UFC Poland: Gonzaga vs. CroCop 2 live results, play by play, discussion

Join us bright and early today on Bloody Elbow for live coverage of UFC Fight Night: Gonzaga vs. CroCop 2 from Krakow, Poland.

Atop the card, heavyweight veterans Gabriel “Napao” Gonzaga and Mirko “CroCop” Filipovic square off for a second time while heavy-handed slugger Jimi “Posterboy” Manuwa meets Jan Blachowicz in the co-main event. Soft-spoken striker Joanne Calderwood draws UFC newcomer Maryna Moroz in a women’s strawweight bout while welterweights Pawel Pawlak and Sheldon Westcott round out the four-fight featured card.

Live play-by-play and results will commence with the start of the preliminary card at 11 a.m. ET. The full schedule and lineup follows. Check out this week’s MMA Vivisection for detailed analysis, predictions and betting odds on the entire card.

Main Card (UFC Fight Pass at 3 p.m. ET)

Mirko CroCop vs. Gabriel Gonzaga

R1: Gonzaga looks for a step-in right and CroCop circles out. Another from Gonzaga that glances. Now a wide, clubbing right from Gonzaga, again glancing. CroCop is yet to throw a full strike 90 seconds in. Two minutes in and no change. Maybe a pawing jab off the back foot as Gonzaga continues to engage. Gonzaga throws a straight-line burst of punches, then gathers himself and gets in on a deep double leg, completing it.

CroCop closes his guard and locks his hands in the over-under grip, and Gonzaga hits a basic knee-pin pass all the way into mount. CroCop creates a scramble and may have even pursued a leg lock attempt, and Gonzaga counters with his own leg lock, then disengages to dive back on top of CroCop. Gonzaga postures up and thwacks CroCop with a right elbow. CroCop answers with another from his back. 10-9 Gonzaga.

R2: CroCop commits to a straight left and they nearly clash heads, then whiffs with the infamous left high kick. CroCop takes a knee below the belt and we pause briefly with CroCop waving Gonzaga forward on the restart. CroCop lands a short uppercut during Gonzaga’s entry but he can’t fend off the high-lift single leg. CroCop again closes his guard and locks his hands in the over/under, and, shockingly, goes for another leg lock.

Gonzaga defends but CroCop does manage a decent shot off his back. Gonzaga glides back into full mount and widens out his base and posture, possibly looking for a mounted armbar. CroCop lays flat on his back and tries to hand-fight. Gonzaga adjusts to the S-mount but can’t hold on to it. Nasty, slicing downward elbow from Gonzaga, then another. Gonzaga ends the frame pelting CroCop with mounted punches, leaving him bloodied. 10-8 Gonzaga, for equal parts dominance, damage and the notable absence of offense from CroCop.

R3: CroCop evades an early takedown attempt. Gonzaga locks horns and puts CroCop on the fence but can’t complete the double leg. Gonzaga lands a heavy knee to the body and CroCop creates enough space to squeeze off his best flurry of the fight. Another short-range burst from CroCop, then a cleaving horizontal elbow that puts Gonzaga on roller-skates.

CroCop swarms Gonzaga with a flurry, riskily following him down to the canvas and into his guard. Good posture from CroCop as he pummels Gonzaga with some utterly vicious ground-and-pound that hearkens back to the good ol’ days. CroCop keeps his foot on the gas and batters the bloodied Gonzaga with a torrent of lefts, and the ref steps in to wave it off.

Jan Blachowicz vs. Jimi Manuwa

R1: Blachowicz keeps range with a long jab as Manuwa looks to shrink the gap and transmit his power. Inside low kick for Manuwa, then a glancing lead hook. Manuwa grazes with a jab and left hook to the liver before clinching up and landing heavy knees to the body. Blachowicz answers with knees of his own from the 50/50 clinch, then separates. Manuwa walks Blachowicz toward the cage but has his left kick caught; he regains his balance and puts Blachowicz back on the fence.

