UFC Fight Night 78: Magny vs Gastelum live results, discussion, play by play

Join us tonight on Bloody Elbow for live results, discussion and play-by-play as The Ultimate Fighter Latin America 2 Finale (also touted as UFC Fight Night 78 or UFC Monterrey) takes place from the Monterrey Arena in Monterrey, Nuevo Leon, Mexico.

The main card features a host of former The Ultimate Fighter (TUF) contestants: Welterweights Kelvin Gastelum and Neil Magny square off in the main event while TUF “OG” Diego Sanchez, who won the inaugural show as a middleweight, makes his featherweight debut opposite Ricardo Lamas. TUF Latin America 2 winners will be crowned in the welterweight (Enrique Marin vs. Erick Montano) and lightweight (Enrique Barzola vs. Horacio Gutierrez) divisions. Rounding out the six-fight main card are flyweights Henry Cejudo vs. Jussier Formiga and lightweights Efrain Escudero vs. Leandro Silva.

Live results will commence with the event’s opening trio of tussles on UFC Fight Pass. The full lineup and schedule follows. Check out this week’s MMA Vivisection for predictions, analysis and betting odds on each match-up.

Main Card
(Fox Sports 1, 10 p.m. ET)

Kelvin Gastelum vs. Neil Magny

R1: Gastelum lands the first clean strike in the form of an inside low kick. And another, this one to the inner thigh. Now a glancing outside low kick for Gastelum. Gastelum throws a sneaky round knee to the thigh when exchanging. Gastelum squeezes the trigger with a high kick and a lunging sequence of punches, but pays for over-committing when Magny takes him down and mounts him.

Gastelum somehow squirts out of the bad position an puts Magny on the fence, then hits a slick arm-drag throw. Magny insta-sweeps him and threatens to take his back. Gastelum goes two-on-one to spin out of danger but Magny hits an outside trip, again seemingly teleporting to back control. Magny loses a hook but transitions to mount, then returns to back mount, this time with both hooks in. Gastelum almost hits a switch but can’t, leaving Magny in half guard. Brief kimura attempt from Magny but Gastelum slips out of his grasp and gets back to his feet. 10-9 Magny.

R2: Short, snapping right to the face from Magny. Gastelum walks him down and keeps a steady torrent of leather coming his way. Gastelum’s high kick is blocked but his pressure is forcing Magny to play a wholly defensive role. Gastelum drops for a double but Magny’s wrist control stifles the attempt. They separate with Magny gliding out into the center, looking for some breathing room.

Gastelum lands a hard left body kick. Magny pops off a three-punch combo, all of which land and back Gastelum up. Magny pays the price for a straight-line retreat and is forced to cover up on a Gastelum flurry. Magny takes the initiative on the reset, putting Gastelum on the fence with the clinch. Magny hits an outside trip and they roll into a scramble that ends with Magny in the standing rear waist lock. Gastelum spins to face him, though he takes two short rights to the body in the process. Magny hits another trip. 10-9 Magny.

R3: Gastelum comes out looking to close the distance but Magny is a beast in the clinch, using it and the threat of his takedowns to keep Gastelum at bay. Glancing lead right for Gastelum, and another right on the next exchange. Gastelum forces a clinch and lands a knee to the body after peeling Magny’s arm away with wrist control.

Magny again initiates a clinch and uses the under-hook to put Gastelum on the fence. Gastelum circles off and separates. Gastelum clinches up this time and Magny gathers himself against the fence and rushes forward for a takedown; both fighters lose their balance and reset on the feet. Now it’s Gastelum who slips behind Magny in the rear waist cinch. Magny spins out and lands a knee to the body before re-clinching. Another takedown from Magny, then he transitions to the rear waist lock. Gastelum rolls out and ends up on top. 10-9 Magny.

R4: Magny uses a double jab before stuffing a right in Gastelum’s craw. Magny continues to sting with long punches from range or lock up a clinch inside. Gastelum rattles Magny’s jaw with a right shovel punch and it stuns him. Gastelum swarms with punches as Magny goes down, landing in side control. Magny gets to half guard but he’s greeted with a sharp elbow from Gastelum, who then passes back to side mount.

