Join us today on Bloody Elbow for live results, discussion, round scoring, and play-by-play as UFC 242 goes down in Abu Dhabi.
The main event will be a UFC lightweight title unification bout between full champ Khabib Nurmagomedov and interim champ Dustin Poirier. The co-main will see Paul Felder taking on Edson Barboza in a rematch.
The featured prelim comes in the women’s flyweight division, with Joanne Calderwood meeting Andrea Lee.
This post will cover the preliminary card.
The show is in the Middle East, so things are kicking off early. We’ll start on ESPN+ and Fight Pass at approximately 10:15am ET with four fights. The card then moves to FX (seriously) at Noon ET for four more bouts, then onto the main PPV card at 2pm ET. The full lineup and schedule follows. The main card and main event will be covered in separate posts.
Check out this week’s MMA Vivisection for predictions, analysis and betting odds on the each matchup.
Joanne Calderwood vs. Andrea Lee
Round 1 – Leg kick by Lee. Calderwood flashing out the jab. Calderwood lands a leg kick. They’re trading punches early and Lee eats a jab. Counter left lands for Lee but Calderwood connects on a backfist. Lee with a solid jab and then is short on a body kick. Leg kick, left hook combo by Lee. Calderwood slams home a counter left hook. Body shot scores for Lee. Calderwood goes forward and Lee counters with a knee. Calderwood bleeding out of her nose already. Lee with a calf kick. Three-punch combo to the body for Lee, followed by a Calderwood knee. Calderwood with the takedown but she does close to nothing with it. They trade knees and then Calderwood cracks Lee with an elbow on the break. Calderwood with a head kick that is blocked and Lee gets the takedown, with JoJo throwing an elbow from her back. Lee in side control with a minute to go. Calderwood gets half-guard but she takes a couple of elbows. Lee scrambles to side control and throws short shots to the head of Calderwood. 10-9 Lee.
Round 2 – Jojo comes out with kicks. Lee with leg kicks. Lee with a body lock and they go to the cage. Nice knee to the belly from Lee. They separate. Calderwood with jabs. Lee goes to the body. Jojo keeps missing with a front kick to the face. Lee shoots a single and gets the takedown. They scramble but Lee ends up on top. Lee grapevines the legs and just sort of holds Calderwood with her face mashed into the mat. Knee to the body from Lee. Calderwood gets to her feet but Lee still has a hold of her back. Calderwood with a hard right on the break. More body work from Lee. Lee shoots again but is rebuffed. They trade knees in the clinch and separate. Calderwood shoots and gets a takedown with 25 seconds to go. She can’t do anything with it though. 10-9 Lee.
Round 3 – They trade low kicks. Lee looks for a takedown, then breaks off and lands a right. Lee with a glancing head kick. Hard lead right hook from Lee. Joj fires back with a right of her own. They trade jabs. Calderwood digs to the body. Lee spins. Side kick. They trade rights again. Lee presses Joj into the fence. Good takedown by Lee. She’s high on Calderwood’s back. Jojo defends. They battle in the clinch. They break with one minute to go. Lee shoots but gets nowhere. Calderwood lands a short shot and they clinch again. Calderwood with a brief takedown but they separate. Close battle inside. 10-9 Calderwood but 29-28 Lee.
Zubaira Tukhugov vs. Lerone Murphy
Round 1 – Low kick from Murphy. Tukhugov with a hard right. Murphy misses with a kick and Tukhugov drops him with a left! He’s all over him but Murphy is up. Tukhugov scores with big punches against the fence. He drags Murphy to the mat and gives him some recovery time. He grapevines the legs. Murphy tries to scoot to his feet and succeeds…for about one second, until Tukhugov throws him back down in the center. He tries to pass but Murphy holds on. Short right from Tukhugov. He’s in half. Murphy attacks with a sub attempt right at the end of the round. 10-9 Tukhugov.
Round 2 – Murphy fires first. Tukhugov with a left. Two body kicks from Murphy. Counter body shot from Murphy. Both of them are loosening up. Tukhugov with a takedown. Murphy attacks with a guillotine. It looks deep and he rolls to mount. Tukhugov gets out and regains top position. Murphy looks for another choke. Tukhugov spins through. Back to the feet with 1:40 to go. Murphy brings pressure. They both land hard. Hard forearm short and body kick from Murphy. Tukhugov shoots, then gradually gets him down. 10-9 Tukhugov.
Round 3 – Side kick from Murphy. Murphy with a straight right. Tukhugov backs off after a groin strike but the ref doesn’t stop it. Tukhugov looks for a takedown but can’t get it. Tukhugov defends some strikes and looks for a takedown. Murphy is pressed against the cage. Tukhugov holds him there for a while. Murphy gets separation but throws a kick and gets taken down. Murphy tries to scoot away but can’t. Herb Dean is warning Tukhugov to work. Murphy gets up on his own. Tukhugov gets him against the fence. Another takedown. Murphy back up. Jump knee from Murphy. 10-9 and 30-27 Tukhugov.
Zubaira Tukhugov and Lerone Murphy went to a split draw (29-28, 28-29, 28-28)
Liana Jojua vs. Sarah Moras
Round 1 – They trade low kicks. And jabs. Right hook from Jojua. Moras with a combo. Moras with more jabs and a left hook. Lead right scores for Jojua, and she lands a counter to a kick as well. Hard body kick from Moras. Moras clinches. Knees to the thigh from Moras. Jojua trying to circle away but can’t. Moras looking for a trip Extended battle here. Jojua briefly escapes but Moras ties her up again. 10-9 Moras.
Round 2 – Jojua lands a right in an exchange but Moras ties her up. Jojua escapes immediately though. Lead right from Jojua. She goes body/head. Moras clinches and lands a knee. She’s holding it here again. Not exciting, but effective. Jojua grabs Moras off balance and throws her to the ground. Moras immediately attacks from the back. She looks for a triangle but Jojua pushes her off. Two elbows from Jojua as Moras looks for an armbar. Moras pushes Jojua off and jumps on top of her with 90 seconds to go. Elbow from Moras. Jojua trying to throw elbows from the bottom. Moras with a few punches and elbows. 10-9 Moras.
Round 3 – Jojua with a left hook. Jojua shoots and ends up in Moras’ full guard. Moras with the rubber guard. Jojua eventually lets her up out of frustration. Jojua tries for another takedown but Moras reverses and takes her back. She immediately rolls over into mount with big punches. Hard elbows from Moras and it’s over!
Sarah Moras defeated Liana Jojua via TKO (elbows), 2:26 of round 3
Teemu Packalen vs. Ottman Azaitar
Round 1 – Packalen takes the center. They trade jabs. Counter right from Azaitar. Outside leg kick and a hard right hook from Azaitar. They trade shots inside but Azaitar gets the best of it. Another right from Azaitar and he’s pressuring. Packalen is covering up and circling. Leg kick. Body shots from both. Packalen goes to the ground and looks for a leg, but Azaitar steps away. Body shot and right hook from Azaitar. Packalen dives on a leg but couldn’t get a takedown. Azaitar with a HUGE RIGHT THAT PUTS PACKALEN TO SLEEP! HE FELL FACE FIRST!
Ottman Azaitar defeated Teemu Packalen via KO (right hook), 3:33 of round 1
Belal Muhammad def. Takashi Sato by submission (rear-naked choke) at 1:55 of round 3
Muslim Salikhov def. Nordine Taleb by KO (punch) at 4:26 of round 1
Omari Akhmedov def. Zak Cummings via unanimous decision (30-27, 30-27, 29-28)
Don Madge def. Fares Ziam via unanimous decision (30-27, 30-27, 29-28)
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