UFC Fight Night: Cowboy vs Oliveira – live results, discussion, play by play

Join us tonight on Bloody Elbow for live coverage of UFC Fight Night: Pittsburgh from the CONSOL Energy Center in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.

Together, we’ll behold a combat-sports version of a good ol’ fashioned hootenanny — only with more face-punching —  when two self-proclaimed cowboys, Donald Cerrone and Alex Oliveira, duke it out in the main event. Also on the five-fight featured card: middleweights Derek Brunson vs. Roan Carneiro, Cody Garbrandt vs. Augusto Mendes (catch-weight bout), featherweights Dennis Bermudez vs. Tatsuya Kawajiri, middleweights Chris Camozzi vs. Joe Riggs and lightweights Shane Campbell vs. James Krause.

Live results and play-by-play will commence with the Fight Pass prelims at 5:15 p.m. ET. The full lineup and schedule follows.

Main Card
(Fox Sports 1, 9 p.m. ET)

Donald Cerrone vs. Alex Oliveira

R1: It’s a quick right upstairs and a knee from the clinch to start things off for the smiling Oliveira, who puts Cerrone on the cage. They exchange knees to the body before Cerrone circles off and separates. Oliveira with a front-leg side kick to the gut in open space. Cerrone tries to duck under a right and hit an outside trip but Oliveira’s balance is too strong. Oliveira flings a one-two and lands the cross hard to the chin. Oliveira keeps coming forward and Cerrone ducks under for a reactive takedown.

Cerrone goes cross-body in Oliveira’s open half guard, then pulls his leg through for full mount. Cerrone keeps advancing, looking for a mounted triangle, and Oliveira rolls into it just as Cerrone locks it on. Oliveira taps immediately.

Derek Brunson vs. Roan Carneiro

R1: Brunson spears a long left but can’t follow behind it to secure a clinch. He tries the same approach but lands the long lead left. Carneiro ducks two punches and shoots a takedown just to get his back off the fence; Brunson avoids it. Carneiro shuffles forward throwing strikes but loses his balance awkwardly, falling to a knee. Brunson happily capitalizes by kneeling down cautiously into Carneiro’s guard and pelting him with a few hard shots, then loosening both hands in rapid succession until the ref shows mercy.

Cody Garbrandt vs. Augusto Mendes

R1: Garbrandt glances with an outside low kick and lands a body kick. Mendes fires back with a low kick but Garbrandt plugs him with a left hook. Garbrandt glances with a heavy right counter. Mendes lands a hard outside low kick. Mendes shoots and tries to pull guard but Garbrandt is wise to it and backs out of range. They reset on the feet with Garbrandt chucking rights and lefts from a crouched stance.

Mendes lands another outside low kick and barely dodges Garbrandt’s counter flurry. Garbrandt switches stances, twice, switching from chasing Mendes to looking for counters. Garbrandt rushes him with punches and Mendes lands a short counter uppercut before circling off the fence. Garbrandt blitzes him again but this time finds the mark on with a right hand clean on the button, and Mendes sails back onto the canvas.

Dennis Bermudez vs. Tatsuya Kawajiri

R1: Bermudez lands a hard outside low kick but Kawajiri wheels into a spinning back fist that lands upstairs. Bermudez lands a left hook, then attaches as Kawajiri’s spinning out of range. Bermudez gets one hook in, then reaches over for the two-on-one, getting into kimura position from the back ride.

Kawajiri slips out the back door and patiently works his way out of the kimura, then briefly gets the rear waist lock as Bermudez stands up. Kawajiri gets in on a double leg, using the outside trip to finish it. Bermudez gets back up but Kawajiri takes him back down, triangling his legs to avoid the get-up. Bermudez gets his legs free and stands up with Kawajiri still attached. 10-9 Kawajiri.

R2: Bermudez catches him with a short right, then clinches up after another wild spinning back fist from Kawajiri. Kawajiri shoots a double and Bermudez wrenches a tight guillotine, and he steps over as Kawajiri loses his balance while pulling his head out. Sharp right to the face from Bermudez before Kawajiri is able to separate. Spinning back fist to spinning kick from Kawajiri, both of which miss by a mile, to set up a double-leg attempt.

