Tag: Jim Miller

UFC on ESPN 5: Covington vs. Lawler Full Report

Colby Covington was en route to a UFC Welterweight Championship last year, but due to injury had his shot taken away. In the main event of this fight night, Covington faced Robbie Lawler in a five round fight. With a win, he could put himself next in line for a title shot. Same goes for Lawler, who, while lower on the rankings than Covington, would be making a statement with the victory. Before that fight was 11 other bouts, so let’s look at how the prelims went down first.

Bout 1: Hannah Goldy (5-0) vs. Miranda Granger (6-0) (Flyweight)

Starting off the card we had two undefeated fighters put up their undefeated streaks. While small streaks, one fighter was expected to take their first pro loss. Goldy circled the outside of the octagon during the start of the bout. Both fighters would come in and exchange a few punches each and then distance themselves again. The second round was similar, with Goldy staying in the fight no doubt but getting hit with the harder shots. Granger kept coming forward with strikes until the bout ended. When going to the scorecards, all three judges favoured Miranda Granger (30-27, 30-27 & 30-27).

My Scorecard:

Fighter Round 1 Round 2 Round 3 Total
Goldy 9 9 9 27
Granger 10 10 10 30

Bout 2: Cole Williams (11-1) vs. Claudio Silva (13-1) (Welterweight)

In the second bout, we had a welterweight battle between Cole Williams and Claudio Silva. Williams weighed in six pounds over the limit on the day before. Silva went to wrestling in the second minute of the fight. He took the back of Williams. After throwing some punches, Silva put in a rear naked choke which made Williams tap out.

My Scorecard:

Fighter Round 1 Round 2 Round 3 Total
Williams
Silva

Bout 3: Mara Romero Borella (12-5 2 NC) (#12) vs. Lauren Murphy (10-4) (#10) (Flyweight)

It’s seemingly a regular occurrence that ranked flyweights compete on the prelims of a card. This time around, it’s #12 ranked Mara Romero Borella and #10 ranked Lauren Murphy who competed. In the first round Murphy felt like the fighter landing the more meaningful punches. Borella scored the first takedown of the fight in the second round. She stood up and tried to crank a guillotine on Murphy. The hold was let go of eventually, with both fighters battling up against the cage for the rest of the round. In the final round, Murphy stopped a takedown and then started to land her punches. An uppercut had Borella backtracked. Another takedown was stopped, with Murphy grabbing her and landing a knee to the head which dropped her. The referee stopped the fight right after that.

My Scorecard:

Fighter Round 1 Round 2 Round 3 Total
Borella 9 9
Murphy 10 10

Bout 4: Matt Schnell (13-4) (#13) vs. Jordan Espinosa (14-5 1 NC) (#9) (Flyweight)

In another ranked flyweight bout; a men’s one this times, Matt Schnell fought Jordan Espinosa. Both of these guys seem tall and lanky for flyweights. Both fighters ate clean punches in the first few seconds. Espinosa shot for a takedown, with Schnell putting in an arm triangle which made Espinosa tap out.

My Scorecard:

Fighter Round 1 Round 2 Round 3 Total
Schnell
Espinosa

Bout 5: Lucie Pudilova (8-4) vs. Antonina Shevchenko (7-1) (Flyweight)

The sister of Valentina Shevchenko, Antonina, fought Lucie Pudilova in a flyweight bout next. Pudilova went into a clinch immediately, with Shevchenko landing knees in the clinch. Continuing with the knees, Shevchenko put Pudilova against the cage. The referee separated them and brought them back to normal stand-up after Shevchenko did an accidental groin strike, although the fight went right back to that position. Finally, Pudilova made something of the clinch, landing elbows which made Shevchenko leave the clinch and pack up. Shevhcenko got a pretty bad cut from the elbow. Pudilova scored a takedown. On the ground, Shevchenko seemingly pully slipped in an armbar, but Pudilova got out. They got back up and went into clinch as the round ended. In the second, Pudilova got a single leg takedown, but quickly gave up her back and found herself in a rear naked choke. This time, she was not able to endure, with the referee ending the fight.

My Scorecard:

Fighter Round 1 Round 2 Round 3 Total
Pudilova 9
Shevchenko 10

Bout 6: Salim Touahri (10-3) vs. Mickey Gall (5-2) (Welterweight)

Going back up to welterweight, the next bout was Salim Touahri facing Mickey Gall. The crowd was cheering on Gall early on. Gall landed a good jab which shook Touahri in the opening minutes of the first. He tried for a takedown but Touahri stopped it. Standing up against the cage, Gall hopped on Touahri’s back. Gall landed knees, though there was a close call where the referee warned Gall not to knee the head (Touahri was grounded). Touahri shot for a takedown but it was Gall who got the best of it, taking his back. Gall threw some punches but couldn’t get anything done before the round ended. Touahri connected well with a hook in the second round. Gall tried for a single leg takedown but landed on his back. Touahri stood up and threw some punches. Gall stood up and threw some elbows in a clinch. In the final round, both fighters teed off with stand-up. As the round progressed, Gall started to out-trade Touahri. Gall tried to take the fight to the ground a few times. He scored a takedown in the final few seconds of the fight. The fight went the distance. All three judges saw it the same, giving the win to Mickey Gall (29-28, 29-28 & 29-28).

