Join us on Saturday, November 18th on Bloody Elbow for live results, discussion, round scoring and play-by-play as UFC Fight Night: Werdum vs. Tybura from the Qudos Bank Arena in Sydney, Australia.
The headliner is a heavyweight bout between Fabricio Werdum and Marcin Tybura, and to my knowledge, Werdum isn’t allowed to be equipped with a boomerang. Anyway, this card is technically taking place on Sunday, November 19th in Australia, so it’s a morning-afternoon show for them, but a night-time card for the Western Hemisphere. Live results and play-by-play will begin on Fight Pass at 6:30 PM ET/3:30 PM PT, followed by prelims at 8 PM ET/5 PM PT on FS1, then the six-fight main card at 10 PM ET/7 PM PT.
The full lineup and schedule follows. Check out this week’s MMA Vivisection for predictions, analysis and betting odds on the each matchup.
Main Card (10 PM ET, FS1)
Fabricio Werdum vs. Marcin Tybura – Heavyweights
Round 1 – Loud pro-Werdum crowd in Australia. Head kick is partially blocked by Tybura. Not much meaningful offense from either man in the opening 100 seconds or so. Thumping body kick from the former champion. Uppercut and a knee both land for Werdum, and then a jab, and another knee from the Muay Thai clinch. Tybura with a right hand behind the ear. The Polish fighter eats an uppercut and then has to stop a single-leg, but Werdum takes the back while standing. Werdum finally gets Tybura to his knees, but Tybura escapes and has Werdum’s back. Fabricio has wrist control but time expires. 10-9 Werdum.
Round 2 – Good right hand slams home for Werdum, and he dodges Tybura’s head kick. Lovely jab from Werdum, who is doing all of the pressuring. A flying knee by Werdum sees him stumble backwards upon landing. Liver kick from Werdum and he continues to push the jab. Head kick snaps Werdum’s head back, and it’s by far the best work from Tybura. Another high kick from Tybura and then Werdum answers with a straight right hand. Rangy uppercut connects for Werdum. Shovel hook by Werdum and Tybura appeared to be bothered by it. Tybura and Werdum exchange push kicks to the knee. After a lull in the action, Werdum throws a wheel kick. Now Werdum unleashes a flurry of strikes against the fence and Tybura is forced to cover up. It’s clearly 20-18 Werdum.
Round 3 – Early Tybura leg kick,only for Werdum to retaliate with a 1-2. Front kick to the stomach by Tybura, jumping knee by Werdum, and then a head kick by the Brazilian. Looks like Tybura failed to trip Werdum after grabbing a hold of his knee mid-strike. Good uppercut off the backfoot by Tybura. Werdum sticks out the jab. Too many of Tybura’s attacks are one-note. Werdum is steadily picking Tybura apart and now he’s pummeling Tybura with knees. Fabricio looking for a single-leg, bails on it, and not much materializes after that. 30-27 Werdum.
Round 4 – Dan Hardy telling us this is the longest fight card in UFC history. That’s not what I want to hear. Anyway, Tybura just kicked Werdum low, so the fight stops, then restarts. Werdum goes for the trip but Tybura is able to scramble back up in a flash. Fabricio continues to walk Tybura down and land those Muay Thai knees. Takedown by Werdum and I assume Tybura is going to be in deep trouble now. Werdum starts dropping elbows with two minutes left in the fourth round. Fabrcio is still in half-guard and hasn’t passed yet, but he’s threatening to. Side control for Werdum with 45 ticks to go, and Tybura scrambles to his feet again. Of course, Tybura absorbs more knees. Tybura goes for a takedown and Werdum attacks with a guillotine, and Werdum held onto that even after the horn sounded, to the annoyance of Tybura and his corner. 40-36 Werdum.
Round 5 – Werdum looked genuinely rocked by a Tybura head kick. The legs definitely buckled. Time is called because Werdum’s handwraps came undone. They’ve been retaped and the fight is back underway with four minutes remaining. Again a head kick strikes the dome of Werdum, who is getting tagged quite a bit in this final frame. Werdum looks a little tired. Body kick from Werdum. That Muay Thai knee slams into Tybura’s noggin one more time. Tybura needs a finish and he has 70 seconds to get it. Flurry of strikes from Werdum to back Tybura up. Thirty seconds and Tybura isn’t going for broke. He finally ups the aggression but it’s too late. Tybura wins the round but it’s 49-46 Werdum on my scorecard.
