Tag: New Jersey

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)

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.