Dana White’s Contender Series Season 3 Episode 8 Full Report

On Tuesday, another episode of the Contender Series aired, with MMA fighters getting the opportunity for a UFC contract. On this week’s five fight card, the main event saw two undefeated light heavyweights in Herdem Alacabek and William Knight face off. Whether either of them or others earned contracts was determined by their performances. Let’s look at the first fight of the evening.

Bout 1: Karl Reed (6-1) vs. Julius Anglickas (6-1) (Light Heavyweight)

The first fight of the evening was also a light heavyweight bout. Former LFA Champion Julius Anglickas fought Karl Reed, who had an identical record of 6-1. Reed tried for a single leg takedown in the first minute of the fight. He couldn’t get it, with Anglickas staying standing up against the cage. They took turns having their backs up against the cage. Anglickas got the first takedown of the fight, getting on Reed’s back. Reed got back up, then they went back to stand-up with under two minutes left in the round. Reed his first takedown with over a minute left. Back to stand-up with a few seconds left in the round, Anglickas strung together a few good punches. Anglickas had a decent first minute of the second round, throwing kicks and punches. He landed another takedown after a few moments of looking for one. Just like last time, Reed got right back up. While up against the cage, there was a timeout called by the referee as Reed was hit in the groin. Anglickas landed another takedown when they resumed, but Reed got up immediately after. They were clinched up against the cage for long enough that referee Jason Herzog brought them back to stand-up. Reed got a takedown with a minute left in the second round. When they stood back up and separated, Anglickas had some good strikes again. In the final round, Anglickas had a great combination of knees and punches, then went into a body lock up against the cage. Anglickas got another takedown. On the back of Reed, Anglickas put in a rear naked choke which made his opponent tap out.

My Scorecard:

Fighter	Round 1	Round 2	Round 3	Total
Reed	10	9
Anglickas	9	10

Bout 2: Tony Gravely (18-5) vs. Ray Rodriguez (15-5) (Bantamweight)

In the second fight, we went to a lighter weight division in the bantamweight division for Tony Gravely versus Ray Rodriguez. Both fighters had quite experienced records. Gravely was coming forward with strong punches early on. He got a takedown in the second minute after Rodriguez landed a combo. After landing punches in top position, Gravely tried for a guillotine choke. He couldn’t secure it, as Rodriguez got up shortly after. Gravely got another takedown as the first round was closing out. Gravely had a good start to the second round, although Rodriguez landed a takedown and took his back in the second minute of the round. Gravely scored a slam takedown and then assumed the dominant position on the ground. Gravely tried for a rear naked choke with a minute left in the round. Rodriguez slipped out of the hold before the round ended. At the start of the final round, Rodriguez tried to come forward with a running strike but didn’t really connect. He slipped and had to fight out of a guillotine attempt. Rodriguez got on the back of Gravely. On the ground, Gravely took the back of Rodriguez and started to throw tons of punches. After numerous unanswered strikes, the referee stepped in and ended the bout.

My Scorecard:

Fighter	Round 1	Round 2	Round 3	Total
Gravely	10	10
Rodriguez	9	9

Bout 3: Shanna Young (6-1) vs. Sarah Alpar (8-4) (Bantamweight)

The third fight was another bantamweight clash, with Shanna Young and Sarah Alper competing. Alpar was coming forward with strong punches at the start, landing a single leg takedown shortly after. Alpar landed another takedown and took Young’s back. She put in a rear naked choke which made Young tap out. Sarah Alpar got the third stoppage victory of the evening.

My Scorecard:

Fighter	Round 1	Round 2	Round 3	Total
Young	9
Alpar	10

Bout 4: Brok Weaver (13-4) vs. Devin Smyth (9-1) (Welterweight)

On the co-main event of the show, Brok Weaver and Devin Smyth fought in a welterweight bout. Weaver came from the Island Fights promotion, with Smyth having a 10 fight record in numerous promotions. Right at the start of the first round, Smyth threw a kick and got a takedown. They stood up against the cage, with Smyth getting a slam takedown the second time. Smyth tried for many for takedowns throughout the round, but wasn’t as successful. At the very start of the second round the referee called a timeout as Smyth was hit with a low kick. Smyth shot for another takedown but it was defended by Weaver. Weaver got much more offense in through the second round. Smyth got a takedown in the final minute of the second round. Smyth’s corner was in his face screaming as the round ended. Weaver was landing even more punches in the final round, with Smyth stopping the flurries with clinches. The round ended after a dominant round by Weaver. The judges all picked Brock Weaver as the winner of the fight (30-27, 29-28 & 29-28).

My Scorecard:

Fighter	Round 1	Round 2	Round 3	Total
Weaver	9	10	10	29
Smyth	10	9	9	28

Bout 5: Herdem Alacabek (5-0) vs. William Knight (4-0) (Light Heavyweight)

In the main event, undefeated light heavyweights Herdem Alacabek and William Knight fought for a potential UFC contract. In the opening minutes, both fighters were going wild with strikes. Alacabek landed a takedown halfway through the first round. He tried for a rear naked choke but couldn’t keep it in. Knight took top position in the final minute, where Alacabek tried for an armbar but didn’t get it. A lot of clinch strikes were thrown in the second round. Alacabek got a slam takedown halfway through the second round. Knight scored a takedown in the final minute of the round. He postured up and started to tee off on Knight. Knight landed a knee in the first minute of the final round which rocked Alacabek. Later on, Knight took Alacabek to the ground and went back to ground and pound. Knight landed an elbow that cut open Alacabek. The referee stepped in and ended the fight with under 30 seconds left in the contest.

My Scorecard:

Fighter	Round 1	Round 2	Round 3	Total
Alacabek	10	9
Knight	9	10

At the end of the episode, Dana White offered contracts to Tony Gravely, Sarah Alpar, Brock Weaver and William Knight. White said he wants Alpar to drop a weight class and he wants to develop Knight.

UFC on ESPN+ 14: Shevchenko vs. Carmouche 2 Full Report

In a rare fight night that includes a championship fight, UFC went to Montevideo, Uruguay for a ESPN+ card. In the main event, Liz Carmouche challenged Valentina Shevchenko, in an attempt to take Shevchenko’s flyweight championship.

Bout 1: Polyana Viana (10-3) vs. Veronica Macedo (5-3-1) (Flyweight)

Before the flyweight championship fight, the night started with a normal three round flyweight bout. Polyana Viana and Veronica Macedo kicked off the card. Right off the bat, Viana landed a trip takedown and took top position on the ground. Macedo was able to get an armbar after a minute, getting a win in quick fashion.

My Scorecard:

Fighter	Round 1	Round 2	Round 3	Total
Viana
Macedo

Bout 2: Alex da Silva (20-2) vs. Kazula Vargas (10-2) (Lightweight)

Moving to the flyweight division, Alex da Silva fought Kazula Vargas. Early on, Vargas came out aggressively. Silva took him down to stop his momentum. Silva got on his back and was starting to fight for a rear naked choke. Silva was in the better position until the final 30 seconds where Vargas flipped over and stood up, landing strikes from above. Silva got in the top position once again early in the second. He didn’t do much on the ground, but stayed in the dominant position. The final round had two minutes of stand-up before the fight went to the ground yet again. Just like the rounds before, not much happened on the ground. The fight went the distance with the judges giving the fight to Alex da Silva unanimously (30-27, 30-27 & 30-27).

My Scorecard:

Fighter	Round 1	Round 2	Round 3	Total
Da Silva	10	10	10	30
Vargas	9	9	9	27

Bout 3: Chris Gutierrez (13-3-1) vs. Geraldo de Freitas (12-4) (Bantamweight)

Finishing off the early prelims was Chris “El Guapo” Gutierrez versus Geraldo de Freitas. Both fighters had some close striking in the first few minutes of the fight. De Freitas tried for a takedown but couldn’t really get it. In the closing seconds of the first round, de Freitas landed a trip takedown after being clinched against the cage. De Freitas got another takedown in the second round. Gutierrez was able to flip around the position and get off the ground. Gutierrez had an explosive start to the final round, stopping takedowns and throwing tons of kicks and punches. Both fighters got cut on the face. Gutierrez was targeting the legs of Freitas, who seemingly was hurting from it. On replay, we saw a cut came from both fighters clashing heads. In the second half of the closing round, de Freitas started to connect with hard punches. The fight went all three rounds, with the final one being the most fast-paced one. The judges had a split decision, with two of the three favouring Chris Gutierrez (29-28 Gutierrez, 30-27 Freitas & 29-28 Gutierrez).