Official result: Fabricio Werdum def. Marcin Tybura by unanimous decision (50-45, 50-45, 49-46)
Bec Rawlings vs. Jessica Rose-Clark – Women’s Flyweights
Round 1 – Good right hand over the top by Clark. Takedown for Rawlings off of catching Clark’s kick. Rawlings unleashing some ground-and-pound from half-guard, including elbows to the body, but Clark reverses position. Clark has to defend the armbar from Rawlings and she successfully does. They’re both back to their feet following Clark’s decision to stand. Clark goes head and body with her punching combination. right hand and a leg kick soon follow. Clark gets the better of the flurry on the inside. Quick left hook lands for Rawlings. 10-9 Clark.
Round 2 – Nice right hand down the middle for Clark, but Rawlings presses forward and pins Clark to the fence. It’s more or less a stalemate until Clark reverses position and now Rawlings has her back against the fence. Knee to the body scores for Clark, who then gets outmuscled by Rawlings, who then gets outmuscled by Clark after turning the corner. They separate and return to the middle of the Octagon, where Clark digs in another knee to the body, then a sweeping left hook. It’s obvious that Clark is hurting Rawlings to the body, and she’s got Rawlings in trouble. Takedown by Clark after thudding some heavy shots. Clark may be going for an arm-triangle choke, but she doesn’t have her left leg free. Devastating elbow from Clark, as Rawlings remains in a bad spot. The arm-triangle is abandoned and Rawlings eats some more elbows. 20-18 Clark.
Round 3 – Rawlings comes out aggressively but she’s unable to fluster Clark. Good leg kick from Clark, and there’s redness on the outside of Bec’s lead leg. Another right hand finds its home for Clark. Rawlings with a 1-2 of her own that backs Clark up, but Clark is able to connect on several shots in response. Rawlings with a jab but eats another right hand. Bec strings together some punches in what’s one of her best offensive moments. Hard right hand hurts Clark! The fights slows down by going to the clinch, and Clark benefits from the bodylock. Takedown is there for Rawlings with over a minute to go. Clark rises to her feet, spins to Bec’s side and throws some knees to the thigh. Late takedown for Clark with under 30 seconds remaining. Good ground-and-pound from Clark to wrap this fight up, but I think Rawlings won the round. 29-28 Clark.
Official result: Jessica Rose-Clark def. Bec Rawlings by split decision (29-28, 28-29, 29-28)
Tim Means vs. Belal Muhammad – Welterweights
Round 1 – Means immediately fires off some sharp straight lefts from his southpaw stance. Muhammad is just off-target on the overhand right. Another straight left lands for Means. Short right hand by Muhammad on the inside. Beautiful left hook by Muhammad catches Means on the side of the head. Means having success with his jab, but Muhammad is definitely throwing some good punches back. Two punches land for Muhammad. Means stuffs Muhammad’s takedown, then glances a jab off the forehead of his foe. They trade punches at the end and Muhammad whiffs on a spinning backfist. Close round, I have it 10-9 Muhammad.
Round 2 – Means is trying to pick his shots carefully. Muhammad with the takedown and he easily shucks off Means’ guillotine. Belal in half-guard, then Means gets back to his feet after Muhammad stands up. Kind of a slow pace to this one. Good straight left by Means, but he doesn’t follow up with anything. Muhammad with a shovel hook and then he falls in an exchange but it may have been a slip. Outside leg kick is there for Means, and Muhammad answers with a left hand. Belal with a couple more jabs. Overhand right for Muhammad lands at the end of the punch. Not much to separate these two. 20-18 Muhammad.
Round 3 – Sneaky head kick from Means partially lands for him. Brutal low kick by Means spins Muhammad around. Better start to this round for Means. Oops, but an eye poke stops things for a brief period of time. The fight resumes and Muhammad scores with a right hand in close quarters. Another right hand for Muhammad, but he eats a straight shot in the process. Nifty left hook by Muhammad, who has the edge in volume. Great level change by Muhammad after a head kick attempt but Means evades the kick and stops the takedown. Means with a good jab. Muhammad with a 1-2. Jumping kick by Means to the body but it doesn’t land. Means counters a body kick with a straight left. Muhammad with an elbow and then Means sneaks in a left hand. Late spinning backfist and spinning kick by Muhammad and they both miss. Another close round to score, and I give it to Means, but Muhammad takes the fight. 29-28 Muhammad.
