Sherdog’s live
UFC Mexico coverage will begin Saturday at 5 p.m. ET. The event
is also known as
UFC Fight Night 268.
BETTING
PREVIEW | SCOUTING
REPORT | ODDS: Pinas (-270); Schultz (+220)
Round 1
The UFC chose well by matching this Mexico City card the way it did
in one regard, in that there are only two bouts on the 13-fight
billing taking place above 155 pounds. Bettors and prognosticators
may disagree with some matchmaking choices, given that favored
fighters today will close with an average line a little beneath
-450. This curtain jerker is one of the two larger matches and one
of five where the favorite does not eclipse -250, as debuting
middleweights from DWCS crash into one another with hopes of
separating wheat from chaff. Repping both Aruba and Suriname while
likely the butt of jokes much of his life, Pinas (8-1, 0-0 UFC)
will be squaring off against brother longhair Schultz (8-2, 0-0
UFC). Referee Horacio Lopez Villanueva takes charge of the fight,
and the two 185ers bump fists.
Pinas moves right to the center of the cage, letting loose a low
kick to stop Schultz from jabbing. Schultz tries to fire back with
a left hook, but all he can land is a leg kick of his own. Pinas
hits him back far harder in the lead leg, turning his hips into
those strikes and forcing a level change on the third land. Pinas
shuts down the double-leg takedown attempt and rails Schultz with a
fierce right hand at the end of a one-two, putting “Party Time”
down. Pinas looks to finish the job, but Schultz somehow weathers
the storm and powers his way back to his feet, where he looks for a
takedown. Wrapping his arms around Pinas’ waist, he drags them both
down to the floor, but this is not a good strategy. Pinas is pulled
on top of his foe, where he unleashes elbows that punish Schultz
for the ground effort. Pinas hunts for an anaconda choke, and when
he hits the gator roll, he is too loose and they separate and stand
back up.
Pinas drills his man in the chin with an uppercut, and Schultz
crumbles and tries for an ankle pick. “Baba Yaga” shuts it down,
forces Schultz to stand up and thrusts through the guard with a
piston-like one-two. Schultz collapses to the floor, and this time,
he is not getting back up. Villanueva sees that
Schultz’ goose is cooked, and he waves the fight off right around
the midpoint of the round. There are far worse ways to make your
promotional debut, with Pinas calmly walking off after putting in
work.
The Official Result
Damian Pinas def. Wesley Schultz R1 2:30 via TKO (Punches)
BETTING
PREVIEW | SCOUTING
REPORT | ODDS: Marshall (-700); Silva (+500)
Round 1
With three hours to plug through seven prelims, the promotion
wastes no time in moving to the next matchup. This one comes at 145
pounds between a pair of gents that could sorely use a victory.
Silva (9-3, 0-2 UFC) is winless after two walks to the Octagon,
appearing roughly every other year and not building any momentum in
the overstuffed division. He meets Marshall (8-3, 2-3 UFC), who was
on the wrong end of some of the worst scorecards offered last year.
Referee Fernando Salas Navarro receives the assignment, standing
back as the athletes touch ‘em up.
Silva says hello with a spinning wheel kick, and Marshall barely
gets his guard up in time so as to not get leveled. Marshall has to
back off, and Silva spins with a back kick that connects to the
body. Marshall pushes off when trying to engage, and his finger
jams into Silva’s eye socket. Salas calls time when he recognizes
the foul, and he goes to Marshall to tell him to be careful. The
Venezuelan takes less than 30 seconds to clear his vision before
restarting. Marshall attacks him with looping hooks, using them to
close the distance and drop down for a slick double-leg takedown.
Silva stands up by wrapping his arm around Marshall’s neck with a
guillotine choke, and Marshall mat returns him and even briefly
threatens with a Von Preux shoulder choke. Silva turns to his side
to try to buck off, but Marshall in half guard keeps him stuck.
Marshall settles for smacking Silva around with a few strikes
before lowering himself down to pursue an arm-triangle choke, and
Silva’s bucking and wriggling keeps him safe for the time being.
Marshall is able to pass to mount, and when Silva turns his back,
Marshall immediately snatches up a rear-naked choke. Switching his
grip to one of a more brute-force variety, “Fire” Marshall does not
even go palm-to-palm as he crushes Silva’s larynx and carotid
artery. Silva posts off his left arm and does not fight the grip,
instead just biding time before he inevitably taps
out. This speedy finish justifies the massive odds in
Marshall’s favor, with this leg in most of your parlays hitting
with style points.
The Official Result
Francis Marshall def. Erik Silva R1 2:29 via Submission (Rear-Naked
Choke)
BETTING
PREVIEW | SCOUTING
REPORT | ODDS: Kareckaite (-188); Tarin (+152)
Round 1
Due to the short-notice nature of the match, late replacement and
well-named “Kill Bill” Tarin (7-0, 0-0 UFC) puts her 0 on the line
on just a few days’ notice. She steps up against heavy-handed
Lithuanian Kareckaite (6-1-1, 1-1 UFC), who just so happens to call
herself “Heavy-Handed.” Bit on the nose, just like what she wants
her punches to be. The referee for this 130-pound catchweight
contest will be Raul Porrata. The ladies clap hands together, with
fans clearly picking a side.
That side is Tarin, who springs from side to side and walks
directly into a Kareckaite left hand. Kareckaite throws heavy
punches at her, swinging with wide-arcing lobs and mixing in a knee
when Tarin closes in. Tarin pushes out a front kick, and Kareckaite
catches it and swats it away. Tarin hammers the front leg with a
kick, and she sits in the pocket to bang it out with Kareckaite.
Tarin’s offense wobbles Kareckaite’s legs, and these women are
trading viciously with no regard to defense. They have both cracked
one another, and Kareckaite’s nose is turning red 90 seconds in.
Tarin tries for a low-to-high kick combo, and Kareckaite grabs it
and pushes her back, drilling Tarin with a subsequent right hand.
Tarin clips Kareckaite with another right, and Kareckaite has to
shake it off and gets right back to trading leather. Both women
connect in an exchange, and Kareckaite ends her own combination
with a pair of chopping kicks.
Tarin threatens with kicks that open up her hands, but she cannot
back off the advancing Lithuanian for long. Kareckaite walks
through a body kick to score an overhand right, and she connects
with a second that is met with a fierce counter. Flurries from both
sides go flying, and Kareckaite smacks Tarin upside the head with a
hard right. Kareckaite leans forward to clinch up, and Tarin thanks
her for this by slashing at her with standing elbows until they
separate. Kareckaite puts a one-two down the pipe, and she chases
after a strafing Tarin with a looping right. Fans start booing the
moment the two clinch up, and then stop when the women return to
kickboxing range. Tarin stays on the outside popping her jab, and
she leans back to avoid a swinging right hand. Kareckaite goes to
the lead leg and body with kicks, and she uses her kicks to close
in and mash Tarin against the cage wall. The horn sounds.
Sherdog Scores
Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-9 Tarin
Christian Stein scores the round: 10-9 Tarin
Tyler Treese scores the round: 10-9 Tarin
Round 2
Kareckaite takes right to the center of the cage, slowly advancing
as Tarin circles to her left. Kareckaite allows her to do this so
she can rip a body kick, prompting Tarin to bullrush her with big
swings. Kareckaite keeps her foe on her back foot, and Tarin
peppers her with kicks to any target she can find. Kareckaite has a
right hand score on the end of it, and Tarin backpedals in a hurry.
Kareckaite mixes in a takedown attempt, and the Mexican woman
stonewalls her and pushes her to the fence, where she delivers a
stern knee to the body. Kareckaite jacks her in the jaw with an
elbow to break apart, and she chases after the younger woman with
long swings. Tarin stays busy on the outside, keeping just out of
range of the worst Kareckaite throws at her while offering up kicks
to the body and lead leg. They crash together and unload short
combinations, and their accuracy is fairly high because their
guards are not very attentive.