Bermudez counters with a right under-hook, then pushes Kawajiri’s head down to land hard lefts. Short knee to the body lands for Bermudez as Kawajiri looks for a counter double leg. Now it’s a series of spiked down-elbows from Bermudez as Kawajiri is fixated on the takedown attempt. Kawajiri switches to a single and clings to it as Bermudez batters him with left punches and forearms. Kawajiri readjusts his angle and Bermudez counters with the front headlock, then goes to the half back-ride while landing lefts to the head. 10-9 Bermudez.

R3: Bermudez heaves a left-right combo and gets in on Kawajiri’s hips, completing a double leg. Kawajiri goes onto his left hip and Bermudez tries to cradle a leg to keep him in place, but can’t. Bermudez goes to the front headlock and Kawajiri turtles, countering with a single leg. Bermudez bumps his hips off the cage to snap Kawajiri down and stuff another double attempt. Bermudez circles him into the fence, landing rights to the body.

Now it’s a short uppercut from Bermudez as Kawajiri tries to slide off the fence. Bermudez loses his footing but Kawajiri still can’t put him on his back. They separate with Kawajiri probing with front kicks from range. Bermudez follows a right hook with a nasty outside low kick that chops out Kawajiri’s footing. Bermudez ties up as Kawajiri is standing, hurling him to the canvas with a high-crotch takedown. Kawajiri battles back to his feet but eats a knee and two rights to the face. Kawajiri separates but Bermudez is glued to him, putting him back down with another double leg. 10-9 Bermudez. I have it 29-28 Bermudez.

Chris Camozzi vs. Joe Riggs

R1: Camozzi leaps in with a right and it wallops Riggs, who hunches over on rubber legs. Camozzi fires knees to the head while pulling it down, and the ref steps in.

Shane Campbell vs. James Krause

R1: Krause catches a left kick but his counter right gets blocked by Campbell, who regains his footing. Krause darts in to force a clinch, looking for an inside hip throw. Krause half-commits on a lateral drop and almost ends up pulling Campbell into full mount, but he manages to stand back up and clinch. They separate after Krause can’t finish an outside trip. Double jab and a right cross lands for Krause, the latter of which may have buckled Campbell’s legs briefly. Campbell lands a left body kick from close range, then goes to the body with a right.

Now Krause lands a hard right upstairs. Now a leaping left kick to the body for Campbell before both men trade clean punches. Krause forces a clinch but Campbell circles off the fence quickly. Krause bobs his head back with a spearing right hand. Glancing right body kick from Krause, who loses his footing on a spinning kick but recovers unscathed. Campbell drills Krause with a straight right. Campbell lands an outside low kick but Krause counters with a double leg; Campbell stops the takedown but Krause hops on his back in the transition. Krause pulls Campbell back and cinches on a rear-naked choke, and it’s deep but time expires. 10-9 Krause.

R2: Krause shoots a duck-under double leg but Campbell brilliantly shucks it off and hits a counter trip. Krause rolls into an armbar, then readjusts and goes after it again. Campbell defends but Krause stands back up in the scramble, chasing Campbell across the cage with punches. Krause puts him on the fence and drops for a double leg that Campbell defends, though Krause again slips behind into the rear waist cinch. Campbell falls to his guard to avoid back control, then gives up his back when trying to escape.

Krause puts one hook in and lands two lefts. Campbell tries to buck him off but Krause holds on and gets his second hook in with back control, then rolls into a rear-naked choke. Campbell hand-fights the choke and manages a knee to the body as Krause attempts a double leg. Krause gets back to his feet and spins to face Campbell in the clinch. Knee to the body for Campbell but it allows Krause to circle off the fence. They separate with a minute left and Krause catches Campbell with a double leg as he’s hunching over to defend punches. 10-9 Krause.

