Tag: Sports

Giants Earn Shutout Win Over Wyverns, Remaining Undefeated

The Lotte Giants finished the first week of play with a 5-0 record, beating the SK Wyverns on Sunday with a shutout 4-0 performance. The win left them as the last undefeated team in the league, putting them atop the KBO standings.

The Giants earned the win during the afternoon at the Sajik Baseball Stadium in Busan, South Korea.

Straily Holds Off Wyverns

Along with a seventh-inning rally that put the Giants on the board, the team saw a strong performance from starter Dan Straily who got his first win of the season. Straily held the Wyverns to three hits over seven innings, getting 11 strikeouts along the way.

This game was the second appearance of the season for Straily, who started on Tuesday for the club’s season opener.

Deciding Seventh Inning

A strong seventh inning saw the Giants bring home four runs. Wyverns starter Kim Tae-hoon was pulled after he walked the first two batters of the inning. He put up strong numbers in earlier innings, allowing only two hits.

Reliever Seo Jin-yong was brought in with no outs and two on base. An Chi-hong grounded out, allowing Son Ah-seop to come in from third and score the first run of the game.

The next batter, Jung Hoon, knocked a ball into center, allowing Lee Dae-ho to go from second base to home, making the score 2-0.

Dixon Machado finished the scoring party with his third home run of the season, bringing home Hoon as well to make it 4-0. Machado is currently tied with Preston Tucker of the LG Twins and Han Dong-min of the Wyverns for most home runs in the season.

Giants relievers Park Jin-hyung and Jin Myung-ho kept the Wyverns hitless for the final two innings.

A Preview of The Next Week

The Giants have their first day off tomorrow (not counting the rained out Saturday game which forced the team to not play) before another week of matchups. On Tuesday, the team kicks off a home series against the 2019 Korean Series Champions, the Doosan Bears.

On Friday, the team travels to Daejeon, South Korea for a three-game away series against the Hanhwa Eagles, who sit tied for third in the standings.

Around The KBO

Bouncing back from two one-sided losses before, the Kia Tigers got a 12-3 win over the Samsung Lions. The teams finish the first week of play tied for sixth.

A strong seventh inning let the Kiwoom Heroes move to a 6-3 lead and eventually win against the Hanhwa Eagles. The Heroes are second in the league with a 5-1 record, with the Eagles sitting in sixth.

The NC Dinos had an early six-run lead in the first inning, but the LG Twins mounted a comeback to eventually earn a 10-8 win. Placed fifth in the league, the Twins gave the Dinos their first loss of the season. The Dinos sit in third place currently.

After 24 runs, more than four hours of play and extra innings, an error in a ground ball allowed Hur Kyoung-min from the Doosan Bears to score a game-winning run over the KT Wiz. With a final score of 13-12, the Bears got their second win of the season, placed fourth in the league currently. The Wiz sit tied for last place with the Wyverns, only earning one win so far.

Game Between Giants and Wyverns Among Many Rained Out

The second game of the three-game series between the Lotte Giants and SK Wyverns was rained out on Saturday, at the Sajik Baseball Stadium in Busan, South Korea. The game was one of the many around the KBO that did not get played due to rain.

The game was set to be the second in the series between the teams, with the Giants winning the first game in extra innings the day before.

A Sunday game between the Giants and Wyverns is set to happen at 2:00PM KST (1:00AM EDT).

Other Cancelled Games

A matchup between the LG Twins and the hosting NC Dinos was also cancelled due to rain. The game was set to take place at the Changwon NC Park in Changwon, South Korea.

The third matchup which didn’t come to fruition was the Doosan Bears hosting the KT Wiz. The game, which was set to happen at the Jamsil Baseball Stadium in Seoul, South Korea, did not happen.

Along with the Dinos, the Giants continue to lead the KBO season standings with a record of 4-0. They swept their opening series on the road against the Wiz.

Around The KBO

Two games did get to play last night without weather stopping them. With the benefit of a roof over their heads, the Kiwoom Heroes won 5-3 over the Hanhwa Eagles at the Gocheok Sky Dome.

After shutting out the Kia Tigers in the previous game, the Samsung Lions put on a dominating 14-2 win in the second game of the series.

Cris Cyborg Signs “Multi-Fight, Multi-Year” Deal With Bellator

After a seven-fight stint in the UFC, Cris Cyborg will now call Bellator her home. The deal was announced by Bellator promoter Scott Coker on Monday afternoon via Twitter. The tweet included a video from Cyborg, who said at the end “I just want to say Cyborg Nation, welcome to Bellator!”

Shortly after the news broke, Scott Coker hopped on ESPN podcast “Ariel Helwani’s MMA Show,” touting the importance of the deal. “I think we have the biggest contract put together in the history of women’s MMA… We all know what the value of Cyborg is and I think we represent it in our deal.” The fight was announced as a multi-year and multi-fight deal.

When asked about how Cyborg was treated in the UFC, Coker said “I don’t think the UFC knew what to do with her. They’re not in the 145 pound weight class business.” Bellator’s current female Featherweight Champion is Julia Budd, a 15 fight veteran who has spent just under half of her career within Bellator.

Bellator’s first Women’s Featherweight Championship fight took place in March 2017, a month after UFC declared their first champ. The current UFC Featherweight Champion is Amanda Nunes, who defeated Cyborg for the belt in December of 2018.

The partnership won’t be the first time that Cris Cyborg has worked with Scott Coker. The Brazilian fighter had a five-fight run earlier in her career in Strikeforce, who was managed by Coker at the time.

Bellator currently has nine events scheduled in 2019, including a big upcoming event on September 28th, with Patricio Freire putting his Featherweight Championship on the line against Juan Archuleta at The Forum in Inglewood, California.

Pancrase 306 Full Report

Finishing off June was a 17 fight card from Pancrase. Pancrase 306 included the crowning of an interim Welterweight Champion, a clash of veterans and some fun prelim fights. Let’s start with the first bout of the evening.