Official result: Belal Muhammad def. Tim Means by split decision (29-28, 28-29, 29-28)
Jake Matthews vs. Bojan Velickovic – Welterweights
Round 1 – Matthews wastes little time pursuing the takedown, and Velickovic is defending well. The Aussie switches to a single-leg, with a similar lack of success. Velickovic has been throwing shots to the head whilst against the fence, but Matthews gets him down, if only for a moment. It’s just been Matthews going for a takedown and Velickovic defending for much of the round. Now Matthews as Velickovic on his back , but the Serb is going for a leglock. Upkick to the head of Matthews, then Velickovic scrambles to his feet, but Matthews has his arms around Velickovic’s waist as the round ends. 10-9 Matthews.
Round 2 – Velickovic with a jumping switch knee early in the round, and now he attacks with a guillotine. This is a mounted guillotine but Matthews escapes. Velickovic has back mount, with Matthews trying to shake him off. Velickovic with some short punches before trying to set up the rear-naked choke. Matthews is still back mounted and eating punches, This is a dominant round for Bojan, but Matthews explodes to his feet on the scramble. Velickovic thwarts another takedown and he has a front headlock on Matthews, throwing short knees. Pushing right hand by Matthews gets the crowd’s attention. Blocked head kick thrown by Velickovic. I think this is a 10-8 for Velickovic for the near-finish and the prolonged time in a dominant position. 19-18 Velickovic.
Round 3 – Leg kick by Velickovic. Matthews misses with a right hand but gets a powerful takedown and completes it. Velickovic throws some elbows from the bottom, but Matthews gets in an elbow and a right hand from the closed guard. Great scramble and escape by Velickovic, who then takes Matthews on his back with three minutes to go. Velickovic is on Matthews’ back and Jake cannot shake Bojan off, but as soon as I say that, he does. Matthews needs to do a lot in the final two minutes. A slew of left hands from Matthews hit Velickovic in the face. One minute to go and Velickovic is trying for a kimura sweep but gives up his back instead. Can Matthews get a finish here? He’s going for a choke but loses position in the scramble, and with ten seconds to go, there’s not much either man can do. Still, it’s a Matthews round and I score the fight a 28-28 draw.
Official result: Jake Matthews def. Bojan Velickovic by split decision (29-28, 28-29, 29-28)
Daniel Kelly vs. Elias Theodorou – Middleweights
Round 1 – Theodorou throwing a plethora of kicks to start. Kelly rushing forward with punches but Elias defends well. Head kick by Theodorou, who slipped the ensuing left hand. Kelly is just swinging for the fences like a drunken pub customer. Kelly with a couple of short punches but then he absorbs a head kick. Hard right hook from Kelly tags Theodorou. It’s almost nothing but kicks from Theodorout with the odd punch thrown in. Clinch uppercuts come in from Kelly, and Theodorou throws a couple of body kicks. Close round but I shade it to Kelly for landing the better strikes. 10-9 Kelly.
Round 2 – Theodorou connects with a slapping right hand while backing up. Kelly is in the clinch but he ends up getting hit on the exit. Good knee to the body by Theodorou, and en elbow. Kelly with the judo trip and Theodorou is down, but he’s back to his feet. A low blow halts proceedings as Kelly needs time to recover. Good kicks from Theodorou on the restart, and he’s having the better offensive moments so far. Big left hand from Kelly, but Theodorou fires off more kicks in his direction. Leg kick by the Canadian on Kelly’s right knee. Kelly having trouble landing too many clean strikes, and his judo throw fails on this occasion. Body kick from Theodorou, a head kick catches Kelly, but mostly with the toes. I have this all tied up. 19-19.
Round 3 – The theme continues. Theodorou stays busy with a steady diet of kicks, and Kelly swings from range and can’t get much consistently going. Kelly’s movement has been hampered by the leg kicks. A wild exchange ensues and by wild I mean ugly. Kelly with a pivotal takedown and then a rear-naked choke attempt. Looks like Theodorou is okay and in fact Kelly doesn’t have the hooks in, and he’s lost the dominant position. Theodorou now on top but Kelly is back up fairly quickly. A stalemate in the clinch ensues and then they separate. Kelly with a strong low kick of his own, but time is ticking away. One minute to go in this contest. Pushing jab by Kelly, but Theodorou answers with a knee. Body kick from Theodorou, Kelly whiffs on a left hand. Neither man throws another strike for the final five seconds or so, and that’s it. I have it 29-28 Theodorou.
