We are halfway through the UFC Fight Night: Belfort vs. Gastelum main card. Alex Oliveira successfully settled his score with Tim Means, Bethe Correia and Marion Reneau fought to an even score in the eyes of the judges, while Ray Borg scored a massive win over perennial flyweight contender Jussier Formiga. Here’s how those three fights played out.
Ray Borg def. Jussier Formiga via unanimous decision (29-28 x3) – Flyweights
Both men were throwing with bad intentions. Formiga’s boxing looked sharp, while Borg was slamming home knees to the body and also a hard uppercut on the inside. A groin kick by Formiga halted the action midway through the first, but Borg didn’t take much time to recover. Formiga slipped a Borg uppercut but absorbed two knees to the body shortly thereafter. Borg was clipped with a right hand in an exchange, then a body kick to the midsection. Formiga’s takedown attempt was stuffed, but he connected on a spinning backfist before the round ended.
Borg grabbed Formiga’s left leg to open round 2, then switched to a double, but Formiga got an underhook and put Borg against the fence. The two continued to find success with big shots exchanged in the pocket. Formiga scored with a hard inside leg kick. Borg looked like he was going to take the Brazilian grappling wizard down, but kept his balance beautifully. The crowd booed as Borg was unable to get Formiga to the ground, and Mario Yamasaki separated them after the stalemate. Borg scored with a left hook, but Formiga was active with those leg kicks. One leg kick buckled Borg, who then landed a spinning backfist in a crazy sequence.
In round 3, Formiga punished Borg’s failed takedown by turning it into full mount, but in the ensuing scramble Borg escaped out the back door and back to his feet. Formiga thwarted a takedown with an egregious fence grab. The Nova Uniao standout took Borg’s back, and he sought that rear-naked choke finish. Borg spun his way into Formiga’s guard, where he landed several elbows. Formiga was cut open by those slicing elbows, as Borg transitioned to the back. Formiga did well to get to half-guard. Borg finished the round looking for the Japanese necktie, but time expired. A really close bout goes in favor of The Tazmexican Devil, who picks up a win that puts him in prime position to challenge for the flyweight title. Formiga suffers his second loss in three fights.
Bethe Correia vs. Marion Reneau ends in a majority draw (29-27, 28-28, 28-28) – Women’s Bantamweights
Reneau ripped Correia hard to the body with powerful kicks in the first couple of minutes. She switched things up and threw knees to the body in the clinch, and Correia was unable to get a takedown along the fence. Correia landed a solid leg kick and then a right hand over the top. Reneau went for a 1-2 and then punctuated her offense with a body kick, but Correia finished the round with a well-timed takedown into full guard.
The two women essentially fought in a straight line with few angles being cut. Correia connected on a right hand to the top of Reneau’s head. Reneau got caught with a left hook after a really really slow shot. Correia was starting to time Reneau better and land meaningful, sharp punches. A stiff uppercut snapped Reneau’s head upwards. Just as Reneau was able to sustain a little bit of offensive success again, Correia timed Reneau’s knee and planted her on the mat. Reneau had an active guard and attempted a triangle choke, but Correia escaped. It was actually Reneau landing the better strikes on the ground, as opposed to when Correia had the second-round advantage on the feet.
A head kick had Correia rocked to start the final round. Reneau sensed it and went on the attack, but Correia tried to recover and buy time with a desperation shot. “The Belizean Bruiser” pummeled Correia after sprawling, and then mounted the former title challenger. Hard punches and elbows had Correia in major trouble. Correia escaped briefly and took Reneau down, but was immediately reversed and back to mount. She was able to at least gain half-guard, then eventually get back to her feet momentarily. Reneau put her on her back again, this time in side control. More ground-and-pound rained down from Reneau as she took Correia’s back. She secured a body triangle with one minute left in the fight, Correia survived the round and avoided being put in a rear-naked choke in the closing stages. The dominant third for Reneau earned her a unanimous 10-8 on the judges’ scorecards, but the fight ended in a majority draw.
Alex Oliveira def. Tim Means by submission (rear-naked choke) at 2:38 of round 2- Welterweights
In this rematch of their UFC 207 no-contest, Means and Oliveira wasted no time going after each other in the opening minute. “Cowboy” was able to take Means down after some early striking exchanges. Means used the butterfly sweep to try and buck Oliveira off, but the Brazilian stayed on top. Oliveira landed some good ground strikes before Means returned to his feet and reversed him against the fence. Cowboy completed a trio of strong takedowns as he continued to overwhelm Means with his physicality. A fourth takedown proved disastrous, as Means reversed him into side control. Oliveira was warned for gripping the fence with his toes, while Means didn’t do much of note while in a dominant position to close out the round.
Oliveira missed on a spinning high kick, and Means tried to capitalize with a single-leg, but Alex held steady. A clinch battle ensued and then Oliveira took Means down for a fifth time. The grinding style implemented by Oliveira was posing a major problem for Means, who was dragged to the mat for the umpteenth time, with Oliveira kicking the right leg out from under him. Oliveira took the back, had both hooks in, and then sunk in the rear-naked choke. A great showing by Oliveira, who has won six of his last eight fights. Means’ unbeaten run ends at three.
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