Preliminary Card

Bout 1: Takashi Araya vs. Tatsuki Ozaki (2019 Neo Blood Tournament Semifinal Strawweight) (3×3)

Starting off the evening of fights was a Neo Blood Strawweight Semifinal matchup. In the first 30 seconds, Araya landed a takedown. Ozaki got up and put in a guillotine choke, which made Araya tap out.

Bout 2: Yota Tatsunari vs. Yohei Nada (2019 Neo Blood Tournament Semifinal Featherweight) (3×3)

The next Neo Blood fight was a featherweight semifinal. Nada landed a punch which dropped Nada. When he got up he was hit with knees up against the cage. Nada jumped and put in a guillotine which made Tatsunari tap out. The first and second fight felt like deja vu.

Bout 3: Real King Date vs. Masayoshi Watanabe (2019 Neo Blood Tournament Final Welterweight) (3×3)

In the finale of the Welterweight Neo Blood Tournament, Real King DATE fought Masayoshi Watanabe. In the first round both fighters were frequently throwing kicks. It became apparently in the first round that this would be a pure striking matchup despite DATE’s submission experience. Watanabe made DATE slip due to a kick to the chest. This became the first fight for DATE that went into the third round. Neither fighters ever really threw combinations, but instead just threw signular punches and kicks. The final round ended with DATE in top position. In a split decision, Masayoshi Watanabe won the fight.

Bout 4: Kento Mizutani vs. Naoki Arikawa (Flyweight) (3×3)

In the first bout between fighters not involved in a Neo Blood Tournament, Kento Mizutani faced Naoki Arikawa. Arikawa landed a good combination of punches at the start of the round. Mizutani circled the outside of the cage for all of the first round. Mizutani tried for a takedown in the opening moments of the second round although Arikawa got in top position. Arikawa kept the dominant position but didn’t get much done. Arikawa got the top position on the ground in round three as well. The fight went the distance with Naoki Arikawa getting the unanimous decision victory.

Bout 5: Toru Fujii vs. Yuki Tashiro (Bantamweight) (3×3)

The next bout was a bantamweight battle between Toru Fujii and Yuki Tashiro. Over a minute into the first round, Tashiro landed a left hook which knocked out Fujii. The referee ended the fight shortly after.

Bout 6: Ippei Takase vs. Ryo Iseki (Bantamweight) (3×3)

In another bantamweight matchup we saw Ippei Takase versus Ryo Iseki. Iseki shot for a takedown early in the bout. On the ground he took Takase’s back, but didn’t get anything done. They stood up in clinch against the cage. Takase threw down Iseki and took top position. They got back up with 30 seconds left in the first round. The second round started with decent striking from both fighters. Iseki tripped Takase to the ground and kept him there with a takedown moments after. In the final round they went into clinch up against the cage. Iseki landed elbows in the clinch. He took it off the cage and landed a takedown. The fight went the full three rounds, with Ryo Iseki getting the nod.

Bout 7: Juan Lizama vs. Mitsuhiro Taki (Bantamweight) (3×3)

Ending off the prelims of Pancrase 306 was Juan Lizama versus Mitsuhiro Taki in a bantamweight bout. Lizama had the better striking and movement in the first round. Taki landed a takedown in the final minute of the second round. The final round was somewhat close until Lizama dropped Taki with a punch with a minute left. Taki recovered and took the fight to the ground. Lizama got out of the ground position as the fight concluded. Throughout it looked like Lizama was pushing the pace of the fight. Juan Lizama was given the split decision win.

Main Card

Bout 8: Kyohei Wakimoto (3-3) vs. Toshikazu Suzuki (8-7-1) (Welterweight) (3×3)

Starting off the main card was a battle between two fights with shaky records. Toshikazu Suzuki had a significant height and reach advantage over Kyohei Wakimoto. Early on in the fight Wakimoto put Suzuki up against the fence. Suzuki flipped the script, putting Wakimoto against the cage. They broke the clinch and went to striking. Halfway through the round Suzuki got dropped by punches but recovered. Wakimoto put Suzuki up against the cage once again. The round ended in this position. Wakimoto got a takedown early in the second round. Suzuki gave up his back. Wakimoto stayed on his back until the round concluded. Suzuki was knocked down yet again in the third round, with Wakimoto taking top position on the ground afterwards. Wakimoto did some strikes while in the position. The fight went the distance with Kyohei Wakimoto undoubtedly getting the unanimous decision victory.

Bout 9: Ukyo Abe (9-5-1) vs. Genpei Hayashi (8-8-1) (Lightweight) (3×3)

The next bout was a lightweight battle between Ukyo Abe and Genpei Hayashi. Moments into the first round, Abe landed a takedown. Abe tried to a rear naked choke on Hayashi’s back. He then flipped around and started landing strikes. The elbows he landed were strong. Hayashi tried for an armbar after getting hit quite a bit. Abe escaped the armbar and gets landing strikes. The referee finally stepped in and ended the bout.

Bout 10: Ryosuke Kano (7-5) vs. Kohei Sugiyama (7-4) (Flyweight) (3×3)

Ryosuke Kano faced Kohei Sugiyama in the final three minute round fight of the evening. Kano tried for a takedown early on but Sugiyama stayed standing. Kano was often walking down Sugiyama. With a minute left in the round Kano landed a takedown. Sugiyama tried for his own takedown in the second round and took the back of Kano. He put in a tight rear naked choke which Kano survived until the bell. In the third round Kano got a takedown. There was a pause in the third round to check out an eye of Kano. Sugiyama threw two punches then went for another takedown. He landed strikes from above as the round ended. In a split decision, Kohei Sugiyama won the fight.

Bout 11: Toshiya Takashima (4-3-1) (#10) vs. Suguru Hayasaka (18-13-5) (#9) (Strawweight) (3×5)

Toshiya Takashima and Suguru Hayasaki faced off against each other next in a five minute round fight. Early on Takashima landed a good right hook which dropped Hayasaka. He couldn’t capitalize off it as Hayasaka got up and pinned Takashima against the cage. When they went to the ground it was Takashima in control. Hayasaka was able to transition onto Takashima’s back. In the second round Hayasaka got a takedown. He stayed on the ground but didn’t do much. On the open scoring Takashima was ahead. Takashima brought Hayasaka to the ground. He landed some strikes as the round closed out. Toshiya Takashima took the unanimous decision victory.