My Scorecard:

Fighter Round 1 Round 2 Round 3 Total
Touahri 9 10 9 28
Gall 10 9 10 29

Bout 7: Kennedy Nzechukwu (6-1) vs. Darko Stosic (13-2) (Light Heavyweight)

In the heaviest fight of the evening, Kennedy Nzechukwu fought Darko Stosic in a light heavyweight contest. Stosic shot for a takedown in the first 90 seconds of the bout, but couldn’t get it. Stosic came forward with a flurry of punches in the final moments of round 1. It felt like that was the only notable part of the round. There was a clean kick to Nzechukwu’s groin at the start of the second round. Halfway through the second round, Stosic went after a double leg takedown which didn’t work. Nzechukwu was kicked in the groin yet again. This time, Stosic had a point taken away. Yet again in the third round, Stosic kicked Nzechukwu in the groin. A doctor was called in while the referee talked to the commission about either taking another point or disqualifying Stosic. Nzechukwu was willing to continue. Stosic was given another point deduction. When they resumed, Nzechukwu was advancing and landing good punches. Stosic landed three takedowns in the round. Another one was attempted but Nzechukwu was able to block it. The crowd voiced their displeasure as the fight ended. Going to the scorecards, Kennedy Nzechukwu won via unanimous decision (29-26. 28-27 & 28-27). Stosics performance minus the penalties likely would have gotten him a win.

My Scorecard:

Fighter Round 1 Round 2 Round 3 Total
Nzechukwu 9 9 9 27
Stosic 10 9 9 28

Bout 8: Dong Hyun Ma (16-9-3) vs. Scott Holtzman (12-3) (Lightweight)

Kicking off the main card of the show was Scott Holtzman versus Dong Hyun Ma. Ma missed weight by two pounds for this bout. Holtzman knocked down Ma in the first round with a punch. Ma got a bruise below his left eye. He stayed in top position until the last few seconds of the round. Both fighters traded shots before Ma scored a takedown. They stood up in a clinch against the cage. When they took turns with punches again, Holtzman was dropped by a shot. Holtzman got a takedown in the final minute of the second round. Ma’s left eye was swollen fully shut at this point. Doctors came in to check on him and decided to call off the bout. While disappointing, the stoppage was completely justified.

My Scorecard:

Fighter Round 1 Round 2 Round 3 Total
Ma 9 9
Holtzman 10 10

Bout 9: Gerald Meerschaert (28-11) vs. Trevin Giles (11-1) (Middleweight)

The next bout was Gerald Meerschaert versus Trevin Giles. In the first minute, Giles got a takedown. Meerschaert flipped over into top position after trying for an arm triangle. Giles took top position again after a minute or so. Meerschaert tried for a takedown in the second round. They went to the ground, but Giles was the one on top. Meerschaert took top position but didn’t do much. Both fighters traded leg kicks in the third round. After an unsuccessful takedown attempt, Meerschart landed a trip takedown. Meerschaert put in a guillotine which made Giles tap out, but referee Herb Dean did not see it. The fight ended when Giles was out cold.

My Scorecard:

Fighter Round 1 Round 2 Round 3 Total
Meerschaaert 9 10
Giles 10 9

Bout 10: Nasrat Haqparast (10-2) vs. Joaquim Silva (11-2) (Lightweight)

After a battle where the fighters had quite different records, a bout in Nasrat Haqparast and Joaquim Silva, who have nearly identical records, was next. While the first round was mostly a feeling out process, Haqparast started to heat up near the end with punches. In the second round, Haqparast landed a left hook which dropped Silva. Only a few strikes later, the referee ended the bout. Haqparast had a methodical start and a powerful finish.

My Scorecard:

Fighter Round 1 Round 2 Round 3 Total
Haqparast 10
Silva 9

Bout 11: Clay Guida (35-18) vs. Jim Miller (30-13) (Lightweight)

In the co-main event of the fight night, Clay Guida fought New Jersey’s Jim Miller. In an uneventful first few moments, Guida and Miller both landed good punches. Miller put Guida in a guillotine after he rocked him with a punch. Referee Herb Dean eventually stopped the bout after he realized the hold put out Guida.