My Scorecard:

Fighter	Round 1	Round 2	Round 3	Total
Gutierrez	10	9	9	28
Freitas	9	10	10	29

Bout 4: Raulian Paiva (18-2) (#14) vs. Rogerio Bontorin (15-1 1 NC) (#8) (Flyweight)

The next fight showcased two success stories from the Brazilian edition of The Dana White Contender Series. Flyweights Raulian Paiva and Rogerio Bontorin faced off as the prelims continued. Bontorin got a cut below the left eye early in the first round, causing the doctors to check on him. They went back to fighting, and despite being on the ground before, resumed in stand-up. A second later, they went back to the ground through the ref’s decision. Bontorin was blowing his nose, which sometimes can inflate the bruises on your face. When they stood back up, Bontorin was landing good punches. After Bontorin score a takedown, a dcotor came in to check a cut again, this time on Paiva’s face. It was a brutal cut, which was opened through a knee that landed during Bontorin’s flurry of strikes. The fight was ended due to the cut, with Rogerio Bontorin being the winner.

My Scorecard:

Fighter	Round 1	Round 2	Round 3	Total
Paiva
Bontorin

Bout 5: Marina Rodriguez (11-0-1) vs. Tecia Torres (10-4) (#8) (Strawweight)

In the lightest weight fight of the evening, strawweight fighters Marina Rodriguez and Tecia Torres fought. The first few minutes of the fight was some pretty close striking. Torres tried for a takedown but it didn’t work. While neither fighter was really landing well with their strikes, Rodriguez looked like she had more success. Torres caught a kick and put Rodriguez up against the cage as the round was closing out. They exited clinch, where Rodriguez landed a few good punches. Back in clinch, she got good knees in. The second round was purely close stand-up. Rodriguez continued to have the edge in the fight through the third round. The judges all gave the win to Marina Rodriguez (30-27, 30-27 & 30-26). Rodriguez continues to be undefeated.

My Scorecard:

Fighter	Round 1	Round 2	Round 3	Total
Rodriguez	10	10	10	30
Torres	9	9	9	27

Bout 6: Raphael Pessoa (9-0) vs. Ciryl Gane (3-0) (Heavyweight)

In the next fight, we had two heavyweights put their undefeated streaks on the record. Pessoa did a trip takedown but it was Gane in the top position. Gane put in an arm triangle choke which made Pessoa tap out quickly.

My Scorecard:

Fighter	Round 1	Round 2	Round 3	Total
Pessoa
Gane

Bout 7: Aleksei Kunchenko (20-0) vs. Gilbert Burns (15-3) (Welterweight)

Closing out the prelims was undefeated Aleksei Kunchenko facing Gilbert Burns. In the first round, Burns had a great start. After showcasing great striking, he took Kunchenko to the ground. Burns kept Kunchenko up against the cage for the whole round, not really doing much. Burns dove for a takedown after three minutes of stand-up in the second round. Early in the final round, Burns had Kunchenko against the cage. Burns kept trying for the takedown but couldn’t get it. Nonetheless, Kunchenko was on the defence the whole time. The fight went the distance, with Kunchenko never really having a dominant moment in the fight. The judges all decided on Gilbert Burns is the winner, breaking the 20-0 undefeated record of Aleksei Kunchenko (29-28, 29-28 & 29-28).

My Scorecard:

Fighter	Round 1	Round 2	Round 3	Total
Kunchenko	9	9	9	27
Burns	10	10	10	30

Bout 8: Bobby Moffett (14-4) vs. Enrique Barzola (16-4-1) (Featherweight)

Starting off the main card was a featherweight showdown between Bobby Moffett and Enrique Barzola. The first round had a consistently fast-pace of striking from both fighters. The first takedown of the fight came from Barzola in the final seconds of the round. Barzola tried for takedowns early in the second round but couldn’t land them. Moffett tried for one as well, but Barzola defended it. Barzola started to come forward with good combinations. There was a pause with 90 seconds left in the second round because Moffett kicked Barzola in the groin. After another fast-paced round, the striking from both fighters even sped up near the end. Barzola got another takedown as the second round ended. The final round was continued slugging from both fighters. The fight went the distance, with a split decision going in favour of Enrique Barzola (29-28 Moffett, 30-27 Barzola & 29-28 Barzola).

My Scorecard:

Fighter	Round 1	Round 2	Round 3	Total
Moffett	10	10	9	29
Barzola	9	9	10	28

Bout 9: Oskar Piechota (11-1-1) vs. Rodolfo Vieira (5-0) (Middleweight)

In the next fight, Oskar Piechota, who has more MMA experience, faced Rodolfo Vieira, who has been perfect in his career thus far. Vieira got a takedown halfway through the first round. Vieira was dominant on the ground for a long time, although Piechota was able to get up against the cage and land elbows to the head. After a minute in the second round, Vieira got another takedown. Later on in the final minute of the second round, Vieira put in a head and arm choke which made Piechota tap out. His dominant ground game was more than showcased in this bout.

My Scorecard:

Fighter	Round 1	Round 2	Round 3	Total
Piechota	9
Vieira	10

Bout 10: Ilir Latifi (15-6 1 NC) (#9) vs. Volkan Oezdemir (15-4) (#7) (Light Heavyweight)

In the next fight, we had a clash of two ranked fighters in Ilir Latifi and Volkan Oezdemir. Latifi had a great slam takedown after a minute of the first round, almost dumping Oezdemir on his head. Oezdemir was back up moments later. Apart from that, it was mostly Oezdemir doing the work in this fight, out-striking Latifi in the first round. Both fighters were trading stand-up, with a knee to the head dropping Latifi. They got back up, with Oezdemir trying to close out the fight. Oezdemir landed a left hook that took down Latifi once again, with the fight ending after a few more strikes. Oezdemir showed composure and patience, chasing a finish but not rushing it.

My Scorecard:

Fighter	Round 1	Round 2	Round 3	Total
Latifi	9
Oezdemir	10

Bout 11: Humberto Bandernay (14-6 1 NC) vs. Eduardo Garagorri (12-0) (Featherweight)

The next fight featured the only fighter from Uruguay on this card, in Eduardo Garagorri. The crowd was completely behind Garagorri. Also, he went into this fight with an undefeated record. Bandenay got a double leg takedown after a minute of uneventful stand-up. Garagorri got up quite quickly. Garagorri got a takedown off his own with a trip. Garagorri got up, but Bandenay wanted to stay on the ground. Jokingly, Garagorri offered his hand to help him up. The referee stood up Bandernay. Garagorri strung together some great punches, but Badenay landed a takedown to stop the momentum. Early in the second round, Bandenay had a stand-out combination of punches and knees. Bandenay got a takedown as the second round ended. The last round was an intense one, with both fighters swinging as it closed out. The fight went the distance with Eduardo Garagorri getting the unanimous decision victory (30-27, 30-27 & 30-27). The crowd was overwhelmingly loud for Garagorri.

My Scorecard:

Fighter	Round 1	Round 2	Round 3	Total
Bandernay	9	10	10	29
Garagorri	10	9	9	28

Bout 12: Mike Perry (13-4) vs. Vicente Luque (16-6-1) (Welterweight)

In the co-main event, we had the fan-friendly fighter “Platinum” Mike Perry face Vicente Luque. The first round of stand-up gave Perry a cut around his left eye. He had a good charge of punches near the end of the first. Perry seemed to be the more aggressive fighter in the second round. The tempo of the second round was much quicker than the first. Perry was showing the damage much more at the end of the second round. Heading into the final round, Perry’s corner told him he was up 2-0. Luque landed a good knee and then tried for a rear naked choke on the ground with 90 seconds left. Perry was bleeding profusely on the ground. After fighting for a while he finally escaped the hold. They stayed on the ground as the fight ended. Perry’s nose was all sorts of messed up by the time the fight was over. Hard to even describe it really. In a split decision, Vicente Luque walked away with the win from this fight (29-28, 29-28 & 29-28).