R3: Campbell lands a left kick to the body. They trade body kicks but Campbell’s seems to land harder before they clinch up. They trade positions on the fence before they separate with Campbell whiffing on a spinning heel kick. Short jab lands for Campbell. Krause corners him and shoots a double, again slipping to the rear waist lock as Campbell defends. Campbell misses on a spinning back elbow but he turns to face Krause in the clinch.

Krause ducks an elbow on the clinch break. Campbell easily sprawls on the next Krause takedown attempt. Campbell plugs Krause with a stiff horizontal elbow on a clinch break. Krause glances with a right and follows behind it to clinch. Campbell hits a slick outside foot sweep, then takes Krause’s back on the transition. One hook in for Campbell, who anticipates Krause’s spin and takes full mount. Shoulder strike from Campbell with a half-minute left. He curiously bases down and holds position until the ten-second clapper sounds, then postures up with big punches. 10-9 Campbell. I have it 29-28 Krause.

Fox Prelims
(Fox Sports 1, 7 p.m. ET)

Alex Garcia vs. Sean Strickland

R1: Garcia finishes a single leg but Strickland somehow manages to stand up and slip into the rear waist lock with shocking flexibility and speed. Strickland trips Garcia but gets thwacked with a sharp up-kick to the face on his way into Garcia’s guard. Stricklad lands a right hand and backs out, then dives back in to land a short one-two to the face. Open half guard for Garcia. Strickland cups the head with his right hand to land a hard left.

Strong base and posture from Strickland on top, who backs out and bobs Garcia’s head off the canvas with big punches, nearly causing the ref the step in. Garcia lands another up-kick and hits a counter-double leg, putting Strickland on his back. Closed guard for Strickland and good head control. Strickland throws an elbow and two rights from his back. Glancing shot from Garcia on top. More effective defense and posture control from Strickland in his closed guard. Garcia with a clean right before the horn sounds. 10-9 Strickland.

R2: Two flicking inside low kicks from Strickland but Garcia tags him with a straight right. Glancing right hand from Garcia. Strickland lands a one-two and Garcia answers with a right hand while in full pursuit. Garcia loses his balance after throwing a heavy right and they reset in the center, trading jabs. They exchange glancing left hooks.

Garcia grazes with a left hook and Strickland pops him with two jabs. Short counter right lands for Strickland off the back foot. And another. Two consecutive low kicks from Strickland cause Garcia to limp gingerly before shooting a takedown, which he gets with 40 seconds left. Again Strickland’s closed guard game is stifling and Garcia can’t capitalize on the late top control. 10-9 Strickland.

R3: Inside low kick is good for Strickland, then a long jab from range. Snapping counter left from Strickland, who’s using his length well in open-space exchanges. Garcia gets in on a takedown just over a minute deep and keeps his posture, though it allows Strickland enough space to stand up and escape. Another lancing jab from Strickland, then another. Strickland grazes with a one-two before dodging a wide left hook from Garcia.

More crisp jabs and circling from Strickland, which seems to be frustrating Garcia. Garcia shoots a double from a mile out and Strickland shucks it off and separates. Lateral movement and jabs are doing the job for Strickland, as Garcia’s striking output has waned. Garcia tries a reactive double leg that Strickland sidesteps. Strickland pelts him with a sharp jab, then walks the wobbled Garcia down behind a measured salvo of straight right and left punches. Strickland lands a right cross cleanly and Garcia goes down and out.

Oluwale Bamgbose vs. Daniel Sarafian

R1: Bamgbose opens with quick lefts while circling into Sarafian’s power hand. Bamgbose does some kind of awkward fake low, then an equally awkward feint with his hands upstairs, all to set up a scorching left high kick to the head. Sarafian blocks it but the power blasts through his guard and it drops him. Bamgbose swarms with punches and the ref steps in.

Leonardo Augusto Leleco vs. Anthony Smith

R1: Smith glances with an outside low kick. Heavy counter right lands for Leleco. Smith misses with a step-in knee. Leleco blocks a head kick with a thud. Counter right lands for Smith off his back foot. Right cross lands clean for Smith, who follows up with a few glancing punches. This time Smith lands the step-in knee to the body after setting it up with his hands.