My Scorecard:

Fighter Round 1 Round 2 Round 3 Total
Guida
Miller

Bout 12: Colby Covington (14-1) (#2) vs. Robbie Lawler (28-13) (#11) (Welterweight)

The main event in New Jersey was Colby Covington versus Robbie Lawler. This fight was the only one which included ranked fighters, it was also five rounds. When given the opportunity to touch gloves, the two fighters, of course, did not. The fight was fast right from the start. Covington came in and tried for takedowns and punches. Covington scored a takedown after pursuing it for a minute. When they stood back up against the cage, Lawler landed an elbow to the head and tried for a kimura. Covington took Lawler back to the ground and got on his back. He tried for a rear naked choke for a minute or so, but Lawler escaped and got up with a minute left in the first. Covington got a trip takedown and went back to the rear naked choke position. Covington stood up and threw some punches before the round ended. Covington got another takedown after a combo of hooks in the second round. They went back to stand-up, but not for long as another takedown came in Covington’s favour. They spent the final two minutes of the round in stand-up, where Covington continued to out-class him. In the third round, Covington kept his pace in the third round, making it another decisive one for him. Lawler was still in the fight come the fourth, but was much more fatigued than Covington. The fight went the five round distance, with all three judges giving the fight to Colby Covington (50-44, 50-45 & 50-45). After the fight he called out Kamura Usman, who was present at the venue.

My Scorecard:

Fighter Round 1 Round 2 Round 3 Round 4 Round 5 Total
Covington 10 10 10 10 10 50
Lawler 9 9 9 9 9 45

On a finish-heavy show, scorecards were only needed four times. The UFC is currently on a nine week stretch of one show a week, with next week being the 8th event. Next week, UFC will head to the Antel Arena in Montevideo, Uruguay for a Fight Night, headlined by Valentino Shevchenko and Liz Carmouche. In a rematch fight, Shevchenko will attempt to defend her belt. The week after that, UFC 241 will take place, with Daniel Cormier facing Stipe Miocic in a heavyweight championship rematch.

UFC on ESPN 5: Covington vs. Lawler Preview

UFC will ditch their usual start time on Saturday when UFC Newark takes place. With prelims starting at Noon Eastern Time and the main card three hours after, the sun will not go down before all winning arms are raised in the Prudential Center in Newark, New Jersey, USA. Along with 11 other fighters, ranked Welterweights Colby Covington and Robbie Lawler will face off in the main event of the card which will air on ESPN. Let’s look at the card from start to finish.

Bout 1: Hannah Goldy (5-0) vs. Miranda Granger (6-0) (Flyweight)

The night will kick off with a bout with high stakes involved. Both in their UFC debut, Hannah Goldy and Miranda Granger will put up their undefeated streaks. Goldy fought three times before being scouted on the ongoing season of the Tuesday Night Contender Series, earning her contract. Granger didn’t come through UFC’s star-finding show but recently fought in CFFC, a promotion which broadcasts on UFC Fight Pass. In her professional career, Granger has never gone into the final round, with numerous submission victories.

Bout 2: Claudio Silva (13-1) vs. Cole Williams (11-1) (Welterweight)

Heading into his fifth UFC fight, Claudio Silva has seen success so far, racking up four straight wins. As a matter of fact, if it wasn’t for his slip up in his pro debut, Silva would still be an undefeated fighter. But, most people eventually lose the big O on their record. He will be stacked up against Cole Williams, who similarily, has only taken one pro loss early in his campaign. Williams established himself in Iowa, fighting frequently in the Pinnacle Combat promotion. It was reported a few weeks back that Williams would replace Ramazan Emeev on this card after visa issues stopped the original pairing. On Friday, Williams failed to make weight, weighing 176 pounds over the 170 limit.

Bout 3: Mara Romero Borella (12-5) vs. Lauren Murphy (10-4) (Flyweight)

In the second flyweight matchup of the afternoon, Mara Romero Borella and Lauren Murphy will battle each other. Borella holds a 2-1 record within the UFC, while Murphy has had a less lucky 2-4 record (with an exhibition loss against Nicco Montano on The Ultimate Fighter). Murphy was pulled out of a fight against Ashlee Evans-Smith earlier in 2018 after she suffered an injury. Nearly six months later, Murphy will see her first matchup in 14 months.

Bout 4: Matt Schnell (13-4) vs. Jordan Espinosa (14-5) (Flyweight)

In another flyweight bout, two fighters on a hot-streak will collide. Matt Schnell, who is on a three-fight winning streak in the UFC, will face Jordan Espinosa, who has won five times in a row including one UFC victory. Schnell turned around his unsuccessful UFC career, not winning The Ultimate Fighter Season 24, and taking two pro losses. Since then, he has gotten three wins over Marco Antonio Beltran, Naoki Inoue and Louis Smolka. Espinosa is on a longer win streak, however, most of them have come outside of the UFC. Winning twice in 2017 and in 2018, Espinosa came in hot in his UFC debut, getting a decision victory over Eric Shelton. Someone’s momentum may come to a halt on Saturday.

