Join us today on Bloody Elbow for live results, discussion, round scoring, and play-by-play as UFC 244 goes down in Madison Square Garden in New York City.
The main event will a welterweight battle between Nate Diaz and Jorge Masvidal for a totally made-up “BMF” belt. The co-main comes at 185 pounds, where Kelvin Gastelum will welcome Darren Till to the division.
The featured prelim comes at light heavyweight, with Corey Anderson meeting Johnny Walker.
This post will cover the preliminary card.
We’ll start on Fight Pass at approximately 6:30pm ET with three fights. The card then moves to ESPN2 at 8pm ET for four more bouts, then onto the main PPV card at 10pm ET. The full lineup and schedule follows. The main card and main event will be covered in separate posts.
Corey Anderson vs. Johnny Walker
Round 1 – Walker coming at weird angles. Anderson shoots. Walker fights him off and they clinch on the cage. Not much happening early. And then Anderson drops him with an overhand right! He’s all over Walker! Walker gets up and hangs on. Another takedown but Anderson is up. Uppercuts from Anderson. Walker stumbles away and eats another huge shot! The ref steps between then and it’s over! Anderson keeps talking to a standing Walker, who just stares at him.
Corey Anderson defeated Johnny Walker via TKO (strikes), 2:07 of round 1
Shane Burgos vs. Makwan Amirkhani
Round 1 – Amirkhani looks to take it down right away. He lands a right and looks for another takedown. And gets it via trip. Burgos is cut over the left eye. Amirkhani is in full guard against the cage. Burgos powers his way up. Amirkhani has a body lock still though. Big slam from him. He’s dragging Burgos all over the mat but can’t get a dominant position. Until he secures an arm-in guillotine. He switches it to a D’Arce variation. But Burgos is back up! 90 seconds to go. Right scores for Burgos. Amirkhani flops to his back but Burgos won’t engage him. Right from Burgos. Left right back for Amirkhani. Can’t get another takedown. Jab from Burgos. Left from Mr. Finland. Two more punches land. Burgos with a nice right. Burgos lands another right on a failed jump knee from Amirkhani. 10-9 Amirkhani.
Round 2 – Hard jab from Amirkhani. He shoots but gets stuffed. Leg kick from Burgos. Burgos with a uppercut. They trade hard shots. Burgos goes to the body. Inside leg kick. Burgos goes body/head. Amirkhani circling a bunch. He ducks under and shoots. Body lock. He drags him down and they end up in a neutral position. Amirkhani stays on him. Burgos is slapping him as Amirkhani tries to drag him to the mat. He hits a switch but couldn’t able to get that either. Burgos finally breaks the body lock. 1:40 to go. Burgos goes to the body again. Left hook from Burgos. Amirkhani shoots. He has a single but he’s not in a good spot. Burgos with body shots. Amirkhani rolls to his back and eats a big hammerfist. Three big elbows. 10-9 Burgos.
Round 3 – Amirkhani looks for a flying knee but gets cracked by Burgos. Burgos with a big left over the top. He stumbles and goes down! Burgos mauls him but Amirkhani is still defending. Relentless. He lets Amirkhani up. He could barely get up. Burgos with a massive head kick. Two big rights. Amirkhani staggers away, then shoots. He gets nowhere and is stood up. Big right. Amirkhani lands one too though, and shoots again. Hammerfists from Burgos. Big elbows. Amirkhani slumps the mat, but he’s still holding on. Burgos is on top now, landing big shots ot the body. Crucifix-style position. But Burgos gets him to stand up again. Amirkhani barely does again. Low kicks from Burgos. Amirkhani just falls down trying to shoot again. He lands a right hook but Burgos rips the body. They both lands rights. Finally, FINALLY, a vicious right from Burgos puts Amirkhani down for good.
Shane Burgos defeated Makwan Amirkhani via TKO (strikes), 4:32 of round 3
Brad Tavares vs. Edmen Shahbazyan
Round 1 – Tavares with a jab. Low kick. Body shot from Shahbazyan. Short left from Tavares. 1-2 from the Hawaiian. Body kick. Shahbazyan tries to catch the leg but can’t. Big step-in left from Shahbazyan. Jabs from Shahbazyan and he drops Tavares with a straight right! He’s up but Shahbazyan is all over him. Head kick, a few rights, Tavares weathers it…until he is destroyed by another head kick! Whoa!
Edmen Shahbazyan defeated Brad Tavares via KO (head kick and strikes), 2:27 of round 1
Andrei Arlovski vs. Jairzinho Rozenstruik
Round 1 – Rozenstruik with an inside leg kick. Rozenstruik with a jab that stuns Arlovski. They trade some shots. He lands the lead left on an advancing Arlovski and he goes downs, just like that. He did the same thing in his last fight! Wow.
Jarzinho Rozenstruik defeated Andrei Arlovski via KO (punch), :29 of round 1
Katlyn Chookagian vs. Jennifer Maia
Round 1 – Maia with a left. Inside leg kick. Another. Combo from Maia just misses. Hard combo from Chookagian. They trade outside leg kicks. Head kick from Chookagian, and a left hook. Inside leg kick. Maia with a long right. Jabs from both ladies. Maia with a hard counter right. Side kick from Chookagian. Combo from Maia. A right scores as well. Maia catches a head kick and they clinch against the cage. Maia with a right on the break with 90 seconds to go. Uppercut from Chookagian. They trade shots. Chookagian goes to the body. Side kick to the head from Chookagian! I like that. Blonde Fighter lands to the body. Head kick from Chookagian partially scores. Inside leg kick from Maia. They trade rights. Hard right from both of them again at the horn. 10-9 Chookagian.