Official decision: Elias Theodorou def. Daniel Kelly by unanimous decision (30-28, 30-27, 30-26)
Alex Volkanovski vs. Shane Young – 150 lbs catchweight
Round 1 – Volkanovski with a good start as he’s walking Young down and he landed a high kick. Double-leg attempt by Volkanovski is stuffed, but he’s going for another one and puts Young on a knee. Volkanovski trying to drag Young away from the fence but cannot. They’re back to striking in the center of the Octagon. Young gets drilled with a right hand and Volkanovski gets the takedown this time. Good job by Young to return to his feet. Young is just getting little space to breathe or set up any offense, and Volkanovski’s pressure is the story of the opening five minutes. Spinning backfist is juuuuuust avoided by Young, but he’s clearly lost the round. 10-9 Volkanovski.
Round 2 – Jab and an inside elbow by Volkanovski, who once again has Young against the fence. nifty head kick by Young but he needs more offense to get back into this fight. Volkanovski with a right hand and now he goes for the trip-takedown, and he does get it on the second try. Alex with the left hand to the dome buy Young is back to his feet, where he eats another right hand. Good jab by Young but he’s just getting overwhelmed by the pressuring style of Volkanovski. Two hard shots by Volkanovski and then he takes Young for a ride, but he’s able to soften the fall. Time for another ride though, and this time Volkanovski slams him down. Full mount for Volkanovski but he lost it instantly. Volkanovski misses with a right hand on the ground that would’ve done serious damage. Young scrambles to his feet but he’s 2-0 down. 20-18 Volkanovski.
Round 3 – Volkanovski with a couple of jabs, then a right elbow, he misses on the uppercut, and Young is on the defensive, as has been the case almost all fight long. Knee to the body and to the head, and Young looks to be hurt. Volkanovski is a machine in there. Well in a surprise turn of events, Young gets the takedown, but Volkanovski escapes out the back door and then tosses Young to the mat like he’s a pillow. Extended time on top for Volkanovski, as he tees off with ground-and-pound. Side control for Alex with just over 90 seconds to go. The punishment continues for Young, who has been thoroughly outclassed. Volkanovski has a front headlock, he’s throwing some knees, and the Aussie has dispatched the New Zealander (who is taking the fight on short notice) for a clear points win. 30-26 Volkanovski.
Official result: Alexander Volkanovski def. Shane Young by unanimous decision (30-27, 30-26, 30-26)
Preliminary Card (8 PM ET, FS1)
Ryan Benoit vs. Ashkan Mokhtarian – Flyweights
Round 1 – Hard left hand rocks Benoit in the opening minute. Mokhtarian closes the distance for a takedown and Benoit stays on his feet. Ashkan cracks Benoit with an uppercut, then a left hook, and again he goes for a takedown. Not sure why he’s willing to do that but good start for him nevertheless. Strong body kick from Benoit appears to have been blocked. Kind of a lull in the action right now. Benoit gets in two solid punches on Mokhtarian. Aggressive jab by Benoit as the clock ticks down below one minute. Crisp straight left and a right hook by Benoit to end the round. 10-9 Mokhtarian.
Round 2 – Benoit apparently said to his corner that his right hand is broken, so that’s something to keep an eye on. Mokhtarian doing a lot of moving, very little throwing. Head kick catches Mokhtarian on the side of the head. Benoit starting to get into a little bit of a rhythm, but keep the broken hand in mind. Left hook by Mokhtarian sends Benoit backwards. Another head kick by Benoit but Ashkan kept his hand up to at least absorb some of the impact. Vicious leg kick by Mokhtarian lifts Benoit’s leg up. Mokhtarian is off-target on the uppercut. Smashing left hand on the temple and Benoit was momentarily stunned. Benoit is straight up chasing Mokhtarian in a sprint to land a punch. Late takedown and several punches by Benoit before the horn sounds. 19-19.
