UFC Fight Night 72 touches down in Glasgow, Scotland for the first time in the promotion’s history. It also caps off an amazing stretch of four UFC shows in the span of a week. The popular English middleweight Michael Bisping headlines this event against Brazil’s Thales Leites in a five-round affair. In the co-main, Ross Pearson battles Evan Dunham in the lightweight division.
There are two Scottish fighters on the main card who will look to get wins in front of their raucous home fans. Steven Ray opens up things with a fight against Leonardo Mafra in a lightweight contest, while women’s strawweight contender Joanne Calderwood squares off vs. late replacement Cortney Casey-Sanchez.
UFC Fight Night: Bisping vs. Leites live results, play-by-play, and analysis
We’ll cover all the main card action in this post, with Kid Nate on play-by-play duties. This portion of the card kicks off at 1 PM ET/10 AM PT on Fox Sports 1 and is expected to conclude at around 4 PM ET.
Leonardo Mafra Teixeira vs. Steven Ray – Lightweights
Round 1: Lengthy feeling out process. They trade leg kicks. Suddenly Ray lands hard. Mafra is hurt and backing to the cage. Ray is firing away. Mafra fires back, hurts Ray. Ray keeps coming. He’s pouring it on. Mafra is staggered. Hurt. He falls. It’s over! Steven Ray wins!
Official Result: Steven Ray def. Leonardo Mafra Teixeira via TKO at 2:30 of Rd 1.
—
Leon Edwards vs. Pawel Pawlak – Welterweights
Round 1: Edwards takes central cage. Lands a head kick to start. Body kick. Pawlak fires back with punches. Edwards counters. Edwards with a spinning back kick to the head, grazes Pawlak. Edwards fires a combination, backs Pawlak to the cage. Gets double unders. Pawlak reverses. Edwards reverses. Oh the magic of a clinch fight against the cage. They break. Pawlak with a big kick. Edwards punching. Kicking. Backing Pawlak up. Pawlak kicks back. Edwards 10-9.
Round 2: Edwards backing Pawlak up again. Landing punches. Another spinning kick attempt misses for Edwards. Body kick from Pawlak lands hard. Pawlak fakes a take down, lands an overhand. Edwards’ nose bloodied. He pushes Pawlak into the cage. Pawlak pulls him down. Edwards on top. Pawlak in 1/2 guard. Edwards passes. Back to 1/2, now full guard. Elbows from Edwards. 10-9 Edwards.
Round 3: Edwards measuring Pawlak. Damn lands a massive high kick. Pawlak falls. Edwards follows him down but Pawlak is alert and defending. Back to the grappling battle. They stand back up. Edwards misses with a flying knee. Pawlak eats a straight left. Fires a spinning back fist, misses, catches Edwards with a punch and forces Edwards to the fence. Edwards reverses. Back to the clinch fight. Clear 10-9 for Edward. 30-27 on my card.
Official Result: Leon Edwards def. Pawel Pawlak via unanimous decision (30-27×3).
—
Joanne Calderwood vs. Cortney Casey-Sanchez – Women’s Strawwweights
Round 1: Casey comes forward, firing bomb. Calderwood backs up. She manages to clinch up and pushes Casey up against the cage. Calderwood gets her down. Casey is firing punches from the bottom. Casey has a tight full guard and control of Calderwood’s posture. Calderwood throws an elbow, it lands hard. Upkick from Casey. Casey going for a heel hook. They’re trading blows from 50/50 guard. Calderwood gets on top, has Casey on her side with both legs pinned between Calderwood’s. Casey gets a leg between. Calderwood firing from on top. I have it 10-9 for Casey because strikes.
Round 2: Casey lands a front kick but gets backed up to the cage. Calderwood landing elbows in a standing clinch. Calderwood firing strikes and backing Casey up. Casey lands a counter. Calderwood shoots. They’re clinched against the cage. Casey falls, Calderwood drags her away from the cage. Casey gets full guard. Back to their feet. Some huge shots landed by Calderwood. Calderwood gets Casey down again. Landing elbows on Casey from side mount. Stand up. Calderwood lands a spinning kick to the body. Back to the clinch. Calderwood battering her against the cage. They’re brawling. Casey may be hurt by a right. 10-9 for Calderwood. 19-19 on my card.
Round 3: Open with lots of blows immediately. Calderwood backing her up. Both fighters landing. Wild brawl against the cage. Casey falls from a spinning back kick to the gut. Calderwood on top battered her. Casey fighting for guard. Calderwood stands up and so does Casey. Back to the brawl. Crowd going crazy. Casey falls forward, maybe was rolling for a leg. Calderwood on top. Has side mount. Calderwood stands and walks away. They trade and then clinch at cage central. Calderwood landing body knees from the Thai plum. Casey tries falling into guard. Calderwood not having it. They fight to the cage. Casey leaps onto her back. They go down. Casey in full guard. Calderwood ends the fight dropping bombs on Casey. 10-9 Calderwood. 29-28 Jo-Jo on my card.
Official Result: Joanne Calderwood def. Cortney Casey-Sanchez via unanimous decision (30-27×2, 29-28).
—
Joseph Duffy vs. Ivan Jorge – Lightweights
Round 1: They trade in center cage. Duffy fires a head kick, misses. Both men crouching a lot. Duffy lands a combo. Inside leg kick lands high. Jorge shakes it off. Jorge forces a clinch, backs Duffy to the cage. Duffy gets away. Big knee to the face by Duffy. Jorge lurches into a couple of wild swings that force Duffy back, then he clinches Duffy against the cage. Knee to Duffy’s body. Duffy answers with an uppercut. They break. Kick and knee from Duffy. Combo landed by Jorge. Jorge gets double unders throws Duffy down. Duffy gets a triangle! Gets the tap!