Magny regains half guard and clears enough space to stand, but Gastelum plasters him with another quick right and Magny’s back down. Magny slings a leg over for a triangle but Gastelum passes the legs. Magny gets to his feet in the scramble, going for the kimura to break Gastelum’s rear waist lock. They separate. Magny throws a jump knee and dives on a double leg. Gastelum breaks his grip and separates. 10-8 Gastelum.

R5: Gastelum comes out swinging, looking to corner Magny. Magny pops him with two right hands while retreating. Gastelum ties him up and takes him down, landing in side mount. Magny gets full guard though Gastelum slips in two short punches. Heavy base from Gastelum on top, then he postures up with a left forearm to the face. Magny explodes his hips to create space and stand up, again using the kimura to escape the rear waist lock. Short bursts of close-range punches from Magny.

Gastelum lands a pair of left crosses, forcing Magny to disengage and jog out of range. Gastelum stays on him with rights and lefts, then a clean left kick to the body. Magny bounces off the cage to land a one-two. They clinch in the center and Gastelum oddly gives up double under-hooks to Magny, who turns it into an outside trip from the body lock. Gastelum hits a nice sweep, reversing into top position and stepping into half guard to bomb away with heavy punches. 10-9 Gastelum. I have it a 47-47 draw.

Ricardo Lamas vs. Diego Sanchez

R1: Lamas has a right high kick blocked. Sanchez is late on countering Lamas’ low kick. Lamas leads with a shielded uppercut and lands downstairs. Now a lead right cross to the body for Lamas. Sanchez finds the mark with an uppercut and hook combo but Lamas responds with a clean left wheel kick to the face.

Lamas whiffs on the next wheel kick. Lamas changes levels and gets deep on the hips for a double leg. Sanchez goes down and gives up his back while escaping. Lamas holds the rear waist lock, landing knees to the hamstrings. Sanchez tries to put his back on the fence and Lamas nearly cinches on a rear-naked choke, but it’s too lose and Sanchez reverses, looking to counter wrestle. Nice left elbow on the clinch break from Sanchez. 10-9 Lamas.

R2: Snap jab from Lamas. Sanchez lands a left from outside. Lamas flings a question mark kick and transitions smoothly into a double leg. Sanchez uses an under-hook to stay upright and, after a short battle, manages to break free. Lamas torques his hips over on a heavy low kick and the impact causes Sanchez to stumble. Lamas swarms with punches, finding the mark on a few but not connecting clean. Sanchez waves him in and gives him the mean face. Lamas cracks him with another low kick and it off-balances Sanchez.

Lamas clinches and moves to the rear waist cinch but Sanchez hits a crafty switch to reverse position. Lamas powers his way out of the position and glides back into the rear waist lock. Sanchez tries to hit a switch once and fails, but gets it the second time. Lamas goes for a counter single and picks the ankle to put Sanchez on the defense. Sanchez looks for a kimura counter and Lamas spins out and jumps on his back. They separate and Lamas swings another nasty low kick. 10-9 Lamas.

R3: Sanchez glances with a lead right. Lamas backpedals behind a flicking jab. Sanchez throws a left body kick but, as Lamas is leaning into the pocket, Sanchez lands with the knee. Lamas forces another wheel kick and nearly loses his balance. Lamas hammers another low kick home and Lamas comes up limping; Sanchez can’t even put weight on his foot and hops back to lean on the fence.

Sanchez counters with the crazy face and again waves Lamas in. They clinch up and Lamas clubs him with a spinning back-elbow on the break, and it opens a cut over the right eye of Sanchez. Lamas either slips or Sanchez catches him with a shot. Sanchez has blood dripping down his chest and staining his shorts, but he fights on valiantly, charging with three right hooks. 10-8 Lamas. I have it 30-26 Lamas.

Henry Cejudo vs. Jussier Formiga

R1: Cejudo bounces a heavy hook/cross combo off the guard of Formiga. Cejudo tries to punch his way into the collar tie but Formiga backs him off with both hands whirring. Cejudo glances a right hand off the top of Formiga’s head. Nice lead left landed by Formiga. Now a one-two is there for Formiga. Cejudo with a quick knee to the body on consecutive exchanges.