Smith walking Leleco down and firing off methodical combos, landing a clean right as Leleco casually circles away with is hands down. Another step-in knee lands for Smith but he can’t secure the Thai plum. Front kick to the body lands with the foot for Smith. Leleco bobs directly into a right hand that rattles his jaw. Smith sets up the knee with another right hand, then plasters him with a right that opens up a cut on Leleco’s forehead. 10-8 Smith.

R2: Leleco denies the glove touch to start the second. Smith walks into range but gets surprisingly clubbed with a one-two from Leleco with his back on the fence. Leleco finds the mark with a counter overhand right that bobs Smith’s head back, but Smith ducks under the follow-up flurry to hit a reactive double leg. Leleco goes on his right hip and looks to shrimp but Smith pins him on the fence and then goes to the back-ride as Leleco tries to sweep.

Leleco prevents Smith from getting back control and Smith lands a short right. Leleco again tries to shrimp but gets shut down, and this time Smith gets back control with both hooks in. Leleco shakes one hook loose and turtles; Smith goes to the back ride, then lands a hard knee to the ribs as Leleco tries to stand. Double wrist control from Smith in the back ride to prevent Leleco from posting on his left arm. Leleco stands and Smith goes to the rear waist cinch, then hits a big belly-to-back suplex. Now it’s the seatbelt position from Smith with lefts to the face, and the ref curiously decides to stand them up. Leleco capitalizes on the questionable stand-up by clubbing Smith with two lefts, then taking his back. 10-9 Smith.

R3: Leleco comes out guns blazing, stuffing looping overhands and hooks through Smith’s guard. Smith, eating a knee with his back on the fence, goes for a desperation single leg. Leleco stuffs it and lands on top as Smith turtles, still clinging to the single leg. Leleco scrambles into the front headlock, then spins to the back ride. Leleco tries to roll Smith with a seatbelt hold but Smith stays in turtle, still holding the single.

Leleco tripods but Smith elevates the leg to prevent him from committing to any big punches. Smith bails on the single and goes two-on-one with Leleco’s left wrist, and it neutralizes Leleco’s striking. Another entirely unnecessary stand-up from the ref with 90 seconds left. It’s not pretty but Leleco wades forward while slinging wide left hooks, then switches to clubbing rights to the head. Another desperation takedown attempt from Smith to find respite from Leleco’s primitive punching onslaught. Two-on-one for Smith again in the turtle as Leleco lands hammer-fists. 10-8 Leleco. I have it 28-27 Smith.

Nathan Coy vs. Jonavin Webb

R1: Coy walks him down and looks for straight lefts as Webb circles out of danger. Webb fires back with punches and a kick but Coy evades. Webb plugs Coy with a right downstairs, then comes upstairs with a follow up. Coy ducks an angle jab and chases Webb down with a glancing jump-knee to the body. Front kick lands to the body for Coy, followed by a grazing jab.

More straight-line stalking from Coy as Webb looks to angle out and counter. Glancing left cross lands for Coy. Coy glances with a one-two and then sprawls out on a Webb takedown. Coy goes to the front headlock, landing a knee to the face as Webb slips free. Coy lands a right with the single collar tie and they trade shots while breaking the clinch. Coy scores downstairs. 10-9 Coy.

R2: Coy grazes with a counter left; many shots are glancing due to Webb’s head movement. Webb steps in to jam a Coy low kick with double rights, which knock Coy off balance. Webb transitions to an armbar and Coy lifts him up and slams his way out of the hold. Gable-grip front headlock from Coy to freeze Webb in place. Webb pulls his head free and stands up, landing a sharp right on the clinch break.

Coy lands a left to the top of the head as Webb’s bobbing in the pocket. They clinch up and Coy puts Webb on the fence, denying a counter hip throw. Coy goes two-on-one and Webb wisely attacks his unprotected neck with a guillotine; Coy drops to his knees and goes to a counter single, then gets the rear waist lock as Webb stands upright. Coy hits a trip from the rear waist lock and gets one hook in but Webb spins onto his back to avoid back control. Coy slyly steps over into full mount with a minute left. A short left, then solid forearm to the face of Webb from Coy. 10-9 Coy.