Their sheer momentum results in clinching, and Kareckaite is
leaking from a bloody nose and goes after a single-leg takedown
attempt. Tarin frames off with knees to the side, breaking them
apart, and she scores several more when Kareckaite tries to walk
her down. The Mexican woman takes advantage of the clinch with
knees to the body, and she shoves her foe back. Kareckaite answers
with a crisp body kick and follows with a right hook. Tarin meets
her with a one-two and head kick, and she dances away from what
Kareckaite tosses back at her. Kareckaite takes a push kick to load
up with a right hand, and she hurls the punch again and again.
Tarin watches Kareckaite dart at her for a single, and when
Kareckaite transitions to a double, she manages to get the local
woman down as the round ends.
Sherdog Scores
Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-9 Tarin
Christian Stein scores the round: 10-9 Tarin
Tyler Treese scores the round: 10-9 Tarin
Round 3
It does not take long for the two women to engage in fisticuffs as
the last round begins, nailing one another with big swings back and
forth. Tarin offers up short but effective combinations, putting
two hands on the face and kicking the front leg, etc. When
Kareckaite hurls back, Tarin ducks under and grabs her from behind,
where she sweeps the leg and briefly drags the Lithuanian to the
floor. Kareckaite fights her way back to her feet but Tarin is
still clutching her from the side, until Kareckaite muscles her way
around to push Tarin to the cage wall. Porrata immediately calls
for them to work, leading to them separating and duking it out some
more. The exchanges are fairly even in terms of numbers, and
Kareckaite appears to be swinging harder. Tarin uses more kicks,
digging them to the body and getting Kareckaite’s attention with
her fast hands.
Tarin turns on the jets, cracking Kareckaite with a lengthy flurry
of fists until Kareckaite has no choice but to tie her up. Tarin
pushes her to the wall and knees her in the guts, and Kareckaite
frames off and does the same before they split up. Tarin has
inflicted additional damage on Kareckaite’s right eye, and no one
registers it as they proceed to lay into one another recklessly and
ferociously. Tarin’s face begins to swell around her eyes, and
Kareckaite targets those areas with her heavy hurls. Kareckaite
tries to slow her down with a trip effort, and Tarin slips away and
lashes out with uppercuts and knees up close. The 10-second clapper
leads to an even more ridiculous brawl, and the two women smash and
bash one another in the face repeatedly until time expires. What a
scrap, one that ends in the hands of the judges in close rounds
where a 30-27 on one end and 29-28 the other would not be out of
line.
Sherdog Scores
Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-9 Tarin (30-27 Tarin)
Christian Stein scores the round: 10-9 Tarin (30-27 Tarin)
Tyler Treese scores the round: 10-9 Tarin (30-27 Tarin)
The Official Result
Regina Tarin def. Ernesta Kareckaite via Unanimous Decision (30-27,
30-27, 29-28)
BETTING
PREVIEW | SCOUTING
REPORT | ODDS: Reyes (-240); Silva de Andrade
(+190)
Round 1
A longtime talent at the loaded bantamweight division relocates to
145 pounds as Silva de Andrade (29-6, 1 NC; 7-6 UFC) eclipses the
age of 40, on the roster since 2014 but this just his 14th fight.
He meets well-traveled newcomer Reyes (22-5, 0-0 UFC), who may have
already won the battle for “Entrance of the Year” by dancing his
way to the cage with his team to “YMCA.” It was majestic. Referee
Herb Dean will stoically serve as the third man in the Octagon, who
receives loud cheers from the crowd himself. The two touch do not
gloves before throwing down.
The shorter Silva de Andrade stands in the center of the cage like
a snake coiled to strike, and Reyes fires off strikes from the
outer edge. The Brazilian kicks him from a safe distance, and
allows Silva de Andrade to fly past him with a big swing. Reyes
leaves his chin up and hands down, and Silva de Andrade just misses
with a huge right hook. Reyes calms himself and fires back a left
that stuns Silva de Andrade, but he stands in the pocket too long
and gets dropped with a bomb of a right hand. Reyes climbs back up,
and Silva de Andrade does not recklessly chase him down and instead
sets up another bomb. He clips an advancing Reyes with a cheeky
left hook, and he marches down the hurt fighter with a barrage.
Reyes puts his back to the wall and gets nailed a few more times,
and he tries for a spin but misses. Silva de Andrade whiffs with a
haymaker so fierce, the wind nearly blows Marc Ratner’s cap off in
the first row.
Reyes’ hands remain low so he can strike from odd angles, but Silva
de Andrade is headhunting him and connects flush. Reyes runs
forward and loads up with a right hand that knocks “D’Silva” off
his feet, but it is a flash knockdown as Silva de Andrade defends
from the subsequent assault. Reyes pounces to try to pound out his
opponent, and he thwarts a roll attempt from Silva de Andrade and
mat returns him on his face when Silva de Andrade stands. Reyes
steps over to the back to lay into Silva de Andrade, who holds his
hand up to wag his finger as if to say he is fine. This opens up an
opportunity for Reyes, who very nearly snatches up a submission as
OG fight fans think back to the infamous “Hello Japan” moment in
our lovely sport. Reyes goes from back mount to full mount to
getting pushed off, as he keeps beating on Silva de Andrade like a
rented mule.
“Blair” flattens Silva de Andrade out on his stomach and slams his
fists into the side of his head, and Silva de Andrade keeps wagging
his finger to say he is ok. This is not nearly enough defense, as
he should instead be guarding his dome rather than signaling to the
ref. Dean tells him to fight back, and Silva de Andrade keeps
shaking his finger. Reyes does not relent in his onslaught of
punches to either side of the head, and Dean calls a halt to the
match with a second or two left in the round. When
Silva de Andrade stands after the stoppage, he protests to Dean,
who likely suggests that he gave the Brazilian every chance to
defend himself but threw it away. As he raises a fuss, Silva de
Andrade’s face begins to swell horizontally, having taken some
serious damage the last two minutes of that round.
The Official Result
Javier Reyes def. Douglas Silva de Andrade R1 4:59 via TKO
(Punches)
BETTING
PREVIEW | SCOUTING
REPORT | ODDS: Quinonez (-650); Moutinho (+475)
Round 1
In hopes of turning his fortunes around, Quinonez (18-5, 1-2 UFC)
will be matched with expectations that he should blow away his
opponent and hype up the partisan crowd. With his back against the
wall again, Moutinho (14-7, 0-3 UFC) needs to get his hand raised
lest he possibly see his walking papers for the second time. The
Octagon ranger for this bantamweight contest is referee Marc
Goddard, who observes a sporting glove touch between the men.
Quinonez stays calm as he asserts himself in the center of the
cage, allowing Moutinho to find his range with a few kicks before
unleashing the fury of a couple huge right hands. Moutinho bounces
off the wall and recovers, but Quinonez is cocking his right hand
back and preparing to hurl it any opportunity he can. Moutinho
peppers him from afar, and Quinonez jabs him back much harder.
Moutinho scores a glancing right hand as Quinonez circles to the
side, and a collision results in a scramble where Quinonez slams
Moutinho hard on the mat. Moutinho climbs back upright, only to be
mat returned with Quinonez on his back. Moutinho twists in hopes of
escaping the controlling position at his back, and Quinonez finds
himself in a disadvantageous posture and jumps off.
The two return to their feet, and Quinonez potshots him with
distance strikes before being warned for open fists. He slings his
heavy right hand, one that bangs into the guard but still has an
impact. Moutinho signals to Goddard that he was poked in the eye,
and Goddard grumpily calls time and tells Quinonez that there will
be no more warnings. Moutinho is good to go in seconds, and
Quinonez circles around him in hopes of setting up that right.
Moutinho walks him down but takes an elbow on the bridge of his
nose that slashes it open, and his counters his nothing but air.
Moutinho checks on his hand after landing a heavy blow, and he
switches to southpaw. Quinonez is light on his feet springing
around, further marking up the damaged beak of his adversary.
Quinonez jabs the body with a pair of front kicks to wrap up the
round.