My Scorecard:

Fighter	Round 1	Round 2	Round 3	Total
Perry	9	10	9	28
Luque	10	9	10	29

Bout 13: Liz Carmouche (13-6) (#3) vs. Valentina Shevchenko (17-3) (C) (UFC Flyweight Championship)

In the main event of the evening, Valentina Shevchenko attempted to defend her Flyweight Championship against #3 ranked Liz Carmouche. The first round didn’t have much action from either fighter. In the third round, Shevchenko dropped Carmouche after a combination, with Carmouche standing up shortly after. With over a minute left in the third round, Shevchenko landed a trip takedown. Shevchenko took advantage of a takedown attempt by Carmouche in the fourth round, getting top position. The referee eventually stood them up as not much was happening on the ground. Shevchenko blocked another takedown before the fourth round ended. The final round had Shevchenko in top position for most of the round. The crowd had a pretty lukewarm reaction to the final horn sounding. All three judges were in agreement for the fight, with Valentina Shevchenko getting a clean sweep (50-45, 50-45 & 50-45). This became Shevchenko’s second defence of the belt.

My Scorecard:

Fighter	Round 1	Round 2	Round 3	Round 4	Round 5	Total
Carmouche	9	9	9	9	9	45
Shevchenko	10	10	10	10	10	50

UFC returns next week with a PPV featuring Daniel Cormier and Stipe Miocic in the main event. The fight will be a rematch, as Cormier won the championship from Miocic a year ago with a first round KO. Also on the card is the return of Nate Diaz. A preview of the full card will be put on the site later this week.

UFC on ESPN+ 14: Shevchenko vs. Carmouche 2 Preview

It’s not often that we get a Championship bout on a UFC Fight Night show. As a matter of fact, it has only happened once before in 2019, that being Henry Cejudo versus TJ Dillashaw for the UFC Flyweight Championship, and that was UFC’s debut on the ESPN+ platform. A championship fight on TV will happen for the second time in 2019 and the ESPN era on Saturday, when Valentina Shevchenko attempts to retain her Flyweight Championship against Liz Carmouche. It will main event a 13 fight card from Montevideo, Uruguay, with the show kicking off at 5 PM Eastern Time. Let’s look at the whole card, starting with the prelims.

Bout 1: Polyana Viana (10-3) vs. Veronica Macedo (5-3-1) (Flyweight)

Long before the Flyweight Championship will be on the line, the evening will kick off with another flyweight fight. Polyana Viana and Veronica Macedo both haven’t won in a while. Vaina hasn’t seen a win in over a year, losing her last two fights. It’s much worse for Macedo, as she hasn’t won in over three years, with a record of 0-3-1 since then. While both not long into their careers, a loss for either fighter could call an end to their UFC stint. It’s a potential do or die fight to start off the show on Saturday. Worth noting that Viana took the fight on short notice, as the original opponent for Macedo, Rachel Ostovich, pulled out due to injury.

Bout 2: Alex da Silva (20-2) vs. Rodrigo Vargas (11-2) (Lightweight)

The third fight of the evening will be between two fighters who haven’t seen success in the UFC yet. Alex da Silva came into the UFC with a 20-1 record, and took a loss to Alexander Yakolev three months ago ago in his debut. He will look to turn around his tough first impression in the UFC when he faes Rodrigo Vargas, who has yet to make an impression within the promotion. He fought a few times in the Hispanic MMA promotion Combate Americas prior to his fight on Saturday.

Bout 3: Geraldo de Freitas (12-4) vs. Chris Gutierrez (13-3-1) (Bantamweight)

In the fourth fight of the show, two similar fighters in Geraldo de Freitas and Chris Gutierrez will compete. Both have similar amounts of fights and are still getting used to being in the UFC. Six months ago, de Freitas lost his promotional debut against undefeated Felipe Colares. Gutierrez is 1-1 in the UFC, with his stint in the promotion beginning under a year ago.

Bout 4: Raulian Paiva (18-2) vs. Rogerio Bontorin (15-1) (Flyweight)

In an all Brazilian matchup, rookie UFC flyweights Raulian Paiva and Rogerio Bontorin will face off. Both coming from the Brazilian spinoff of Dana White’s Contender Series, each fighter has fought once in the UFC before this meeting. Both going to decision, Paiva won his fight while Bontorin lost his. With finishes coming frequently from both fighters in the past, they’ll try to do so for the first time in the UFC on Saturday.

Bout 5: Tecia Torres (10-4) vs. Marina Rodriguez (11-0-1) (Strawweight)

Tecia Torres has had a rough year and a half. Losing three times in a row, all via decision, Torres will look to snap her losing streak against undefeated Marina Rodriguez. The Brazilian earned her stay in the UFC via the Contender Series, and has since picked up a win and a rare draw. While experience in the promotion weighs in favour of Torres, Rodriguez has yet to be bested by an opponent.

Bout 6: Ciryl Gane (3-0) vs. Raphael Pessoa (9-0) (Heavyweight)

In the next bout of the evening, it will be a classic “two O’s, one’s got to go” situation. Undefeated heavyweights in Ciryl Gane and Raphael Pessoa will face off, putting their flawless records on the line. Gane will be making his UFC debut, with his three pro wins coming from the French-Canadian MMA promotion TKO. Pessoa has never had loyalties to a promotion, but he has definitely been dominant everywhere he’s went, whether it’s LFA, Shooto Brazil or other places.

Bout 7: Gilbert Burns (15-3) vs. Alexey Kunchenko (20-0) (Welterweight)

Alexey Kunchenko has gotten big tests in his UFC run so far, yet he has stayed undefeated. In what should be yet another test for the Russian fighter, Kunchenko will face Gilbert Burns. The original bout for Kunchenko was against Laureano Staropoli, who has a less experienced record of 9-1 compared to Burns.

Bout 8: Enrique Barzola (15-4-1) vs. Bobby Moffett (14-4) (Featherweight)

Starting off the main card will be a featherweight clash between Enrique Barzola and Bobby Moffett. Training out of American Top Team, Barzola has had an extensive career in the UFC, despite holding a similar record to Moffett, who will be entering his third UFC fight. In his seventh UFC fight back in March, Barzola suffered his loss since his 2015 entrance into the promotion. Bobby Moffett was scouted through the Contender Series, and has since had a 1-1 record in the UFC. Back in March, he lost to Kevin Aguilar via decision. On Saturday, one fighter will come back from a loss, while the other will likely continue to struggle.

Bout 9: Oskar Piechota (11-1-1) vs. Rodolfo Vieira (5-0) (Middleweight)

One of the many undefeated fighters on the card is Rodolfo Vieira, who will make his UFC debut with a record of 5-0. A few of those fights were in the Russian MMA promotion ACB. His recent win was a first round rear naked choke, which ended the undefeated 10-0 pro run of Vitaliy Nemchinov. “The Black Belt Hunter” will see a challenge in his matchup with Oskar Piechota, who has a 2-1 record in the UFC. Piechota’s wins come from both striking and submissions, which differs himself from the BJJ focused Vieira. His first career loss came to Gerald Meerschaert in his last bout.

Bout 10: Volkan Oezdemir (15-4) (#7) vs. Ilir Latifi (14-6) (#9) (Light Heavyweight)

With three fights left on the card, names that are familiar to most UFC fans start to appear. The next bout is Volkan Oezdemir versus Ilir Latifi. Oezdemir came into the UFC with three straight wins, two of those via first round, sorry, first minute punches. But since then, the Swiss fighter has found himself in a losing streak, dropping to big names in Dominick Reyes, Anthony Smith and Daniel Cormier. He will try to turn around his misfortunes on Saturday, facing Ilir Latifi, who has had a consistent amount of wins with intermittent losses. He took a decision loss on the last 2018 show for UFC, losing to Corey Anderson. A win for either individual will advance them up the light heavyweight rankings, which they have already established themselves in.

Bout 11: Humberto Bandenay (14-6) vs. Luiz Eduardo Garagorri (12-0) (Featherweight)

Luiz Eduardo Garagorri will attempt to extend his undefeated record to 13-0 on Saturday when he faces Humberto Bandenay. Being the only fighter on the card from Uruguay, Garagorri will have the crowd behind him when he makes his UFC debut. His opponent, Humberto Bandenay is on a two fight losing streak. He won in his UFC debut against Martin Bravo with a head kick, but since then he has lost twice.