R3: Webb lands a counter uppercut as Coy advances. Coy catches him with a left but gets reversed beautifully by Webb when attempting an inside trip. Webb threatens with a step-over armbar but Coy escapes out the back door, the counter-wrestles his way into top position. Coy jams Webb’s head against the fence and goes to work in his open guard. Heavy top pressure from Coy to keep Webb in place.

Two short rights to the face for Coy, who deftly takes Webb’s back in a transition, putting one hook in. Webb goes to the turtle position and Coy gets far-side double wrist control and grapevines a leg. Webb tries to stay slippery but Coy’s base is too heavy. Webb gets to his feet and Coy goes to the rear waist cinch, then takes him back down. Webb manages to spin into half guard, then goes for a leg lock as time ticks away. Coy peels his leg free and ends the round on top. 10-9 Coy. I have it 30-27 Coy.

Fight Pass Prelims
(UFC Fight Pass, 5:30 p.m ET)

Ashlee Evans-Smith vs. Marion Reneau

R1: They trade on the feet evenly for the first minute with Evans-Smith mixing up her combos and Reneau holding her ground with a stiff jab. Evans-Smith catches Reneau with a right on the way into a clinch, then a left on the way out. Reneau responds by bursting forward with both hands blazing, and a right thwacks Evans-Smith and might’ve stunned her. Reneau continues to flurry until Evans-Smith backs her off with a one-two.

Reneau lands an outside low kick before sidestepping an incoming combo. Another outside low kick lands for Reneau. Double rights from Evans-Smith but Reneau circles off, then lands a chopping low kick to the inner thigh. Evans-Smith seems nervous to commit after getting stung by Reneau but she seems fully recovered. Reneau catches a kick and plugs Evans-Smith with a hard right, then falls back for a guillotine that’s tight. Reneau uses it to sweep but runs out of time. 10-8 Reneau.

R2: Reneau sticks with the stiff jab and angles to keep Evans-Smith at bay. Counter right lands for Evans-Smith. Reneau lands a right upstairs, then a counter left hook. Nice pivoting in the pocket from Reneau to create striking opportunities. Outside low kick from Reneau.

Lead jab downstairs from Reneau followed by a clean outside low kick. Another low kick from Reneau, who’s methodically widening the gap in the striking exchanges. Counter right upstairs from Reneau. 10-9 Reneau.

R3: Outside low kick to the thigh from Reneau, then a snapping right counter. Now a clean lead-leg low kick from Reneau. Evans-Smith catches a kick and converts it into a takedown but, to the crowd’s disappointment, backs off and lets Reneau back up. Front push kick to the hip from Reneau as Evans-Smith throws a spinning attack.

Glancing outside low kick from Reneau. Evans-Smith nearly catches another kick but can’t hold on to it. Nice right body kick lands for Evans-Smith. Glancing front kick to the body from Evans-Smith, who catches another kick and uses it to put Reneau on the fence. Body lock for Evans-Smith, then two knees to to the body and a grazing elbow upstairs. 10-9 Evans Smith. I have it 29-27 Reneau.

Kelly Faszholz vs. Lauren Murphy

R1: Murphy walks Faszholz down and lands a short right. Faszholz circles away and plants on a sharp uppercut, then tags Murphy with a quick one-two. Murphy clinches up and they trade positions on the fence several times, trading knees and short punches before separating. Glancing Superman punch from Faszholz, then another clean one-two while gliding into the pocket. Murphy leads with a hard right to the body but Faszholz drops her with a counter right.

Faszholz looks to swarm Murphy but Murphy, who might’ve slipped, recovers with a counter clinch before separating. Another tightly unwound one-two from Faszholz in open space. Now a low kick and body shot from Faszholz, who’s bleeding from the nose. Faszholz drops her lead hand before countering and Murphy clocks her with a straight right, then another on the next exchange. Murphy clinches with blood from Faszholz’s nose oozing down her shoulder. Strong clinch battering from Murphy to close the frame. 10-9 Faszholz in a tight round.