Round 3 – Benoit throws a couple of right hands, even though it’s apparently broken. Clipping right lands for Benoit and then Mokhtarian fires off a spinning backfist. Benoit goes for a high kick and then a superman punch. They both land punches at the same time. Huge head kick floors Mokhtarian, and he gets in one punch for good measure for the finish. Wow.
Official result: Ryan Benoit def. Ashkan Mokhtarian by KO (head kick and punch) at 2:38 of round 3
Will Brooks vs. Nik Lentz – Lightweights
Round 1 – Lentz with an early right hand a knee to the body. Brooks with a 1-2 on Lentz, whose back is almost against the fence. Nice leg kick by the former Bellator lightweight champion. Lentz drops down on a guillotine and there’s no way he’s going to complete that. Brooks is back to his feet. Brooks gets tagged with a couple of punches but he has bloodied Lentz’s nose. Hard right hand by Lentz catches Brooks’ chin. Stinging jab from Brooks, but he takes a knee to the midsection. Lentz with some knees to the head and Brooks is once again off to a slow start. Body kick by Brooks and then he has to defend a Lentz takedown. Brooks is free from Lentz’s grip and the round is over. 10-9 Lentz.
Round 2 – Brooks immediately charges forward and land a body kick. Lentz gets through a left hand. Nice head movement by Brooks and then another hard jab, followed by a 1-2 by Brooks. Another jab jars Lentz’s head back. Lentz’s face is getting busted up a bit. The lead uppercut is there for Brooks. He gets the takedown and Lentz has a guillotine, and this time it’s tight! Brooks taps! Well there’s an upset win for Lentz and a devastating defeat for Brooks once again.
Official result – Nik Lentz def. Will Brooks by submission (guillotine) at 2:05 of round 2
Rashad Coulter vs. Tai Tuivasa – Heavyweights
Round 1 – Coulter immediately ties up Tuivasa and puts him up against the fence. Tuivasa reverses position but not much happens and they separate the clinch. Hard left hook stuns Coulter and they clinch again. Knee to the head by Tuivasa doesn’t look to have landed. Coulter takes Tuivasa down but Tuivasa does well to scramble to his feet. Stiff jab and then a leg kick by Tuivasa. Left hook scrapes across Coulter’s stomach. Hard body kick and a right hand by Tuivasa, and a failed trip may cost Coulter here. He unloads a couple of punches before they clinch again. Huge elbow and Coulter felt that. His output is higher than Coulter’s, and he just dropped Coulter with a leg kick. Coulter gets up and then immediately gets destroyed by a flying knee, and I mean destroyed. The follow-up punch from Tuivasa missed, otherwise Coulter would’ve gone from “out cold” to “extremely out cold.” That was a vicious KO.
Official result: Tai Tuivasa def. Rashad Coulter by KO (flying knee) at 4:35 of round 1
Damien Brown vs. Frank Camacho – Lightweights
Round 1 – Front kick misses for Brown. A right hand does not. Hard right hand by Camacho and a left hook sneaks in. Another good right hand from Brown but Camacho walks forward. Brown has a single-leg but Camacho just tosses him aside and pins Brown against the fence. Camacho with some elbows to the side of the head to deter Brown from pressing for this takedown. Brown briefly trips him but Camacho is just so strong, that even when he did lift him and put him down, Camacho sprung up again. Camacho with a few jumping shoulder strikes. Outside trip by Camacho and he immediately passes to side control. Brown scrambles and gets to his feet, but again he initiates the clinch and can’t get the takedown. Hard inside uppercut by Camacho. Brown with the takedown and he goes for the rear-naked choke! Only one hook is in, and now both hooks are in! Camacho is hand-fighting and he only has seconds to go. Camacho survives. 10-9 Camacho.
Round 2 – Brown gets clipped with the double jab by Camacho. Counter right slips through the defense of Camacho. Nice teep to the stomach by Camacho. Hard right hand by Brown, and then there appears to be an eye poke, and they paused without referee intervention. Camacho with an overhand right. He clocked Brown with a good shot but Brown is fighting back. Sharp left to the body by Camacho. Brown might be slowing d own. Camacho is really digging to the body but Brown catches him with a flush right hand. Again the right hand is there for Camacho. Brown with a right hand and then a two-punch combo following up. Camacho jacks the jaw of Brown with some power punches. This is one hell of a fight! They clinch up but Brown is against the fence, blood under the left eye. Nice elbow over the top on the exit. Brown is going forward and throwing haymakers but he may be getting careless. He connects on some shots but got lifted off the mat. They trade hooks and then basically acknowledge each other’s work and slap five before the round even ends! 20-18 Camacho.
