UFC Fight Night 61: Mir vs. Bigfoot live results, play by play, discussion

Join us tonight on Bloody Elbow for live results, detailed play-by-play and discussion as UFC Fight Night: Mir vs. Bigfoot takes place from the Gigantinho Gymnasium in Porto Alegre, Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil. UFC Heavyweight staple Frank Mir draws the hulking Antonio “Bigfoot” Silva in the event’s headliner while lightweights Edson Barboza and Michael Johnson fill the co-main event.

Live play-by-play will commence with the Fight Pass prelims at 5:30 p.m. ET. The full lineup and schedule follows. Check out this week’s MMA Vivisection for analysis, predictions and betting odds.

Note: Wendell Oliveira vs. T.J. Waldburger has been scratched.

UFC Fight Night: Mir vs. Bigfoot

Main Card

Frank Mir vs. Antonio Silva

R1: Mir starts off in the orthodox stance. 30 seconds in, Mir attacks with a double jab and a one-two, landing at least partially on a few. Mir flicks out a lightning-fast jab and left hook combo, and the latter crumples Silva to the canvas. Mir pounces with two thunderous lefts and a three scorching right elbows to seal the deal. A dominant showing from the former champion.

Edson Barboza vs. Michael Johnson

R1: Johnson starts active with a double jab and meaningful one-twos. Johnson closes the distance whilst winging both hands but eats a body shot counter from Barboza. Now it’s a counter knee downstairs that lands for Barboza, then a retreating uppercut as Johnson initiates a clinch. Barboza circles off the fence and breaks free. Johnson lands a left upstairs, then one down, just dodging Barboza’s check hook.

Johnson lands again, sustaining his high output. Barboza surprisingly shoots a double and Johnson stuffs it before clubbing Barboza with a right and left hook. Barboza cut and bleeding under his left eye but he lands a counter left hook. Johnson doing well in keeping his lead foot inside Barboza’s to keep the fight at close quarters and jam Barboza’s strikes. Johnson unleashes another combo that forces Barboza back. 10-9 Johnson.

R2: Barboza slips a hard right kick to the body under Johnson’s arm. Johnson grazes with a one-two. Double left hands lead Johnson’s next combo. Barboza grazes with a check hook while circling out, then scores with another body kick. Barboza’s left check hook finds the mark again. Step-in left glances for Johnson, who’s starting to anticipate Barboza’s circling patterns.

Inside low kick for Johnson and Barboza’s hands whir into motion with a counter. Johnson presses the attack and scores with his hands before following up with a successful double leg. Barboza has one butterfly hook as he’s sitting up on the cage and he uses it to create space and stand up. Barboza glances with a short right and Johnson lands harder with a left cross. Another short right slips through for Barboza. Tornado kick attempt from Barboza but it was telegraphed. Johnson gets inside and forces Barboza to retreat with more punches. 10-9 Johnson.

R3: Johnson continues to stalk Barboza and throw volume strikes but he absorbs a quick check hook. Right body kick lands for Barboza. Johnson leads with a left hook and lands it. Barboza answers with a slicing right. Johnson grazes with a left and Barboza’s counter glances off his guard. They trade shots once again on the next exchange. Inside low kick and one-two all land flush for Johnson.

Another body kick from Barboza, who slips Johnson’s left and grazes with a counter. Another body kick to the ribs. Glancing one-two from Johnson and Barboza just misses with a high kick. Johnson nearly walks into a flying knee. They may have unintentionally clashed heads; Johnson continues his momentum and nails a double-leg takedown. I have Barboza edging that round via clean strikes for a 29-28 Johnson as my final tally.

Sam Alvey vs. Cezar Ferreira

R1: Ferreira opens with a Capoeira martelo kick, then lands with the bicep area on a misfired hook. Alvey is yet to let his hands go and content to shell on Ferreira’s punches, and he absorbs a heavy left hand. Now it’s a left kick to the body from Ferreira followed by another Capoeira kick that whizzes over Alvey’s head. Outside low kick from Ferreira but Alvey actually throws a punch in response.

Back up-elbow from Ferreira that looks to land flush but, amazingly, Alvey chambers off a right/left hook combo that flattens Ferreira and silences the Brazilian crowd.

Rustam Khabilov vs. Adriano Martins

R1: Martins lands downstairs and Khabilov counters. Martins leads with a stiff left cross. The crowd murmurs restlessly at the slow start in this contest. Snap jab lands for Khabilov, then he grazes with a right cross. Martins gets deep on a single leg and threatens briefly with a rear-naked choke during Khabilov’s escape, and it causes the Dagestani to fall onto his back.