Bout 12: Vicente Luque (16-6-1) vs. Mike Perry (13-4) (Welterweight)

In the co-main event of the show, Vicente Luque will face fellow welterweight Mike Perry. Despite being on a five-fight winning streak, with all of those wins coming via stoppage, Luque is an unranked welterweight. On the absolute edge of the rankings, another victory could put him into the list. “Platinum” Mike Perry hasn’t had as flawless of a record as of late (8-4 since Luque started his winning streak, 6-4 in the UFC), his personality and fighting style has made him a fan favourite. His face-off with Luque earlier in the week included his significant other who is referred to as the “Platinum Princess” in the crowd taunting Luque with comments like “He lookin’ nervous” and “He not ready” And, like many Perry incidents before, he let out a loud shriek to express intensity before he left the stage. His radiating energy as a person, and his explosive style as a fighter is what has put him so high on cards as of late, despite being 2-3 in his last five. Similar to Luque, if he wins this bout, chances are he will crash the welterweight rankings.

Bout 13: Valentina Shevchenko (17-3) © vs. Liz Carmouche (13-6) (#3) (UFC Flyweight Championship)

The main event of the card is Valentina Shevchenko attempting to defend her UFC Flyweight Championship against #3 ranked flyweight Liz Carmouche. Both fighters have faced off before, with that fight taking place back in 2010 before either fighter stepped foot in the UFC. Carmouche came out of the fight as the winner, breaking Shevchenko’s 10-0 undefeated record at the time. A lot of things have changed since then. Carmouche went through Strikeforce and Invicta, and made her UFC debut in a title fight against Ronda Rousey, where Rousey came out as the victor in one of her biggest fights of her career. Shevchenko entered the UFC in 2015, going undefeated besides her two losses to Amanda Nunes, who currently holds the bantamweight and featherweight championships.

“Bullet” Valentina Shevchenko won her belt back in December at UFC 231, defeating Joanna Jedrzejczyk in the co-main event of the evening. Just two months ago she made her first defense of the title, stopping Jessica Eye in the second round with a head kick. Carmouche’s last two wins have come against Jennifer Maia and Lucie Pudilova, both via decision. A win for Shevchenko would let her overtake Nicco Montano for longest time to hold the flyweight belt. Montano had it for 280 days in total, with Shevchenko marking the 245th day tomorrow.

Next week, UFC will hold UFC 241, including another rematch in the main event slot. Heavyweight champ Daniel Cormier will face Stipe Miocic after defeating him via KO back in July of last year. Miocic will aim to reclaim his heavyweight belt, which he defended three times prior to losing. The co-main will see the long awaited return of Nate Diaz, as he faces Anthony Pettis.

PFL 2019 #6 Live Report

On Thursday night, the Professional Fighters League wrapped up their final regular season show. This show had the light heavyweights and heavyweights on the card. Live from the Ocean Casino Resort in Atlantic City, New Jersey, USA, it was PFL 2019 #6.

For first time viewers, PFL fighters earn points in the regular season based off if and how they win. A victory by default earns a fighter three points. A first round stoppage gives you three more points, a second round stoppage gets you two more points and a third round stoppage gives you one extra point. In regular season bouts, elbows are not allowed.

Here were the standings before the evening of fights.

Light Heavyweight Standings

Place	Fighter	2019 Record	Points
1	Bozigit Ataev	1-0	6
2	Emiliano Sordi	1-0	5
3	Dan Spohn	1-1	3
4	Rashid Yusupov	1-0	3
5	Maxin Grishin	1-0	3
6	Viktor Nemkov	1-0	3
7	Sigi Pesaleli	1-0	3
8	Jordan Johnson	0-1	0
9	Rakin Cleveland	0-1	0
10	Mikhail Mokhnatkin	0-1	0
11	Vinny Magalhaes	0-1	0
12	Ronny Markes	0-2	0

Heavyweight Standings

Place	Fighter	2019 Record	Points
1	Denis Goltsov	1-0	6
2	Kelvin Tiller	1-0	6
3	Ante Delija	1-0	3
4	Ali Isaev	1-0	3
5	Francimar Barroso	1-0	3
6	Satoshi Ishii	1-0	3
7	Alex Nicholson	0-1	0
8	Zeke Tuinei-Wily	0-1	0
9	Valdrin Istrefi	0-1	0
10	Carl Seumanutafa	0-1	0
11	Muhammed Dereese	0-1	0
12	Jared Rosholt	0-1	0
13	Ben Edwards	0-0	0

Bout 1: Jordan Johnson (10-1) (0-1) vs. Sigi Pesaleli (1-1) (1-0) (Light Heavyweight)

The evening started on ESPN 2 with four preliminary bouts. The first fight of the evening was a light heavyweight bout between Jordan Johnson and Sigi Pesaleli. While Johnson had more career experience, Pesaleli has a win this season while Jordan doesn’t. In the first minute, Johnson landed an overhand right then got a takedown. He was in top position for a minute or so on the ground before they got back up. Johnson got another takedown with over a minute left in the first. The round concluded in this position. Johnson got in top position yet again early in the second round. After Johnson got yet another takedown, the fight was paused so that Johnson could get some tape cut off his glove. They resumed on the ground and stayed on the ground until the round ended. The third round was the most decisive one for Johnson, taking it to the ground immediately and landing strikes periodically from top position. The fight was a textbook example of “lay and pray,” which awards you the least amount of points in the PFL system. The fight went all three rounds, with Jordan Johnson winning via unanimous decision and earning three points (30-27, 30-27 & 30-27).

My Scorecard:

Fighter	Round 1	Round 2	Round 3	Total
Johnson	10	10	10	30
Pesaleli	9	9	9	27

Bout 2: Alex Nicholson (13-8) (0-1) vs. Zeke Tuinei-Wily (3-2) (0-1) (Heavyweight)

Heading up to the heavyweight division, the next fight was between two fighters who have yet to win this season. Nicholson doesn’t have a perfect record by any means, but he has all of his wins via stoppage. After a few minutes of stand-up striking, Nicholson landed a right cross which dropped Teinei-Wily. Tuinei-Wily retreated before then, getting hit with a kick to the mid-section.

My Scorecard:

Fighter	Round 1	Round 2	Round 3	Total
Nicholson
Tuinei-Wily

Bout 3: Bozigit Ataev (21-3) (1-0) vs. Emiliano Sordi (18-8) (1-0) (Light Heavyweight)

The next light heavyweight bout was the first fight of the evening where two 2019 season 1-0 record fighters faced off. Unlike some people in the league, these two fighters have very extensive records. In the first minute of a fight, Sordi was hit in the eye. Sordi took out Ataev with punches mid-way through the first round. Ataev didn’t really get clipped with anything clean on the feet, but once he was wobbled and fell, punches on the ground made it a decisive finish. Emiliano Sordi earned six points, making it 11 points in total as his regular season comes to a close.

My Scorecard:

Fighter	Round 1	Round 2	Round 3	Total
Ataev
Sordi

Bout 4: Kevin Tiller (11-2) (1-0) vs. Denis Goltsov (23-5) (1-0) (Heavyweight)

The next fight was two heavyweights who, like in the last fight, have yet to lose this season. Even though he only has one inch of an arm reach advantage, Goltsov had a five inch height advantage in this bout. Goltsov had his powerful jab showcased from the start. Tiller’s mouthpiece fell out in the first minute. Tiller was completely eating punches and was a living, breathing punching bag by the time the second minute had ended. His mouthguard fell out two more times. Goltsov got a takedown after being clinched up against the cage for a few moments. Tiller’s mouthguard fell out yet again. Goltsov’s flurry was slowed down on the ground. Tiller started the second round with two leg kicks. Tiller landed a takedown, but Goltsov quickly flipped over into top position. The referee eventually stood up both fighters due to inactivity, and then took a point off of Tiller due to losing his mouthguard so many times. Tiller got another takedown, and like last time, immediately lost the dominant position. Goltsov put in a ezekiel choke, which made Tiller tap out. Denis Goltsov earned five points for his second round stoppage.