Round 3 – Camacho jabs the body. Great elbow by Brown on the inside. Cracking right hand from Brown, as well! Good 1-2 by Brown. They continue to exchange heavy shots and Camacho answers a body kick with a three-punch combination. Two lethal shots to the body by Camacho and then Brown comes back with a head kick. There’s so much action going on here! How is Brown taking these punches? Camacho is jabbing Brown up, now he gets him with a right. Head-body combo by Camacho, who has largely stopped kicking. Left hook off the backfoot by Brown, then an uppercut and a right hand. Ninety seconds to go and Brown finds space to land a right hand. Left hook scores for Camacho. A series of shots by Camacho have Brown rocked, and he shoots for a takedown but doesn’t get it. Camacho gets tagged with an uppercut and now they are going bombs away! Rock ‘em sock ‘em robots! Both men landing enormous punches and I cannot believe no one has gone down! What a fight. WHAT A FIGHT. 30-27 Camacho but what heart by Damien Brown.
Official result: Frank Camacho def. Damien Brown by split decision (28-29, 30-27, 29-28)
Preliminary Card (6:30 PM ET, Fight Pass)
Alex Chambers vs. Nadia Kassem – Strawweights
Round 1 – Leg kick early from Chambers, and Kassem returns with the same strike. Kassem is unable to trip Chambers to the mat. Kick is caught by Chambers and now they’re in the body lock. Kassem exits with a sharp left hand. Chambers firing off several punches and a nice left hook catches Chambers cleanly. Now a takedown for “Astrogirl” as Kassem was definitely stung by that hook. Kassem drops for a heel hook, but is there anything there? Nadia is going for it but Chambers looks to be safe, but Kassem cracks Chambers with a couple of left hands. Kassem still hasn’t let go of the leg, but now Chambers escapes and is back on top. Chambers is in half-guard and Kassem is throwing elbows to the body, and Chambers is doing the same. Good ground-and-pound from Chambers to cap off round one. 10-9 Chambers.
Round 2 – Kassem goes upstairs with a kick but then Chambers tees off with a couple of punches and gets the takedown. Kassem is quickly back up, then gets in a hard knee and a right hand. Chambers is getting tagged a little more often but one kick leads to Kassem being taken down. Kassem has a triangle choke going for her, but Chambers is postured up high. Now Kassem switches to a triangle-armbar. Her coach is imploring her to pull the head down, and Kassem is currently elbowing the top of Chambers’ head. Chambers is not out of danger yet, and now Kassem is really cranking on the armbar, but Chambers is defending. A scramble ensues and Kassem is hammerfisting Chambers and just bullying her right now. Chambers looking for a kimura sweep but that’s not happening. 19-19.
Round 3 – Chambers trying to get past Kassem’s kicking range. She tries but eats a knee to the midsection. Body kick by Chambers partially lands. Chambers’ mouth is wide open. Jab by Kassem and now Nadia is doing a little gesturing and taunting. Welp. Chambers takes her down. Kassem again looking to set up a triangle, but this time Chambers is able to stop it from becoming anything threatening. Alex with a good punch to the face of Kassem as she drops into Nadia’s guard again. Heel hook by Kassem is not there, but she winds up on top and drops some big ground-and-pound. Kassem with a reverse triangle choke attempt, then goes back to the ground strikes. Chambers is upright again and gets rocked by a head kick. Kassem is clearly the fresher fighter of the two. Switch knee cracks Chambers with 20 seconds to go. Kassem surely has this fight won, but will it be a finish? Nope. 29-28 Kassem.
Official result: Nadia Kassem def. Alex Chambers by unanimous decision (29-28, 29-27 29-27)
Jenel Lausa vs. Eric Shelton – Flyweights
Round 1 – Both men tag each other with right hands. Head kick by Lausa is blocked. Big takedown by Lausa and he’s now in Shelton’s guard. Shelton throws elbows from the bottom and he has Lausa’s right arm tied up. Lausa with a couple of punches but Shelton escapes and takes Lausa’s back, then tries to jump on the back, before switching things up and taking Lausa down. Lausa posts up and he’s up to his feet. Shelton changes levels from a looooooooooong way out and gets another takedown. Lausa eats a few strikes as the round ends. 10-9 Shelton.