Martins goes for the cross-side kimura in side control and Khabilov patiently awaits his chance to shrimp out and escape. Piston-like jab lands for Khabilov, who then changes levels but can’t secure the takedown. 10-9 Martins.

R2: Khabilov goes low and inside with a kick and Martins answers with a teep. A few crisp and tight punches from Khabilov but he can’t connect clean and his output is measured at best. The crowd again whistles and howls at the lack of activity on both sides. Martins continues trying to creep into range until Khabilov clears space with combos.

Khabilov lands a back up-elbow and follows with a right, then lands the back elbow again in the next exchange. Martins shoots and Khabilov sprawls out to defend. Martins clips Khabilov with a long left. Jab lands for Khabilov but he’s stuffed easily on his double-leg attempt. Grazing uppercut from Khabilov, then he lands with a left. Martins lands a solid shot at the bell that drops Khabilov, and it’s enough to tip the round to even in my eyes. 10-10.

R3: Soft outside low kick from Martins. Then another that lands with the foot. Left hook to spinning kick from Khabilov and the kick lands moderately to the body. Martins ducks under Khabilov’s next flurry and nails a takedown, landing in half guard. Khabilov bucks him off with his hips to regain full guard but Martins passes right back into half guard, then cleverly slides into full mount just before the round’s halfway point.

Khabilov creates space with an underhook and then switches to a counter single to get back on his feet, but no dice on his flying knee when they re-engage on the feet. Khabilov fakes a right and shoots a double that Martins coolly brushes off. Khabilov telegraphs a flying knee and heaves a left, both of which whiff. Martins loses his balance on a right hook from Khabilov, who winds up with a bolo uppercut that glances. Martins again hits the duck-under takedown. 10-9 Martins. I have it 30-28 his way.

Iuri Alcantara vs. Frankie Saenz

R1: Alcantara curiously throws a left body kick as Saenz is shooting and it lands but he gets taken down. He works his way back up uneventfully and they reset on the feet. Alcantara throws a one-two and Saenz looks to duck under the combo but can’t tie up. Alcantara dings Saenz with a front kick in open space and follows with a flying knee that Saenz deflects. Saenz recovers and shoots but Alcantara shucks him off.

Saenz lands an inside low kick and ducks an Alcantara left. Clubbing overhand right glances for Saenz, then a knee to the body. They trade kicks. Saenz knifes forward behind a series of step-in rights but can’t find the mark. Alcantara ducks under the next flurry and gets the body lock, taking Saenz down against the fence with an outside trip. Alcantara gets high on the back during the ensuing scramble and can’t transition to the armbar. Saenz ends up on top in Alcantara’s guard with about 40 seconds left, and capitalizes well with a steady stream of ground and pound. 10-9 Saenz.

R2: Saenz flurries with both hands to start the second. Alcantara wheels out a heavy left high kick that lands with the shin though Saenz got some glove in between it and his head. Alcantara pivots and counters Saenz’s charge with a right hook, but Saenz ducks under the next volley and hits a takedown. Half back-ride for Saenz as Alcantara is strangely complacent while fighting for wrist control in the turtle position.

Alcantara bursts into action, jumping on a leg lock that Saenz slips out of.Alcantara gets double wrist control with full guard and angles for an armbar but Saenz slips out. Saenz backs off, stands up and throws a few kicks to the legs. Alcantara plants a kick to the midsection and creates enough space to stand up. Left hand lands for Alcantara but Saenz knocks out his footing with a heavy inside low kick. Alcantara lands a heavy left in the closing seconds and Saenz responds by securing a double-leg takedown. 10-9 Saenz.

R3: Alcantara peels off a front kick. Saenz rushes him and clinches up with an underhook and short knees to the thighs. Saenz breaks the clinch with an elbow but launches a takedown as soon as they reset, and lands it. Saenz backs out of the pocket to land a kick to the thigh, then dives back into his guard with a right to the midsection. Alcantara, who is mysteriously absent of his usual aggression, is content to hang out with a closed guard.

Alcantara finally explodes with his hips and finds room to take a knee but Saenz stays on him and lands more knees. Alcantara, after separating, lands a left kick to the body. Saenz is on him again quickly and Alcantara counters with a kimura, then uses it to put Saenz on the fence; Alcantara hits a trip and lands in full mount with around a half-minute left. Exemplifying his performance, he loses position and ends the round underneath Saenz, eating punches. 10-9 Saenz for a 30-27 his way overall.

