

Bout 6: Journey Newson (9-1) vs. Ricardo Ramos (12-2) (Bantamweight)

Finishing off the preliminary portion of the card was Journey Newson and Ricardo Ramos. The reach and height differential significantly benefitted Ramos. The first round had evenly matched striking until Newson tried for a takedown but he found Ramos on his back. Ramos tried for a rear naked choke but Newson escaped. Newson tried for a guillotine but wasn’t successful either. They went back to stand-up as the round wound down. The second round was purely stand-up with neither fighter having a shining moment. In the final round Ramos landed a takedown but was immediately put in a guillotine. Ramos escaped and slammed down Newson when they were standing up against the cage. With a minute left in the final round, Ramos landed a spinning elbow which dropped Newson. Newson got back on his feet quickly and endured the rest of the round. The two fighters went the three scheduled rounds. All three judges had Ricardo Ramos winning all of the rounds (30-27, 30-27 & 30-27).

My Scorecard:

Fighter	Round 1	Round 2	Round 3	Total
Newson	9	10	9	28
Ramos	10	9	10	29

Bout 7: Paul Craig (11-3) vs. Alonzo Menifield (8-0) (Light Heavyweight)

Starting off the main card was yet another light heavyweight bout, with Alonzo Menifield putting his undefeated record on the line against Paul Craig. After Craig was up against the cage for a minute or so, he failed to land a takedown. Craig kept trying to take the fight to the ground but couldn’t. Menifield wasn’t landing anything hard on stand-up but was consistently walking down Craig. After Craig failed to do a spinning kick, Menifield caught Craig with punches which dropped him and ended the fight.

My Scorecard:

Fighter	Round 1	Round 2	Round 3	Total
Craig
Menifield

Bout 8: Polo Reyes (8-6) vs. Drew Dober (20-9) (Lightweight)

In the next bout, Polo Reyes fought Drew Dober in a lightweight bout. Early on Dober was landing good strikes. Reyes was dropped but recovered and got back to his feet. When Reyes was knocked down a second time, referee Jason Herzog stepped in to end the bout.

My Scorecard:

Fighter	Round 1	Round 2	Round 3	Total
Reyes
Dober

Bout 9: Vinc Pichel (11-2) vs. Roosevelt Roberts (8-0) (Lightweight)

Making it two lightweight bouts in a row, Vinc Pichel fought Roosevelt Roberts. Roberts looked to be the second person on this card to extend their undefeated record. The first round had some pretty close striking between both fighters. Roberts slammed Pichel on his head in the final minute of the first. The second round had more close striking. On the ground Pichel took top position as the round came to a close. Pichel landed a takedown a minute into the final round. Pichel put in a standing guillotine but eventually let it go. When the fight went back to the ground, Pichel was dominant on the ground. He took Roberts’ back, and then went into top position when Roberts rolled over. The fight went all three rounds with the fighters being respectful towards each other afterwards. All three judges gave the fight to Vinc Pichel (29-28, 29-28 & 29-28).

My Scorecard:

Fighter	Round 1	Round 2	Round 3	Total
Pichel	9	10	10	29
Roberts	10	9	9	28

Bout 10: Anthony Rocco Martin (16-4) vs. Demain Maia (26-9) (#12) (Welterweight)

In the next fight, we saw a Minnesota fighter in Anthony Rocco Martin versus veteran fighter Demian Maia. Maia went after a takedown in the first round and landed it. He was dominant on the ground for the majority of the round. In the second round Maia failed for a takedown early. He landed it upon second attempt. With the final 30 seconds left in the round, the referee stood them up. The final round had Martin showcase his successful stand-up. The fight came to a close while Martin was hitting a grounded Maia. The judges gave the fight to Demain Maia (29-28, 29-28 & 28-28).

My Scorecard:

Fighter	Round 1	Round 2	Round 3	Total
Martin	9	9	10	28
Maia	10	10	9	29

Bout 11: Joseph Benavidez (27-5) (#2) vs. Jussier Formiga (23-5) (#1) (Flyweight)

In the co-main event of the show, the top two ranked Flyweights in Joseph Benavidez and Jussier Formiga faced each other. The first round had some back and forth striking. Benavidez got a cut near his left eye in the first round. Formiga landed a good takedown in the second round. As the second round was coming to a close, Benavidez started to string together punches that made Formiga fall. The referee intervened, ending the bout.

My Scorecard:

Fighter	Round 1	Round 2	Round 3	Total
Benavidez	10
Formiga	9

Bout 12: Junior Dos Santos (21-5) (#3) vs. Francis Ngannou (13-3) (#2) (Heavyweight)

In the main event of the evening, #2 ranked heavyweight Francis Ngannou fought #3 ranked Junior Dos Santos. Early on, Dos Santos made Ngannou slip with a leg kick. Ngannou threw a right hook which landed well. Dos Santos turned his back to Ngannou after throwing a hook, which allowed Ngannou to punch him many times. He got dropped and was hit a few more times before Herb Dean stepped in to end it. In just over a minute, Francis Ngannou got the victory. After the fight he said he wants to face the winner between Stipe Miocic and Daniel Cormier.

My Scorecard:

Fighter	Round 1	Round 2	Round 3	Round 4	Round 5	Total
Ngannou
Dos Santos

As previously mentio ned, UFC will be holding a PPV event next weekend. In the main event of UFC 239, Jon Jones will attempt to defend his light heavyweight championship against Thiago Santos. In the co-main, Amanda Nunes will defend the bantamweight championship against Holly Holm.