Bout 12: Adam Antolin (13-5) vs. Teppei Maeyama (4-6) (#11) (Strawweight) (3×5)

In the next fight, American fighter Adam Antolin fought Teppei Maeyama. Antolin seemed to be the more composed and controlling fighter in the first round. Antolin kept landing harder strikes in the second. On the ground, he landed strikes as the round ended. Antolin’s dominance only continued in the third. He started to throw knees. In top position, Antolin landed hammerfist strikes and elbows until the referee stepped in and ended it.

Bout 13: J.J. Ambrose (31-8-2) vs. Akihiro Murayama (20-9-9) (#5) (Welterweight) (3×5)

In a fight between two fighters with experienced records, J.J. Ambrose fought Akihiro Murayama. Right off the bat in the fight Murayama put Ambrose up against the cage. They eventually separated and went back to stand-up. Ambrose landed numerous punches that dropped Murayama. He survived but was dropped three times and became very shaky afterwards. Murayama had a better second round, landing significant punches. Early in the final round Ambrose was in control in grappling. After Ambrose was in control for quite some time, Murayama flipped around and took top position. With a few seconds left, Murayama tried for an armbar but couldn’t finish the fight with it. In a unanimous decision, J.J. Ambrose got the victory.

Bout 14: Manabu Inoue (19-9-4) vs. Ryuichi Miki (19-12-4) (Flyweight) (3×5)

In the next bout Manabu Inoue faced Ryuichi Miki. Miki landed a takedown in the first minute. They got back up in no time. Miki landed a couple more takedowns in the round. Inoue kept trying for takedowns in the second round. In the final few seconds of the second round, Ryuichi Miki landed a walk-off knee KO. Afterwards, he claimed this was his comeback fight.

Bout 15: Kim Young Ji (1-3) vs. Yoko Higashi (3-1) (Featherweight) (3×5)

The next bout was the only women’s fight of the evening. Pancrase fighter Yoko Higashi fought Kim Young Ji, from Road FC. This was Higashi’s return to the featherweight division after fighting a few times in the bantamweight class. From the jump Higashi was throwing hard punches. Both fighters seemed to throw combos of punches with no guard. In the second round Higashi tried for a takedown. Heading into the final round it was apparent that Young Ji was behind. The whole fight stayed on the feet, with Higashi out-striking Young Ji. The fight went the distance with Yoko Higashi getting the unanimous decision victory.

Bout 16: Eiji Ishikawa (30-24-3) vs. Ikuhisa Minowa (65-42-8) (Middleweight) (3×3)

In the co-main event we had a bout that was nothing short of a veteran matchup. We went back to three minute rounds for this one. Ishikawa landed a takedown in the first minute. The round ended in this position. Ishikawa brought it back to the ground again in the second, after landing a couple of punches. He landed strikes from above as the round came and went. Ishikawa shot for a single leg takedown and got it in the final round. The final round was much like the ones before, with Ishikawa in top position. The fight went all three rounds. Eiji Ishikawa won the fight via decision.

Bout 17: Kenta Takagi (17-16) (#4) vs. Hiroyuki Tetsuka (6-3) (#1) (Interim Welterweight Championship) (5×5)

The main event of the evening was Kenta Takagi facing Hiroyuki Tetsuka for the Interim King of Pancrase Welterweight Championship. Tetsuka landed a left hook which caught Takagi in the first minute. Tetsuka landed a takedown after two minutes. Tetsuka put in a strong rear naked choke with a minute and a half left which made Takagi tap out. He celebrated with a backflip afterwards.

At the end of July, Pancrase will hold their 307 show. There is a special “Pancrase Osaka” show mid-way through the month, but coverage can’t be guaranteed as it is not listed on UFC Fight Pass.

RIZIN 16 Full Report: Nasukawa Becomes ISKA Featherweight Champion

RIZIN held “RIZIN.16” on Sunday, where they made their debut in Kobe, Japan. The event sold out, with the attendance being 8,107. The event had RIZIN banners on stage, but also banners from promotions they are partnered with. The banners this time were DEEP, Bellator Kickboxing, RISE, Bellator MMA and Shoot Boxing. Let’s look at the show and how it went down.

Bout 1: Tanaka Strike Yuki (21-7) vs. Yuya (22-11-3) (Kickboxing Rules) (3×3)

Before we got the formal intro for RIZIN, we had some preliminary bouts. The first one was a kickboxing bout between Tanaka Strike Yuki and Yuya. Yuya landed some good leg kicks in the first round. With one minute left in the first, Yuya dropped Yuki with a combo of punches. He got dropped a second time after a few more and a knee. Yuya put him down a third time to end the bout.

Bout 2: Kengo (11-9-2) vs. Seiki Ueyama (21-11-1) (Kickboxing Rules) (3×3)

In the second kickboxing bout, Kengo fought Seiki Ueyama. Ueyama had much more of a grander walkout when it came to outfit, the delay before making the walk, and a posse with one person carrying a belt. Kengo showed powerful fists from the start. Ueyama landed a right hook that dropped Kengo. When he got back up, both guys started landing real bombs. It looked like they were just testing each other’s chins. Kengo was given a standing ten count as he had trouble standing. Ueyama landed a few more shots before the ref stepped in for the final time.

Bout 3: Kan Nakamura (7-0) vs. Itto (19-12-3) (Kickboxing Rules) (3×3)

Before the next bout, RIZIN had their usual opening for a show. After that, we had yet another kickboxing bout. Kan Nakamura reeked of charisma, dancing as the fight started. Nakamura started to land with combination strikes at the end of the first round. He got a knockdown with 11 seconds left. A few times in the round he fell due to how he recklessly threw his kicks. After a few more strikes, Nakamura did a kick to the head that not only dropped Itto but completely ended the bout. Itto was out for a while after that. Nakamura got the win and protected his undefeated streak.

