Bryan Caraway vs. Erik Perez
The UFC takes the show on the road tonight to the home of Jackson’s MMA – Albuquerque, New Mexico. The main event will see former UFC lightweight champion Ben Henderson taking on Jackson product Rustam Khabilov. Bloody Elbow will provide live results, analysis, and play-by-play.
This post will follow the main card. Following the preliminary card action on FS1 and Fight Pass, the main card kicks off at 10 p.m. ET (7 p.m. PT) on Fox Sports 1. Along with the main event, the main broadcast will feature five other fights over three weight classes. The co-main will see popular brawler Diego Sanchez taking on TUF Smashes coach Ross Pearson.
Make sure to come back and share your thoughts in the comments as the action goes down.
Bryan Caraway vs. Erik Perez
Round 1 – Perez looked for a takedown but almost got stuck in a guillotine. After escaping they worked on the feet a bit, but Caraway got a takedown and jumped on Goyito’s back. Perez rolled over and worked from top position. Caraway scrambled to his feet. Hard knee scores for Perez. Body kick and straight left from Goyito. Caraway with a late takedown. 10-9 Caraway.
Round 2 – Perez with a takedown but Caraway immediately reversed. He took Goyito’s back. Caraway got the arm undeneath the chin and used a Gable grip to elicit the tap from Perez. Impressive finish.
Bryan Caraway defeats Erik Perez by submission (rear naked choke), 1:52 of round 2
Yves Edwards vs. Piotr Hallmann
Round 1 – Body kick from Hallmann, and another. Head kick from Edwards. He’s really loading up his shots early. Another body kick and a thumb to the eye from Hallmann. Yves only needed about a minute to recover. Hallmann looked for a takedown but Edwards squirmed away. Short left from Yves. Hallmann charged in for a takedown and briefly had Edwards’ back. Elbow and uppercut from Edwards after exiting the clinch. Takedown from Hallmann. He got up after about a minute. Knees in the clinch from both men. 10-9 Hallmann.
Round 2 – Edwards took another eye poke, no point taken. Hard left hook from Hallmann on the restart, but Edwards responded with an elbow. Edwards poked him right back. Not a long break for him either. Hallmann kept looking for a takedown but Edwards was able to fight him off. He landed a few shots agains tthe cage and took Hallmann’s back standing. Hallmann turned around and got a takedown. Big shots from Hallmann opened up a big cut on Edward’s head. Yves got up but was taken back down. Back on his feet, Hallmann looked a little slower. 10-9 Hallmann.
Round 3 – Left hook from Hallmann. Edwards fought off a takedown. Hard knee to the body and head in the clinch from the Polish fighter. Hallmann finally got the takedown. He held Edwards down and eventually took his back. Just like that, he locked up the rear naked choke and got the tap. That was pretty nice.
Piotr Hallmann defeats Yves Edwards by submission (rear naked choke), 2:31 of round 3
Rafael dos Anjos vs. Jason High
Round 1 – Solid combination from High. High looked for a takedown and eventually got it. RDA looked for a guillotine but got shucked off. Dos Anjos looked for a kimura but High pulled his arm out. Another one helped him to escape to his feet. High landed a hard punch as he came up. RDA came back with two hard body kicks. And another. Four hard punches from RDA, and a takedown. Dos Anjos argued with the ref about High grabbing his own shorts. Close round, I’ll go 10-9 Dos Anjos.
Round 2 – Hard kick from lame. A straight left wobbled High. Then an eyepoke had High begging off. High took about a minute before the fight continued. High with a takedown. Three straight lefts land for Dos Anjos and he got a double-leg takedown. He went for a guillotine but High countered and got RDA’s back. RDA got up and landed a few knees to the belly. Huge right dropped High! Dos Anjos pounced and got the finish! High was not happy about the stoppage.
Rafael dos Anjos defeats Jason High by TKO (strikes), 3:36 of round 2
John Dodson vs. John Moraga
Round 1 – Hard body kicks from each man. Lots of feinting and circling. Dodson with a body shot. Moraga with a shot to the balls. Dodson runs right back ready to fight, but the ref separated them first. Dodson was doing a good job avoiding most of Moraga’s offense. Leg kick from Dodson. Dodson fought off a Moraga takedown attempt. Two hard lefts from Dodson. Step-in knee from Dodson, and another. 10-9 Dodson.