Bout 5: Antonina Shevchenko (7-1) vs. Lucie Pudilova (8-4) (Flyweight)

In the Shevchenko family, it’s “Bullet” Valentina Shevchenko who is more well known. While this is the case, nowadays chances are that people might be talking about Antonina Shevchenko as well. Debuting in the UFC in late 2018, Shevchenko has defeated Ji Yeon Kim and lost to Roxanne Modafferi, handing “The Panther” her first pro loss. She will face Lucie Pudilova on Saturday, who is on a two-fight losing streak, albeit against formidable opponents in Irene Aldana (bantamweight bout) and Liz Carmouche. Pudilova has had a longer stint within the UFC, debuting in 2017 and having an overall 2-3 record.

Bout 6: Mickey Gall (5-2) vs. Salim Touahri (10-3) (Welterweight)

While young in his career, Mickey Gall is a name that most MMA fans will remember. His decisive win over former WWE wrestler CM Punk back in 2016 put many eyes on the then 24-year-old MMA fighter with a 2-0 record prior to the competition. He has since fought four more times, overall having a 4-2 record within the promotion. His recent loss came against UFC veteran Diego Sanchez, who got his first stoppage win in over a decade. In his next fight, Gall will be replacing Zelim Imadaev due to injury. Like some of his recent fights, Gall will be facing a more experienced fighter in Salim Touahri on Saturday. Touahri will attempt to snap his two-fight losing streak, which has been in place since his UFC debut.

Bout 7: Darko Stosic (13-2) vs. Kennedy Nzechukwu (6-1) (Light Heavyweight)

Starting off the main card, the show will have it’s heaviest bout on the card. Darko Stosic and Kennedy Nzechukwu will compete in a Light Heavyweight bout, as the broadcast flips to ESPN at 3 PM Eastern Time. Stosic and Nzechukwu haven’t started their UFC career in the way they necessarily wanted, with Stosic having a 1-1 record and Nzechukwu holding a 0-1 record. Although, one will likely see success on Saturday, turning the tide for their career.

Bout 8: Scott Holtzman (12-3) vs. Dong Hyun Ma (16-9-3) (Lightweight)

In the first of three lightweight bouts of the afternoon, two experienced UFC fighters in Scott Holtzman and “Maestro” Dong Hyun Ma will compete. Holtzman has fought eight times before in the UFC, currently with a 5-3 record in the promotion. Hyun Ma has fought six times, with an even record of 3-3. They have both lost recently, breaking their three-fight win streaks before. If Hyun Ma were to win on Saturday, it would be a real indictment for the UFC to not book him on the UFC Fight Night in Busan, South Korea set for December 21, 2019. Dong Hyun Ma weighed in at 158, going three pounds above the lightweight limit.

Bout 9: Gerald Meerschaert (29-11) vs. Trevin Giles (11-1) (Middleweight)

Gerald Meerschaert and Trevin Giles will compete in the next bout. The experience differential is large, with Giles having the same number of wins as Meerschaert has losses. Giles took his first pro loss in May, losing to Zak Cummings in his third UFC bout. Meerschaert is on a two-fight losing streak, making his current record in the UFC 4-3.

Bout 10: Joaquim Silva (11-1) vs. Nasrat Haqparast (10-2) (Lightweight)

Joaquim Silva and Nasrat Haqparast have the same amount of MMA bouts each, but a win for Haqparast on Saturday will make their wins and losses equal. Heading into his fourth UFC bout, Haqparast is 2-1 in the UFC, coming back after an eight-month layoff, defeating Thibault Gouti in a 2018 bout. Joaquim Silva is also coming back after a similar time of absence, beating Jared Gordon in December. Silva currently has a 4-1 record in the UFC.

Bout 11: Clay Guida (35-18) vs. Jim Miller (30-13) (Lightweight)

In the co-main event will be a battle between two very experienced UFC fighters. Clay Guida and Jim Miller have fought in the UFC since 2006 and 2008 respectively, making them some of the longest standing active UFC fighters. Both fighters have won already in 2019. Miller had a quick first-round rear naked choke win over Jason Gonzalez in April. Guida fought fellow veteran BJ Penn for three rounds in May, taking all three scorecards to get his victory.

Bout 12: Colby Covington (14-1) vs. Robbie Lawler (28-13) (Welterweight)

Back in June of 2018, Colby Covington seemingly sealed his fate as the next in line for a UFC Welterweight title shot, defeating Rafael dos Anjos and becoming the interim champion. That was the plan at least, until a nasal injury sidelined him from a bout, and also took away his expected title shot. He now finds himself scheduled to face fellow ranked fighter Robbie Lawler in a main event, but no belts are involved.

Robbie Lawler attempted to spoil Ben Askren’s UFC debut in March, but lost in a controversial stoppage due to a bulldog choke. Before then, he lost to Rafael dos Anjos in a decision. Before he beat Donald Cerrone in 2017, his last win, he lost in just over two minutes to Tyron Woodley, former Welterweight Champion. Whilst a much more experienced UFC fighter than Covington, he’s lost to people Covington has beat, and more importantly, has been losing much more lately.