Hard knees to the thighs and body from Manuwa. They’re split up with 90 seconds left. Blachowicz tries to duck-under Manuwa’s incoming flurry but gets put back on the cage. Blachowicz manages to circle off this time but decides to disengage shortly after. Blachowicz lands a short uppercut but his high kick is blocked. Hard inside low kick from Manuwa. 10-9 Manuwa.

R2: Inside low kick for Blachowicz. We pause for an accidental poke to Manuwa’s eye 30 seconds in. Manuwa scores an inside low kick on the restart and deflects a heavy body kick from Blachowicz. Left body kick and quick jab land for Blachowicz. Blachowicz manages to slip another kick under the elbow and into Manuwa’s ribs before they clinch, this time in open space. Manuwa lands two hard knees and a right hand to the body as he steers Blachowicz onto the fence.

Manuwa just misses with a big horizontal elbow but lands a good 4-5 knees to the thigh. They split and Manuwa looks for the liver hook, then zings another high. Manuwa clinches up again but Marc Goddard is quicker to break them up this time. Manuwa wheels out a pair of left body kicks that Blachowicz defends, though the force of impact is evident. Body shot from Manuwa on his way into the clinch. 10-9 Manuwa.

R3: They land simultaneous hooks to start the 3rd. Blachowicz sneaks in another body kick and Manuwa digs in a left hook. Outside low kick lands for Manuwa and he tacks on a left hook downstairs before clinching. More heavy knees to the thigh from Manuwa with Blachowicz on the cage. After a warning from the ref, Manuwa ups his output but Blachowicz circles off and just misses with a tricky high kick on the clinch break.

Manuwa powers him back to the fence and resumes the thigh-kneeing strategy. Manuwa tries a double but Blachowicz easily stuffs it and the ref steps in again. And Manuwa clinches again and is unsuccessful with an inside trip. Manuwa lands moderately with a left hook on his way back into the clinch. They separate and Blachowicz changes it up with a double-leg attempt in open space, to no avail. Manuwa double jabs into range and glances with a right cross. His next right cross is a bit more emphatic and Manuwa flurries with punches and knees to end the round. 10-9 Manuwa. I have it 30-27 his way.

Pawel Pawlak vs. Sheldon Westcott

R1: Westcott strikes his way into the clinch and clasps his hands with a body lock, then completes the trip. Pawlak elevates his hips and stands right back up but Westcott still has the body lock. He lets it go to blast a few right hands to the face, then regains it and lands a body knee. Westcott drops for a double leg and finishes it, but can’t pinch Pawlak’s knees together to prevent the immediate escape.

Westcott still switching from the body lock to an under-hook with punches or knees. Pawlak is defending well but can only manage a few knees amidst the cage pressure. Now Pawlak reels off a few meaningful lefts to the jaw, then hits a beautiful counter hip throw. Pawlak nearly takes Westcott’s back in the scramble but he slips free and goes back to the body-lock clinch. Westcott gets an under-hook and uses wrist control on the other arm to open up a few heavy knees to the body.  10-9 Westcott.

R2: Pawlek capitalizes on the open space by throwing a high kick that’s blocked but thumping Westcott with a close-range knee. The close quarters allow Westcott to adhere himself and continue the fence grind. Outside trip from the body lock for Westcott but Pawlak pops back up quickly, still caught in the clinch. Pawlak lands a sturdy knee to the body with his back on the fence.

They’re separated just short of the halfway mark but Westcott is reattached a few second later, and sporadic whistles permeate the crowd for Westcott’s less than exhilarating tactics. The’re separated with 90 seconds left and Pawlak gets the better of the striking exchange, then almost lands an illegal knee as Westcott is grounded. Pawlak attacks with a jump knee before flinging Westcott to the canvas and landing in side mount. Pawlak gets behind Westcott on the scramble and drags him back down with a waist lock, then regains side mount and closes the round landing strikes. 10-9 Pawlak.