Sherdog Scores
Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-9 Quinonez
Christian Stein scores the round: 10-9 Quinonez
Tyler Treese scores the round: 10-9 Quinonez
Round 2
The fighters are so amped up to start trading, Goddard has to back
them off. Moutinho comes out of his corner hot, cracking Quinonez
with a speedy barrage. Quinonez does not falter from his approach,
strafing to the side, countering and shooting in for a takedown.
Moutinho hits his seat from the clean double, and he remains there
for a spell until working his way up. Quinonez drags him down from
behind, and Moutinho hooks his fingers in the fence to stop it.
Goddard tells him to knock it off, and Quinonez wrenches his man to
the mat. The third time is the charm for Quinonez, who briefly
assumes mount and moves to side control and even north-south for a
moment. Moutinho turns to his stomach, and Quinonez smacks him with
undercuts—that is, uppercuts beneath the armpit. Moutinho grabs the
fence again to pull himself to his feet and keep himself upright,
and does so again when Quinonez is wrangling him for a takedown.
Goddard, who seemed stern beforehand, just warns Moutinho for
grabbing the cage wall four or five times.
The fouls do not discourage Quinonez, who manages to yank Moutinho
to the floor and secured back control with a body triangle.
Quinonez starts fishing for a rear-naked choke, placing his grip
atop the jaw and crushing it down. He changes his submission effort
to that of a neck crank, and Moutinho keeps himself safe by pinning
his chin to his chest as best he can. Quinonez goes palm-to-palm
with his face and neck crank, and Moutinho survives the attempts
but finds himself briefly mounted. Moutinho kicks off frantically
to get Quinonez off his chest, and the ensuing scramble allows
Moutinho to counter with a single-leg attempt. Quinonez lets him
back up so that he can peck at the bloody face of his foe, and he
lobs two big right hands before the bell.
Sherdog Scores
Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-9 Quinonez
Christian Stein scores the round: 10-9 Quinonez
Tyler Treese scores the round: 10-9 Quinonez
Round 3
Between rounds, Moutinho admits to his corner that he is feeling
flat, and his team tries all they might to energize him for five
more minutes. They do the job effectively, as Moutinho runs towards
Quinonez and belts him in the face. Quinonez rebounds off the wall
and gets on his bike, dancing from side to side and evading other
power punches that Moutinho slings at him. Moutinho tries for a
takedown, and Quinonez shuts it down and slips away comfortably.
The Mexican flashes his jab, timing his movements to allow Moutinho
to close in so he can score a blow or pursue a takedown. “El Nino
Problema” hunts for a single, and when he redoubles his effort, he
lands it and moves straight into side control. Quinonez goes all
the way to the other side so that he can slip into mount, and he
drives down a stern elbow in the process.
Moutinho throws his legs up and bucks to force Quinonez back to his
feet, and he grabs hold of Quinonez’s left foot for some sort of
low-percentage foot lock that goes nowhere. Moutinho transitions to
a heel hook attempt, and he scoots himself towards Quinonez to get
it tighter. Quinonez slithers his leg out to reclaim top position
without concern, and he drops down a few hammerfists before
Moutinho snatches his leg up again for a Hail Mary submission.
Quinonez practically ignores it and fights back to his feet, and
Moutinho desperately goes after a takedown before time is up.
Moutinho drops to his seat, exhausted, and Quinonez plops down next
to him to share a moment. Moutinho would rather be alone and really
anywhere but there, as he pulls Quinonez’ arm off of him.
Sherdog Scores
Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-9 Quinonez (30-27 Quinonez)
Christian Stein scores the round: 10-9 Quinonez (30-27
Quinonez)
Tyler Treese scores the round: 10-9 Quinonez (30-27 Quinonez)
The Official Result
Cristian Quinonez def. Kris Moutinho via Unanimous Decision (30-27,
30-27, 30-27)
BETTING
PREVIEW | SCOUTING
REPORT | ODDS: Perez (-180); Chiasson (+150)
Round 1
The final women’s match of the card comes in the wide-open
bantamweight division, with a ranked matchup buried on the prelims.
Both Chiasson (10-5, 8-5 UFC) and Perez (12-2, 5-1 UFC) know they
will not need more than another victory or two to reach
championship contention, and referee Raul Porrata will know who
advances before anyone else. There is no plan for a touch of
gloves.
When Perez moves to the center of the Octagon, Chiasson keeps
moving actively, changing stances and lunging with a straight right
hand. Perez counters with a perfect takedown to sweep her off her
feet. As soon as Chiasson hits the ground, she grabs hold of a
kneebar. Perez sits down to take some of the leverage out of her
submission, and Chiasson transitions her sub effort to an inverted
heel hook with her foe’s leg across her body. Chiasson keeps hold
of the limb while Perez twists and turns, hanging onto the ankle
long enough to trip up Perez and take her down. Perez scrambles to
get up, but Chiasson is on her like a cheap suit, slipping her
hooks in and grabbing Perez from behind while Perez is seated
facing the wall. Chiasson looks to push off the fence and drag
Perez away from it, so she can secure the leverage and angle she
wants to start hunting for a choke.
Perez turns over, and Chiasson rides her like a bull and elbows her
in the side of the dome. Perez briefly tries to muscle her way back
to her feet, but Chiasson controls her and leverages her back down.
Chiasson softens her foe up with elbows and punches, and a few bang
into the back of Perez’ skull as Porrata warns her for the fouls.
Chiasson clings with a body triangle around the waist to allow her
to maintain this position, and she holds on while landing strikes
until Perez spins around with all her might to reverse things.
Chiasson stands, and Perez chucks her back down with emphasis and
drops down a single elbow. She gets off a few more ground strikes
before the round concludes.
Sherdog Scores
Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-9 Chiasson
Christian Stein scores the round: 10-9 Chiasson
Tyler Treese scores the round: 10-9 Chiasson
Round 2
Chiasson leads off the round with a body kick, and she chambers and
fires a high kick with her other leg shortly thereafter. Perez
keeps her hands up to deflect the blow, and she prepares a counter
takedown when Chiasson lashes out with strikes. Perez sneaks in a
leg kick while Chiasson is jabbing her, and she cracks Chiasson
with a right hand when Chiasson sticks around too long. Perez
narrowly misses with a spinning back fist, and Chiasson. Perez
offers a fist-bump, but Chiasson would rather fight. They end up
clinched when Chiasson tries a takedown, with Perez kneeing her in
the gut a few times to lift her off the ground. The whipping
arm-drag allows Perez to toss Chiasson to the mat, and she sits on
top of her opponent’s face awkwardly. Porrata calls for action when
they are entangled despite on the mat for mere seconds, and Perez
can only work the body. Porrata breaks them up, and the commentary
team is not thrilled with the extremely speedy standup.
Chiasson takes advantage of this by rushing Perez and pitching a
head kick at her. Perez tries for another throw when Chiasson
closes in on her, and they trade knees while up close and personal.
The crowd turns on the ladies when they stall out against the cage,
neither able to impose their game on the other. Chiasson tries for
a sacrifice throw, and she ends up with Perez falling down too and
then climbing on top of her. Chiasson pushes off with upkicks,
leading to Perez jamming her up against the wire and fishing for a
trip. She drags Chiasson to a knee, and Chiasson works back upright
only to be swept down again. Chiasson turns around and gives her
back up to escape, and Perez rides on top and beans Chiasson with a
right hand as the bell rings.
Sherdog Scores
Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-9 Perez
Christian Stein scores the round: 10-9 Perez
Tyler Treese scores the round: 10-9 Perez
Round 3
When Chiasson leads off with a kick in the final round, she falls
over and Perez grabs hold of her. Chiasson works her way back up
and leans on the cage wall to take some of the weight off of her,
but Perez still wrenches her to the floor. Perez defends against a
sweep and presses heavily on her foe to keep her stuck on the mat.
Perez grinds until Porrata calls for action, with the referee
having a very itchy trigger finger when it comes to grappling.
Perez lands a strike or two as she works her right leg out in hopes
of passing to mount, and she bails on it to shoulder check Chiasson
in the jaw.
