Join us today (August 29th) on Bloody Elbow for live results, discussion, round scoring, and play-by-play as UFC Fight Night: Smith vs. Rakic, aka UFC Vegas 8, goes down at UFC Apex in Vegas.
The headliner is a three-round light heavyweight tilt between former title challenger Anthony Smith and prospect Aleksandar Rakic. In the co-main event, legendary former welterweight champ Robbie Lawler returns to action for the first time in a year, as he faces off against veteran Neil Magny.
This is an ESPN+ show on the main card. The six-fight preliminary card is scheduled to start at 6 PM ET/3 PM PT on ESPN and ESPN+. The five-fight main card, for which play-by-play will be provided, will kick off at 9 PM ET/6 PM PT exclusively on ESPN+.
Main card (ESPN+ at 9 p.m. ET)
Anthony Smith vs. Aleksandar Rakic
Round 1
Rakic opens with a trifecta of low kicks. Smith gets one of his own before Rakic gets off a plethora of kicks to the body and legs. Rakic goes high. Some punches finally traded. Leg kicks clash. Rakic kicks Smith out from his base. Smith holding his leg like it’s injured. Smith latches onto Rakic’s leg to prevent him from unloading. Rakic with a few body shots. Smith up to his feet and tries to take Rakic’s back. Rakic shakes him off, eventually working his way into Smith’s guard. Rakic folding up Smith’s leg to keep him from wrapping both legs around his body. Smith gets his leg out, but now Rakic has the other leg trapped. Good head position from Rakic and he lands a few body shots. Smith doing a good job of negating Rakic’s attack. Smith lands a good punch as Rakic looks to improve position, but Rakic lands some heavy shots before the round ends. Rakic 10-9
Round 2
Smith’s base appears to be holding up, even if ginger. Rakic immediately kicks at the legs. Smith trying to close the distance. lands a hard punch and clinches up. He tries for a takedown and Rakic throws him down and leaps into Smith’s guard. Smith tying up Rakic’s head. Rakic postures up and lands a few shots before Smith ties him up again. Smith using the butterfly guard to push Rakic off, but it isn’t working. Body punches from Rakic with a few elbows to the face for good measure. Smith trying to move to the fence. Smith limiting Rakic’s offense as he gets to the fence. Smith using the fence to position for an armbar, but Rakic sees it coming and continues to smother Smith and land short punches. Not much damage being done, but it ultimately wins Rakic the round. Rakic 10-9
Round 3
Rakic launches a low kick and Smith responds with a punch. A flurry of kicks from Rakic has Smith covering up. Rakic flurries with punches and closes the distance. Smith looks for a takedown, but Rakic again throws him off and jumps on top. Smith again wraps him up and Rakic is fine with that, going back to the short punches that won him the last round. Smith works his way to his knees as Rakic stays heavy on him, landing some knees. Smith keeps trying to work his way up as Rakic continues to lay into him with knees to the thigh and butt. Smith tries his luck by going back to his back, but Rakic won’t give him room to throw up a submission. More short punches from Rakic. A few good punches land from Rakic when he postures up. He lets Smith up and celebrates a sure victory from the judges. Rakic 10-9 and Rakic 30-27 overall.