Colby Covington’s personality, specifically online, has made him a polarizing figure. Through his Instagram videos and sponsored content, he often flaunts his lifestyle and mocks his viewers with terms like “snowflakes” and “nerds.” Despite his stripping of the interim belt, Covington has continued to carry a championship in his photos and videos.

Covington has also never been afraid to share his political values, being a vocal endorser of current President of The United States Donald Trump. He often wears Trump’s “Make America Great Again” hats in posts and visited the White House shortly after his Interim Championship victory. It was announced earlier in the week that two sons of the President, Eric Trump and Donald Trump Jr. would be present for the main event on Saturday.

All antics will be put aside on Saturday when Colby Covington and Robbie Lawler face off in the main event. Covington currently sits in #2 in the Welterweight rankings, with Lawler at #11. A win for Covington could mean a now long-awaited title shot, with Lawler also being put in the conversation if he comes out victorious. 

UFC on ESPN+ 8: Jacare vs. Hermansson Full Report

Last Saturday, Jacare Souza faced Jack Hermansson in a Middleweight clash in Fort Lauderdale, Florida. Along with that matchup was 12 other bouts. Here’s a recap of what went down that evening at the BB&T Center last week.

Preliminary Card

Bout 1: Court McGee (19-7) vs. Dhiego Lima (13-7) (Welterweight)

Kicking off the evening was Court McGee versus Dhiego Lima. In the first round, Lima was circling the outside, trading blows with McGee. McGee would be the one advancing but would get hit when he would come too close. A takedown attempt was blocked by Lima with under two minutes left. Another takedown attempt by McGee was reversed by Lima. McGee did a judo throw, but Lima got back up, putting them both back against the cage. Lima continued out-striking in the second round, landing a good overhand right at one point. Lima was dominant for most of the final round as well. There was a moment with less than ten seconds left, where Lima actually got dropped by a shot but might have been saved by the bell. The judges gave Lima a split decision victory (30-27 Lima, 29-28 McGee & 29-28 Lima).

My Scorecard:

FightersRound 1Round 2Round 3Total
Lima10101030
McGee99927

Bout 2: Angela Hill (8-6) vs. Jodie Esquibel (6-4) (Strawweight)

Angela Hill took a short notice fight against Jodie Esquibel in the second bout. Hill had a big height and reach advantage over Esquibel. The first round had Hill showcasing her striking throughout. Hill had a good trip after catching Esquibel’s leg after a kick. Hills successful kickboxing continued in the second round. She finished strong at the end of the round. Early in the final round, Esquibel dropped Hill with a right. The fight had some exciting closing minutes, including a knee to the head that landed perfectly by Hill. The judges gave Hill a  Unanimous decision victory (29-28, 30-27 & 30-27).

My Scorecard:

FightersRound 1Round 2Round 3Total
Esquibel99927
Hill10101030

Bout 3: Jim Miller (29-13) vs. Jason Gonzalez (11-4) (Lightweight)

Jim Miller had his children at octagon-side for this bout. Miller landed a good left jab early on. Miller landed a takedown after a minute of competition. Miller put in a rear naked choke shortly after, which made Gonzalez tap out.

My Scorecard:

FighterRound 1Round 2Round 3Total
Gonzalez
Miller

Bout 4: Gilbert Burns (14-3) vs. Mike Davis (7-1) (Lightweight)

The preliminary section of the show started with Gilbert Burns and Mike Davis in a Lightweight matchup. Burns was utilizing his strong kicks in the first round. Davis did a good job blocking a takedown attempt. Upon the second attempt, Burns landed a takedown. Davis landed a good strike after getting back up that made Burns back up. Burns landed a second takedown in the final minute. Very early in the second round, Burns landed yet another takedown. He did lots of strikes and elbows while in top mount. Among some of the many strikes that Burns landed on the ground was palm strikes. With under a minute left in the second round, Burns locked in a rear naked choke that ended the contest. He was trying for the move for a while and was able to do so for good after some grinding.

My Scorecard:

FighterRound 1Round 2Round 3Total
Davis9
Burns10

Bout 5: Carla Esparza (13-6) vs. Vima Jandiroba (14-0) (Strawweight)

In the next bout, Carla Esparza faced UFC newcomer Vina Jandiroba. Esparza landed a takedown very early in the first round. They stood up a minute and some change later, but Esparza landed another successful takedown shortly after. They had a good battle during this exchange. Jandiroba landed a takedown in round two. Esparza did a good job at escaping the bottom position and moving back to stand-up. Esparza landed a takedown but found herself in a guillotine. Jandiroba let the move go eventually. Esparza got another takedown at the start of the third round. In the second half of the final round, Esparza connected with a kick to the head after a failed takedown attempt. The fight went all 15 minutes. This contest was a great grappling battle where both fighters had their moments. The judges gave Carla Esparza the Unanimous victory (30-27, 39-28 & 29-28).