My Scorecard:

Fighter	Round 1	Round 2	Round 3	Total
Tiller	8
Goltsov	10

Bout 5: Francimar Barroso (23-7-1) (1-0) vs. Ben Edwards (3-0) (0-0) (Heavyweight)

The final preliminary fight was Francimar Barroso versus Ben Edwards. Edwards, unlike most people on this show, was making his PFL debut. In the first minute of the fight, Edwards was landing good punches. Barroso, who has a BJJ background, scored a takedown. They stayed on the ground for a few minutes with Barroso on offense the whole time. They went back down with a minute left in the first round. At the start of the second round, Barroso was coming forward with strikes. He caught a kick and turned it into a takedown. Barroso tried for a head and arm choke but couldn’t finish the fight with it. Apart from a couple seconds as the round ended, Barroso was in the dominant position on the ground for the rest of the round. Edwards was cut open by an accidental headbutt as Barroso scored a takedown. The fight was paused as the referee wanted to take a look at Edwards’ cut. Edwards took top position on the ground as the final round concluded. He threw some shots as the fight clock ran out. Francimar Barroso earned three points with a unanimous decision victory (30-27, 29-28 & 29-28).

My Scorecard:

Fighter	Round 1	Round 2	Round 3	Totalq
Barroso	10	10	10	30
Edwards	9	9	9	27

Bout 6: Umar Nurmagomedov (10-0) vs. Sidemar Honorio (13-6) (Bantamweight Showcase)

Switching to ESPN+, PFL 6 continued with a showcase bout between bantamweights Umar Nurmagomedov and Sidemar Honorio. This fight was not a part of the 2019 season. A large difference between these two fighters was a 16 year age difference, with Nurmagomedov being the younger of the two (23). Nurmagomedov did a head kick, and then Honorio pulled guard, letting Nurmagomedov take top position on the ground. Not much happened on the ground, with the fight going back to the feet eventually. Nurmagomedov had some good striking before the fight went to the ground once again. Nurmagomedov’s striking was showcased well in the second round. His counter-striking had great reads of Honorio’s moves. Nurmagomedov landed a takedown in the third round, but the referee stood them up due to inactivity eventually. The fight went the distance with Umar Nurmagomedov getting a unanimous decision victory, with a clean sweep on the cards (30-27, 30-27 & 30-27).

My Scorecard:

Fighter	Round 1	Round 2	Round 3	Total
Nurmagomedov	10	10	10	30
Honorio	9	9	9	27

Bout 7: Valdrin Istrefi (13-3) (0-1) vs. Muhammed DeReese (7-1) (0-1) (Heavyweight)

Kicking off the PFL season fights on the main card, heavyweights Valdrin Istrefi and Muhammed DeReese fought. Both fighters have yet to see a victory in the PFL 2019 season. The first two minutes of the fight was stand-up. With Istrefi being the more dominant fighter. DeReese was kicked in the groin, causing a pause in the fight. When they resumed Istrefi was dropped by punches, and then finished on the ground. Istrefi came in aggressive after the break and it cost him. DeReese survives in the 2019 PFL season, earning six points from this fight.

My Scorecard:

Fighter	Round 1	Round 2	Round 3	Total
Istrefi
DeReese

Bout 8: Maxim Grishin (29-7-1) (1-0) vs. Mikhail Mokhnatkin (11-4-2) (0-1) (Light Heavyweight)

In the first light heavyweight main card fight, Maxin Grishin fought Mikhail Moknatkin. Not a lot happened, until Grishin came forward with a right cross punch which knocked out Mokhnatkin. The referee was able to storm in before Grishin was able to get any real insurance shots in.

My Scorecard:

Fighter	Round 1	Round 2	Round 3	Total
Grishin
Mokhnatkin

Bout 9: Ali Isaev (5-0) (1-0) vs. Carl Seumanutafa (13-10) (0-1) (Heavyweight)]

Undefeated fighter Ali Isaev fought Carl Seumanutafa in the next bout. Isaev was a -2400 favourite heading into this fight. Isaev scored a single leg takedown in the first round. Seumanutafa tried for a guillotine from the bottom. Isaev popped out of the position and started to wail punches at Seumanutafa. He tried for a head and arm choke, and landed some punches in the position as well. Isaev let go of the hold, in side position now. The rounded concluded in this position. In the second round, Isaev got in top position again. They were stood up by the referee, although Isaev didn’t like that. The final round was a slow one from both fighters, who were definately tired. The fight relied on the judges to find a winner, with Ali Isaev being favoured unanimously (30-27, 30-27 & 29-28)

My Scorecard:

Fighter	Round 1	Round 2	Round 3	Total
Isaev	10	10	10	30
Seumanutafa	9	9	9	27

Bout 10: Rashid Yusupov (11-1) (1-0) vs. Viktor Nemkov (29-7) (1-0) (Light Heavyweight)

In the second last light heavyweight fight of the evening, Rashid Yusupov fought Viktor Nemkov. This was a rematch between the two fighters, as they faced off in 2016 in M-1 with Yusupov coming out victorious. Nemkov landed a takedown early in the fight, but they went back to the feet shortly after. They had quite evenly matched striking throughout the round. The second round was close as well, with Nemkov scoring another takedown as the round was closing. Halfway through the final round, Yusupov dropped Nemkov with punches. Nemkov was able to recover quickly and stay in the fight. Yusupov took top position on the ground. The fight ended in this position. The judges had a split decision, with two of the three judges giving the fight to Viktor Nemkov (29-28 Nemkov, 29-28 Yusupov & 29-28 Nemkov). This fight made the feud between these two fighters 1-1.

My Scorecard:

Fighter	Round 1	Round 2	Round 3	Total
Yusupov	9	9	10	28
Nemkov	10	10	9	29

Bout 11: Vinny Magalhaes (18-11) (0-1) vs. Rakin Cleveland (19-12-1) (0-1) (Light Heavyweight)

In the final light heavyweight bout of the evening, Vinny Magalhaes fought Rakin Cleveland. Both fighters have yet to win this season. The crowd seemed to disappear significantly after the last fight. It was past midnight New Jersey time at this point, and keep in mind, it’s a Thursday night. Magalhaes landed a takedown in the first minute. He put in an armbar which made Cleveland tap out quickly. Magalhaes got six points, and advanced to the PFL playoffs.

My Scorecard:

Fighter	Round 1	Round 2	Round 3	Total
Magalhaes
Cleveland

Bout 12: Satoshi Ishii (22-8-1) (1-0) vs. Jared Rosholt (17-7) (0-1) (Heavyweight)

Finally, in the main event of the evening and the final fight of the PFL Regular Season, Satoshi Ishii fought Jared Rosholt. Ishii already has three wins, while Rosholt’s playoff chances hang in the balance. The first round was slow paced and methodical, with Rosholt out-striking Ishii. When the corner for Rosholt was shown during the second round, the only person in-shot had their phone out, glancing up periodically. Rosholt laneded another takedown as the fight was concluding. The fight went all three rounds with the judges choosing Jared Rosholt (30-27, 29-28 & 29-28).

My Scorecard:

Fighter	Round 1	Round 2	Round 3	Total
Ishii	9	9	10
Rosholt	10	10	9

PFL will take a break before they start their playoffs in October. The three shows in the month will all take place at the Mandalay Bay Events Center in Las Vegas, Nevada, USA. The light heavyweights and heavyweights, who were showcased tonight, will have their playoff fights on Halloween.

Here’s how the standings for both divisons looked after tonight. Worth noting, only the top eight advance to the playoffs.