Santiago Ponzinibbio vs. Sean Strickland

R1: Strickland establishes his jab from range. Ponzinibbio connects with a solid right hand. Ponzinibbio carefully wading his way into range with measured bursts of punches. Ponzinibbio ducks and heaves a big right that lands flush. Strickland clinches up and hits a takedown but Ponzinibbio nullifies it with a quick get-up. Ponzinibbio scores downstairs.

Strickland now pawing with his jab while backpedaling as Ponzinibbio keeps leather in his face. Strickland adds in the teep to keep Ponzinibbio at bay. Strickland lands a short, stiff jab off his back foot and it stuns
Ponzinibbio, who stumbles back but eventually regains his wits. Ponzinibbio shellacks Strickland with a high kick, then swarms him with punches, closing the barrage by cracking Strickland with a right cross. Another right over the top slams home for Ponzinibbio, who closes the frame with a double-leg takedown. 10-9 Ponzinibbio.

R2: Scorching outside low kick to the thigh starts things off for Ponzinibbio. They exchange lefts but Ponzinibbio’s power is prevalent, and he rips another low kick. Strickland content to circle backwards and fire jabs. He sits down on a three-punch combo that doesn’t land but gets Ponzinibbio’s attention. Strickland checks the next low kick.
Ponzinibbio responds with another outburst of rights and lefts that land.

Strickland clinches up and gets the rear waist-cinch, which enables a quick takedown. Ponzinibbio is right back up again and breaks loose by hand-fighting the waist lock. More stinging punches from Ponzinibbio on the reset. Strickland glances with a jab and Ponzinibbio bobs his head back with one of his own. Another scorching one-two from Ponzinibbio to finish the round. 10-9 Ponzinibbio.

R3: Ponzinibbio weaves under Strickland’s double jab to land a right hand. Again Strickland lands a soft jab and Ponzinibbio plugs him back harder with another. Strickland bounces off the cage with a stiff jab and Ponzinibbio is either stunned or off-balanced by it. Strickland pounces with a takedown attempt and gets it from the body lock though
Ponzinibbio pops right back up and breaks free. Ponzinibbio halts a short lull with an outside low kick.

Strickland lacking the sense of urgency he direly requires to get back in this. They both float around on the bubble trading jabs until Ponzinibbio uncorks another high kick that lands with the foot. A pair of soft left body kicks land for Strickland, who dodges the next blitz from Ponzinibbio and lands a jab. Ponzinibbio shoots a takedown that Strickland easily sidesteps. Ponzinibbio settles in and stalks Strickland with jabs and step-in hooks from outside, but loosens sequential one-twos to finish strong. 10-9 Ponzinibbio. I have it 30-27 his way.

Fox Prelims

Jessica Andrade vs. Marion Reneau

R1: Andrade forms a whirlwind while attacking with both hands simultaneously. Reneau clinches to stem the barrage and then shoves Andrade away. Now Reneau sits down on a flurry to keep Andrade at bay, then plugs her with a stiff one-two when she doesn’t heed the warning. Andrade responds with another outburst of rights and lefts and the combo sits Reneau down. Andrade follows her down but falls right into a triangle that looks deep. Andrade defends initially until Reneau changes the angle of her hips to coax the tapout.

Matt Dwyer vs. William Macario

R1: Dwyer starts with an outside low kick and long jabs. Macario checks the next low kick. Front kick to the body grazes for Dwyer. Glancing right cross for Dwyer, then another long jab. Now an outside low kick. Macario answers with a low kick. They both land left hooks on the next exchange with Macario getting the better of it. Dwyer’s big right cross lands just short. No dice on the takedown attempt from Dwyer.

Round kick to the thigh from Macario but Dwyer counters the next one with a right. They trade body kicks. Low kick from Macario but Dwyer responds with a Superman punch that puts Macario on roller-skates. He wobbles and falls, and Dwyer finishes him off with punches.

Mike De La Torre vs. Tiago Trator

R1: (quick fill-in by Kid Nate here) De La Torre moving forward but Trator puts his back against the cage. They separate and De La Torre connects with a couple rights before Trator forces his back to the cage again. They separate and De La Torre goes for a single against the fence. De La Torre scores several combo punches when they separate. He drops Trator! He follows him down and gets the stoppage!

Cody Gibson vs. Douglas Silva de Andrade

R1: Gibson takes the center and looks to establish his jab. Silva de Andrade keeps him at bay with heavy combos though he’s yet to connect. Now a glancng overhand right for Silva de Andrade, followed by a one-two and a knee to the body after denying Gibson’s first takedown attempt. Gibson grazes with a right but can’t get any further on his follow-up takedown attempt.