Round 2 – Inside leg kick from Maia. Combo that ends with a right hook. Chookagian fires back with a combo punctuated by a head kick. Another combo. Outside leg kick. Inside leg kick from Maia. Counter right from Chookagian. Uppercut from Chookagian, but Maia lands as well. Counter side kick from Chookagian. Outside leg kick. Again. They trade jabs. Maia with a counter right. Chookagian really circling a lot. Inside leg kick from Maia. Lead right lands for both ladies in succession. Maia with a jab and a right over the top. Same thing. Chookagian kicks low. Jab rom Maia. They trade low kicks. Maia with a left over the top. Chookagian with a three-strike combo. Chookagian with a right hook. Side kick. 10-9 Chookagian, but closer.
Round 3 – Maia with a right and a leg kick. Chookagian fires two low kicks back. Chookagian with a counter left. Maia clinches up. They kill 45 seconds there doing nothing before breaking. Maia with a right. Chookagian with a lead right. Maia with a hard right. Maia presses with a combo. Uppercut from Maia. They trade kicks. Head kick from Chookagian. Maia pressures again and lands some shots. Jab from Maia. Low kick from Chookagian. Another head kick from Chookagian. Maia looks for a takedown and gets it with 1:10 left. She’s locked down in half. She’s stalling and running out of time. She postures up right at the horn, but Chookagian secures a leg lock. Horn. 10-9 Maia but 29-28 Chookagian.
Katlyn Chookagian defeated Jennifer Maia via unanimous decision (29-28, 29-28, 29-28)
Lyman Good vs. Chance Rencountre
Round 1 – Good with a quick right off a Rencountre kick. Hard inside leg kick from Good. Another Rencountre fires back with one of his own. Both of them land at the same time. Another inside leg kick from Good. Rencountre lands a left. Inside leg kick and a right from Good. Good working the left jab. Yet another inside leg kick. Ouch. Rencountre scoops a single but can’t get anything Right hook from Rencountre on the cage break. Head kick and a huge combo from Good. Rencountre weathers it and lands uppercuts. Good is all over him with big shots. Rencountre tries to tie him up. He lands a knee and holds on for a while to recover. Straight left and a body kick from Good. 10-9 Good.
Round 2 – Rencountre kicks low. He lands a right. He looks for a flying knee and they trade inside. Good looking to counter. Rencountre scores with a left. Good with a right and a leg kick. Big counter combo from Good. Step-in knee from Rencountre. Rencountre with a left to the head and body. Jab from Good. Jab again. Rencountre with a left again. Two shots from Good. Good with a big right late. 10-9 Good.
Round 3 – Good appears to have a foot or ankle injury. Slow start to the third. Rencountre with a right Good leans in with the jab. Another. Rencountre with a counter left. Good with a solid right on the inside. More jabs. Head kick that’s partially blocked, but Good cracks him with a right following it. Rencountre is hurt. Good is all over him and he’s the winner tonight.
Lyman Good defeated Chance Rencountre via TKO (strikes), 2:03 of round 3
Round 1 – Dawodu misses with a few low picks. He finally connects with one on the counter. He looks for a head kick. Inside leg kick from Dawodu. Dawodu jumps into the clinch with a knee. Arce with a couple of knees. Dawodu with a hard one. They separate halfway through the round. Arce with a body shot. Arce with a jump knee and lands a solid left hook. They’re throwing more now. Front body kick from Dawodu. Long left scores for Arce. Dawodu lands a low kick counter again. Another. Dawodu connects with a kick and some inside knees. 10-9 Dawodu.
Round 2 – Inside leg kick from Dawodu. He counters with a low kick as wel. Arce with a right and they clinch. Arce eventually scrambles away. Front kick to the body for Dawodu. Front kick from Arce now. Jab from Arce. Slower pace. Dawodu with a body kick. Arce jumps in with punches so Dawodu pumps the jab. Arce with a trip takedown. He works in half. Dawodu tries to escape but Arce gets full back mount. But Dawodu rolls over on top! He stands up and lands some leg kicks and one to the butt. Arce looking for upkicks. He finally gets up with 25 seconds to go. Dawodu spin. Arce lands late. 10-9 Arce.
Round 3 – Outside leg kick from Dawodu. He pushes Arce to the cage and they handfight. Arce separates. Dawodu with a jab and a low kick. Arce misses with a jump knee. Dawodu lands to the cup but they keep going. Dawodu with a counter right to the body. Dawodu backs him into the fence again. Uppercut from Arce. Dawodu with knees. Arce ducks away halfway through the round. Body kick from Dawodu. Arce misses with a wild right but he clinches Dawodu and moves him against the cage. Dawodu reverses and lands knees. Straight right from Dawodu. Counter knee from Dawodu. More kicks from both men. Arce goes head/body. Arce looks for a trip takedown but he couldn’t secure it. Right from Dawodu. They’re throwing down late. Arce with a hard combo. 10-9 and 29-28 Dawodu.
Hakeem Dawodu defeated Julio Arce via split decision (29-28, 28-29, 29-28)
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