Light Heavyweight:

Place	Fighter	2019 PFL Record	Points
1	Emiliano Sordi	2-0	11
2	Maxim Grishin	2-0	9
3	Vinny Magalhaes	1-1	6
4	Bozigit Ataev	1-1	6
5	Viktor Nemkov	2-0	3
6	Rashid Yusupov	1-1	3
7	Jordan Johnson	1-1	3
8	Sigi Pesaleli	1-1	3
9	Dan Spohn	1-1	3
10	Rakim Cleveland	0-2	0
11	Mikhail Mokhnatkin	0-2	0
12	Ronny Markes	0-2	0

Heavyweight:

Place	Fighter	2019 PFL Record	Points
1	Denis Goltsov	2-0	11
2	Muhammed DeReese	1-1	6
3	Alex Nicholson	1-1	6
4	Kelvin Tiller	1-1	6
5	Ali Isaev	2-0	6
7	Jared Rosholt	1-1	3
8	Satoshi Ishii	1-1	3
9	Ante Delija	1-0	3
10	Carl Seumanutafa	0-2	0
11	Zeke Tuinei-Wily	0-2	0
12	Valdrin Istrefi	0-2	0
13	Ben Edwards	0-1	0

The quarter finals of the playoffs will look like this:

Light Heavyweight:

Emiliano Sordi (2-0) (#1) vs. Sigi Pesaleli (1-1) (#8)

Maxim Grishin (2-0) (#2) vs. Jordan Johnson (1-1) (#7)

Vinny Magalhaes (1-1) (#3) vs. Rashid Yusupov (1-1) (#6)

Bozigit Ataev (1-1) (#4) vs. Viktor Nemkov (2-0) (#5)

Heavyweight:

Denis Goltsov (2-0) (#1) vs. Satoshi Ishii (1-1) (#8)

Muhammed DeReese (1-1) (#2) vs. Jared Rosholt (1-1) (#7)

Alex Nicholson (1-1) (#3) vs. Francimar Barroso (2-0) (#6)

Kelvin Tiller (1-1) (#4) vs. Ali Isaev (2-0) (#5)

Dana White’s Contender Series Season 3 Episode 7 Full Report

In the seventh episode of the season, Dana White’s Contender Series saw five more fights, with successful fighters having potential UFC contracts. It was an action-packed week with many stoppages, so let’s look at how it went down.

Bout 1: Jason Perrin (8-3) vs. Dwight Joseph (9-1) (Bantamweight)

The first fight was a bantamweight battle between Jason Perrin and Dwight Joseph. In the first seconds of the fight, Perrin caught a leg kick and got a takedown. They went back to standup, with Joseph trying for a takedown for not succeeding. Joseph got a slam takedown later in the round, taking his back briefly. The broadcast emphasized Perrin’s calmness. Throughout the round Joseph was out-striking. Another leg kick was caught and turned into a takedown by Perrin. Unfortunately for Perrin, Joseph put in a guillotine. He was deep in the hold and for a long time, but was able to eventually get out. In the final round, Perrin was on top position once again. He took Joseph’s back but didn’t do much. They stood back up with 90 seconds left. The fight went the distance. This was a fight where both fighter looked good. All three judges gave the fight to Dwight Joseph (29-28, 29-28 & 29-28). The result shocked Jason Perrin.

My Scorecard:

Fighter	Round 1	Round 2	Round 3	Total
Perrin	9	9	10	28
Joseph	10	10	9	29

Bout 2: Andre Muniz (17-4) vs. Taylor Johnson (5-0) (Middleweight)

The next fight had a returning Contender Series fighter versus an undefeated fighter. Andrew Muniz, who has fought on the Brazilian edition of the Contender Series, faced Taylor Johnson, who has never seen a professional loss. Right out the gates, Gary was hit with a counter left hook which dropped him. Johnson took top position. He slammed Muniz to escape an armbar. They stood up and Muniz took Johnson’s back. He put in a rear naked choke which put a quick conclusion to the fight.

My Scorecard:

Fighter	Round 1	Round 2	Round 3	Total
Muniz
Johnson

Bout 3: Darrick Minner (22-9) vs. Herbert Burns (8-2) (Featherweight)

The night fight had a very experienced fighter in Darrick Minner versus Herbert Burns. Just like the last fight, this one got to the action quite quickly. Standing up against the cage, Minner was on Burns’ back. He got back on his feet and landed some hooks. Burns tried for a guillotine on the ground but couldn’t get it. Minner was in top position. He got caught in a triangle choke, which ended the bout.

My Scorecard:

Fighter	Round 1	Round 2	Round 3	Total
Minner
Burns

Bout 4: Marilia Santos (10-2) vs. Lucrezia Ria (7-2) (Flyweight)

In the fourth fight of the night, Marilia Santos and Lucrezia Ria fought in a flyweight contest. The fight was on the ground for a few moments, with Santos in the dominant position. Santos landed some good punches. It looked as if she tripped when Ria threw some punches in her direction. On the ground, Santos tried for an armbar as the round was closing out. In the second round there was a great exchange of punches where both fighters were going all out with hooks. On the ground, Ria continued to have control for most of the round. Santos had a good first minute of the final round, continually coming forward and landing punches. Ria looked tired and defensive. On the ground, Ria tried for a guillotine. For the numerous minutes that they were on the ground, Ria was completely in control. The fight went the distance with both fighters showing great sportsmanship afterwards. Lucrezia Ria won via split decision with quite differing scorecards (30-27 Santos, 29-28 Ria & 29-28 Ria).

My Scorecard:

Fighter	Round 1	Round 2	Round 3	Total
Santos	10	9	9	28
Ria	9	10	10	29

Bout 5: Harvey Park (12-2) vs. Omar Morales (7-0) (Lightweight)

In the main event of the evening, Harvey Park fought an undefeated Omar Morales. The first round was somewhat close and composed, until the final 20 seconds where both fighters started throwing wild punches. Morales had more outstanding moments in the first. Park tried for a takedown early in the second and ate some punches on the way down. He hurt one of his feet which left him standing up against the cage. Morales landed punches which dropped Park, and had referee Herb Dean intervene quickly.

My Scorecard:

Fighter	Round 1	Round 2	Round 3	Total
Park	9
Morales	10

At the end of the night, Dana White awarded contracts to Andre Muniz, Herbert Burns and Omar Morales.

ONE Championship: Dawn of Heroes Full Report

On Friday morning, ONE Championship hosted one of it’s bigger cards of the year. Besides it’s two championship bouts, the card also featured former UFC fighters Eddie Alvarez and Demetrious Johnson in their second ONE Championship fights. Since the card took place at the Mall of Asia Arena in Manila, Philippines, the show also had its fair share of Filippino fighters. Let’s look at the stacked 14 fight card, beginning with the prelims.

Bout 1: Sunoto vs. Muhammad Aiman (Bantamweight)

Starting off the evening in Manila was a MMA bout between Sunoto and Muhammad Aiman. Aiman had the youth advantage, being a whole decade younger than Sunoto. The first two minutes had evenly matched striking. Sunoto got a takedown in the third minute. Aiman was able to stand up and take it back to striking. Throughout the bout it was Aiman who was frequently coming forward. With two minutes left in the second round, the referee asked them for more action. Aiman landed a good overhand right shortly after. Sunoto got a takedown stuffed. Aiman tried for a guillotine in the final round. The fight went all three rounds with Aiman having a good finish, putting Sunoto in a corner and landing punches. Muhammad Aiman got the unanimous decision victory.

Bout 2: Ayaka Miura vs. Samara Santos (Strawweight)

In the next bout we had Japan’s Ayaka Miura face Brazil’s Samara Santos. Miura swarmed Santos right off the bat and scored a takedown. Miura landed knees to the head from top position while in the hold. Miura was in the hold for a few minutes, only escaping in the closing seconds of the round. Miura did the same thing at the start of the second round, getting another takedown. She put in an americana from side position, which gave her the win.

Bout 3: Miao Li Tao vs. Pongsiri Misatit (Catchweight 125 lbs)

In a catchweight bout, Miao Li Tao fought Pongsiri Misatit. Misatit comes from the Tiger Muay Thai gym. Tao landed a takedown in the first minute, eventually going into top position and throwing elbows and punches. He took Misatit’s back and tried for a rear naked choke. At the start of the second round, Tao threw Misatit to the ground. Tao stayed dominant until there was a minute and half to go, where Misatit got up. He was able to take Tao’s back for a few moments before he lost it. As the round as concluding, Tao put in a rear naked choke but couldn’t hold it for long enough. By the time the third round came around it was obvious that Tao was in complete control. It was easily his best round. The fight went it’s allotted time, with all three judges giving the fight to Miao Li Tao.