Cejudo follows a hook/cross combo into the clinch and they both trade knees to the body before separating. They lock horns again, this time trading knees to the thigh before splitting. Formiga lands a right cross and Cejudo answers with a clubbing right. They go tit-for-tat with knees to the body again before they separate. Cejudo scoops up a single and sweeps out Formiga’s support leg to complete it. 10-10.

R2: After some uneventful exchanging, Cejudo lands a short punch and a hard knee downstairs. Formiga glances with a check hook. Cejudo with another lightning-fast pair of knees in a quick clinch exchange. Cejudo doubles up on left hooks but Formiga plugs him with a hard right. Low kick lands for Formiga.

Cejudo responds with a left kick to the body, landing with the foot. Right-left combo glances for Cejudo as Formiga enters range. Cejudo glances with a left hook and they exchange knees to the body in the clinch. Left forearm for Cejudo on the clinch break. More back-and-forth body knees while tied up. Formiga lands a jab but there’s not much on it. 10-9 Cejudo.

R3: They continue to throw punches and collide in the clinch, then trade knees before separating. Cejudo lands three knees to the thigh after dodging a combo. Cejudo unfurls a quick high kick that Formiga blocks. Cejudo follows a right hand into the body lock, putting Formiga on the cage. Cejudo changes levels and hoists Formiga for a takedown but he’s quickly back on his feet.

Left forearm to the face from Cejudo, then a knee to the body on the clinch break. Outside low kick lands for Formiga. Cejudo clinches up and puts Formiga on the fence. Cejudo tries a single leg but Formiga keeps his balance and separates. They lock horns in the 50/50 clinch with Formiga looking for a foot sweep. Another left forearm for Cejudo on the clinch break, then a knee downstairs when he re-clinches. 10-9 Cejudo. I have it 30-28 Cejudo.

Enrique Marin vs. Erick Montano

R1: Montano backs him off with a jab, then gets the better of a close-range exchange. After an uneventful clinch, they separate and Marin walks Montano down. Montano again clears space with a straight down in the middle. Marin lands a knee to the body as Montano returns fire with a counter punch. Lead-leg side kick from Montano. Marin answers back with a glancing one-two.

Montano clnches up and puts Marin on the fence. Marin circles off the fence and shoots a counter single, then bails on it for a body lock. Montano gets off the fence and turns the tables with a takedown, but the see-saw continues as Marin sweeps into top position. Montano uses the knee shield to create space and escape. Glancing right lands from Marin, then another that lands square. Montano cracks him with a hard right. Marin stuffs a takedown and they exchange big punches. 10-9 Marin.

R2: Marin gets in on a double leg and finishes it. Double butterfly for Montano with his back on the fence, looking for a get-up. Marin pinches his knees together to prevent the escape and Montano hits a switch, then Marin rolls into a clever foot lock. It’s a blatant fence-grab from Montano when defending the submission but all he gets is a literal slap on the wrist from the ref. They separate and joust at a fairly even clip for the remainder. 10-10.

R3: Marin continues to press forward but it’s Montano who’s choosing and timing his strikes more effectively. More lead-leg side kicks from Montano. Marin walks him down and Montano pivots right to land a straight left. Marin forces a clinch but can’t capitalize before Montano escapes. Montano with two side kicks to the body. Marin answers with a hard shot. Montano times a reactive takedown and finishes it. 10-9 Montano. I have it a 29-29 draw.

Enrique Barzola vs. Horacio Gutierrez

R1: Gutierrez holds his ground and throws a straight combo as Barzola bobs and weaves outside. Crushing leg kick landed by Gutierrez. The next one grazes. Barzola times a takedown on a Gutierrez combo and completes it, moving to the rear waist cinch as Gutierrez stands back up. Gutierrez finally spins to face Barzola but ends up on his back.

Barzola throws some short right hands in half guard. Hard right to the body from Barzola on top. Gutierrez escapes briefly but Barzola powers him back to the mat. Another hard right from Barzola, this one to the face. Cross-face elbows from Barzola to close the round. 10-9 Barzola.

R2: Barzola waits for a Gutierrez low kick to shoot a takedown, finishing it powerfully. Short right hands and left elbows from Barzola. Gutierrez tries to boot him off bu Barzola stacks the legs and falls back into the guard. Another cross-face elbow lands for Barzola and it opens a cut on the forehead of Gutierrez. Barzola continues the steady and methodical mauling from on top, readjusting position as necessary and grinding away with short shots. 10-8 Barzola.