Official Result: Joseph Duffy def. Ivan Jorge via submission (triangle choke) at 3:05 of Rd 1.
—
Evan Dunham vs. Ross Pearson – Lightweights
Round 1: Pearson claims center cage. Dunham lands first strike, body kick. Another. Dunham staying out of punching range. Another kick to Pearson’s body. Pearson lands a hard right hand. Dunham shoots. Gets him down on the second effort. Big slam! Pearson fighting to his feet with Dunham on his back. Picks Pearson up and slams him down again. Takes the back. Figure four body lock on Pearson. Working for the RNC. Hand fight. Dunham punching Pearson’s face, trying to get his hands free for the choke. Dunham gives up the figure four after about 2 minutes to go for an arm bar. Has it fully extended. Pearson won’t tap! Pearson escapes! They’re back to the feet. Pearson moving forward. Lands a right. Pearson tries a flying knee, misses lands a hard punch. Dunham clinches to end the round. 10-9 Dunham but Pearson might have the momentum.
Round 2: Dunham firing punches. Shoots, gets Pearson down in the center of the cage. In Pearson’s 1/2 guard. Pearson in full guard but Dunham rearing up and throwing down. Pearson kicks him away but Dunham jumps on his back. Pearson on his hands and knees, taking knees to the thights. Dunham went for a slam but Pearson laces a leg and stops it. Dunham stays on his back. Dunham trying to get the hooks in and take the back. Pearson stands. Dragged back down. Dunham on the back of a sitting Pearson. Gets the figure four bodylock. Hand fight. Dunham peppering with blows looking to free the hand and get the choke. Dunham gives up the body lock, lying under Pearson with full back control. Dunham looking for the armlock again. Pearson rolls over as the buzzer buzzes. 10-9 Dunham. 20-18 for the Yank.
Round 3: Pearson takes center cage. Head kick from Dunham. Dunham leaning in to fire punches. Pearson punches the body. Dunham shoots. Nothing. Dunham shoots again. Stuffed. Dunham shoots and pushes Pearson to the cage. Clinch fight. They break. Dunham forces another clinch. Dunham landing blows on the inside. Pearson tries to get the Thai plum, throws a knee. Dunham drops to attack the legs. Pearson is stymieing Dunham’s take downs but not scoring any offense. Dunham grabs a single leg. Pearson fends it off but now it’s back to the cage. 10-9 Dunham. Should be a 30-27 decision unless Ronnie Biggs is a judge.
Official Result: Evan Dunham def. Ross Pearson via unanimous decision (30-27×2, 29-28).
Who gave Pearson a round and why?
—
Michael Bisping vs. Thales Leites – Middleweights
Round 1: Leites lands a kick to the groin. Bisping takes a short break. Back to the action. Leites takes center cage. Bisping outscoring him on the feet in volume. Leites might be landing the harder shots though. Leites leg kicks traded for Bisping punches. Leites forces a clinch. They fall. Bisping on top. Leites takes Bisping’s back. Not much time. Leites 10-9.
Round 2: Leites eats a couple of straight shots. Lands a wild hook. Leites taking the center. Backing Bisping up and landing hard punches. Bisping takes center cage then seems staggered by a shot. Body kick lands on Leites. The Brazilian lands an uppercut and a low leg kick. Bisping with the inside leg kick. Leites lands up high. They trade punches. Bisping lands a hard left hook. Outside leg kick for Leites. Bisping controlling the center now. Hard cracking right hits Bisping. Bisping 10-9. Even after two.
Round 3: Leites coming forward. Landing hard shots. Bisping is rocked by a right hook. He recovers and clinches. They break. Bisping is bleeding over the left eye. Bisping firing back and cuts Leites over his left eye. Bisping moving forward now behind a sharp, pumping jab. Bisping mixes in a high kick. Inside leg kick. Bisping with a spinning back kick! Leites lands a right hand counter. Leites gets a take down off a caught kick. But Bisping is right back up. Big uppercut by Leites. Now he’s chasing Bisping around the ring. 10-9 Leites, he’s up 2-1 for me.
Round 4: Leites comes out hard. Bisping escapes a clinch and attempt to take his back. Bisping firing and landing. Dragging his lead leg from the leg kicks. Leites lands a hard counter. Has Bisping backing up. The Brit circles off the cage. Bisping bounces back after eating a combo. Ref warns both men about open hands and eye pokes. Outside leg kick from Leites, checked. Inside leg kick from Bisping. Left hook from Bisping. Bisping handily outscoring Leites but the Brazilian is landing harder. Bisping superman punch countered. Bisping jabs. Leites cornering Bisping but not landing when he has the chance. 10-9 Bisping. Even after four on my card.
Round 5: Leites backing Bisping up. Firing hard. Bisping circles off the cage. Rinse, repeat. They trade. Both land. Bisping jabs. Leites coming forward. Lands an uppercut, eats a counter. Leg kicks traded. Leites lands a left hook as Bisping tries to circle out. Bisping with a right. Leites backs Bisping up with a hard punch. Leites walks him down. Lands a hard combination. Bisping bounces off the cage again. Leites charges in, eats some jabs. Bisping wins another exchange. Another. Leites charges in but misses with a combo. Bisping circles away. Bisping look sharp at the end. Leites lands a big left hook. Another sharp shot lands on the Brit. Bisping throws a knee. A spinning back kick. Very very hard round & fight to score. I have to give this one to Bisping 10-9. That’s 48-47 on my card. We’ll see what the judges think.
Official Result: Michael Bisping def. Thales Leites via split decision (48-47, 49-46, 47-48).
About the author