After another lull on the mat, Porrata is about to stand them up,
but Chiasson explodes and inadvertently gives up her back. Perez
takes it but is riding high, and she fishes for a choke that is not
there. Chiasson returns to her knees and posts off to stand, so
Perez knees her square in the jaw and proceeds to glom onto the
Ranger 47 trainee. Chiasson cannot get Perez off of her, and Perez
stays active enough with knees to the torso. Chiasson turns the
tables with a double attempt, and she abandons it to let go with a
front kick and a right hand. Perez dodges and ducks to get close,
and she grabs Chiasson to end the slow, plodding fight. Chiasson
spins her around, but time is up. Believing she is about to get her
hand raised, Perez falls to her stomach and twerks a bit.
Sherdog Scores
Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-9 Perez (29-28 Perez)
Christian Stein scores the round: 10-9 Perez (29-28 Perez)
Tyler Treese scores the round: 10-9 Perez (29-28 Perez)
The Official Result
Ailin Perez def. Macy Chiasson via Unanimous Decision (29-28,
29-28, 29-28)
BETTING
PREVIEW | SCOUTING
REPORT | ODDS: Gandra (-550); Medina (+450)
Round 1
It’s another showcase match, this time at 185 pounds, as Brazilian
newcomer Gandra (8-1, 0-0 UFC) looks to hunt down the hapless
Medina (11-6, 0-3 UFC). Someone’s going to get their first win in
the UFC, and referee Horacio Lopez Villanueva will be there for it
every step of the way. Gloves are touched before they are
traded.
Medina rushes forward, only to be backed up by a long one-two.
Gandra reaches out with a long left hand and follows with a push
kick to the stomach. He lashes out with a flurry of punches, and
Medina puts his back to the wall and takes a flush knee to the
chest.
Gandra unloads with a long salvo of punches, and he decks “Chicho”
with a brutal right hand on the button that shuts his lights out
for a second. When Medina hits the mat, he switches back online,
but Villanueva is on him intervening. Medina grabs
hold of Villanueva’s leg on autopilot, but he realizes his error
and starts to protest the stoppage while blood leaks down his right
eyebrow. Medina is upset but there is nothing left for him to do or
say, as he has lost five fights in a row with three of those by
stoppage. Gandra declares that he called his shot, as he hunted for
a first-round knockout and achieved it in a bit over 40
seconds.
The Official Result
Ryan Gandra def. Jose Medina R1 0:41 via TKO (Punches)
BETTING
PREVIEW | SCOUTING
REPORT | ODDS: Luna (-425); Pacheco (+325)
Round 1
To kick off the main card, a pair of bantamweights with 100% finish
rates square off. Repping the host nation, Luna (7-0, 1-0 UFC)
firmly has the crowd on his side. He meets Minnesota native Pacheco
(7-3, 0-1 UFC), who earned a contract off DWCS despite losing, and
went on to drop his debut as well. Betting lines are appropriately
lopsided in Luna’s favor. Referee Fernando Salas Navarro does not
need to know the odds to do his job, and he stands guard for what
is about to happen next. The fighters clap their hands together
prior to engaging.
Luna gets his boxing going early, prodding Pacheco with his jab.
Pacheco answers with a few of his own, and strings a trio of
punches behind the jab to get Luna’s respect early. Luna backs him
off with a front kick and a few body shots, and he even fakes a
level change to keep Pacheco honest. Luna swats out when Pacheco
closes in and grabs the back of his head, but he lets it go so he
can trade more hands. Luna jams his foot on the belly, and he
chains several punches into knees as he works the body. They both
toss out low kicks, and Pacheco splits the guard with a strong jab.
Luna scores a right hand, digs a kick to the body and changes
levels to strip Pacheco’s feet away beneath him. The Minnesotan
bounces back to his feet, where Luna controls him in the clinch as
he frames off the face with his palm.
Pacheco fires off a one-two as he presses the action, and Luna
meets him in the middle and scores a knee to the belly. Luna keeps
pawing out his jab when there is a lull, and Pacheco thumps his
inner thigh with a kick. Pacheco drives home an uppercut that Luna
no-sells, and Luna swings a right hand on the temple and catches
him a second time with a right hook as Pacheco’s legs go stiff for
a second. Luna unleashes a torrent of strikes as Pacheco is stunned
from the strikes, with Luna’s body shots already having an impact
as Pacheco’s guard drops to protect his gut. Luna completes and
easy double in the open cage, and Pacheco hits his back and sets up
an armbar that forces Luna back to his feet. Pacheco flips to his
knees to explode up, and Luna fires off a head kick at him that
bangs into the gloves. Pacheco sneaks in a jump knee when Luna is
about to change levels, and they both let fly big punches. Luna
knocks Pacheco off his feet before the bell with a sweeping left
hook, although it may have been a slip.
Sherdog Scores
Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-9 Luna
Christian Stein scores the round: 10-9 Luna
Tyler Treese scores the round: 10-9 Luna
Round 2
Pacheco comes out of his corner no worse for wear, and Luna
immediately stalks him down behind his jab. He follows his jabs
with right hands and knees to the gut, and when Pacheco backs off,
Luna targets the midsection with a kick. Pacheco digs his own left
to the liver, but his volume significantly trails that of his
opponent’s. Luna telegraphs a double, and Pacheco defends it and is
forced to take a knee. Luna welcomes this by taking the back, and
Pacheco blocks the hooks from getting in so Luna spins around to
establish himself on top with Pacheco trying for butterfly hooks.
The American considers an armbar again, but he is not in the right
place to pull it off. Pacheco uses upkicks to push Luna away and
stand back up, and he is met with a thumping knee to the abdomen.
Luna drills his foe with two more knees, one to the stomach and one
to the jaw, and Pacheco pushes him away and resets. Luna goes to
the head and body, whiffing with a monstrous uppercut that would
have knocked out a much larger man.
Luna strikes the body in the midst of his fluid combinations, and
his jab has marked up the bridge of Pacheco’s nose. Luna lets fly a
fast one-two and sets a knee behind it, and Pacheco stumbles back
but is still in the fight. Luna chops at the front leg and is
backed off with jabs, leading both men to attack the body. Pacheco
tries for his own body shot, and Luna knocks him back with a right
hand and then raises his arms to have Pacheco throw down with him.
Luna stalks Pacheco down and unloads with a flurry, and he
transitions to grappling and tries to hit a suplex rather than
getting things done on the feet. Pacheco sells out for an armbar,
so Luna presses his weight down to thwart it. Pacheco stands and
blocks the knee he knows is coming, and he loops a left hand around
the guard and gets popped with an overhand right. Pacheco uses a
modified Philly shell to block when Luna lets go with combinations,
and the two bang it out to the horn.
Sherdog Scores
Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-9 Luna
Christian Stein scores the round: 10-9 Luna
Tyler Treese scores the round: 10-9 Luna
Round 3
Luna scurries to the middle of the cage to start off in the final
round, and he proceeds to let loose a combination of punches to the
head and body. Pacheco counters him on the way back and dislodges
the undefeated fighter’s mouthguard, and Salas retrieves it for
him. Pacheco breaks off to get a modicum of space, lumbering
forward with reaching punches and tossing out the occasional
off-speed uppercut to catch Luna standing still. Luna swings far
more furiously, and his knees are starting to have an impact as
Pacheco nearly doubles over when absorbing one. Luna chains his
punches together with ease, and Pacheco loads up on his counters as
his volume is falling to one or two at a time. Luna backs him off
with salvos of punches, and he ducks down to dodge a counter and
complete a takedown. Pacheco’s upkicks keep Luna from establishing
himself on top, and he is aware that a knee is coming when standing
so he defends it. Luna gets right back in Pacheco’s face with his
hands, resulting in a clinch as he bullies Pacheco to the wall.
With his back to the wall, Pacheco offers up a knee or two, but
Luna is firmly in the driver’s seat. Pacheco’s swings rebound off
the guard, and Luna splits it and slams a kick on the lead leg.
Pacheco lowers himself down as if to take the fight down, and Luna
snatches up his neck and jumps guard to hit a guillotine choke.