Round 2 – Strong inside leg kick from Shelton. Counter left hook scores for Lausa as Shelton windmilled and missed on an overhand right. One more takedown for Shelton and now he’s going for a guillotine choke, but Lausa escapes, and Shelton responds by muscling him to the mat. Lausa attempts a kimura but lets it go, and Shelton is in mount, now takes the back, and Lausa is in trouble. Lausa scrambles well and Shelton is in half-guard, but he’s taking some blows to the head. Punches and elbows are getting through. Shelton advances to full mount and is dropping some hard elbows, but Lausa scrambles and then jumps on a guillotine! He loses it immediately so Shelton just got gifted top position, where he’s dishing out some more damage. Shelton going to the head and body, mixing up his attack. Dominant round for Shelton. 20-18 Shelton.
Round 3 – They hug it out in the center of the Octagon before resuming action. Hard leg kick from Lausa, but he needs a lot more than that. Straight right connects for Shelton. Powerful counter right hand by Shelton, and it’s one of the best punches on the night. Double-leg takedown completed, and Lausa is on the seat of his pants. Lausa is now on his back and Shelton is working from closed guard. A series of short rights whack Lausa’s face with 2:30 to go. Three elbows by Shelton, who is just beating up an exhausted Lausa. The outcome is a formality, and the final minute figures to just be more of a whipping. Lausa does get back up with 15 seconds to go, whiffs on a left hook, then gets dropped with a right hand on a flash knockdown, and then Shelton goes for a flying knee as the horn sounded. Great performance from Shelton. 10-8 round and 30-26 Shelton.
Official result: Eric Shelton def. Jenel Lausa by unanimous decision (30-27, 30-26, 30-25)
Anthony Hamilton vs. Adam Wieczorek – Heavyweights
Round 1 – Body kick by Wieczorek is blocked by Hamilton, but he eats a hard leg kick before the entry on the takedown. Wieczorek stays upright for a moment, then gets put on his back. Hamilton in half-guard and throwing punches to the body. The American is in side mount, and might try to pass to full mount. Wieczorek gains half-guard again. Hamilton now posturing up from top before going back into half-guard. Not too much offense happening here, and Hamilton drops into Wieczorek’s guard again. Hamilton lets Wieczorek back to his feet with a minute to go in the round. They start swinging away before Hamilton closes the distance for a high-crotch takedown, but Wieczorek stuffs it and the round ends. 10-9 Hamilton.
Round 2 – Glancing head kick and Hamilton is down, but I don’t know if that’s actually hurt him. Whatever the case, Hamilton is on his back and Wieczorek is on top in a deep half-guard. Wieczorek with some elbows to the thigh. He’s trying to pass to mount but Hamilton won’t let him. Wieczorek goes for mount but Hamilton scrambles to his feet. Nice right hand lands for Hamilton. Leg kick by Wieczorek. The pace of this fight is brutall slow. Slow body kick by Wieczorek, and Hamilton lumbers forward and ties his opponent up with a minute remaining in the second frame. Hard knee to the body by Wieczorek, but a takedown by Hamilton against the fence. Hamilton is punching Wieczorek’s thigh, Wieczorek tries to get back up and does just before the round ends. 19-19.
Round 3 – Two right hands slip through for Wieczorek. Hamilton changes levels for a takedown and he’s trying to trip the leg, but Adam defends it. Knee to the body by Wiezcorek on the exit from the clinch. Decent jab lands for Hamilton. Two-punch combo by Wieczorek and then he whiffs on the uppercut. Another labored takedown try by Hamilton, who can’t complete it, but does get in a body kick. Nothing clean has landed for about 40 seconds straight. A Wieczorek leg kick does land flush with under two minutes to go. Takedown by Hamilton is stuffed again. Hamilton lifts but can’t put Wieczorek down. Now they’re in the center of the cage, Hamilton puts him back against the fence and they trade knees to the body before they separate. Another knee to the midsection by Wieczorek, who defends one more takedown before the fight draws to a close. That fight definitely existed. Close round but I score it 29-28 Wieczorek.
Official result: Adam Wieczorek def. Anthony Hamilton by unanimous decision (29-28 x3)
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