Bout 4: Xie Bin vs. Edward Kelly (Featherweight)

The next fight had the first Filippino fighter on the card. Of course he got a warm welcome from the crowd. Both fighters landed some hard shots early on. Bin landed a takedown in the first minute. They stood up in clinch up against a corner. Exiting clinch, Bin landed a clean right cross punch. Bin scored another takedown over halfway through the round. He tried for a d’arce choke which looked pretty secure. Kelly stayed in this position for a long time before Bin let it go. Kelly took top position, postured up and landed some strikes. He stood up and dove down onto Bin with more strikes. In the first minute of the second round, Bin caught a kick and turned it into a takedown. He was in control for the minute that they were on the ground. Halfway through the round he scored a trip takedown. In top position, Bin focused more on punches this time. The referee stepped in due to punches to the back of the head. He was given the designated five minutes for injury time. The fight ended during the break, with the judges deciding who won the bout. With Edward Kelly out of the ring, it was announced that all three judges gave it to Xie Bin.

Bout 5: Yushin Okami vs. James Nakashima (Welterweight)

The fifth preliminary bout included Yushin Okami from Japan and James Nakashima from the United States. Nakashima, who trains in the MMA Lab, was putting his undefeated streak of 11 wins on the line. Okami tried for a single leg takedown early on, getting Nakashima to the ground for maybe a second. He held Nakashima’s torso from behind until Nakashima spun around and grabbed his neck. Nakashima went to the ground in an attempt for a guillotine choke. Still trying for the choke, Nakashima transitioned from being on his back into top position. Nakashima let the hold go eventually. The first rounded ended with both fighters in a standing clinch. In the second round, Okami had a takedown blocked quickly. Nakashima landed a right jab which dropped Okami. He landed a few more shots from top position, but Okami recovered and stopped the flurry. Nakashima had many more takedowns stopped in the third round. The fight went the distance with all three judges giving it to James Nakashima. He seemed injured afterwards, having trouble walking around.

Bout 6: Daichi Takenaka vs. Leandro Issa (Bantamweight)

In the second bantamweight bout of the night, Daichi Takenaka fought Leandro Issa. Takenaka demonstrated good striking from the start, stringing together fast combinations. Issa caught Takenaka, but Takenaka was the one who got the better of a takedown. While on the ground, a cut on Issa’s forehead became visible. Issa was able to take top position in a half guard after Takenaka was on his back for a while. During the stand-up trading in the second round, Issa landed a powerful overhand right, although it didn’t seem to both Takenaka. What seemed like another cut was opened on Issa’s face. While Issa was responding with strikes of his own, Takenaka had a higher volume of punches. With a minute left in the round, Takenaka tried for a guillotine. The stream cut out before round three started, with it coming back when Daichi Takenaka was announced as the winner via TKO. I guess that’s one of the downsides of covering an event online instead of in person.

Bout 7: Dae Sung Park vs. Honorio Banario (Lightweight)

Dae Sung Park was on the non-favoured end of the pro-Phillipines crowd, with Honorio Banario having the crowd on his side. Both fighters were in a clinch at the start, but the referee split them due to inactivity. The split seemingly favoured Park, as he exploded with punches and kicks, dropping Banario. In the closing seconds of the first, Banario landed a couple of punches that shook Park, and then got a takedown. The second round was a break for both fighters, with no takedowns or hard shots. Park landed a good body kick halfway through the final round. Park threw down Banario for a takedown in the closing seconds of the fight.

Bout 8: Yuya Wakamatsu (10-4) vs. Geje Esta (Flyweight World Grand Prix Reserve Bout)

In the final preliminary bout we had the reserve bout for the flyweight grand prix. While still in the feeling out process of the fight, Yuya Wakamatsu landed a two-punch combo which dropped Geje Esta and ended the bout. The win was a good bounce back from his loss against Demetrious Johnson back in March.

Bout 9: Andrew Miller vs. Rodlek PK.Saenchaimuaythaigym (Muay Thai) (Bantamweight)

After ONE did the introduction of all main card fighters, we had our first muay thai bout of the evening. Worth noting that the muay thai bouts on this card were done with MMA gloves. While both fighters threw punches in the first round, it felt like Rodlek threw the harder punches. Miller slipped in the final seconds of the round. Rodlek had another good round. In the final round, Rodlek landed a right cross which dropped Miller. He got up, although the referee had seen enough and ended it.

Bout 10: Reece McLaren vs. Danny Kingad (Flyweight World Grand Prix Semi-Final)

We got the first of two semi-final Flyweight GP fights next. Reece McLaren fought Danny Kingad. McLaren got a takedown in the first minute of the bout. Kingad tried for an armbar but lost it immediately. The crowd erupted when he almost put in the move. McLaren was on Kingad’s back for a long time, but then Kingad took top position as the round was ending. It was overwhelming how loud the crowd was cheering. McLaren took the fight back to the ground in the second round after Kingad missed a kick. When they went back to stand-up, Kingad threw good strikes. McLaren scored another takedown and kept in control for the second half of the round. At the start of the final round, Kingad was able to reverse a takedown. When they stood back up, he defended a take as well. McLaren stopped Kingad’s momentum with a takedown. Kingad had lots of ground control in the second half of the round. He had a strong round. In a split decision, Danny Kingad walked away with a victory. I doubt that score would be the same in a 10 point must system fight.

Bout 11: Demetrious Johnson vs. Tatsumitsu Wada (Flyweight World Grand Prix Semi-Final)

To see who would face Danny Kingad in the finals, Demetrious Johnson battled Tatsumitsu Wada. During the fight, Wada looked way bigger than Johnson. In the first round, both fighters battled in the clinch for a minute or so before Wada took Johnson’s back and landed on the canvas. Johnson flipped himself around for a moment, until Wada brought him back to the position before. While he didn’t do much, Wada was in control for most of the first round. A large amount of the second round was contested in a standing clinch. Both fighters threw knees to the mid-section and legs during the clinch. Johnson eventually got a double leg takedown. He was in top position for the rest of the round. In the first minute of the third round, Johnson caught a leg and got a single leg takedown. Wada was hit with an elbow on the ground which cut him open. The referee stopped halfway through the round for the cut to be checked on. The fight resumed, with Wada getting up from the ground with a minute left in the fight. With 20 seconds left in the fight, Wada took Johnson’s back. Just like the other semi-final fight, the bout went all three rounds. While it was a challenging bout for Demetrious Johnson, he won the fight via unanimous decision.

Bout 12: Eduard Folayang vs. Eddie Alvarez (Lightweight World Grand Prix Semi-Final)

Another familiar face for people who don’t frequent ONE was in the next fight. In his second ONE Championship fight, Eddie Alvarez fought Eduard Folayang in the semi-finals of the lightweight GP. Folayang was throwing explosive kicks throughout. Alvarez seemingly got dropped by a leg kick. Folayang did ground and pound, attempting to close out the fight, but Alvarez was able to take top position. Folayang gave up his back and was put in a rear naked choke which ended the bout. In what could have been another tragic stoppage for Alvarez, he was able to out-wrestle Folayang to win.

Bout 13: Jonathan Haggerty vs. Rodtang Jitmuangnon (ONE Flyweight Muay Thai World Championship)

The co-main event of the evening was a muay thai bout for the promotion’s flyweight muay thai championship. Jonathan Haggerty attempted to defend his belt. It was schedule for five rounds of three minutes. Haggerty did a good job of utilizing push kicks in the first round. In the second round Rodtang landed an elbow after the referee shouted to stop a break. Rodtang woke up in the third round, letting his fists go a little more. This was a really exciting round to watch. Rodtang was obviously confident in his third-round performance, jumping on the ropes and egging on the crowd when the round ended. Rodtang’s performance peaked in the fourth round when he scored a knockdown via punches. The fight went all five rounds. By unanimous decision, Rodtang Jitmuangnon was crowned the new ONE Flyweight Muay Thai World Champion.

Bout 14: Martin Nguyen (12-3) vs. Koyomi Matsushima (11-3) (ONE Lightweight Championship)

In the main event of the evening, Martin Nguyen attempted to defend his ONE Lightweight Championship against Koyomi Matsushima. After some quiet stand-up, Matsushima scored a takedown. Many more times Matsushima would score takedowns and out-wrestle Nguyen. In an attempt to defend, Nguyen would put some of his body outside of the ring, which Matsushima was fed up with by the time the round was ending. In the final moments of the first round Nguyen landed a knee exiting a takedown attempt by Matsushima. Early in the second round Nguyen was able to stuff a takedown. Nguyen kept it in stand-up in the second and started to lay down hard strikes. Matsushima was getting pelted with punches on the ground until the referee stepped in and ended the bout.