Alexander Rakic defeated Anthony Smith via unanimous decision (30-27, 30-27, 30-26)
Neil Magny vs. Robbie Lawler
Round 1
Magny with a low kick. Lawler tries to land one of his own unsuccessfully. Body kick from Magny. Body shot from Lawler. Lawler with a couple of hard lefts, shoots for a takedown. Magny stuffs him and gets a crotch lock. Breaks Lawler’s posture and begins looking for a d’arce choke. Lawler defends, Magny relents. As Lawler relaxes, Magny again looks for the choke, Lawler defends, and Magny goes for the back. Lawler stands, but Magny finds Lawler’s back again, landing several knees. Magny scores a trip, holds Lawler’s back. Lawler reverses, but can’t flip Magny on his back. Lawler lands a couple of uppercuts as they stand. Magny lands a few elbows against the fence before scoring a takedown. Magny looking for another d’arce, using it to improve his positioning and wear on Lawler with elbows and punches to the side. The round ends in that position. Magny 10-9
Round 2
Lawler comes out aggressive, but can’t land anything. Low kick from Magny. Magny ducks a heavy shot from Lawler. He responds with a body kick into a takedown attempt. They reach the fence before Magny finishes the attempt. Lawler scrambles to get back up and Magny gets his back with the hooks in. Lawler sits up, but Magny is still on him landing short punches to the side. Magny lets go of a hook and begins looking for a twister. Lawler is aware and begins defending. Magny stops looking for the twister and drags Lawler back down as the former champ tries to get to his feet. Magny again looking to get Lawler’s back, but the cage is making that difficult. Magny landing short punches to Lawler’s head in the process. Lawler climbs to his feet and Magny stays on him, landing elbows and knees. Magny breaks and uses his length to land some shots with Lawler returning fire. Another jab from Magny as Lawler stalks him. Magny 10-9
Round 3
Magny opens with a low kick. Some body kicks from Magny. Lawler returns a hard low kick. A hard right hook from Lawler sees Magny drag Lawler into his guard. Magny ties Lawler up and Lawler can’t do anything. The ref stands them up. Low kick from Lawler. Lawler stalking Magny. A body shot, then a knee from Lawler. Magny pushes back with punches. Lands a nice downward elbow. Magny looking for a takedown now. He gets it and begins looking to take Lawler’s back. Lawler not having it and stands up. Magny presses him against the fence and lands a few short shots before breaking. Kicks and jabs from a distance from Magny keeping Lawler at bay. Magny circling and Lawler staying right there. Lawler can’t find a punch amidst Magny’s jabs and kicks. Lawler rushes in and Magny clinches up. Magny lands some knees and elbows. They break, more punches from Magny before Lawler launches a head kick that doesn’t land cleanly. More pressure from Lawler, but Magny ties him up. They break and Lawler is launching head kicks to no avail before the round ends. Magny 10-9 and Magny 30-27 overall.
Neil Magny defeated Robbie Lawler via unanimous decision (30-27 x3)
Alexa Grasso vs. Ji Yeon Kim
Round 1
Grasso opens with a high leg kick. She circles, lands a right hand and Kim counters. Another solid counter from Kim. Another kick from Grasso and she circles. A brief flurry of punches with neither pulling ahead. Grasso moves forward and Kim counters. Grasso tries to flash a jab and Kim lands a solid counter. Grasso tries flurrying in and Kim lands another counter. Another flurry, it ends with a HARD hook from Kim. Another kick from Grasso. Jab to the body from Grasso. Kim lands a hard hook in the pocket, but Grasso combos before they break. Grasso enters with her face covered, score a punch kick combo. Kim jabbing. Body kick from Grasso countered by a Kim punch. Another body kick from Grasso. Grasso sneaks in a jab. Another leg kick from Grasso to close the round. Hard round to score. Grasso 10-9
Round 2
Multiple kicks from Grasso opening the round. Another low kick from Grasso. Right cross from Kim. Grasso finding a home for her right hand on Kim’s face. Grasso lands a couple of punches, but Kim lands a big straight counter. Low kick from Kim. Grasso briefly walking down Kim with short combos. Kim pushes back with a jab and she begins flashing it. Kim lands a short combo. Kim taking the lead, another short combo. Grasso lands a body to head punching combo. Low kick from Grasso. Kim pressuring, lands a heavy shot. Grasso returns with a hard right. Another BIG right from Grasso. Superman punch from Grasso. Grasso has found her range. Kim lands a right. Grasso staggers Kim with a right. Clinch up and Kim lands a right as they break. Another combo from Kim followed by a low kick. Grasso ends the round with a jab. Grasso 10-9
Round 3
Kim opens with pressure, but Grasso playing matador. Grasso pushes back with a jab, but they don’t land. A flurry sees Kim land the cleaner punch. A flurry sees neither land clean and Grasso ends it with a failed takedown attempt. Kim back to pressuring. A hard right from Kim countered by one from Grasso. Kim lands a hard punch. Stiff straight right from Kim. Grasso fires back, but Kim is still pressuring. Another hard punch from Kim and she pushes Grasso against the cage. Grasso reverses position, but expending all her energy keeping Kim there. A few knees traded. Kim reverses and is looking for a takedown. Can’t get it. Grasso throwing hammerfists to the thigh of Kim. Grasso reverses and finishes a takedown into half guard. Kim tying up Grasso and almost nothing is happening. Grasso escapes enough to land a few short shots. Grasso finally breaks free and ends the round with some brutal elbows. Grasso 10-9 and Grasso 30-27 overall as far as I’m concerned.