Bout 4: Namiki Kawahara (5-2-2) vs. Takaki Soya (9-4-1) (MMA Bout Elbows Allowed) (3×5)

The next match was the first MMA fight of the evening. It was a DEEP versus Shooto promotion battle. Soya landed a left hook that dropped Kawahara every early on. Soya threw punches and kicks on the ground but Kawahara recovered. After being on the ground for a minute, they stood back up. Soya sort-of landed a takedown, but they got back up right after. Soya did a double leg takedown which got Kawahara. Kawahara tried for a guillotine, and after Soya threw a knee they got back up. With under a minute left in the first round, Soya landed a right hook that absolutely took out Kawahara.

Bout 5: Taiju Shiratori (14-5-1) vs. Hiroto Yamaguchi (23-15) (Kickboxing Rules) (3×3)

The next bout was a kickboxing competition between Taiju Shiratori and Hiroto Yamaguchi. The first round wasn’t super aggressive from either fighter, but Shiratori was landing more. It’s worth noting that he has a height and reach advantage. The second round was closer although Shiratori kept landing a lot. He didn’t get it, but he tried for a rolling thunder kick at one point. There was a pause in the final round when both fighters collided heads. The final minute of the last round was great as both fighters were going all out. This became the first bout that went the distance, with Shiratori taking the victory by unanimous decision.

Bout 6: Tim Eschtruth (4-1) vs. Erson Yamamoto (2-4) (MMA Rules Elbows Allowed) (3×5)

The next MMA bout was Tim Eschtruth facing Erson Yamamoto. Eschtruth was mean muggin’ heading out to the ring, which made him look pretty cool. Yamamoto was pretty fired up when making his walkout. The first few minutes of the round had pretty evenly matched striking. In a standing clinch, Yamamoto did a elbow punch that dropped Eschtruth and did some more strikes before the referee ended the bout. He had quite the celebration afterwards, doing nearly every dance in the book. Someone from Yamamoto’s corner said he wants to fight in RIZIN afterwards.

Bout 7: Ryuji Horio (19-11-3) vs. Kunitaka (51-34-3) (Kickboxing Rules) (3×3)

A very experience Kunitaka faced Ryuji Horio in the next kickboxing bout. The first round was close with both fighter landing good strikes. Through the second round both guys were throwing and landing a lot, although it was hard to see who was getting the edge. Horio looked like the fresher fighter in the final round. The fight went the distance with both fighters putting on a good performance. Ryuji Horio was favoured on all three scorecards.

Bout 8: Kana Hyatt (16-19) vs. Uoi Fullswing (22-6-4) (MMA Rules) (3×5)

In the next MMA bout, Uoi Fullswing fought Kana Hyatt. Fullswing seemed like quite the personality, carrying a baseball bat out to the ring. This bout looks like a huge mismatch when you look at the records. Hyatt was seemingly on the defence for the first minute of striking. The fight went to the round, with Hyatt in top position. After not much happened on the ground, the referee stood them up. The final minutes of the round were somewhat uneventful, with the only highlight being that Hyatt fell either due to a slip or a strike in the final seconds. Hyatt landed a good takedown in the opening minute of the second round. They got back up after just under a minute. The rest of the round had some evenly matched stand-up. Hyatt got into top position on the ground again in the third round. In the final seconds of the third round, both fighters finally started to unload. Fullswing did four hooks in a row that dropped Hyatt, and then after a few more strikes on the ground the referee stopped it.

Fight Announcements

Before the next bout, a few matchups for the next RIZIN shows. The matchups were Hiromasa Ogikubo versus Yuki Motoya, Ulka Sasaki versus Shintaro Ishiwatari and Mikuru Asakura versus Yusuke Yachi. Nobuyuki Sakakibara talked about the upcoming events in the ring. He talked about how the Japanese fighters need to face each other to become the best. Some fighters were also in the ring, and got a short bit of mic time too. Mikuru Asakura and Yusuke Yachi both trash talked each other when they had the chance. Marcos Yoshio de Souza was also there, although he doesn’t have an opponent announced.

Bout 9: Tofiq Musayev (14-3) vs. Daron Cruickshank (21-11) (MMA Rules) (3×5)

Back from intermission, the next bout was Tofiq Musayev versus RIZIN veteran Daron Cruickshank. Musayev had a dominant performance on New Year’s Eve against Nobumitsu Tyson. The first three minutes of the bout showed good stand-up striking and defence from both fighters. Musayev seemed to unload more combinations of punches in the final two minutes of the first. At the start of the second round, Cruickshank landed a spinning back fist clean, but it didn’t shake Musayev. With two minutes left in the second round, both fighters were warned by the referee that they need to pick up the action. In the final minute of round two, Musayev caught a leg kick and turned it into a takedown. Musayev landed strikes from above until the round ended. He landed another takedown halfway through the third round. Cruickshank got out but was thrown back down right after. Cruickshank tried for a kimura from bottom position but couldn’t get it completely. With a minute left, Cruickshank tried for a triangle choke. The round ended, making the fight go to decision. All three judges gave it to Tofiq Musayev. That makes it two losses in a row for Cruickshank. The last time he was on a two fight losing streak was in 2016 & 2017, when he lost to Satoru Kitaoka and Yusuke Yachi.

Bout 10: Topnoi Tiger Muay Thai (6-2) vs. Yusaku Nakamura (15-6-1) (MMA Rules) (3×5)

Both trying to bounce back from losses, Topnoi Tiger Muay Thai and Yusaku Nakamura faced off in the next bout. Tiger did his usual dancing walkout. Both guys were taunting before and during the fight. Topnoi landed some punches in the second minute that had Nakamura retreating. Topnoi was given a warning for grabbing ropes when both fighters were in clinch for a moment. They weren’t that active when doing stand-up fighting. There was a break in the first minute of the second where Topnoi has kicked in the groin. After Nakamura landed a good right hook he got poked in the eye which cause yet another pause. Another groin shot happened when Nakamura was being held up against the ropes. After a couple minutes of a pause, and yet another warning, the fight continued. Topnoi landed two jabs right down the middle with two minutes left in the second round which made Nakamura backtrack around half of the ring. Nakamura landed a takedown in the final minute of the round. In the third round Nakamura landed another takedown, with both fighters getting up only seconds afterwards. Around the final minute of the fight, Topnoi landed some good strikes on a now very tired Nakamura. The commentary team said Nakamura lost a tooth. He landed a takedown, which they stayed in for a few seconds. The fight went the fifteen minutes, with the judges all giving the win to Nakamura. Topnoi was not a fan of this. After the fight it was shown that his front teeth were knocked out. The crowd gasped when they saw this.