Like most of Dustin Poirier’s attempts over the years, Luna fails
to snare him in the submission, and he winds up on his back. Luna
defends from most of the strikes that Pacheco hurls at him and
smacks Pacheco in the face with an illegal upkick. Pacheco motions
to Salas, who apparently did not see anything even though he was
looking right at them, and they fight on. Luna walks forward
without fear to let go with combos of punches and knees, and
Pacheco is tough as a two-dollar steak and throws back with a
vengeance. Luna tees off on the Minnesotan, nails him with a jump
knee and connects with a looping right at the sound of the horn. It
was one-way traffic, but it did go the distance.
Sherdog Scores
Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-9 Luna (30-27 Luna)
Christian Stein scores the round: 10-9 Luna (30-27 Luna)
Tyler Treese scores the round: 10-9 Luna (30-27 Luna)
The Official Result
Santiago Luna def. Angel Pacheco via Unanimous Decision (30-27,
30-27, 30-27)
BETTING
PREVIEW | SCOUTING
REPORT | ODDS: Rodriguez (-400); Borjas (+325)
Round 1
Making his UFC debut with six finishes in six fights, Mexico’s
Rodriguez (6-0, 0-0 UFC) is en fuego and plans on handing fellow
slugger Borjas (10-4, 1-3 UFC) his fourth loss in five walks to the
Octagon. Keeping tabs on the flyweights will be referee Raul
Porrata, ready to intervene at a moment’s notice after the fighters
share a fist bump.
The unbeaten speedster starts off the fight by firing off several
quick punches and kicks that are so fast, Borjas cannot do anything
but watch as he absorbs them. Rodriguez beats him to the punch and
kick repeatedly, and the counters do not even start to come back at
him yet because he is out of reach seconds after he connects.
Borjas uncorks a bomb of a left hand when Rodriguez swings in the
pocket and sends him flying, and Porrata is just about to run and
stop the fight. Porrata peels back as Rodriguez bounces back to his
feet, and Borjas rushes at him and drops the youngster again.
Rodriguez miraculously gathers his thoughts and completes enough of
a takedown to put Borjas on his back and start recovering.
Rodriguez slows himself down, preferring to maintain top position
and strike with his elbows rather than looking for a finish and
burning out his gas tank. Rodriguez holds on from half guard, and
Porrata starts calling for more activity. Rodriguez keeps busy with
ground-and-pound, and Borjas clings to his man off his back.
Rodriguez postures up and drills Borjas with a flush elbow, and
Borjas ties him up again in hopes of getting the standup he seeks.
Rodriguez slashes down with more elbows, covering Borjas’ mouth
with his free hand to further make life miserable. Rodriguez’
elbows keep drilling the Peruvian athlete in the dome, but they do
not wound him externally. Rodriguez jumps into mount with seconds
to go, and Borjas climbs up when the bell sounds. Rodriguez gets in
Borjas’ face when the round ends, and Porrata has to separate them
and send them back to their respective corners.
Sherdog Scores
Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-9 Borjas
Christian Stein scores the round: 10-9 Borjas
Tyler Treese scores the round: 10-9 Borjas
Round 2
The fighters clap hands to get going in the second stanza, with
Rodriguez striking first with a low kick and missing on huge
haymakers that follow. Borjas kicks him back, and he is checked.
Rodriguez darts in behind a left hook, and Borjas probes out with
an intercepting jab. Borjas pump-fakes his hips as if to threaten
with something, and this stifles Rodriguez from committing to much.
Rodriguez pitches out single strikes at a time, and the two both
offer front kicks. Rodriguez swings for the fences with a pair of
punches, only for Borjas to be out of the way in time. Rodriguez
swarms Borjas with a short flurry, and Borjas’ head movement keeps
him relatively safe as he backpedals. When Rodriguez engages again,
Borjas is ready in the pocket to trade back, resulting in Rodriguez
pulling back a bit. The speed advantage is not nearly as
significant, as Rodriguez runs forward and holds his left hand out
to graze Borjas’ eye with his fingertips. Porrata calls time, and
Borjas takes a few seconds to recover from what was a
not-too-terrible eye poke.
Rodriguez punches his way into a frantic takedown shot, and he
bangs into Borjas against the wall and is pushed back with a hard
right hand. Rodriguez prods out his jab and shoots for a single,
holding Borjas’ leg in the air and slugging him in the face with a
trio of punches before disengaging. Borjas catches Rodriguez on the
sides of the head with two punches, and Rodriguez freezes him with
a shovel left uppercut. Rodriguez goes wild and falls over when
swinging so hard, and he recovers to offer a spinning elbow that
bounces off the guard.
Rodriguez digs a kick to the body and whips out a right hand that
scrambles Borjas’ circuits. A stunned Borjas blinks a few times,
but does not realize that he is as hurt as he actually is. Borjas’
spirit may be willing but his flesh is spongy and bruised. “El
Gallo Negro” slumps to the floor, the fight having fully left his
body, and he feebly holds his arms over his head to protect from
the pounding he expects to come. Rodriguez lets him have it with a
final barrage of standing-to-ground punches as Porrata rushes in to
stop the fight, and that makes it 7-0 for the
youngster from Mexico. The crowd goes wild for their local fighter,
who survived some adversity and made it out the other end with a
knockout victory.
The Official Result
Imanol Rodriguez def. Kevin Borjas R2 4:21 via TKO (Punches)
BETTING
PREVIEW | SCOUTING
REPORT | ODDS: Chairez (-300); Bunes (+250)
Round 1
Two flyweights who have struggled as of late will collide with
hopes of gaining just a wisp of momentum in their speedy weight
class. Chairez (12-6, 1 NC; 2-2, 1 NC UFC) has the crowd on his
side in a big way, while Bunes (14-8, 1-2 UFC) is showered in boos
and looks to spoil their mood. Referee Marc Goddard is on top of
things for as long as the match lasts, bearing witness to a glove
touch that opens the fight up.
Bunes stands tall to open the fight, walking down the local
favorite with his right hand firing. Chairez backs him off with his
jab, but not for long as Bunes pushes the pace on him. Chairez
drills the lead leg with a kick, and Bunes frowns, swings hard and
shoots in on the hips for a takedown. Chairez defends the initial
offering, leaning his head against the cage to keep himself on his
feet. Bunes holds on from behind before speedily climbing onto the
back to take it standing, and he locks down a body triangle. Bunes
starts slugging away with his free left hand while Chairez holds
the other to block a choke setup. Bunes elbows Chairez in the side
and shoulder, and he is warned for leaning his arm on top of the
cage.
Chairez hand-fights to protect his neck, and Bunes nearly snatches
it up and is again fussed at for resting his arm on the cage. Fans
in the building erupt with frustration as Bunes rests on the top of
the cage, and the Brazilian hacks down with multiple unorthodox
elbows to the top of the shoulder. Chairez looks confused that
strikes are raining down from those angles and actually affecting
him, but he is biding his time and hanging on without getting
strangled. Bunes picks his elbows carefully so that he does not
strike the mohawk line on the top of the head, and he lets loose
with clubbing right hands before wrapping his arm around Chairez’
face. Chairez jumps to the ground to slap Bunes down on his back,
and the horn sounds.
Sherdog Scores
Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-9 Bunes
Christian Stein scores the round: 10-9 Bunes
Tyler Treese scores the round: 10-9 Bunes
Round 2
The fighters touch gloves to get going in this round, where Chairez
fires off a chopping kick and slips away from a looping left hook.
Bunes scores his own low kick, and he aims a stomp kick to the knee
before ripping his shin to the body with his free leg. Chairez
spins with a back fist that misses the mark, and he walks Bunes
down and slugs him in the chin. Bunes fires back, doing enough
damage to force Chairez to stop pressuring him for a moment. Bunes
reaches out with a right hand, parrying a few jab offerings from
his opponent as both men look for options. Chairez bangs a left
hand off the guard and follows a right straight to the solar
plexus. He then chains a few punches together, only for Bunes to
meet him in the pocket with a trio of fists that knock him
back.