R3: They land simultaneous right hands but Pawlak seems to get the better of the exchange, then follows up with more swarming punches. The excitement dies as Westcott clinches up and puts Pawlak on the fence. Pawlak counters Westcott’s takedown attempt with a whizzer throw to stay upright as the whistles from the audience rise to a pitch. Quick takedown from Westcott, quick get-up from Pawlak.

Pawlak hits another counter whizzer throw, landing in half guard. Now it’s side mount for Pawlak at the halfway mark, then he transitions to north-south. Sharp slap-elbow to the temple from Pawlak, who pins Westcott’s head to the mat with his knee. Westcott turtles and Pawlak loses position while potentially pursuing an armbar. Westcott goes back to the body lock but no effective offense becomes of it. 10-9 Pawlak. I have it 29-28 his way.

Joanne Calderwood vs. Maryna Moroz

R1: Calderwood goes to work from range with quick salvos, landing a clean hook. Stomp kick to the knee lands for Calderwood as well. Moroz erupts into a prolonged flurry of punches and catches Calderwood flush with quite a few, then follows behind them to clinch. Calderwood hits a takedown and seems to be prepared for Moroz’s immediate armbar attack, but somehow gets sucked deeper into the hold and is forced to tap shortly after.

Preliminary Card (UFC Fight Pass at 11:45 a.m. ET)

Seth Baczynski vs. Leon Edwards

R1: OK then … Baczynski comes out firing with both hands and, Clint Eastwood style, Edwards steps back and sits down on a scorching straight left. Baczynski crumples and Edwards pounces with two lefts that are somewhat elementary.

Bartosz Fabinski vs. Garreth McLellan

R1: Fabinski carefully works into contact range and forces a clinch but McLellan circles him onto the fence. Fabinski circles off and gets in on a double leg, completing it. McLellan sits up against the cage and gets back to his feet but Fabinski hoists him off the ground to secure another double leg. Fabinski lands a few short rights to the face as McLellan is standing, then powers him right back down, falling in side mount.

Heavy base from Fabinski on top, who gracefully takes McLellan’s back on a telegraphed escape. Both hooks in for Fabinski as McLellan stands. McLellan peels the hooks loose and spins to face Fabinski, then gets taken down despite a blatant fence grab. Under-hook and right hands for Fabinski before he seems to lose his balance and go down momentarily. He pops back up and lands another double leg; McLellan counters with a guillotine that’s not there. 10-9 Fabinski.

R2: McLellan has a high kick blocked and nearly lands a sneaky Muay Boran back-elbow. Fabinski clinches and hits another takedown and, continuing the trend, McLellan pops right back up. Now McLellan pursues a double leg, then switches to a single, all to no avail, though he forces Fabinski into defense mode for the duration. They separate with Fabinski following an overhand right into the clinch and hitting another scoop double.

Fabinski is able to pull McLellan away from the fence and maintain top position for an extended period, sprinkling in the occasional forearm and punch. A series of forearms that are a bit more demonstrative from Fabinski with 30 seconds left. 10-9 Fabinski.

R3: Fabinski flurries his way into the clinch and then lands a few right uppercuts from the single collar tie. Decent knees to the thighs and body from Fabinski but he can’t circle off the fence. McLellan answers with knees to the thigh while maintaining control but Fabinski neck-cranks his way out of a takedown attempt and flings McLellan back onto the mat. McLellan turtles and stands back up, though his efforts are short-lived as Fabinski re-grounds him.

McLellan gets back up and is greeted with a volley of big knees from Fabinski in the front headlock, then gets properly scolded by referee Marc Goddard when he tries to touch a fingertip to the ground for safety. Fabinski stays relentless with his takedown prowess and puts McLellan on his back again. McLellan gets back up and goes for an arm-in guillotine that forces Fabinski to separate. Fabinski re-engages with a stiff right hand and another easy takedown to seal the round and the fight. 10-9 Fabinski for a clean 30-27 sweep by my tally.