Bout 11: Jake Heun (12-9) vs. Roque Martinez (14-5-2) (MMA Rules) (3×5)

The next fight was a Heavyweight clash between Jake Heun and Roque Martinez. Heun had an entertaining walkout, dressed as Starlord from Guardians of the Galaxy, dancing to “Come and Get Your Love” by Redbone. Roque Martinez did his usual walkout to “Five More Hours” by Deorro and Chris Brown. Martinez wore wrestling shoes for this bout. Heun got a cut on his head within the first minute of the bout. Martinez also got a cut above his right eye. Heun threw tons of great punches and kicks in the first round. There was a pause in the second round where Martinez’s cuts were looked at. Luckily, this did not conclude the bout. Near the end of the round, Heun threw soccer kicks to Martinez, who was grounded. In the final round Martinez picked up Heun and slammed him hard. Heun started to bleed heavily in this round. Heun tried for a heel hook but didn’t fully get it. Martinez took top position and landed strikes until the round concluded. The commentary team were told that Martinez broke a hand in the first round. The judges had it in a split decision, with the third judge giving it to Jake Heun.

Bout 12: Miyuu Yamamoto (4-3) vs. Kanna Asakura (14-3) (MMA Rules) (3×5)

After a second intermission, we had our two women’s MMA fights of the evening. The first one was Miyuu Yamamoto versus Kanna Asakura. This was Asakura’s first fight in RIZIN since she lost to Ayaka Hamasaki on New Year’s Eve, losing her Championship in the process. Yamamoto went for a takedown in the first minute, utilizing her wrestling skills. Asakura was able to get back up, but was held in a corner and was hit with punches. The referee broke them up eventually. Asakura tried for a takedown of her own, and after some reversals, she ended up in top position. They stood up and exchanged blows in clinch. Asakura tried for another takedown but Miyuu successfully defended it. In the second round, Yamamoto defended yet another takedown attempt. When another takedown was shot by Asakura, Yamamoto took full control of it on the ground. She landed punches while holding onto Asakura from behind. Asakura did do a good throw in the final seconds of the round. At the start of the third round, Yamamoto turned a takedown attempt from Asakura into a guillotine attempt. Asakura escaped, but was hit with some punches from above. They stood up and went back to stand-up. Later on, Asakura tried for a triangle choke. The fight went the distance, with it being a great grappling competition with strikes integrated into it. As the scorecards were being read, Asakura started to cover her face with her hat. She was clearly disappointed. Miyuu Yamamoto unanimously was given the win.

Bout 13: Jinh Yu Frey (8-3) vs. Ayaka Hamasaki (17-2) (RIZIN Atomweight Championship) (3×5)

The next bout was the first of two championship bouts. This isn’t the first time that Jinh Yu Frey and Ayaka Hamasaki have faced off, with their first meeting being in Invicta FC. Hamasaki got the upper hand that time, but it ended due to a doctor’s stoppage, not giving a real decisive winner. Frey walked out to the Pride FC theme. Seo Hee Ham gave flowers to both fighters before the bout. Hamasaki landed a good right hook in the first minute of the bout. The whole first round was a great display of stand-up skills from both fighters. At the end of the second round, Frey landed a left hook that landed clean and had Hamasaki retreat. Hamasaki landed the first takedown of the fight at the start of the third. Hamasaki stayed on top for the whole round, landing elbows and punches until the round ended. The third round was easily the most one-sided one. Ayaka Hamasaki got the victory unanimously and retained her Atomweight Championship. The often stoic Hamasaki became very emotional in the post-fight interview.

Tenshin Nasukawa (30-0) vs. Martin Blanco (8-1-1) (Kickboxing Rules) (ISKA Featherweight Championship) (5×5)

Finally, the main event of RIZIN 16 was Tenshin Nasukawa challenging for the ISKA Featherweight Championship against Martin Blanco, the Bantamweight Champion. Before the fight, the Japanese and Argentine anthems played. This fight was scheduled for five rounds. The first round was somewhat slow. Nasukawa started to really light up in the second round. A cut started to appear of Blanco’s right eye. There was a pause after the first minute of the second round for Blanco to get the cut checked on. When they resumed Blanco landed a right hook that shook Nasukawa a little. Nasukawa landed a knee to the body which dropped Blanco. When he got back up, Nasukawa did another knee to the body which took him down. When he did a third knee which dropped Blanco, the referee finally ended it. Tenshin Nasukawa was crowned the ISKA Featherweight Champion after this victory.

RIZIN’s next event will take place on July 28th at Saitama Super Arena. Until then, RIZIN talent will be seen on shows around the world. RENA will face Lindsey VanZandt, and Kyoji Horiguchi will face Darrion Caldwell at Bellator 222 in two weeks. RIZIN alumni Nanaka Kawamura and Rin Nakai will fight at DEEP JEWELS 24 next Sunday as well. One unique feature about RIZIN is how their performers are not usually exclusive to the promotion, so there’s always shows that have recognizable talent on.

Pancrase 305 Full Report: Kobayashi Gets Decision Win Over Malegarie

Japan’s busiest MMA promotion Pancrase returned last week with a 20 fight card. In the main event, Nazareno Malegarie and Isao Kobayashi put their respective Featherweight Championships on the line in a five round bout. The show also included UFC alumni, JMMA royalty, and much more. Let’s look at Pancrase 305.