Chairez resets and smacks Bunes with a spinning back fist, and
Bunes has nothing to answer back with and keeps his guard up to
defend another that Chairez fakes. Chairez digs a front kick to the
torso and hand-fights to protect his mug, and he steps back to
avoid a back fist aimed at his face. Chairez dips in an uppercut
and a left hook, leading Bunes to strike him back heavily. Bunes
headhunts, and Chairez’s head movement and elusiveness are keeping
him from taking much damage this round. Bunes goes high with a
kick, and Chairez tries to do the same as both men do not connect
flush. Bunes gets rocked with a jab and gathers his thoughts to
swing back, but he slips. Chairez walks directly into a turning
back kick to the pectoral, and Bunes tosses out an inside thigh
kick that goes high and cracks into the cup. Goddard calls time as
Chairez winces and rubs his eye, which has some damage on it as
well as blood leaks into his eye. Chairez bounces up and down and
is ready to go in 45 seconds, and he wants to throw down and does
just that. Chairez punches his way into a spin, and he knocks Bunes
back a bit as the horn ends the round.
Sherdog Scores
Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-9 Chairez
Christian Stein scores the round: 10-9 Chairez
Tyler Treese scores the round: 10-9 Chairez
Round 3
The last round opens with jabs from both sides, and Chairez scores
with his uppercut as Bunes asks for more. Chants for Chairez echo
through the arena, but they are quickly silenced when Bunes shoots
for and completes a takedown. Chairez kicks off and gets back up,
and he intercepts Bunes with a spinning elbow. Bunes backpedals,
and Chairez pours it on with a few right hands and a crisp
uppercut. Bunes again waves him on, so Chairez does just that by
blasting him with body shots. Bunes grits his teeth but is taking
damage and not offering much back, and Chairez puts a low kick on
him and a few punches to keep him guessing. Chairez rips a right
hand upstairs, and Bunes has to back off and take a quick count of
his teeth. Bunes jabs the body with a kick and motions that it’s
time to brawl, but Chairez does not engage recklessly.
Chairez picks his shots, spinning with a back kick to the body.
Bunes sticks him with a jab and backs him off, further bloodying up
an already damaged Chairez. Chairez offers up his own power jabs,
switching stances and waving his hands around to fluster the
Brazilian. Chairez kicks to both legs and swats out a left hand
twice, and Bunes slaps his chest to demand he bring it on. Chairez
stays in kickboxing range, reaching out with his long left hand and
barely blocking a high kick in time. Chairez drills his man in the
eye socket with a left hand, and Bunes backpedals in a hurry to
protect himself while claiming it was a poke, as Goddard calls for
them to keep fighting. Chairez walks Bunes down and digs body shots
to open up strike upstairs, and he pushes out a front kick to the
sternum. Chairez spins with a wheel kick that slams into Bunes’
head, further knocking him around with two swarming punches, a jump
knee and a charge that is stopped before he lands further as time
is up. It could go either way, likely depending on how the second
round was scored.
Sherdog Scores
Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-9 Chairez (29-28 Chairez)
Christian Stein scores the round: 10-9 Bunes (29-28 Bunes)
Tyler Treese scores the round: 10-9 Chairez (29-28 Chairez)
The Official Result
Edgar Chairez def. Felipe Bunes via Split Decision (29-28, 28-29,
29-28)
BETTING
PREVIEW | SCOUTING
REPORT | ODDS: Zellhuber (-500); Green (+375)
Round 1
“Golden Boy” Zellhuber (15-3, 3-3 UFC) has appeared a bit
gold-plated as of late with two straight losses on his ledger. He
will be 13 years the younger of grizzled veteran Green (33-17-1, 1
NC; 14-12-1, 1 NC UFC), who never shies away from a firefight.
Before they bang it out, referee Herb Dean clocks them in and the
lightweights do not tap gloves together as Green has his mean mug
in full display.
Green, hands down by his side as is his custom, swats away
Zellhuber’s reaching lead hand a few times. Green steps back as
Zellhuber lunges with an overhand right, and the Mexican stumbles,
Green catches him, resets and times a takedown to put the two on
the mat. Zellhuber spins around as the two wind back up on their
feet, where Green starts chattering at him. Zellhuber backs Green
to the fence but walks into a straight left hand, and Green follows
with a one-two before Zellhuber can get to him. Zellhuber kicks his
lead leg, and Green says, “please sir, may I have another.” We’re
paraphrasing, but you get the gist. Green keeps goading Zellhuber
on, and Zellhuber sells out for a few swings and ends up getting
taken down again. Zellhuber once more turns about to escape the
ground game and works back to his feet, and once more Green pounds
him in the face with a power jab.
Green’s alternating stances and awkward footwork make Zellhuber
struggle, and when he lets off offense, he lands it fairly often.
Zellhuber is not sure how to proceed, winging a huge right hand in
hopes of knocking Green out with one blow, but he does not land it.
Green dings him with two punches and slips the counters, brushing
off his shoulder mockingly. Zellhuber swings at him, and Green
retreats and laughs at him. Zellhuber keeps giving chase, walking
into a barrage of punches from “King” and landing some of his own.
Green shakes his head and no-sells anything, signaling that nothing
has landed flush on him, and he suddenly spins with a back kick
that bangs into the shoulder. Green reaches out and slaps the
younger man in the face, and Zellhuber answers by kicking him in
the face. Zellhuber rips a left to the body, and Green doubles over
and has to regain his poker face. Green gets back into his element,
grooving back and forth and jamming Zellhuber up with short punches
and a hard low kick. He stands before a motionless Zellhuber until
the round concludes.
Sherdog Scores
Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-9 Green
Christian Stein scores the round: 10-9 Green
Tyler Treese scores the round: 10-9 Green
Round 2
Zellhuber starts off the round aggressively, and Green’s head
movement and footwork protect him from anything overtly harmful.
Green shrugs off the big swings and uses Zellhuber’s offense
against him, tackling the Mexican to the floor. Zellhuber wraps up
his right leg around Green’s neck to set up an extremely rare and
fairly new buggy choke, and Dean checks on Green a few times to
make sure he’s still fine. Green gives a thumbs-up and briefly
frees his neck from the clutch of Zellhuber’s right arm cinched
with his right leg—look it up, because it’s not easy to describe
setting up—but Zellhuber commits to it again. Green slowly,
methodically wriggles his neck out of danger, and he pops back to
his feet. Zellhuber hurries back after him, and Green wants to take
him back down.
Zellhuber stops the effort this time, so Green pushes out front
kicks and slugs his man in the face with a hard right hand. Green
laughs off what flies his way and fires back heavy left hands, and
he mixes in obnoxious kicks to the front leg that partially
hyperextend the lead knee. Zellhuber has a left hand skim the top
of Green’s head, and Green shakes his head and keeps doing his
thing. Green does not swing for the fences with his strikes, and
Zellhuber’s volume is low while he still tries to figure out a way
in. Green hits any target that is open, including the temple, where
he clubs Zellhuber and wobbles him. Zellhuber stumbles back on baby
der legs, but he manages to get his footing while Green largely
showboats in front of him.
Green wings two hooks that bounce off the nose that is now leaking,
and he nails “Golden Boy” with a flush salvo of fiery fists.
Zellhuber goes out and is snapped back online, and he hits the
ground and is in a bad way. Green does not let him off the hook and
proceeds to violently batter him on the sides of the head. As
“King” continues his final bombardment, Dean saves the Mexican
fighter from his own toughness and waves the fight
off. As if he knew he was going to do that the whole
time, Green walks off, cool as a cucumber, and has words with the
closest camera. At the age of 39, “King” Green can still put on
performances like that, dropping Zellhuber’s UFC record below .500
with a vintage knockout.
The Official Result
Bobby Green def. Daniel Zellhuber R2 4:55 via TKO (Punches)
BETTING
PREVIEW | SCOUTING
REPORT | ODDS: Martinez (-270); Vera (+220)
Round 1
Earlier in the broadcast, the commentary team called “Chito” Vera
(23-11-1, 15-10 UFC) a legend. Do you agree? Either way, he faces
the surging “Black Spartan” Martinez (13-1, 2-0 UFC) and will have
his hands full. Before the feet and fists fly, referee Herb Dean
opens the fight, and the competitors share a fist bump.