Silva de Andrade starts to work in some snapping inside low kicks from range. Now a hook/cross combo from Silva de Andrade and another low kick. Outside low kick lands for Silva de Andrade but Gibson scores with a one-two. Gibson’s persistent jabbing starts to pay off as Silva de Andrade has gone away from his low kicks. Right on cue, Silva de Andrade cracks an inside low kick. Gibson responds shortly after with another rangy one-two that lands flush.
Silva de Andrade shows a significant cut under his eye to close the round and it’s enough to sway me his way. 10-9 Gibson.

R2: Silva de Andrade has a swollen and bleeding eye to start the second stanza. Gibson targets it with long jabs. Silva de Andrade finally scores on the uppercut he’s been threatening with, then lands an inside kick. Gibson gets too predictable with his forward pressure and Silva de Andrade clubs him with a massive right that drops him. Silva de Andrade pounces, first with a guillotine and then with punches.

Gibson recovers and gets back to his feet but walks into a spinning kick to the body. Gibson, now hesitant to over-pursue, stays on the outside with jabs. Silva de Andrade continues to target Gibson’s head movement and clocks him with a lead left hook. Gibson changes stances back and forth and glances with a left hand. Silva de Andrade attacks with a three-punch combo that Gibson partially blocks. 10-9 Silva de Andrade.

R3: Silva de Andrade continues to backpedal and counter, grazing with a left hook. Gibson responds with a left hook of his own. Silva de Andrade counters quickly with an uppercut. Gibson rushes him and avoids the counter-flurry, then looks to land a nice left kick. A back-and-forth scramble ensues as Gibson goes after the takedown; he hits a Granby roll initially but Silva de Andrade reverses into full mount. Gibson escapes and they resume standing.

Gibson lands an outside low kick to the upper thigh. Silva de Andrade is a second late on his counter shots in the next few exchanges. Gibson stuffs a surprise takedown from Silva de Andrade and thwacks him with a left hook. Gibson peels off another combo and it either stuns Silva de Andrade or he slips. Silva de Andrade looking exhausted as Gibson stays on him with carefully measured combos. Gibson misses on a spinning kick but looks to land the body kick that follows, blocking Silva de Andrade’s right counter. 10-9 Gibson in a close round/fight. I have it 29-28 his way.

Fight Pass Prelims

Ivan Jorge vs. Josh Shockley

R1: Jorge comes out aggressively with punches until Shockley clinches up and bangs a few knees off his head with the double necktie. The quick barrage of knees might have stunned Jorge and Shockley stays on him in the clinch, swimming for underhooks and throwing sporadic knees. It’s Jorge who takes the momentum with a takedown, then a power-double leg with authority after Shockley scrambles back to his feet initially.

Jorge knifes into full mount fluidly and quickly, then traps Shockley’s left arm in arm-triangle position. Shockley “answers the phone” well enough to survive, and Jorge passes to the opposite side to increase wrench the hold tighter. Shockley plays it cool and eventually wriggles his way out and back to his feet. Shockley attacks with punches but they’re a bit labored after the grueling ground battle. 10-9 Jorge.

R2: Jorge bounces up and down, presenting the threat of changing levels, but he can’t secure his first try on a double leg. Not a ton of action here as Shockley is hesitant to commit on punches considering the takedown threat. Jorge breaks their mutual lull by charging at Shockley, looking for a body lock, but Shockley again counters him effectively with stiff knees from the double collar tie.

Shockley now capitalizing on his range advantage with a long jab and one-twos. Jorge lands a shot on his way into the clinch but Shockley stays upright and shoves him away. Now it’s Jorge starting to capitalize on Shockley’s straight-line retreat with another forward-burst of punches. Jorge gets in on a double leg with Shockley on the cage, then switches to a high-crotch but they’re split up quickly by the ref. 10-9 Shockley.

R3: Jorge gets off first with a glancing one-two. Jorge follows behind his next flurry with a takedown attempt but Shockley shows brilliant counter-wrestling and lands on top. Shockley in half guard with left forearms. Shockley postures up and gives Jorge too much space, allowing him to scramble back to his feet. We pause to replace Shockley’s mouthpiece. Jorge scores with another quick one-two on the restart.

Grazing inside low kick from Jorge but there’s not much on it. The pace slows as both fighters recognize how close it is and take a methodical approach. Shockley goes downstairs with a right and continues to threaten Jorge with knees in the clinch. Jorge answers the right to the body, then charges Shockley, initiating a clinch. Jorge keeps Shockley on the fence, landing a knee to the body. Now a left knee to set up a successful trip and Jorge lands in side mount. Jorge unbolts a series of short hammer-fists to the temple to close the round. 10-9 Jorge. I have it 29-28 his way.