R3: Neither fighter lands cleanly but Gutierrez does manage to fend off a pair of takedown attempts. Now Gutierrez lands a counter combo. Barzola times a double leg and gets it 90 seconds into the round. The action is a mirror image of the last round with Gutierrez laying flat on his back, fighting for wrist control as Barzola batters him with patient and highly effective ground striking. 10-9 Barzola. I have it 30-26 Barzola.

Efrain Escudero vs. Leandro Silva

R1: Escudero walks Silva into the corner twice but doesn’t pull the trigger. Silva lands a left kick to the body. Glancing left hand from Escudero. Silva backpedals and throws half-committed, hesitant punches and kicks. Lead left to the body from Silva. They trade body kicks but Silva’s has more on it.

Silva clinches up and puts Escudero on the fence, then tags him with a right on the break. Escudero slips inside a left hand for a takedown attempt but he can’t get it. Silva tags him with a left after separating. Escudero follows behind a right hand for a double-leg attempt and Silva counters with an under-hook and a wide stance. Silva separates and keeps more leather in Escudero’s face. 10-9 Silva.

R2: Escudero again backs Silva into a corner but doesn’t commit to an attack. Silva circles out and Escudero hits a duck-under takedown. Double butterfly guard for Silva. Escudero with a left forearm to the face. Escudero backs off and it gives Silva enough room to stand up. Escudero rushes him and gets in on another takedown, finishing it.

Short, grinding strikes from Escudero on top. Now a solid left forearm to the face. Silva rolls into a leg lock but Escudero defends nicely, nearly mounting afterwards. Silva goes back to butterfly guard, then to a closed guard. Methodical control and careful striking from Escudero. Silva scoots to the fence and uses it to stand. 10-9 Escudero.

R3: Silva with a front kick to the body. Escudero grazes with a body kick. Silva backs him off with a sharp combo. Escudero forces a takedown and Silva defends, then puts Escudero on the fence. Heel kicks to the thigh from Escudero with his back on the fence. Silva separates with punches, then shucks off another takedown attempt. Left hook lands downstairs for Silva, then a hard left hand as Escudero’s coming in.

They clinch and Silva puts Escudero on the fence, landing a knee to the body, then a right to the body on the break. Escudero forces another takedown and this time, after defending, Silva takes Escudero’s back. One hook in for Silva as Escudero tries to slip out. Crafty back-elbow landed by Escudero. Silva switches from one hook to triangling Escudero’s leg, then puts both hooks in when Escudero tries to spin out. Escudero holds the leg triangle from back control and finishes the round landing hammer-fists. 10-9 Silva. I have it 29-28 Silva.

Fox Prelims
(Fox Sports 1, 8 p.m. ET)

Taylor Lapilus vs. Erik Perez

R1: Lapilus grazes with a lead-leg question mark kick. Now a left cross from Lapilus and a left kick to the body. Lapilus throws a front kick and dings Perez with a left cross, and it seems to stun him. Nice footwork and angles on display from Lapilus, who’s creating the striking opportunities early.

Perez tries to catch a right kick from Lapilus but eats a glancing left. Outside low kick lands for Lapilus after backing Perez with punches. Perez gets on the board with a right hand. Lapilus lands a left cross and Perez again almost catches his kick, but can’t. Lapilus gets sloppy on his way in and gets tagged with a short-range right-left combo. Perez finds the mark with a long left. Lapilus lands a jab. 10-9 Lapilus.

R2: They both land shots on the first few exchanges. Lapilus shields on a body kick and glancing with a counter. Lapilus lands another counter but Perez answers back downstairs. Lapilus thwacks Perez with a left cross and it knocks him off-balance, then Lapilus falls back for a sacrifice guillotine. Perez pulls his head out and goes to work in the full guard of Lapilus. Lapilus takes control by leaning over for a kimura and getting the two-on-one.

Perez, sensing the danger, goes defensive and keeps a low base to prevent the arm from being outstretched. Perez capitalizes with a steady shower of short punches and elbows. Now it’s right hands to the body from Perez. More punches from the top as Lapilus fights for wrist control. 10-9 Perez.