Mickael Lebout vs. Sergio Moraes

R1: Big lead hook and right cross for Moraes is mostly deflected by Lebout. Inside low kick from Lebout, then a glancing jab. Decent counter hook from Lebout. No dice on Moraes’ level change after Lebout’s three-punch combo, nor the spinning kick that follows. Lebout lands a liver hook and overhand with light impact.

Though he’s not establishing a ton of offense, Lebout succeeds in stifling the takedown and striking attempts from Moraes. Grazing jab from Lebout. Moraes resorts to the bull-rush to put Lebout on the fence. Moraes hits an outside trip in the closing seconds but conversely eats a short flurry of elbows to the head. 10-9 Lebout for the more effective offense.

R2: Lebout stays busy with jabs from range, then his low kick lands sharp the thigh of Moraes. Moraes staying stationary and planting his feet to throw one-off loopers, and Lebout’s angles seem to be frustrating him. Another sharp low kick from Lebout, this one inside. Moraes finally scores with a right cross, then doubles up on the strike with the same success. Pestering jabs and a lot of lateral movement for Lebout.

Clubbing left hook lands for Lebout. Moraes answers with a chipping right but whiffs with a haymaker. Lebout grazes with an uppercut before side-stepping Moraes’ takedown attempt. Moraes wings a hook/cross combo and connects on the latter. Moraes drops his hands, perhaps out of frustration, and Lebout lands another inside low kick. No dice on the surprise takedown attempt from Lebout. 10-9 Lebout.

R3: Moraes with a left hook to start the final stanza. And another a moment later, followed by a nice front kick to the chin. Wild uppercut/hook combo for Moraes misses but he unbolts a three-piece combo and, to some extent, lands each one. Now Moraes gets deep on a double and takes Lebout down. Closed half guard for Lebout until Moraes slides his trapped leg through and goes into full mount.

Lebout gets quarter guard and then regains his closed half guard. No strikes and all position work from Moraes, who ends up in side mount after Lebout’s failed escape attempt. It’s a mysteriously measured pace from Moraes being down two rounds, though he does pass back to mount and transitions to back control in the ensuing scramble. Both hooks in for Moraes, who flattens Lebout out and traps an arm in his back-control body triangle. Time expires. 10-9 Moraes. I have it 29-28 Lebout.

Yaotzin Meza vs. Damian Stasiak

R1: Stasiak looks to stay at range with measured punching combos and leg kicks. Meza locks horns and shoots a takedown but Stasiak stays afoot with the whizzer. Meza readjusts and scores a double leg, preventing Stasiak’s intention of pursuing an armbar. Now Stasiak leans over for a kimura but he can’t get the two-on-one grip. Smart and steady top pressure from Meza as he crucifixes Stasiak’s left arm and goes for a rear-naked choke.

Stasiak tries to spin out and Meza switches to a side choke or neck crank, but Stasiak slips free. Stasiak snaps Meza’s head down in the front headlock but Meza’s single-leg counter allows him to stand up. They separate and Stasiak scores with a left hook, then a spinning kick to the body. Meza shoots and Stasiak fends it off, then hops on Meza’s back and puts both hooks in. Stasiak ties on a rear-naked choke that’s fairly tight but he runs out of time. 10-9 Stasiak.

R2: Meza counters nicely with a check hook but eats a punch and another spinning kick from Stasiak. They clinch up and Meza goes from the front headlock to a sacrifice guillotine, ending up on bottom after Stasiak slips his head out. From the standing position, Stasiak steps over and spins into the falling guard pass, landing in side mount. Meza gets back to half guard and then full guard a moment later.

Stasiak threatens to sweep with an under-hook and a butterfly hook, then opts for another kimura attempt. Meza attempts a loose arm-triangle but can’t muster up much else from on top — until he postures up with a big right hand, then takes Stasiak’s back in the scramble. Pestering ground strikes from Meza in back control. Stasiak rolls back into full guard. 10-9 Meza.

