The UFC bantamweight title is on the line tonight as Renan Barao defends his belt against T.J. Dillashaw in the main event of UFC 173. Bloody Elbow will have live results for the entire event which begins today with three prelim fights on Fight Pass (aprox 6:30 p.m. ET) and then a two-hour Fox Sports 1 prelim broadcast (8 p.m. ET) before the main card kicks off on pay-per-view (10 p.m. ET).
This post will cover the action for the seven undercard fights.
The featured bout on the preliminary card is a lightweight bout between Michael Chiesa and Francisco Trinaldo.
Make sure to come back and share your thoughts in the comments as the action goes down.
Fight Pass
Jingliang Li vs. David Michaud
Round 1 – Two nice shots from Michaud right away. Leg kick from Li. A right hook and straight right connected for the Chinese fighter. Li was countering well. A bit of brawling in the middle saw both men land hard shots. Li got around to Michaud’s back standing but couldn’t do anything with it. Right hook and a jab land for Li, uppercut for Michaud. Excellent takedown defense from Michaud. Michaud with a huge takedown, but Li got up and scored with a trip takedown of his own. Michaud grimaced in pain when he hit the floor. Li jumped into his guard and landed a few punches. 10-9 Li.
Round 2 – Counter right scored for Li. Body work from Michaud and he had a takedown stuffed. Straight right from Li. Li was starting to outland Michaud by a fair margin. Two straight lefts from Li. Two knees to the body from Michaud that got Li’s attention. Michaud got a body lock takedown and took his back. He sunk hooks and looked for a choke. 10-9 Michaud.
Round 3 – Nice combo from Li. Michaud looked for a takedown put Li pushed him off. He tried again with a single and got Li to the floor. Nice elbow from Michaud opened a cut over Li’s eye. He looked for the back but Li got up and put Michaud on the ground. Elbow from Li. Michaud hit a reversal and looked for a guillotine. He dropped to his back and gave up the position. Li started to beat him up a bit before the bell. Li passed to side. Back and forth round, but I’d lean towards Li 10-9 and 29-28.
Jingliang Li defeats David Michaud by split decision (29-28, 28-29, 30-27)
Aaron Phillips vs. Sam Sicilia
Round 1 – Inside leg kick from Phillips. And to the outside of the leg. Sicilia cornered him and scored with a knee and a right. Hard body kick from Phillips. Sicilia closed the distance and landed a couple of punches. Sicilia got a takedown. Sicilia with a hard punch on the ground, but Phillips got up. High kick from Phillips. Hard knee to the body from Phillips and he dropped for a guillotine. Sicilia escaped though and worked in his guard. Good upkicks from Phillips. 10-9 Sicilia.
Round 2 – Hard left from Sicilia and he worked from top position. Phillips briefly went for an armbar but used it to reverse position. Nice knee to the body from Phillips, and Sicilia reversed right back. And guess what? Phillips reversed right back. Phillips briefly advanced to mount for Sicilia timed it well and moved onto the top. Sicilia looked to mount but settled for back control. Sicilia cranked on his neck but couldn’t secure the choke. 10-9 Sicilia.
Round 3 – Sicilia loaded up on a bunch of right and connected with a couple. Sicilia caught a kick and got the takedown. Phillips briefly went for an armbar but Sicilia defended. Phillips was getting beaten up a bit on the ground. Sicilia controlled position for a long time, doing enough to not get stood up. Phillips finally got up with a minute to go but got dragged right back down. Phillips got up again and went for a late guillotine but Sicilia popped out. 10-9 and 30-27 Sicilia.
Sam Sicilia defeats Brian Phillips by unanimous decision (29-28, 29-28, 30-27)
Anthony Njokuani vs. Vinc Pichel
Round 1 – Njokuani took an eyepoke in the first 30 seconds. After a thorough examination from the doctor, Njokuani was cleared to continue. Knee to the body from Njokuani while he defended against a takedown attempt. Pichel kept up the pressure though and got the fight to the floor. Njokuani got up and they stalled against the cage until the ref separated them. Knee to the balls from Pichel now. Pichel threw a few kicks upon the restart. Another clinch against the and Pichel’s strikes were dangerously close to being low once again. Right hook from Njokauni near the bell.10-9 Pichel.