R3: Perez fakes low and comes back upstairs with a right high kick. Lapilus surprisingly shoots a takedown with no setup and Perez defends with the front headlock and a wide stance. Perez counter wrestles well with Lapilus sacrificing his footing for another kimura. It’s threatening enough to force Perez to disengage and Lapilus nearly takes back control, but they separate after the scramble.

Lapilus lands a one-two in open space. Perez glances with a spinning elbow, then pushes Lapilus on the fence to set up a double-leg takedown. Lapilus goes after the kimura, then lets it go to land a left elbow to the head. Perez steps over into half guard, digging more rights to the body. Now it’s left elbows to the thigh of Lapilus. Perez mounts briefly but Lapilus threads a leg back inside for half guard. Perez finishes with a flurry of punches. 10-9 Perez. I have it 29-28 Perez.

Bartosz Fabinski vs. Hector Urbina

R1: Fabinski immediately connects and takes Urbina down almost instantly. Fabinski steps into half guard, then lands a left hand as Urbina regains full guard. Urbina closes his guard and gets strong wrist control on Fabinski’s left arm. A few short and scattered punches from Fabinski on top. They’re stood up at the halfway mark.

Urbina lobs a left and Fabinski hits another takedown as soon as they reset. After battling to stabilize himself, Fabinski postures up to thwack Urbina with two right elbows. Urbina goes for a triangle but it’s too loose and Fabinski passes to half guard after defending the submission attempt. 10-9 Fabinski.

R2: Urbina curiously leads with a kick and Fabinski gladly collects it and converts the takedown. Urbina takes a knee and gets the front headlock, then rolls into a kimura. Fabinski steps over to escape but eats an up-knee to the face when re-engaging. Fabinski churns forward undeterred and goes back to work in Urbina’s full guard. Short elbow from Fabinski on top.

They’re stood up again at the halfway mark and Urbina hurls a flat-footed punch, allowing for an easy Fabinski takedown. Fabinski passes to half guard, then north-south. Urbina slips out and lands a pair of heavy lefts as Fabinski is standing. Fabinski equalizes things with the front headlock, then cracks Urbina with a shot before shooting again. The ref calls time as Urbina has a nasty gash across his upper eyelid. After consulting with the doc, the fight restarts (mistakenly on the feet rather than the same position). Fabinski scores another takedown. 10-9 Fabinski.

R3: Urbina misses with a knee but manages to graze with a left-right combo before Fabinski takes him down. Urbina snatches a guillotine and it’s deep, but he can’t sweep or submit because they’re jammed against the fence. With some clever use of his foot on the fence, Fabinski yanks his head free and ends up on top. Two rights for Fabinski to Urbina’s bloodied face.

Urbina leans over for a kimura and nearly baits Fabinski into a sweep, but can’t. Fabinski in half guard with his head buried in Urbina’s chest. Urbina battles his way back to his feet but Fabinski remains attached, in on a double leg. Urbina tries what looks like an Ezekiel choke to get some space, then throws his hands desperately. 10-9 Fabinski. I have it 30-27 Fabinski.

Scott Jorgensen vs. Alejandro Perez

R1: Outside low kick from Perez, then a counter left. Now another outside low kick. Jorgensen patiently steers Perez into a corner but isn’t close on his first takedown attempt. Glancing right lands for Jorgensen, who gets deep on a double leg and finishes it. Perez gets to his feet and tries to counter with a guillotine; Jorgensen readjusts and takes him back down but Perez is up and out of reach quickly.

Jorgensen lands a nice overhand right but Perez easily stuffs his takedown attempt. Jorgensen lands another glancing right hand, then a low kick. Perez answers with an outside low kick. Nice use of angles and lateral movement from Jorgensen on the outside. Perez torques his hips over on a nasty low kick just before the bell and, perhaps sustaining an injury, Jorgensen is unable to put any weight on his foot.

R2: Jorgensen still has some sort of weird problem with his left foot; it’s obvious enough that the ref asks him if he wants to continue. Perez somewhat begrudgingly engages with low kicks to the good leg and cautious bursts of leather. Jorgensen is able to stand but he’s stumbling often and uneasy on his feet. Jorgensen falls of his own accord.