Round 2 – An early left from Dodson. Moraga with two overhand rights and he charged in to try and get a takedown, but Dodson reversed. Moraga got back to his feet. Dodson’s output wasn’t as high as it usually is. He did land a nice left with about two minutes to go though. Inside leg kick from Dodson. Glancing head kick from Moraga. Left and a big kick sent Moraga to the mat! Dodson is swarming! Moraga’s wearing the crimson mask, but made it out of the round. 10-9 Dodson.
The fight was called between rounds. Not really sure why. Moraga’s nose was pretty busted up.
John Dodson defeats John Moraga by TKO (doctor stoppage), 5:00 of round 2
Ross Pearson vs. Diego Sanchez
Round 1 – Pearson with a hard body kick. Lots of feints. Nice combo by Sanchez. Body shot from Pearson. Nice right hook from Pearson, and a hard left hook as Sanchez advanced. Body kick from Pearson. Sanchez returns the favor. Nice counter shot from Pearson. Head kick from Pearson, Diego caught his leg and pushed him across the cage. He wasn’t able to do anything with it though. Sanchez with a big flurry at the end. 10-9 Pearson.
Round 2 – Sanchez worked a single but couldn’t get it to the floor. Hard body kick from Sanchez. Pearson landed a kick to the back of the head on an off-balance Sanchez. Body shot for Pearson, and then he went there with a kick. Sanchez with a right. Pearson dropped Sanchez with a right, but he managed to avoid the follow-up shots. Pearson swept him to the floor, but Diego was up and back in his face quickly. Sanchez with a late flurry. 10-9 Pearson.
Round 3 – Sanchez was looking to brawl but Pearson was getting out of the way of most of his shots. Pearson worked the body well in return. Superman punch from Sanchez. Head kick too. No takedown attempts at all from Sanchez, which doesn’t seem like the best gameplan. Sanchez missed with a spinning kick.Counter right from Pearson. Hard body kick from Pearson. Sanchez is bleeding, to the shock of no one. He tried to bring the fight to Pearson but couldn’t connect on anything. Jumping knee from Pearson and they brawled to the bell. 10-9 and 30-27 Pearson.
Diego Sanchez defeats Ross Pearson by split decision (27-30, 30-27, 29-28)
What a joke. That has to be the worst decision I’ve ever seen.
Ben Henderson vs. Rustam Khabilov
Round 1 – Khabilov with a few pawing rights. Body shots from both men in close. Khabilov hit a judo throw but Henderson stayed off his back. Henderson with a punch to the thigh. Right hand connected for Khabilov. Henderson charged in but got taken down. Khabilov can’t keep him down though. Khabilov looked for a suplex but Henderson blocked it with his leg. Henderson closed the distance and attacked, but Khabilov avoided and landed a nice elbow. Henderson went for a jumping attack and Khabilov just caught him and put him on his back. 10-9 Khabilov.
Round 2 – Spinning attack from Khabilov. Knee to the body from Bendo. Two straight lefts connect for Henderson. Henderson couldn’t get a takedown. Henderson missed with a punch and got taken down. He was only on his back for 15 seconds or so though. Body lock from Henderson, he took the back and locked up a body triangle. Khabilov was able to escape back to his feet. Henderson looked for another takedown against the fence but the Dagestani fighter stayed upright. Khabilov used a judo throw to break the clinch. Right to the body and head from Khabilov. Hard leg kick from Henderson. Counter right from Khabilov when he tried it again. 10-9 Henderson.
Round 3 – Leg kick from Henderson but Khabilov caught it and tried to take him down. Khabilov worked a front headlock for a while, then landed a knee as they came up. Khabilov landed a left hook as they broke the clinch. He did the same thing the next time with an elbow. Body kick and an uppercut from Henderson. He went for a guillotine but Khabilov quickly escaped. Khabilov with a big takedown but Henderson reversed. 10-9 Henderson.
Round 4 – Uppercut from Khabilov. Henderson with a left and a body lock but couldn’t do anything with it. Lead uppercut seemed to stun Khabilov and Henderson jumped on his back and sunk a choke immediately. And Khabilov tapped! WOW! That finish was ultra quick.
Ben Henderson defeats Rustam Khabilov by submission (rear naked choke), 1:16 of round 4
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