R3: After an even striking exchange, Meza hits a single leg. Stasiak angles for an armbar and nearly gives up his back again when Meza defends. Half guard for Meza and looking for another arm-triangle, but he’s on the wrong side. Stasiak breaks the hold but Meza passes into full mount when he does. Stasiak gives his back but stays slippery enough to prevent Meza from getting his hooks in.

Meza stays attached and resumes top control after the scramble. Stasiak rolls into a leg lock from half guard and Meza stays out of danger and on top, though he’s light on offense and heavy on defense throughout. I’ll begrudgingly give Meza a 10-9 for that round and a 29-28 overall.

Daniel Omielanczuk vs. Anthony Hamilton

R1: Hamilton wades forward throwing boulders with both hands and, though Omielanczuk glances with a counter, he succeeds in bowling him over. Omielanczuk over-hooks both arms from an open guard but Hamilton is able to posture up sporadically and land massive right hands to the ribs. Hamilton is justifiably content to hang out in full guard whilst tenderizing the ribcage of Omielanczuk with heavy right hands. 10-9 Hamilton.

R2: Omielanczuk gets in three glancing left hands before and as Hamilton completes another early takedown. Omielanczuk doesn’t let him stabilize and scrambles back to his feet, staying busy with left hands to the body while caught in the clinch. Hamilton changes levels for a double leg and Omielanczuk goes chest-on-back and hooks a leg with his arm to stay upright, then uses the under-hook to roll Hamilton over.

Hamilton stays connected and puts Omielanczuk back on the cage wall. A few knees to the body for Hamilton, who’s sneaky in grabbing the fence with his under-hooked hand. Omielanczuk turns the tide by freeing up his right hand and blasting a few while in-fighting, then he circles off the fence and takes Hamilton down with a minute left. Hamilton pops up but Omielanczuk goes after another double leg, but he loses his base and Hamilton falls on top of him. Omielanczuk gets back up and they close the round clinching on the fence. 10-9 Omielanczuk.

R3: Omielanczuk tries to keep space, landing a light inside low kick. Hamilton barrels into range and clinches up but can’t complete the double. After a short stalemate, Hamilton gets the Thai plum and spears a volley of solid knees to the body. Omielanczuk cross-faces and answers with a body knee of his own though Hamilton answers back in triplicate.

Hamilton is again content to impose clinch control and punish the body in measured spurts with uppercuts and knees. We’re beyond a minute of economical clinch battering from Hamilton as Omielanczuk opts to defend and fire back rather than escape the unfavorable position. Quick up-knee to the chin glances for Omielanczuk, who’s looking a tad winded. Hamilton drops levels for a double with 30 seconds left and finishes the takedown by switching to a single leg. Omielanczuk reaches over for a kimura and it’s a legit attempt, but he runs out of time. 10-9 Hamilton. I have it 29-28 in his favor.

Aleksandra Albu vs. Izabela Badurek

R1: Albu slices a pair of one-twos through Badurek’s defense early, then lands a hard right cross. Badurek is already wearing the damage on her face and she forces a clinch. Badurek keeps Albu on the fence in the 50/50 clinch, landing a few short knees to the body and thighs. Badurek drops for a double leg, then switches to a high-crotch takedown after Albu digs in an under-hook.

Albu cross-faces and chin-posts to keep Badurek at bay, and finally circles off the fence with 90 seconds left. Badurek ducks under Albu’s first volley of punches, then fends off the head-and-arm-throw attempt from Albu. Badurek puts Albu on the cage; Albu circles off. 10-9 Albu.

R2: Albu glances with a few punches off the back foot as Badurek rushes her, then spins her onto the fence once the clinch is initiated. They jockey for under-hooks with Albu maintaining clinch pressure rather than separating. She finally backs off but eats a glancing right from Badurek. They land simultaneous jabs but Albu’s power leaves the better impression.