Preliminary Card

Bout 1: Yohei Misawa vs. Satoru Enomoto (2019 Neo Blood Tournament Second Round Flyweight) (3×3)

Right off the bat it’s worth noting that the broadcast got a new graphics package. The first fight was a Neo Blood Tournament bout. Enomoto tried for a takedown in the first minute of the bout, pinning Misawa up against the cage. They stayed in a clinch until the referee pause the belt due to Enomoto getting hit below the belt. He got a cut on hit head around the hairline which also got cleaned up during the pause. The fight resumed but they didn’t start back up in the position they paused in. The second round showcased Misawa’s better striking. Enomoto landed a clean double leg takedown in the second minute of the second round. He landed some shots from top position until the round concluded. Misawa tried for a single leg takedown in the final round, but it was successfully defended. After being on the cage for a litte Enomoto did a leg trip to score another takedown. Enomoto’s ground work made up for his weaker stand-up striking. Satoru Enomoto got the unanimous decision victory.

Bout 2: Yosuke Shimoda vs. Kiyoshiro Akasaki (2019 Neo Blood Tournament Second Round Flyweight) (3×3)

The other second round fight in the flyweight tournament was next. Right off the bat, Akasaki went in for a takedown. Shimoda was able to fight it off and even try for a guillotine against the cage. Akasaki slammed down Shimoda, but the guillotine was not let go of. They stood up against the cage and stayed in a clinch for the rest of the round. Shimoda was hit with quite a few unanswered strikes in the final seconds. On the ground in the second, Akasaki landed a lot of strikes on the ground. After more and more grinding from Akasaki they stood up, but Shimoda was so tried that he fell from some strikes. The referee came in and stopped it after Shimoda fell.

Bout 3: Junpei Ueno vs. Nobuaki Yamamoto (2019 Neo Blood Tournament Second Round Bantamweight) (3×3)

The next two fights we saw were from the Bantamweight division of the competition. After some light striking from both fighters, Yamamoto tried for a double leg takedown. Sitting against the cage, Ueno tried for a guillotine. When standing up in clinch, Ueno delivered a knee to Yamamoto’s head. There was a groin shot in the opening seconds of the second round to Yamamoto. Yamamoto landed a good takedown in the second round, and did yet another when they stood up against the cage. Ueno had some good strikes when standing up, but Yamamoto took it to the ground once again when the third round started. Ueno tried for a rear naked choke in the final minute of the fight. The judges gave the fight to Junpei Ueno, which the commentators didn’t understand.

Bout 4: Masahide Hiraoka vs. Yuki Nagai (2019 Neo Blood Tournament Second Round Bantamweight (3×3)

To decide who would face Junpei Ueno in the finals, Masahida Hiraoka and Yuki Nagai fought each other next. Nagai chased a single leg takedown early but never fully got it. He was on Hiraoka against the cage for the whole round. Hiraoka had good striking in the second round but was trapped in more grappling when Nagai shot for another takedown. They stayed on the ground for the rest of the round. The final round felt like more of the same, with Hiraoka’s striking being stopped once he was put against the cage. Hiraoka ended up winning the bout via decision.

Bout 5: Kazuki Kasai vs. Takuya Saito (2019 Neo Blood Tournament Second Round Featherweight) (3×3)

We moved on to the Featherweight bouts next in the prelims. The first round was a busy one from both fighters. Kasai threw Saito to the ground and then tried for an arm triangle on the ground. Kasai was pretty dominant throughout the bout. Kasai was dominant with many throws in the second round as well. His ground game was showcased more than his striking in the first two rounds. Kasai was out-striking Saito in the final round.  It’s worth noting that Kasai had a height and reach advantage. Saito tried for anything, even a rolling thunder. Kasai caught the rolling thunder and put in an arm triangle, which made Saito tap out.

Bout 6: Seio Date vs. Joji Goto (Bantamweight) (3×3)

In a break from the Neo Blood Tournament, Joji Goto faced Seio Date. Goto turned a missed strike into a guillotine, landing knees to the body when in clinch. Goto landed tons of punches while standing against the cage. His flurry was ended when he accidentally landed a knee to the groin. Quite a high amount of groin shots on these prelims. They clinched back against the cage for the rest of the round. When the second round started, Date was leaving the room for kicks, constantly backing up. On the ground, Date tried for a heel hook. Goto had a dominant final round, with Date backtracking the whole time due to strikes. The referee stopped the bout with only a second left in the round, giving Goto the victory. Date was struggling through that whole round.

Bout 7: Sho Sekihara vs. Nobuhisa Kudo (Bantamweight) (3×3)

In another Bantamweight bout, Sho Sekihara debuted against Nobuhisa Kudo. In the first minute of the bout, Sekihara stopped a takedown attempt, landing tons of hammerfist strikes while Kudo was holding onto his leg. Sekihara looked very comfortable in there. He taunted quite a bit during the fight as well. Kudo was wobbled in the final seconds of round one, but couldn’t finish it. Sekihara had a slower second round. The fight went all nine minutes with Sekihara having an even more laid back round. Sho Sekihara was given the victory by the judges.

Bout 8: Shun Miyakawa vs. Kohei Maeda (Bantamweight) (3×3)

Yet another Bantamweight bout was next. The first round had some close striking, with Maeda scoring a takedown before the final minute. Maeda got another takedown in the second round while clinching the body of Miyakawa. Maeda was in top position while landing strikes. A similar takedown was done in the final round by Maeda. Miyakawa was able to escape being on the ground this time, standing up for a few seconds. Unfortunately, he was thrown down once again seconds later. The fight went it’s scheduled distance, with Kohei Maeda being selected as the winner.

Bout 9: Yasutaka Kato vs. Kaneaki Watanabe (Featherweight) (3×3)

In the ninth bout, the Featherweights squared off. Watanabe shot for a takedown early, but Kato guarded it. They went back to stand-up, where Watanabe landed a right hook that dropped Kato and ended the bout.

Bout 10: Yuki Yamamoto vs. Tatsuya Tomozane (Lightweight) (3×3)

Finishing off the prelims was a Lightweight bout. Heading into this contest, Tatsuya Tomozane was making his Pancrase debut and was on a six-fight win streak.Tomozane landed a takedown halfway through the first round. Tomozane was moving much more quicker than Yamamoto was. At the very start of the final round, there was a hard groin shot to Tomozane. Yamamoto wasn’t successful with much throughout this bout, although he did last through the whole thing. The scorecards favoured Tatsuya Tomozane.