Alexa Grasso defeated Ji Yeon Kim via unanimous decision (30-27 x3)
Ricardo Lamas vs. Bill Algeo
Round 1
Algeo opens with a kick. Lamas returns. Algeo throws a couple more. Moves forward with punches, Lamas attempts a takedown. Algeo leaves his neck out and Lamas tries to latch on a guillotine to no avail. Trading punches without either getting ahead. Algeo pushes Lamas against the fence. Lamas reverses and looks for a takedown. Algeo reverses position and now he’s looking for the takedown. They seperate and Lamas is throwing kicks to all levels and all varieties. They trade pressure, Lamas pushing Algeo back, then Algeo pushing Lamas back. Uppercut from Lamas. Solid left hook from Algeo. A flurry from Algeo ends with a spinning back elbow. Lamas kicks out Algeo’s leg, but he quickly recovers. Head kick from Lamas. Algeo pushes Lamas back with punches. Another series of low kicks from Lamas. Algeo rocks Lamas with punches. Fence keeps Lamas standing and Algeo can’t finish the takedown before the bell rings. Very close round. Algeo 10-9
Round 2
Algeo pushing Lamas back with kicks. Lamas retreats, returns the pressure, and secures a well-timed takedown. Algeo scrambles back up. Algeo pushes Lamas back with jabs to the fence. Lamas fires back with wild hooks and Algeo retreats. Another flurry from Algeo ends with a head kick. Lamas looks for a takedown. Algeo lands elbows to the side of the head as the action stalls against the fence. Algeo returns to the elbows against the head after an unsuccessful attempt to leave. They finally break off a spinning back elbow from Lamas. Front kick to the face of Lamas wobbles him. Algeo smells blood and gets a takedown. Lamas creates a scramble, climbs back to his feet and goes back to hunting for a takedown against the fence. Algeo reverses position. Knee, jab, and a calf kick from Lamas. Algeo looking tired. Lamas applying pressure, poses with about 10 seconds. Algeo 10-9
Round 3
Lamas opens with a flurry of kicks to the body and head. Algeo flurries with some kicks and a spinning back fist. Algeo throwing calf kicks. More kicks to the head and body from Lamas. Lamas telegraphs a takedown, allowing Algeo to sprawl and stuff. Lamas finishes it against the fence with a trip. Lamas landing brutal elbows from the guard. Lamas stacks Algeo and begins landing heavy punches to the side of Algeo’s head as he’s turtled. Algeo trying to scramble out, but Lamas scooping him under the armpit to maintain position and land elbows. Algeo moving to stay alive. He finally escapes Lamas’ mits, but Lamas rips him back down to the mat and goes for his back. A few more punches from Lamas. Algeo again back to his feet and Lamas slams him down again. Lamas has Algeo’s back. He locks in the hooks. Looking for a modified arm-triangle. Vicious ground and pound from Lamas. Horn rings. Awesome fight. Lamas 10-8 and 28-28 Draw in my opinion.
Ricardo Lamas defeated Bill Algeo via unanimous decision (29-27 x3)
Preliminary card (ESPN+ and ESPN at 6 p.m. ET)
Impa Kasanganay defeated Maki Pitolo via unanimous decision (30-27 x3)
Zak Cummings defeated Alessio Di Chirico via unanimous decision (29-28, 29-28, 30-27)
Alex Caceres defeated Austin Springer via submission (RNC) at 3:38 of RD1
Sean Brady defeated Christian Aguilera via submission (guillotine) at 1:47 of RD2
Polyana Viana defeated Emily Whitmire via submisssion (armbar) at 1:53 of RD1
Mallory Martin defeated Hannah Cifers via submission (RNC) at 1:33 of RD2
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