Badurek has a bloody nose and seems to be short on options as she’s relegated to blocking range punches and telegraphing her entries. Albu corners her briefly and unloads a flurry that’s partially blocked. Badurek times a duck-under takedown and completes it, though Albu immediately laces up a guillotine and forces a lightning-quick tapout.

Marcin Bandel vs. Stevie Ray

R1: Ray, a southpaw, takes a low stance and tries to chip away from range with crosses and kicks. Bandel lands a body kick, then locks horns with Ray on the next exchange and works for a body lock on the fence. Ray stays upright with a whizzer/over-hook and wrist control. When he can’t score the takedown, Bandel drops back for a leg lock and Ray shows good Fight IQ by countering with the front headlock, though he might’ve gotten away with a fence grab.

Bandel works from guard, stands back up and gets countered with a takedown from Ray, who does a good job of keeping Bandel’s head on the cage to limit his options. Sharp shot landed from Ray in Bandel’s half guard. Now Ray gets in arm-triangle position in the closing moments and it’s deep. Bandel blatantly grabs the fence with both hands and only receives a warning, but he survives the round. 10-9 Ray.

R2: Keeping his stance wide and low, Ray bobs Bandel’s head back with a straight left and then stifles the takedown with a strong front headlock. Ray pursues a D’arce choke from the top, then switches to a loose rear-naked choke attempt as Bandel stands up. Bandel slips his head out but Ray powers him back down and bounces a good half-dozen heavy lefts off his head, and the barrage is enough to coax the stoppage.

Rocky Lee vs. Taylor Lapilus

R1: Lee locks horns immediately and puts Lapilus on the fence with a left under-hook. We pause as Lee takes an unintentional knee to the pills. Lee goes right back to the aggressive clinch-work on the restart but gets careless with his head position, allowing Lapilus to loop his arm over and threaten with a guillotine. It’s enough to back Lee off, though he dives right back into the clinch yet gets caught in the same guillotine. Lapilus thumps him with a knee to the body before disconnecting.

Lapilus scores with a low kick and a knee. Now a pair of left hooks land for Lapilus, and the latter is augmented by a tight right hook. More crisp straights from the southpaw Lapilus, and Lee forces another clinch after eating the shots. Lapilus calmly resists the takedown and circles off the fence, then stuffs another takedown and lands a stiff body knee. Lapilus is fluid from range and using his boxing to take a commanding lead as the round winds down. 10-9 Lapilus.

R2: Lapilus picks up where he left off, pelting Lee with quick bursts of punches along with another low kick and knee. Lee swoops low and controls the hips of Lapilus to partially complete a takedown. Lapilus sits up against the fence and cleverly hip-bumps to create enough space to stand and circle off the cage. Lapilus backs away from the clinch at the three-minute mark, pumping jabs in the center of the cage.

Lee continues to look uncomfortable in open space, absorbing a handful of glancing punches and shooting takedowns with no set-up. Lapilus anticipates well and uses the under-hook to stay free of his clutches. This time Lapilus beautifully times a step-in knee to the gut as Lee’s coming in, and it lands with a thud. Lee powers through it and puts Lapilus on the cage though they’re separated a moment later due to inactivity. 10-9 Lapilus.

R3: Lapilus dictates range with more jabs, then tacks on a left cross that scores. Lee resorts to forcing a clinch entry and this time Lapilus takes him down briefly. Lee gets back to his feet and they separate. Lee is reduced to halfhearted jabs and inevitable entries into contact range.

Lapilus fends off another takedown and the ref again splits up Lee’s uninspiring clinch entanglement. Lapilus darts out of range of Lee’s punches and knifes back in to keep leather on his chin. Lapilus catches Lee off-guard again by completing a brief takedown when they lock horns. Lee stands and separates, but his nose is bloodied and Lapilus targets it with lengthy jabs and crosses. 10-9 Lapilus, giving him a clean 30-27 sweep on my card.