Vera goes right to stalking the man with black and pink-dyed hair,
ducking a huge right hand and slapping away a head kick as Martinez
swings hard. Vera lands with his toes with his own high kick, and
Martinez chops at this front leg in response. Vera stabs a front
kick to the torso, and he is aware that head kicks will be flying
at him and guards another. The two take turns throwing at one
another, with Martinez intermittently attacking the front leg. Vera
tries a kick upstairs that is blocked easily, and Martinez bounces
his way in behind a right hand. Vera partially checks a kick, and
Martinez hops back to avoid one that flies his way but cannot stop
it. Vera reaches him with a push kick and is met with more low
kicks, with this match primarily a kick fight to this point.
Vera walks in and eats a right hand, and Martinez sits down on
another as Vera takes it cleanly. Vera does not take a step back,
offering his own kick up high and ignoring what else comes his way.
Martinez is jittery and bounds in behind a straight left hand, and
he times an uppercut when Vera ducks down. Vera replies with a
chopping kick, and he is caught at the end of a right hand.
Martinez follows with a teep kick, and both men are moving all over
the place. Vera has a high kick caught, and Martinez sweeps the leg
and takes Vera to the floor. “Chito” throws his legs up off his
back to threaten with a triangle choke, only for “Black Spartan” to
shove those limbs aside and establish himself on top. Martinez
drops down several punches and hammerfists while on top, and they
keep swinging right to and through the bell, both getting away with
late strikes that apparently offset.
Sherdog Scores
Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-9 Martinez
Christian Stein scores the round: 10-9 Martinez
Tyler Treese scores the round: 10-9 Martinez
Round 2
Vera puts on the pressure to start off the second stanza, but he
does not commit to anything due at least in part to Martinez’
frantic movement. Vera pushes out a one-two to the chest, and
Martinez replies with a right hand over the top. Vera kicks high,
and Martinez goes to the body and leans back as a hook kick misses
his face. Vera attacks the front leg with a kick and is drilled
with an overhand right, but he gathers himself well enough to check
the oncoming low kick. Vera jabs his way forward and wings a left
hand, and Martinez wears it well and puts three punches on “Chito”
including one to the liver. Martinez is the faster of the two,
splitting the guard with a one-two before Vera can react. Vera
strikes the calf with his shin, and his left hand has drawn some
swelling around Martinez’ right eye. Vera takes a right hand on the
button and another right after it, and he walks through them to
spin with a back kick as if nothing had happened. Martinez sticks
him with a straight right, and Vera grabs his hand and tries to do
something with it.
Martinez frees his limb and circles away, with Vera in hot pursuit.
Vera keeps his hands up when he sees Martinez is about to engage,
defending against a speedy combination and looping a left over the
top at the end. Vera boots Martinez right in the face, and Martinez
sweeps the leg and puts “Chito” on his back. Martinez stays busy on
top by landing strikes from above, bloodying Vera’s mouth up but
not keeping him down for long. Vera pushes off with upkicks and
reverse somersaults to get back upright. The Ecuadorian proceeds to
crowd Martinez, digging a left to the body and a right up top, as
Martinez’ face is swelling around both eyes. Martinez punches his
way into a takedown shot, and Vera keeps his balance, smiles and
walks into a spinning back kick. Vera replies with a high kick, and
the close round wraps.
Sherdog Scores
Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-9 Martinez
Christian Stein scores the round: 10-9 Martinez
Tyler Treese scores the round: 10-9 Martinez
Round 3
The fearless Vera races out of his corner to attack, knowing he
might be down on the scorecards—or at best, it is 1-1. Vera pitches
a high kick, and Martinez answers with a liver shot and a low kick
that gets checked. Vera stays right in the pink-haired gentleman’s
face as he cuts off the cage, but he resorts to chasing after him
when Martinez keeps moving. Martinez lands while Vera comes in at
him, and nothing seems to faze “Chito.” Vera defends a low single
where his leg gets pulled in the air, and he reaches at the end of
a one-two and has more success with a pecking jab. Vera lands at
the end of a right and then a left, and he pounds the body when
Martinez is circling that direction. Vera keeps after Martinez,
thumping his stomach with a knee and otherwise coming directly at
him. Martinez pops out a one-two, and he takes three on the jaw as
he backs off.
Martinez fakes for a level change and gets Vera to react, allowing
him to score a few times before Vera can do something about it.
They lock arms when trying to strike, and Vera pulls his arm free
and nails Martinez. Martinez connects cleanly on his own end, and
they link arms once more as Vera is crowding him. Martinez uses
that momentum against him and clinches him up, but Vera tosses him
aside as he has a bit over a minute to get the job done. Martinez
flicks out jabs, and Vera slugs him in the ribcage. Martinez
circles away and bounces forward to engage, beating Vera to the
punch and absorbing another body shot. Vera stabs the abdomen with
his toes outstretched, and he knees Martinez in the face. Martinez
is backing off as best he can, and Vera wobbles him with a massive
left hook. Vera hurts Martinez with another heavy left, and
Martinez hurries away to keep himself afloat. Vera tries as best he
can to put Martinez away, but Martinez is elusive enough to make it
to the bell. It’s going to be all about the second round for how
this one turns out.
Sherdog Scores
Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-9 Vera (29-28 Martinez)
Christian Stein scores the round: 10-9 Vera (29-28 Martinez)
Tyler Treese scores the round: 10-9 Vera (29-28 Martinez)
The Official Result
David Martinez def. Marlon Vera via Unanimous Decision (29-28,
29-28, 29-28)
BETTING
PREVIEW | SCOUTING
REPORT | ODDS: Moreno (-230); Kavanagh (+190)
Round 1
Remember, fight fans, this was not the initially intended main
event for UFC Mexico. Rather than Moreno (23-9-2, 11-6-2 UFC)
taking on Asu Almabayev—acceptable under today’s standards for a
main event—he draws Kavanagh (9-1, 2-1 UFC), who just lost his last
fight by knockout. Taking the opportunity few else would or could,
the Brit falls upward into a pivotal matchup and tries as hard as
he can to not drop two in a row. The final official for the evening
is referee Herb Dean, who issues final instructions and elicits a
fist bump from the two. It’s on with the flyweight show.
Kavanagh moves to the middle of the cage, allowing Moreno to swat
at him with range-finding jabs and a looping right hook. Kavanagh
takes a funny step when getting kicked, and he gathers himself
quickly. Moreno keeps peppering jabs, and he loads up on a left
hook. Kavanagh dances back, and he aims a front kick to the chest.
Moreno fakes a level change to go upstairs, and he swings wildly
and reaches his target at the end of a left. Kavanagh clips Moreno
coming in with a right hand that reddens up the former champ’s eye.
Kavanagh chops at the front leg, and Moreno’s lead leg is welted
and turning red quickly. Kavanagh splits the guard with a right
hand down the pipe, and Moreno triples up on a jab that leads to an
overhand right.
Kavanagh puts a front kick to the chest and works on the inside of
his foe’s front leg, and he speedily raises up a high kick that
slaps “The Assassin Baby” in the face. Moreno reaches out with a
right that knocks Kavanagh’s hair back, and he rushes in to score a
few more. Kavanagh backs him off with a short flurry, spins with a
back kick and falls over when comboing it into a high kick. Moreno
lets him stand back up because he is having fun striking, and he
connects at the end of his punches. Kavanagh leans back but not far
enough, so Moreno is able to contact him. Kavanagh’s right hook
marks up Moreno’s left eye, who pays it no mind and kicks back at
his adversary. Kavanagh pitter patters several punches off the
guard, and Moreno’s counter is sharp and accurate. Kavanagh stings
Moreno with a left, and Moreno looks around for a moment to gather
his thoughts. The first round ends.