Jorgensen valiantly goes for a single leg and Perez shucks it off. Perez flings a right high kick that Jorgensen blocks with a loud thud. Perez fakes a low kick and then sweeps out Jorgensen’s support leg when he checks it. Jorgensen is back up but he tries to plant and throw a kick, and goes down in agony, tapping the mat.

Gabriel Benitez vs. Andre Fili

R1: Benitez opens up with a sharp low kick. And another. Make it three, all inside to the lead leg of Fili. Straight left from Benitez snaps Fili’s head back. And again from Benitez, who then goes to the body with a left kick. Fili thuds a high kick off the guard of Benitez, then lands a quick left-right. Fili pressures for a takedown but Benitez is back up quickly.

Choping inside low kick. Fili loosens another nasty high kick and this one gets through; a shin hard to the side of the head. Without pause, Fili fires off a seamless six-punch combo and Benitez wilts under the violent hail of leather.

Fight Pass Prelims
(UFC Fight Pass, 6:30 p.m. ET)

Alvaro Herrera vs. Vernon Ramos

R1: Ramos comes out aggressively but it’s Herrera’s left hand that lands first. On the reset, Herrera unbolts a left hook, right uppercut and a right cross, the latter of which flattens Ramos.

Cesar Arzamendia vs. Polo Reyes

R1: Reyes clips Arzamendia with a left hook and it causes him to stumble. Arzamendia responds with a left of his own. Check hook glances for Reyes. Arzamendia lands an outside low kick to the thigh. A pair of stiff knees land to the body for Arzamendia and we pause after he indicates he took a knee below the belt. More sharp knees from the clinch land for Arzamendia and he follows with a takedown, though Reyes pops right back up and hits a counter takedown.

Reyes stands and narrowly avoids a guillotine attempt. Arzamendia hits a nice angle to secure another double-leg but Reyes is again quick to regain his footing. Reyes lands a spinning heel kick to the body but Arzamendia takes him down with another blast double. Reyes bounces off the canvas, shrugs off another guillotine attempt and swats him with a quick left hook — Arzamendia goes down and out.

Valmir Lazaro vs. Michel Prazeres

R1: Lazaro digs in with two outside low kicks to the lead leg. Lazaro lands a jab and Prazeres counters with a rush-in left hook. Another chopping low kick from Lazaro and it off-balances Prazeres. And again with the same result. Now a lengthy jab from Lazaro. Prazeres has a left high kick half-blocked but he lands a short uppercut.

Prazeres thumps him with a wild overhand right. There’s a lull with a lot of feinting and measuring. Prazeres clubs him with another charging right hand and hits his first takedown from the clinch. Lazaro is slippery, using the cage to regain his footing immediately. Double jab from Lazaro glances but Prazeres lands a hard check hook. Outside low kick for Lazaro. 10-9 Prazeres in a close one.

R2: Prazeres just misses with a heavy right counter but glances with a left kick to the body. Prazeres forces a clinch and Lazaro uses slick counter wrestling to reverse it. Prazeres closes his guard and secures posture control. Lazaro postures up and Prazeres pulls his head back down. Lazaro passes to half guard.

No dice on Prazeres’ attempt at a deep-half sweep but he does regain full guard, and closes it. They’re stood up at the two-minute mark. Prazeres ducks a right and gets in on a single leg but Lazaro again bounces up off the canvas quickly. Prazeres holds him on the cage with no action until they’re separated with 60 seconds left. Hard jab lands for Lazaro. Prazeres catches a kick and uses it to clinch. He hits a double but Lazaro breaks free in mid-air. 10-9 Lazaro.

R3: Lazaro comes out snapping his jab. One bobs the head of Prazeres back. Lunging left hook lands for Prazeres. More sharp jabs from Lazaro. Prazeres goes back to the lead left hook three times in a row and Lazaro sidesteps them all and keeps his jab pumping.

Prazeres shoots and puts Lazaro on the cage in search of a single leg. Lazaro shows good balance to stay upright, then shoves Prazeres over when he over-commits on the takedown attempt. Prazeres closes his guard and tries to hold posture control. They’re stood up with 40 seconds left. Prazeres wings wild haymakers from outside, then falls to his butt. 10-9 Lazaro. I have it 29-28 Lazaro.