My Scorecard:

FighterRound 1Round 2Round 3Total
Esparza1091029
Jandiroba910928

Bout 6: Andrei Arlovski (#15) (27-18) vs. Augusto Sakai (12-1-1) (Heavyweight)

In a Heavyweight clash, Andrei Arlovski fought Augusto Sakai. Arlovski got a decent reaction from the crowd when he was introduced by Bruce Buffer. The first round had both guys fight very conservatively in stand-up only. The second round was very much the same. There was a pause in the final minute of the second round as Sakai took a groin kick. The fight went the full distance and never made it’s way to the ground. The judges gave Sakai the win via Split Decision (29-28 Sakai, 29-28 Arlovski & 29-28 Sakai).

My Scorecard:

FighterRound 1Round 2Round 3Total
Arlovski9101029
Sakai109928

Bout 7: Ben Saunders (22-11-2) vs. Takashi Sato (14-2) (Welterweight)

Ben Saunders challenged former Pancrase fighter Takashi Sato in the next bout. Sato found himself backtracking after he was hit with a right hook in the first. It was clear that both fighters were interested in keeping this fight in stand-up. After a minute of the second round, Sato dropped Saunders with a left jab. He landed elbows on the ground that made the referee stop the bout. Saunders looked ugly with a cut on his head afterwards.

My Scorecard:

FighterRound 1Round 2Round 3Total
Saunders10
Sato9

Main Card

Bout 8: Roosevelt Roberts (7-0) vs. Thomas Gifford (17-7) (Lightweight)

The main card kicked off with Roosevelt Roberts facing Thomas Gifford. After a few minutes of stand-up, Roberts scored a takedown. Gifford tried a guillotine from the bottom position. When in top position, Roberts landed a few elbows. Roberts put together a good combo of punches at the start of round two. While Gifford was up against the cage he put in a guillotine but Roberts escaped. The two fighters found themselves in an interesting north-south position whilst being up against the cage. Roberts landed a good combo in the third and then went into a clinch, which ended benefitting Gifford as he got a takedown from it. Gifford was in a top position for a while, but they did eventually get back to stand-up. Roberts got a takedown and stayed in a top position for the rest of the final round. All judges gave Roosevelt Roberts the win (30-27, 30-27 & 30-27).

My Scorecard:

FighterRound 1Round 2Round 3Total
Roberts10101030
Gifford99927

Bout 9: John Lineker (#8) (31-8) vs. Cory Sandhagen (10-1) (Bantamweight)

#8 ranked Bantamweight John Lineker fought Cory Sandhagen in the next bout. Sandhagen had a clear size advantage over Lineker. Lineker was landing very powerful punches in the first round. Both guys were doing some good trading, staying completely stand-up in the first round. Sandhagen landed a takedown halfway through the second but couldn’t get any work done on the ground. The second round included more close stand-up. It felt like in the final round these guys heated up even more than before. After Lineker hit Sandhagen with a great combo, Sandhagen went for a desperation takedown. Lineker put in a guillotine and held onto it until the round ended. This was a great performance from both fighters, with Sandhagen getting the split decision win (29-28 Sandhagen, 29-28 Lineker & 29-28 Sandhagen). The crowd booed after hearing this.

My Scorecard:

FighterRound 1Round 2Round 3Total
Lineker1091029
Sandhagen910928

Bout 10: Glover Teixeira (28-7) vs. Ion Cutelaba (14-3) (Light Heavyweight)

The next main card contest was Glover Teixeira versus Ion Cutelaba. Cutelaba got in Teixeira’s face during the introductions. Cutelaba landed a good head kick early on. Even though Cutelaba did most of the work in the first round, he was given a cut beside his right eye. Cutelaba did a spinning back fist which dropped Teixeira. While he was hit with more strikes, Teixeira recovered and then tried for a standing guillotine. There were a couple of times in the fight where Cutelaba almost connected with an illegal kick. Teixeira’s strikes started to heat up more in the second round. He failed to land takedowns during the round but got Cutelaba down by shoving him. Teixeira put in a rear naked choke on the ground after a great sequence on the ground.

My Scorecard:

FighterRound 1Round 2Round 3Total
Teixeira9
Cutelaba10

Bout 11: Mike Perry (12-4) vs. Alex Oliveira (20-6-1) (Welterweight)

The next bout was Mike Perry versus Alex Oliveira. Both fighters showed off their dance moves during the walkouts. At the start of the first round, Oliveira was trying many types of kicks. He tried his spinning back kick many times. Oliveira landed some heavy fists and then went into a clinch against the cage. Perry landed a good combo in the final seconds of the first round which had Oliveira shelling up. Oliveira found himself on the ground after a minute of the second round, whether that was due to a strike or a shove isn’t clear. Perry slammed Oliveira, but he got up right after. Perry landed some good strikes on the ground as the second round had a minute left. Oliveira dislocated a toe at the end of the second round but got it “popped back in” in-between rounds, per Joe Anik. After a slow first half of the final round, Perry started to tg Oliveira with strikes. Perry started to pepper on right hooks as Oliveira was shelled up against the cage. The fight went the distance, with the judges giving Mike Perry the unanimous decision victory (29-28, 29-28 & 29-28).

