Orlando Ramirez-USA TODAY Sports
Live, blow-by-blow updates for today’s UFC event in Mexico City, which features featherweights Yair Rodriguez and Jeremy Stephens in the main event.
Join us today (September 21st) on Bloody Elbow for live results, discussion, round scoring, and play-by-play as UFC Fight Night: Rodriguez vs. Stephens goes down in Mexico City, Mexico.
The headliner comes in the featherweight division and should be a thriller. Mexico’s own Yair Rodriguez take on the hard-hitting Jeremy Stephens in a five-round scrap, while the co-main features former strawweight champion Carla Esparza against Mexico’s Alexa Grasso in an important bout in that division.
The seven-fight preliminary card starts at 5pm ET/2pm PT on ESPN+, while the five-fight main card will kick off at 8pm ET/5pm PT on ESPN+. There will only be play-by-play provided for the main card, while the prelims will have results updates.
Check out this week’s MMA Vivisection for predictions, analysis and betting odds on the each matchup.
The full bout order is as follows:
Main Card (ESPN+, 8 PM ET)
Martin Bravo vs. Steven Peterson
Round 1 – Bravo misses on a leg kick. They exchange leg kicks and Bravo misses on a spinning backfist. Nice counter by Bravo. Body kick by Peterson. Bravo sticks the jab, changes levels and takes Peterson down. Peterson gets back to his feet and they start swinging away. Two lefts connect for Bravo. Spinning back kick to the body by Bravo, Peterson fires back with the same strike and misses. Bravo drops Peterson after catching a kick and landing a punch. Peterson is up again but he’s getting outclassed so far. Bravo with a right hand around the guard. Peterson slams home an overhand right. Body kick and jab for Bravo. The Mexican drops for a single leg and Peterson defends. Right hand by Peterson and a jab that Bravo smiles at. More success with that jab for Bravo. Looping right by Bravo connects, and he comes forward with a body kick and Peterson responds with a right hand. Great pace thus far. Left hook by Bravo, body kick for Peterson, round ends. 10-9 Bravo.
Round 2 – Peterson comes out aggressively and throws a flying knee. Sharp right hand by Peterson, but he gets overly aggressive and Bravo ducks under and complets a takedown. Peterson regains his footing but eats a body kick and right hand along the way. Body kick by Bravo but a right hand from Peterson. Nice right hand from Bravo. HUGE SPINNING BACKFIST BY PETERSON AND BRAVO IS OUT COLD! MY GOODNESS! Bravo threw a spinning backfist and missed, Peterson countered with the same strike and wiped him out.
Official result: Steven Peterson def. Martin Bravo by KO (spinning backfist) at 1:31 of round 2
Yair Rodriguez vs. Jeremy Stephens
Carla Esparza vs. Alexa Grasso
Brandon Moreno vs. Askar Askarov
Irene Aldana vs. Vanessa Melo
Preliminary Card (ESPN+, 5 PM ET)
Jose Alberto Quinonez def. Carlos Huachin by unanimous decision (30-27 x3)
Kyle Nelson def. Polo Reyes by KO (strikes) at 1:36 of round 1
Angela Hill def. Ariane Carnelossi by TKO (cut) at 1:56 of round 3
Sergio Pettis def. Tyson Nam by unanimous decision (30-27 x3)
Paul Craig def. Vinicius Moreira by submission (rear-naked choke) at 3:19 of round 1
Bethe Correia def. Sijara Eubanks by unanimous decision (29-28 x3)
Claudio Puelles def. Marcos Rosa Mariano by unanimous decision (30-25 x3)