Main Card

Bout 11: Yuki Kosaka (14-6-2) vs. Shuhei Sakano (10-3-1) (Bantamweight) (3×3)

Shuhei Sakano, coming from Rebel FC, face Yuki Kosaka in the opening main card bout. Sakano had a great walkout, dancing to “Dream Fighter” by Perfume. Both fighters had some good moments in the opening minutes. Sakano backed up a few times while striking, making the fight go back into the center of the cage. Kosaka took the fight to the ground after Sakano resisted the takedown for a while. Kosaka never got to really do work on the ground as Sakano was resisting well enough. At the start of the second round both fighters threw tons of strikes but hardly connected, in part due to the distance they kept. Sakano landed a takedown and took Kosaka’s back, but lost the position quickl. They stood back up, where Kosaka tried for a single leg takedown. Sakano landed elbows while Kosaka was still trying for the takedown. Kosaka got the fight back to the ground for the final seconds of the second round. Sakano was dropped by a jab at the start of the third round. Sakano tried for an armbar when they went on the ground later. The final minute of the fight was close, with Sakano trying for a triangle choke and an armbar. Both fighters went the distance with the judges giving the win to Shuhei Sakano via split decision, although he looked as if he didn’t believed he deserved to win.

Bout 12: Takafumi Ato (8-8-1) vs. Yuta Miyazawa (3-2) (#11) (Strawweight) (3×3)

In the second main card bout, Takafumi Ato faced Yuta Miyazawa in a Strawweight bout. Miyazawa landed a strong takedown in the first minute of the bout, throwing down Ato a second time when he stood up. Ato got up a second time, while Miyazawa held him from behind and did some knees. They split up with a minute left in the first. In the final seconds of the round, Ato had Miyazawa backtracking due to some punches. Both fighters seemed to lose composure with their striking at the end. Miyazawak got a takedown after a minute of exchanging punches in the second. They stood back up for another hectic final minute of the round. Ato got dropped by a punch but recovered quickly. Ato was on Miyazawa’s back, throwing punches as the fight ended. In the opening moments of the third round, Miyazawa got a takedown but lost is right after. It seemed like Ato was more interested in engaging in a fire fight. Ato got a takedown but lost control, with Miyazawa landing knees against the cage whilst standing. They broke up with both fighters being very fatigued in the final minute. Miyazawa landed a final takedown, with the fighters both throwing punches as the fight ended. It was another split decision, with it going in favour of Yuta Miyazawa.

Bout 13: Yusuke Kawanago (15-6-2) vs. Katsushi Sugiyama (12-8-1) (#11) (Featherweight) (3×3)

In the final three minute round fight, Yusuke Kawanago faced Katsushi Sugiyama. Kawanago landed a takedown in the first minute after they traded punches. Kawanago got a cut above his left eye which made the fight pause for doctors to check. They decided to let the fight continue. Kawagano was dropped by a left and right combo, and then was given more punches on the ground until the referee stopped the fight. Similar to a finish earlier, Sugiyama got his win in the very last second of a round.

Bout 14: Joey Crisostomo Jr. (2-3) vs. Chihaya Yoneyama (6-1-1) (Bantamweight) (3×5)

The next Bantamweight fight saw the Pancrase debut of Spike22’s Joey Cristostomo Jr. against Chihaya Yoneyama. Yoneyama took the fight to the ground in the first after a kick tripped Chrisostomo. He landed elbows from top position. Crisostomo tried to get out, but Yoneyama put him back down and did more. The first round was nothing short of dominant for Yoneyama. They went back to the ground in no time when the second round started. While on top, Yoneyama started to unload with some punches. There was a pause where he tried for two submissions, then started doing elbows and punches which made the referee step in and end it.

Bout 15: Bakytbek Duishobaev (6-1) vs. Yuchi Ohashi (5-2) (#8) (Bantamweight) (3×5)

The next bout M-1 Challenge alumni Bakytbek Duishobaev facing Yuchi Ohashi. Ohashi landed a left hook into a clinch, and then landed a knee which dropped Duishobaev, making only a few more strikes necessary to win, in under a minute.

Bout 16: Takeshi Kasugai (22-6-1) vs. Hidekazu Fukushima (14-7) (#4) (Bantamweight) (3×5)

At this point in the show we started to see more experienced fighters square off. Takeshi Kasugai and Hidekazu Fukushima, who have 50 bouts combined, fought next. Kasugai showed off powerful hands in the first minute, dropping Fukushima, although Fukushima recovered almost instantly. They stayed on the ground after Kasugai got the knockdown, with Fukushima eventually even getting the top position in a half guard. Fukushima had some real dominant grappling, although Kasugai did land some punches on the ground near the end of the first round. Kasugai shot for a takedown at the start of the second round but did not get it. It was clear that Kasugai was the better striker. They stayed standing up for the majority of the second round. Fukushima failed to score another takedown in the initial minute of the final round. Fukushima seemed to heat up a little more in the last round, but Kasugai kept his striking up as well. The fight went the distance with Takeshi Kasugai getting the nod from all three judges.

Bout 17: Akihiro Gono (36-23-8) vs. Yuki Kondo (60-35-9) (Welterweight) (3×3)

In a fight of two fighters with extensive records, Akihiro Gono faced Yuki Konda. This is a trilogy fight between these two fighters, with the series being 1-1. Their latest meeting was in 2006 at Pride Shockwave. This fight had three minute rounds. The first round had some close striking, with kicks from both fighters being frequent. They opened up more with punches in the second round, with Kondo walking down Gono. There was a low blow to Gono at the start of the third which cause a break. The third round was when both fighters really started to up their striking output. Unfortunately for Gono, he has hit with yet another low blow in the final seconds of the round. The fight went to decision. It was Yuki Kondo who got the upper hand in the trilogy, with all three judges giving the win to him.