My Scorecard:

FighterRound 1Round 2Round 3Total
Perry910
Oliveira109

Bout 12: Greg Hardy (3-1) vs. Dmitry Smoliakov (9-2) (Heavyweight)

In the co-main event slot, Greg Hardy faced Dmitry Smoliakov, someone who’s been sent into the promotion to obviously take the fall. Hardy dropped Smoliakov with over three minutes left in the first. He landed a few more strikes before the referee stepped in to end the fight.

My Scorecard:

FighterRound 1Round 2Round 3Total
Hardy
Smoliakov

Bout 13: Ronaldo “Jacare” Souza (#4) (26-6) vs. Jack Hermansson (#10) (19-4) (Middleweight)

The main event of the card was Jacare Souza versus Jack Hermansson. Hermansson took the fight on short notice. The first couple of minutes in this fight was a feeling out process. Hermansson landed a combo of strikes that dropped Jacare, and then he tried for a guillotine on the ground. Jacare did a good job at escaping the submission move and then got back to his feet. After a minute if striking in the second round, Hermansson scored a takedown. From top position, Hermansson landed strikes frequently. The crowd started to lose their patience with the groundwork. At the start of round three, Hermansson tried for a takedown but was unsuccessful. Souza started to land more strikes in this round. Souza blocked a couple more takedowns in this round. Souza blocked yet another takedown attempt as round four started. Hermansson strung together some good punch combos at the start of this round. Souza showed some good head movement when he wasn’t getting hit. In the final round, Hermansson was aggressive from the start, landing a takedown after some strikes. Both guys started to connect with strikes in the final minute of the fight. Hermansson landed a takedown as the fight came to a close. The judges unanimously gave Jack Hermansson a victory (49-46, 48-47 & 48-47).

My Scorecard:

FighterRound 1Round 2Round 3Round 4Round 5Total
Souza99109946
Hermansson10109101049

UFC on ESPN+ 8: Jacare vs. Hermansson Preview

Two weeks before UFC holds it’s next PPV event in Rio de Janeiro Brazil, they are set to hold a smaller event in Sunrise, Florida. Live from the BB&T Center, the 13 fight card is main evented by Jacare Souza and Jack Hermansson. The main event underwent numerous changes, and now finds itself in a situation of a younger fighter facing a gatekeeper of the Middleweight division. But before we get more into that, let’s break down the preliminary card.

Preliminary Card

Bout 1: Court McGee (19-7) vs. Dhiego Lima (13-7) (Welterweight)

Kicking off the show will be Court McGee versus Dhiego Lima. Since he won season 11 of The Ultimate Fighter in 2010, McGee hasn’t had an easy run in the promotion. Although this is true, he is heading into this fight after a decision win against Alex Garcia from October. Lima was a part of a season of The Ultimate Fighter as well, but found himself on the losing end of the finale on two occasions. His last fight was his most significant one in the promotion thus far, defeating Chad Laprise in one round at UFC 231. He still has room to prove himself after his entrance, exit and the return to the UFC.

Bout 2: Angela Hill (8-6) vs. Jodie Esquibel (6-4) (Strawweight)

After he round one armbar loss in March, Angela Hill took a short notice fight against Jodie Esquibel for this card. The spot which was originally being held by Jessica Penne was vacated after she suffered an injury. Both fighters will be looking to recover from recent losses. Penne has lost to notable fighters in her last few bouts, those being Karolina Kowalkiewicz and Jessica Aguilar. Hill is also on a losing streak, but to smaller names like Randa Markos and Cortney Casey.

Bout 3: Jim Miller (29-13) vs. Jason Gonzalez (11-4) (Lightweight)

Jim Miller has been with the UFC since 2008, but a recent series of losses has booted him to a low spot on the prelims for this show. He has lost to the likes of Dustin Poirier, Anthony Pettis, Dan Hooker and Charles Oliveria in recent fight. He’ll be facing Jason Gonzalez, a fighter who has had a much shorter career within the promotion. Gonzalez has been absent from MMA since 2017, with his last loss being against Gregor Gillespie.

Bout 4: Gilbert Burns (14-3) vs. Mike Davis (7-1) (Lightweight)

Mike Davis won’t have an easy entrance into the UFC, as his first bout will be against Gilbert Burns. He competed in Dana White’s Tuesday Night Contender Series in mid-2018, but has since fought twice more in the Island Fights promotion. He’s never won a fight via decision, which might make it a quick bout against Burns, who has gotten 12 of his 14 wins via stoppage. Like many people on this card, Burns had a different opponent originally, that being Eric Wisely.