Sherdog Scores
Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-9 Kavanagh
Christian Stein scores the round: 10-9 Kavanagh
Tyler Treese scores the round: 10-9 Kavanagh
Round 2
A clap of hands opens the round, one in which Kavanagh starts with
a front kick aimed at the face. Moreno replies with a one-two down
Broadway, and he has his leg entangled in a kick exchange and
tumbles to the mat. Kavanagh does not want to go to the ground with
him, so he measures his foe and readies his jab. Kavanagh keeps
beating on the front leg, inspiring Moreno to kick him back on the
same spot. Moreno goes down for a single, and Kavanagh pushes him
away and rattles off punches that bound into the guard. Kavanagh
pecks away as Moreno looks for an opening to attack, and he
preemptively counters Moreno with a left that stuns the former
champ for a second. Kavanagh stabs the body with a kick with his
toes pointed straight out at the target, and he slides back from
additional offense aimed his way. Moreno appears to be irritated by
the kicks beating up his front leg, and he lumbers forward looping
right hands at his foe.
Moreno thumps the front leg with a kick and follows Kavanagh
around, who is jabbing him square in the nose repeatedly. Moreno
loads up with a left hand and is wide open for the counter, and
Kavanagh makes sure to make him pay with a monstrous combination
that busts the former champion up repeatedly and makes him stumble
courtesy of a flush head kick. Moreno backs off to shake out the
cobwebs, so Kavanagh slaps kick after kick on the Mexican’s wounded
limb. Kavanagh has also busted Moreno’s nose open in the process,
with blood leaking out of both nostrils. The Brit checks a kick and
fires off a straight one-two followed by a piercing teep kick.
Moreno quadruples his jab, snapping the head back each time, and he
cracks Kavanagh with a leaping left hand. Moreno follows with a
heavy right, getting Kavanagh’s attention and slowing his attack
for a time. The horn sounds.
Sherdog Scores
Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-9 Kavanagh
Christian Stein scores the round: 10-9 Kavanagh
Tyler Treese scores the round: 10-9 Kavanagh
Round 3
Gloves are touched as the athletes reach Round 3, and Moreno
flashes his jab several times and lashes out with his right.
Kavanagh hammers his front leg, one that is badly welted at this
point, and paws out with jabs. He hops away from the looping right
hand of “The Assassin Baby” and jams the body with a front kick,
keeping Moreno at bay for the time being. Moreno reaches out with a
big right hand, and he follows with a left and then another to
boot. Moreno turns it on with a flurry that Kavanagh largely
evades, and Kavanagh replies with a few speedy punches up high.
Kavanagh drives home a one-two on the jaw, and he is again reached
with the right hand from the ex-champ. Moreno flicks out his jab a
few times and paws away the ones aimed at him, and he puts a little
more steam behind a left hand that misses but leads to a takedown
shot.
The Mexican fighter considers a single, and he transitions to wrap
his arms around his opponent’s waist so that he can hoist him to
the floor. Kavanagh keeps his balance, so Moreno starts
jackhammering him on the thigh in the same spot time and again.
Moreno breaks off and partially lands a left on the break, and
Kavanagh slips when pitching a front kick. Moreno scores a one-two
and shells up to defend a high kick. Moreno connects with two
punches and lets a bunch bang into his gloves, rushing his opponent
but taking a hard kick on the way in. Moreno targets the body with
the ball of his foot, and he swats out a left and leans back on the
expected counter. Moreno pursues a single, backing Kavanagh to the
wall but not grounding him. Moreno knees the thigh when leaning on
his foe, spamming them until time runs out in the round.
Sherdog Scores
Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-9 Moreno
Christian Stein scores the round: 10-9 Moreno
Tyler Treese scores the round: 10-9 Moreno
Round 4
Having reached the championship rounds, the two share a high-five.
Moreno, who is well-schooled and conditioned for five rounds,
pushes the pace right out of the gate. He punches his way into a
takedown shot, grabbing hold of Kavanagh’s left leg for his single
attempt. Kavanagh defends it with his back to the fence, but this
leads to Moreno pressing him against the cage as if he were trying
to squeeze him through the chain links like a Play-Do mold. Moreno
puts some mustard into his repeated knees to the inner thigh,
hitting one of two spots time and time again with Kavanagh unable
to get out. The damage might not be significant, but he nullifies
the unranked fighter in this position. Kavanagh starts to smack
Moreno with short, ineffective right hands, and Moreno doggedly
pursues the takedown. Dean asks for them to work, so Kavanagh tries
to take things into his own hands and step out of it. Moreno
follows all the while, exerting heavy pressure while constantly
threatening with a trip or other level change.
Dean wants them to keep working, and once more it is up to Kavanagh
to do something, so he does. Kavanagh escapes out the side, and he
slams a kick on the calf. A second from the Brit makes Moreno limp,
his poker face gone as he tries to put weight on his damaged limb.
Moreno pushes out his jabs, and he swings recklessly with two
punches as Kavanagh slips away. Kavanagh works the body with a
kick, and he tries a low kick but has his leg caught when Moreno
tries to take the fight down. Moreno settles for more cage
squeezing, replete with knee strikes to the thigh. Dean calls
multiple times for more activity, so Moreno frames off and jacks
Kavanagh in the jaw with a left hand. Kavanagh spins with a wheel
kick, bouncing it into the guard, and the round ends.
Sherdog Scores
Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-9 Moreno
Christian Stein scores the round: 10-9 Moreno
Tyler Treese scores the round: 10-9 Moreno
Round 5
It could be all tied up in the final round, and the two hug it out
before finishing their business. At best, Moreno is 2-2, but
Kavanagh could easily be up three rounds to one. Kavanagh leads off
with a low kick, and he evades the one-two aimed at his face but is
in the crosshairs of the takedown attempt. Moreno leans as heavily
as he can once he plants Kavanagh’s back on the fence, comfortably
engaging in a wall-and-stall style that would not thrill most
viewers. The knees to the thigh may be effective and are scoring,
but the damage is less-than-stellar. Dean keeps telling Moreno he
will break them up if he does not do more, and Moreno eats up all
the time he can in this position. Dean splits them up, and Moreno
is leaking and practically sprays blood out of his mouth when he
exhales. Kavanagh smacks the front leg and then goes up high with
his same leg, and Moreno stays right in front of him. Moreno ducks
a punch and clashes heads with his foe, avoid a flying knee so he
can engage in more clinchery.
Moreno is more than happy to work on the thigh with his knees and
little else, until he changes his strategy to lace his legs between
his foe’s to trip him up. The younger man keeps his balance and
holds on, defending a standing back take by putting his back
against the wall again. Kavanagh lashes out with an elbow to force
a break, and he drills Moreno in the gut with a solid kick. Moreno
gets off a pair of jabs and takes another front kick, and Kavanagh
sits down on several punches while Moreno is in front of him.
Moreno connects with a flush left hand and forces the tie-up, and
Dean wastes no time asking for Moreno to fight more. Moreno brings
up a knee to the chest this time, when otherwise pressuring
Kavanagh with all his might. Kavanagh tries for a trip, but Moreno
breaks off. Kavanagh swings one final spinning back kick to the
body, and the grueling five-rounder finally comes to an end. Scores
could be all over the map here, but more than anything, it proves
that Kavanagh can hang among the top echelon of his division after
all.
When the cards were read, the 49-46 card gave up who got the nod,
because there would be no reasonable explanation for Moreno to win
four rounds. The crowd is understandably silent, having watched
their hometown hero lose a bloody upset to a foreign up-and-comer
on relatively short notice. The victor is nothing but gracious,
remembering his fallen father while thanking his team and family
first. He suggests that life is made up of a few legendary moments,
and that he just “beat a legend.” Kavanagh offers a respectful
callout to anyone in the division, and commentator Michael Bisping
is trying to hide the smile on his face from ear to ear. Next week,
there is a belt* on the line at UFC 326, and we will be there for
it. We hope you are too.
Sherdog Scores
Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-9 Kavanagh (48-47 Kavanagh)
Christian Stein scores the round: 10-9 Moreno (48-47 Moreno)
Tyler Treese scores the round: 10-9 Kavanagh (48-47 Kavanagh)
The Official Result
Lone’er Kavanagh def. Brandon Moreno via Unanimous Decision (49-46,
48-47, 48-47)