Bout 18: Kazumasa Majima (12-1) vs. Issei Tamura (12-9) (#5) (Featherweight) (3×5)

In the next bout, #5 ranked Featherweight from Krazy Bee, Issei Tamura, fought Kazumasa Majima, who made is Pancrase debut coming from REBEL FC. Majima went for a takedown in the first minute of the bout, which Tamura stopped at first, but after some work against the cage, Majima had it his way. He showcased his dominant grappling for the rest of the first round. Majima brought the fight to the ground again in the second and tried for a rear naked choke. Majima held the fence at one point for quite a few seconds but the referee did not see it. The second round has similar to the first. The final round was the only time Majina really had some strikes, landing elbows and punches from top position. He put in an arm triangle with a minute and a half left in the round, making Tamura tap out.

Bout 19: Mamoru Yamaguchi (31-12-5) (#7) vs. Toru Ogawa (10-3) (#5) (Flyweight) (3×5)

In the co-main event of the evening, two ranked Flyweights in Mamoru Yamaguchi and Toru Ogawa faced off. Ogawa had the better striking in the first round. Ogawa’s dominant striking continued through the second. The whole fight was stand-up, with Ogawa being absolutely dominant. The judges had it as a unanimous victory for Toru Ogawa.

Bout 20: Isao Kobayashi (23-5-4) (Featherweight Interim Champion) vs. Nazareno Malegarie (29-5-1) (Featherweight Unified Champion) (Featherweight) (5×5)

The main event of Pancrase 305 was a clash between the two Pancrase Featherweight Champions, Isao Kobayashi and Nazareno Malegarie. It was noted by the broadcast team that Malegarie cut a large amount of weight for this fight. The first round was a methodical one, with Kobayashi getting some good shots in. The second round felt like an improvement for Malegarie while Kobayashi kept up with his striking as well. Kobayashi tried for a takedown in the final minute of the third round but couldn’t get it. All of the rounds in the fight had very close striking, with the tempo of strikes increasing as the fight went on. Both fighters tried for takedowns in the final round. There was never any moments that made one fighter stick out particularly. With a minute left Malegarie tried for a heel hook, but Kobayashi got out shortly. The fight went all 25 minutes, with the judges giving Isao Kobayashi the unanimous decision, making him the only Featherweight Champion.

Pancrase will return at the end of this month with Pancrase 306, main evented by Welterweights Hiroyuki Tetsuka and Hiromitsu Miura fighting for the vacant Pancrase Welterweight Championship.

Billy Joe Saunders Earns Super Middleweight Belt In Dominant Performance

Billy Joe Saunders put on a dominant 12 round performance on Saturday, defeating Shefat Isufi via unanimous decision (120-108, 117-111 & 118-110) and becoming the new WBO Super Middleweight Champion. The championship was vacated prior to the fight which took place at Lamex Stadium, Stevenage, Hertfordshire, UK.

Saunders looked comfortable in the opening rounds, landing combinations and even finding time to taunt his opponent. He seemed to be more mobile than Isufi throughout. The only hiccup in his offence came in round 6 when Saunders was caught with two overhand rights that had him retreating. He walked the perimeter of the ring for the rest of the round.

After the fight, Saunders called out Canelo Alvarez and Gennadiy Golovkin whilst expressing his interest in a bout with Callum Smith. “Golovkin and Canelo, they don’t want that style… I’ll sign the contract twice to fight them,” said Saunders. Smith’s last bout was in September, defeating George Groves and extending his undefeated record to 25-0.

My Scorecard:

FighterSaundersIsufi
Round 1109
Round 2109
Round 3109
Round 4109
Round 5109
Round 6910
Round 7109
Round 8109
Round 9109
Round 10109
Round 11109
Round 12109
Total119109

Deontay Wilder KOs Dominic Breazeale In One Round

The “Bronze Bomber” Deontay Wilder made his return to the win column on Saturday, getting a first round KO victory over Dominic Breazeale, retaining his WBC Heavyweight Championship in Brooklyn at the Barclays Center. The win came after the Heavyweight Champion’s draw against Tyson Fury back in December, the first time Wilder saw a result that wasn’t a victory, and only the second time he finished a fight without a stoppage.

The victory came in the third minute of the initial round. After the referee separated the two fighters from a clinch, Wilder stuck out his left arm and then came around with a right hook that dropped Breazeale. He did not answer to the 10 count, making the referee end the contest.

People wonder what’s next for Wilder as the Heavyweight division is still divided. Anthony Joshua, the WBO, IBF, WBA and IBO Heavyweight Champion is set to take on Andy Ruiz Jr. on June 1st, putting all four belts on the line in his American debut at Madison Square Garden. Lineal champion Tyson Fury will have to defeat Tom Schwarz in Las Vegas on June 15th before he can try for a rematch. The heavyweight division has the potential for a superfight on the horizon, but whether that may actually happen won’t be found out for a little more time.

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

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

Preliminary Card

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

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

My Scorecard:

FighterRound 1Round 2Round 3Total
Gagnon991028
Smith1010929

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

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

My Scorecard:

FighterRound 1Round 2Round 3Total
Bhullar991028
Adams1010929

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

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

My Scorecard:

FighterRound 1Round 2Round 3Total
Nelson910
Sayles109

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

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

My Scorecard:

FighterRound 1Round 2Round 3Total
Taleb10101030
Prepolec99927

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

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

My Scorecard:

FighterRound 1Round 2Round 3Total
Morales1091029
Zahabi910928

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

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

My Scorecard:

FighterRound 1Round 2Round 3Total
Moras9
Chiasson10

Main Card

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

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

My Scorecard:

FighterRound 1Round 2Round 3Total
Sanchez1081028
Barriault910928

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

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

My Scorecard:

FighterRound 1Round 2Round 3Total
Harris
Spivak

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

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

My Scorecard:

FighterRound 1Round 2Round 3Total
Katona99927
Dvalishvili10101030

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

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

My Scorecard:

FighterRound 1Round 2Round 3Total
Swanson910928
Burgos1091029

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

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

My Scorecard:

FighterRound 1Round 2Round 3Total
Brunson1091029
Theodorou910928

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

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

My Scorecard:

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

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

UFC on ESPN+ 8: Jacare vs. Hermansson Preview

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

Preliminary Card

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Main Card

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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