Bout 5: Carla Esparza (13-6) vs. Vima Jandiroba (14-0) (Strawweight)

Now long-time UFC Strawweight fighter Carla Esparza will be welcoming newcomer Vima Jandiroba on Saturday, having the potential to take away her undefeated streak. Jandiroba got her most recent wins from the Missouri based promotion Invicta FC, fighting twice in 2018. Esparza has recently lost to Claudia Gadelha and Tatiana Suarez, two notable fighters in the division. Her original opponent for this weekend was Livia Renata Souza, but she pulled out due to injury.

Bout 6: Andrei Arlovski (27-18) vs. Augusto Sakai (12-1-1) (Heavyweight)

All of Andrei Arlovski’s recent bouts have followed a specific trend. They were against young talent, they went to decision, and they were all losses. He’ll be fighting young talent again on Saturday when he faces Augusto Sakai, but the finish and the winner is still to be found out. Sakai has fought for Bellator in the past, and had a win on the Contender Series which gave him a contract. He looks to continue his winning streak against a veteran Heavyweight.

Bout 7: Ben Saunders (22-11-2) vs. Takashi Sato (14-2) (Welterweight)

Finishing off the prelims will be Ben Saunders and Takashi Sato fighting in the Welterweight division. Sato is making his UFC debut in this fight. He came from Pancrase, getting a 14-2 record with his last fight being the main event of Pancrase 300. Saunders will be attempting to bounce back from a slump he’s been in, losing four of his last five bouts.

Main Card

Bout 8: Roosevelt Roberts (7-0) vs. Thomas Gifford (17-7) (Lightweight)

Starting off the main card portion of the show will be Roosevelt Roberts versus Thomas Gifford. Roberts will be putting his undefeated 7-0 record on the line in his second appearance after being scouted from Dana White’s Tuesday Night Contender Series. Thomas Gifford will be making his UFC debut. His last six fights include five wins and one no-contest bout.

Bout 9: John Lineker (31-8) vs. Cory Sandhagen (10-1) (Bantamweight)

Cory Sandhagen’s 16-month career in the UFC has been nothing short of successful, racking up three stoppage wins since his debut. He has never entered the third round whilst on the big stage. What could be his hardest fight is when he faces veteran John Lineker. Out of Lineker’s 15 UFC fights he’s only lost three. Lineker will try to prevent a fourth loss on Saturday.

Bout 10: Glover Teixeira (28-7) vs. Ion Cutelaba (14-3) (Light Heavyweight)

Since 2014, Glover Teixeira has been losing nearly just as much as he’s been winning. After his win against Karl Roberson in January, Teixeira hopes to break his multi-year pattern when he faces Ion Cutelaba. This was a matchup that was originally planned for January, but due to Cutebala being injured was thrown out. Cutebala, A.K.A “The Hulk” has won both of his last two fights via first-round stoppage.

Bout 11: Mike Perry (12-4) vs. Alex Oliveira (20-6-1) (Welterweight)

Both coming off a loss, Mike Perry and Alex Oliveira will have a main card clash in the Welterweight divison. With four career losses, Perry had received three of those losses in his last four fights. Oliveira, who was originally supposed to face Jingliang Li, is coming off a late 2018 loss to Gunnar Nelson, having a 2-2 record in his last four fights. Win or loss, Oliveria hasn’t seen a decision finish since 2016. Perry was originally scheduled to face

Bout 12: Greg Hardy (3-1) vs. Dmitrii Smolyakov (9-2) (Heavyweight)

Greg Hardy has been a fighter that the UFC has backed from the start. A former NFL player, Hardy made his pro debut on Dana White’s Tuesday Night Contender Series. After two first round wins and one regional fight, Hardy made his official UFC debut in January versus Allen Crowder. His dominant performance was lost due to an illegal knee strike in the second round. This didn’t do any favours for his already controversial past, being involved in a domestic violence case in 2014, with charges being dropped when the victim didn’t attend an appealing of the court ruling. He will face Dmitrii Smolyakov, who will be making his UFC debut.

Bout 13: Ronaldo “Jacare” Souza (26-6) vs. Jack Hermansson (19-4) (Middleweight)

In the main event, Jack Hermansson will get the biggest challenge of his career so far when he faces Middleweight gatekeeper Ronaldo “Jacare” Souza. He’s currently on a three-fight winning streak, with his last wins all coming via stoppage. His last win came just under a month ago when he choked out David Branch in under a minute. While Souza is coming off a win against Chris Weidman in November, he’s been 50/50 in his last four fights. Besides experience, another distinct difference between these two is a nine-year age gap.

The 39-year-old fighter Souza would have actually been the younger fighter if his original opponent, 41-year-old Yoel Romero didn’t pull out due to illness. The initial matchup would have been a rematch between the two Strikeforce alumni, with Romero getting the nod via decision in their first meeting. The main event underwent numerous changes, with the originally planned matchup between Romero and Paulo Costa falling through. Romero then fell ill when Souza stepped up, allowing Hermansson to step up.