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.

Dana White’s Contender Series Season 3 Episode 6 Full Report

On Tuesday, ESPN+ and UFC Fight Pass aired the sixth of nine episodes of Dana White’s Contender Series. The show showcased five fights, ranging from the promotion’s heaviest to lightest weight class. Let’s start with the first bout where the heavyweights showcased their talent.

Bout 1: Michal Martinek (7-0) vs. Rodrigo Nascimento (6-0) (Heavyweight)

The first fight was a clash of two undefeated heavyweights. From the Czech Republic, Michal Martinek faced Brazilian Rodrigo Nascimento. Early in the fight Martinek had Nascimento up against the cage. He tried for a takedown but Nascimento ended up on top. After landing some strikes, Nascimento put in a arm and head choke which made Martinek tap out.

My Scorecard:

Fighter	Round 1	Round 2	Round 3	Total
Martinek
Nascimento

Bout 2: Rico Farrington (7-2) vs. Daniel Rodriguez (8-1) (Welterweight)

The next bout was a welterweight bout. Despite being fight win-loss records, the two fighters in this bout made up one-half of the losses from all fighters records tonight. The first round of the fight had close striking, even though Farrington had the reach advantage. Rodriguez landed many leg kicks. He also landed a takedown in the final moments of the first round. They continued to keep it mostly stand-up through all three rounds. Rodriguez rocked Farrington with punches early in the third round. Farrington found a home for his left cross in this round. At the end of the third Rodriguez took the fight to the ground and nearly ended it due to strikes. The judges gave Daniel Rodriguez the fight unanimously (30-27, 29-28 & 29-28).

My Scorecard:

Fighter	Round 1	Round 2	Round 3	Total
Farrington	9
Rodriguez	10

Bout 3: Mariya Agapova (6-0) vs. Tracy Cortez (5-1) (Flyweight)

The next fight was a flyweight battle between Mariya Agapova and Tracy Cortez. Cortez landed a trip in the clinch in the third minute after evenly matched stand-up. She took the back of Agapova and landed some punches. Agapova flipped around and took top position. They stood back up, still in clinch. Cortez landed knees in clinch and then got a takedown as the round winded down. Cortez scored another takedown only seconds into the second round. Agapova got up and grabbed a leg of Cortez, although she was brought back to the ground. Cortez showed off amazing wrestling. Cortez was on Agapova’s back for the rest of the round but never fully got in a rear naked choke. In the final round, Cortez came in with a takedown but Agapova nearly got the better of it, putting in a headlock. Cortez was able to push out of it and take Agapova’s back once again. They stood back up near the end, with the fight going all three rounds. Tracy Cortez got her victory in quite decisive fashion (30-26, 30-26 & 29-27). She was emotional after the fight, as she fights her brother and mother who have passed away.

My Scorecard:

Fighter	Round 1	Round 2	Round 3	Total
Agapova	9	9	9	27
Cortez	10	10	10	30

Bout 4: Aalon Cruz (7-2) vs. Steven Nguyen (6-0) (Featherweight)

In the co-main event fight, Aalon Cruz fought undefeated Steven Nguyen. The first round of the fight was strictly punches and kicks. Cruz was the one who threw more kicks throughout. Both fighters were in a close battle, until the final minute when Cruz landed a flying knee which ended the bout. Dana White, who was octagon-side motioned to Cruz that he had eanred his contract.

My Scorecard:

Fighter	Round 1	Round 2	Round 3	Total
Cruz
Nguyen

Bout 5: Fabio Cherant (4-0) vs. Aleksa Camur (4-0) (Light Heavyweight)

In the main event of this episode, two undefeated light heavyweights in Fabio Cherant and Aleksa Camur competed. Camur made his way out of the first round for the first time in his career. In the second round Cherant landed a good punch but Camur responded with a flying knee which dropped Cherant. Cherant was still in it, but Camur kept hitting him with hammerfist punches. The referee eventually called off the bout.

My Scorecard:

Fighter	Round 1	Round 2	Round 3	Total
Cherant	10
Camur	9

After some time, Dana White decided to sign Rodrigo Nascimento, Tracy Cortez, Aalon Cruz and Aleksa Camur.

Gilbert Burns To Take Short Notice Bout Against Alexey Kunchenko At UFC Montevideo

Yesterday, news broke that Alexey Kunchenko wouldn’t see Laureano Staropoli at UFC Montevideo due to a broken nose. In a days time, Kunchenko has gotten a replacement in Gilbert Burns.

Gilbert Burns is taking the fight on short notice, as the event takes place on August 10th. Normally a lightweight fighter, Burns will be making the move up to welterweight for this bout. He is currently on a two-fight winning streak, recently defeating Mike Davis on an April Fight Night card. Kunchenko will be the first undefeated opponent that Burns has faced since his UFC debut against Andreas Stahl in 2014.

Alexey Kunchenko will have his trilogy fight in the UFC on the 10th, picking up wins against Yushin Okami and Thiago Alves back in 2018. Prior to joining the promotion, he saw success in the Russian MMA promotions M-1.

While 13 fights are currently scheduled for UFC Montevideo, a replacement opponent for Ariane Carnelossi is yet to be seen. The card is headlined by Valentina Shevchenko and Liz Carmouche, with Shevchenko attempting to defend her UFC Flyweight Championship in a rematch. Here’s the current status of the card:

Valentina Shevchenko (17-3) vs. Liz Carmouche (13-6) (UFC Flyweight Championship)
Volkan Oezdemir (15-4) vs. Ilir Latifi (14-6) (Light Heavyweight)
Vicente Luque (16-6-1) vs. Mike Perry (13-4) (Welterweight)
Humberto Bandenay (14-6) vs. Luiz Eduardo Garagorri (12-0) (Featherweight)
Oskar Piechota (11-1-1) vs. Rodolfo Vieira (5-0) (Middleweight)
Cyril Gane (3-0) vs. Raphael Pessoa (9-0) (Heavyweight)
Enrique Barzola (15-4-1) vs. Bobby Moffett (14-4) (Featherweight)
Tecia Torres (10-4) vs. Marina Rodriguez (11-0-1) (Strawweight)
Raulian Paiva (18-2) vs. Rogerio Bontorin (15-1) (Flyweight)
Alex da Silva (20-2) vs. Rodrigo Vargas (11-2) (Lightweight)
Gilbert Burns (15-3) vs. Alexey Kunchenko (20-0) (Welterweight)
Polyana Viana (10-3) vs. Veronica Macedo (5-3-1) (Flyweight)
Geraldo de Freitas (12-4) vs. Chris Gutierrez (13-3-1) (Bantamweight)

Luana Carolina Off UFC Shenzen Card Due To Fractured Spine

Yanan Wu has been left without an opponent for UFC Shenzen after an injury to Luana Carolina. Monday night the news was broken by MMA Fighting that Carolina suffered a fractured spine, taking her off the late August card.

With just over a month before the card, UFC will have to find someone quickly if they plan on finding a replacement opponent. Wu was scheduled to be one of the five Chinese fighters on the card.

Jessica Andrade will attempt to make her first defence of the UFC Strawweight Championship against China’s own Weili Zhang. Here’s the card after the recent scratch:

Jessica Andrade (20-6) vs. Weili Zhang (19-1) (UFC Strawweight Championship)
Elizeu Zaleski (21-5) vs. Jingliang Li (16-5) (Welterweight)
Saparbeg Safarov (9-2) vs. Da Un Jung (11-2) (Light Heavyweight)
Anthony Hernandez (6-1) vs. Jun Yong Park (10-3) (Middleweight)
Mark De La Rosa (11-2) vs. Kai Kara-France (19-7) (Flyweight)
Karol Rosa (11-3) vs. Lara Procopio (6-0) (Bantamweight)
Movsar Evloev (11-0) vs. Mike Grundy (12-1) (Featherweight)
Andre Soukhamthath (13-7) vs. Su Mudaerji (11-4) (Bantamweight)
Damir Ismagulov (18-1) vs. Thiago Moises (12-3) (Lightweight)
Kenan Song (14-5) vs. Derrick Krantz (24-11) (Welterweight)