R2: Faszholz probes with a snapping jab and scores with a fast right cross. Murphy forces a clinch and fights for wrist control, then goes for a body lock. Faszholz swims under and pushes her away to circle off the fence. Faszholz unwinds a high-volume combo with both hands and glances with a few, though Murphy lands the hardest shot with a right off her back foot.

Front stomp kick lands to the body for Faszholz after having a high kick blocked. A right and left counter-hook combo lands for Faszholz. Murphy clinches and cross-faces to land a knee downstairs but Faszholz breaks the clinch and puts more quick leather in her face. They trade right hands in open space. Faszholz gets cornered and counter-clinches, allowing Murphy to glance with a few short lefts. Murphy just misses or grazes with a horizontal elbow before they separate. Faszholz dots Murphy with two punches, then catches a low kick but bails on it to grab the rear waist cinch as time expires. 10-9 Faszholz.

R3: Murphy finds the mark with a left-right combo. Murphy changes levels and finishes a double leg, peeling her head out of Faszholz’s reactive guillotine. After stabilizing her base in the slippery guard of Faszholz, Murphy sneaks in a few punches, then walks Faszholz back to cram her head on the cage.

Murphy stacks the legs of Faszholz, who goes to an ankle pick to pivot her head away from the cage. Spike elbows to the ribs from Murphy in half guard, which forces Faszholz into a scramble; Murphy takes her back in the transition, then moves to full mount. Brutal forearms and elbows from Murphy on top. Faszholz is a bloody mess and Murphy is remorseless, smashing short rights to the face to coax the stoppage.

Shamil Abdurakhimov vs. Anthony Hamilton

R1: Hamilton half-commits on a single leg but an Abdurakhimov uppercut persuades him otherwise. Abdurakhimov pastes Hamilton with another short-range punch the next time he changes levels and tosses him aside. Now it’s a few strikes from the single collar-tie from Abdurakhimov. Hamilton finds the mark on a counter in the next exchange though Abdurakhimov finds an uppercut in response.

Abdurakhimov easily evades a wide set of punches from Hamilton, then disallows a clinch entry. Hamilton is able to force a tie-up and they jockey for position in the over-under in open space; Abdurakhimov separates and flicks a low kick from distance. Hamilton grazes with a counter right on his way into another clinch. Hamilton looks for a body lock this time and Abdurakhimov counters with a few knees to the body. Now he targets the thighs with two knees before separating. 10-9 Abdurakhimov.

R2: Abdurakhimov stings Hamilton with two short rights while sidestepping a combo. Hamilton heaves heavy leather back at him but leaves himself open for a counter when Abdurakhimov breaks the clinch. Abdurakhimov plugs him with a clean uppercut that snaps Hamilton’s head back. More uppercuts from Abdurakhimov to counter Hamilton’s predictable straight-line advances.

They clinch up with Abdurakhimov scoring with a right downstairs before separating. Abdurakhimov glances with a right cross to counter a Hamilton low kick. Hamilton darts into the clinch, this time putting Abdurakhimov on the fence, but he can’t keep his more agile opponent from circling off and separating. 10-9 Abdurakhimov.

R3: Hamilton lands a step-in right before clinching up, and either that or a clash of heads has opened a cut on Abdurakhimov’s head. Hamilton continues to up his aggression with a volley of heaters while in perpetual pursuit of
Abdurakhimov. More angles and counters from Abdurakhimov after stepping off center.

Hamilton lands a right downstairs though Abdurakhimov pops him with a quick jab on the next exchange.
Abdurakhimov loses his mouthpiece as Hamilton forces a clinch but they’re properly restarted in the 50/50 clinch by the ref. Abdurakhimov glances with a spinning back fist, then smacks Hamilton in the mouth with a piston-like jab. More superior hand-speed and movement from Abdurakhimov to end the dance. 10-9 Abdurakhimov. I have it 30-27 his way.