Round 2 – Two nice kicks from Njokuani. Body/head combo from the former WEC fighter. Pichel got a waistlock and scored with a suplex. Big lefts and another suplex from Pichel. Pichel grinded away on the ground for a bit until Njokuani returned to his feet, but Pichel held onto him and beat him up with punches and knees. Njokuani finally escaped, but Pichel shot in immediately and put him back down. Pichel moved to mount with a minute to go and Njokuani gave up his back. All Pichel, 10-9.
Round 3 – Nice combination from Njokuani early. Both men with some kicks. Pichel scooped a single and got another takedown. Another suplex. Pichel was just all over him. Njoquani gave up his back and Pichel eventually moved to mount. He settled for full back control against the cage. 10-9 and 30-27 Pichel.
Vinc Pichel defeats Anthony Njokauni by unanimous decision (30-27, 30-27, 29-28)
Fox Sport 1
Mitch Clarke vs. Al Iaquinta
Round 1 – Both fighters were off to a timid start until a right from Iaquinta knocked Clarke down. Iaquinta worked from top position. Clarke basically shut him down in his guard for a while, but Iaquinta managed to score with a big left that stunned Clarke a bit. A few more shots got through for Iaquinta. Clarke finally got up with about 40 seconds to go. Iaquinta got him back down. 10-9 Iaquinta.
Round 2 – Iaquinta got a quick takedown, but Clarke locked up a D’Arce choke. He cranked on it pretty hard and put Iaquinta to sleep! Wow!
Mitch Clarke defeated Al Iaquinta by submission (D’Arce choke), 57 seconds of round 2
Chico Camus vs. Chris Holdsworth
Round 1 – Camus scored with a straight right early. Big right and a left hook from Camus. Holdsworth clipped Camus with a left that stumbled him. Both with a lot of swinging and missing. Holdsworth pressed Camus against th cage and looked for a takedown. He eventually got it and quickly moved to mount. Camus got back to half guard but was having trouble controlling the longer fighter. 10-9 Holdsworth.
Round 2 – Step-in knee from Holdsworth, nice outside leg kick from Camus. Holdsworth looked for a takedown and got it. Holdworth was in mount and looked for an arm triangle but Camus escaped and got back to his feet. Not for long though, as Holdsworth got him back down. Back to mount. Holdsworth was dominating but wasn’t super close to a finish. 10-9 Holdsworth again.
Round 3 – Camus with a big right and left, likely knowing he needs a finish here. Takedown from Holdsworth. He got to Chico’s back and worked for a choke. The whole round was spent like that, which Camus not having much of a response. 10-9 and 30-27 Holdsworth.
Chris Holdsworth defeats Chico Camus by unanimous decision (30-27, 30-27, 30-27)
Tony Ferguson vs. Katsunori Kikuno
Round 1 – Kikuno got off to a good start with some hard shots, but Ferguson adjusted and came right back with kicks and some slefts that had Kikuno retreating. Big right and a flying knee from Ferguson. Ferguson went for a rolling leg lock, lol. Four straight shots had Kikuno literally running away. Ferguson jumped on his back and took him down, looking for an armbar. He switched it up and locked up a D’Arce. It looked deep but he let it go. Kikuno got back to his feet and backpedaled Ferguson finally connected with a huge right that dropped Kikuno and stopped the fight.
Tony Ferguson defeated Katsunori Kikuno by TKO (punch), 4:06 round 1
Michael Chiesa vs. Francisco Trinaldo
Round 1 – A whole lot of feinting going on early. Finally Chiesa landed a body kick. Chiesa got a quick takedown but Trinaldo came right up and popped him with a knee that seemed to hurt Chiesa. Trinaldo landed a right, but Chiesa got a takedown. He trapped Trinaldo against the cage and landed a bunch of punches. Chiesa moved to mount and looked for a finish. He dropped a whole lot of punches but Massaranduba weathered the storm. Lots of elbows now. Chiesa stayed there for a long time but the round ended. 10-9 Chiesa.
Round 2 – Nice left from Trinaldo. Jumping right connects and Trinaldo went for an arm-in guillotine. Chiesa fought it off and worked from top position. Trinaldo almost hit a sweep and transitioned to a heel hook. Chiesa escaped and went back to working from the top. 10-9 Chiesa.
Round 3 – Looping left hook from Trinaldo. Knee to the groin from Trinaldo pauses the bout for 30 seconds or so. Takedown from Chiesa. Trinaldo postured up and was close to getting an armbar, but Chiesa shut him down and controlled the rest of the round from the top. 10-9 and 30-27 Chiesa.
Michael Chiesa defeats Francisco Trinaldo by unanimous decision (30-26, 30-26, 30-27)
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