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Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) makes its return to ESPN this Sat. night (Dec. 7, 2019) featuring a titanic tilt pitting longtime mixed martial arts (MMA) veteran and former champion kickboxer, Alistair Overeem, opposite undefeated 265-pound rising star, Jairzinho Rozenstruik, who won all three of his UFC fights by way of knockout. In the UFC on ESPN 7 co-main event, once-beaten flyweight sensation, Cynthia Calvillo, looks to win her third straight against streaking Brazilian standout, Marina Rodriguez, who puts her perfect record on the line this weekend inside Capital One Arena in Washington D.C., the promotion’s final stop before UFC 245 later this month in Las Vegas. Well-traveled veterans Ben Rothwell and Stefan Struve also get busy on the UFC on ESPN 7 fight card, along with Thiago Alves and Tim Means. Remember to sign up for ESPN+ RIGHT HERE to catch all the early “Prelims” action — as well as UFC 245 — as we head into another busy year of combat sports action.
MMAmania.com will deliver LIVE round-by-round, blow-by-blow coverage of the entire UFC on ESPN 7 fight card below, starting with the ESPN+ early “Prelims” undercard bouts at 6 p.m. ET, followed by the ESPN “Prelims” at 7 p.m. ET, before the main card start time of 9 p.m. ET, also on ESPN.
Keep in mind that we will also be the spot for the latest news, recaps, and post-fight analysis following “Overeem vs Rozenstruik.” Without further delay, see below for the updated UFC on ESPN 7 results. (Note: This will go from the bottom up; therefore, scroll toward the bottom for the latest detailed round-by-round action.)
UFC ON ESPN 7 QUICK RESULTS:
Alistair Overeem vs. Jairzinho Rozenstruik — Rozenstruik def. Overeem by KO (punch) at 4:56 of Round Five
Cynthia Calvillo vs. Marina Rodriguez — Majority draw (29-28, 28-28 x2)
Ben Rothwell vs. Stefan Struve — Rothwell def. Struve by TKO (punches) at 4:57 of Round Two
Yana Kunitskaya vs. Aspen Ladd — Ladd def. Kunitskaya by TKO (punches) at 0:33 of Round Three — HIGHLIGHTS!
Cody Stamann vs. Song Yadong — Majority draw (29-27, 28-28 x2)
Rob Font vs. Ricky Simon — Font def. Simon by unanimous decision (29-28 x2, 30-27)
Thiago Alves vs. Tim Means — Means def. Alves by submission (guillotine choke) at 2:38 of Round One — HIGHLIGHTS!
Jacob Kilburn vs. Billy Quarantillo — Quarantillo def. Kilburn by submission (triangle choke) at 3:18 of Round Two
Bryce Mitchell vs. Matt Sayles — Mitchell def. Sayles by submission (twister) at 4:20 of Round One — HIGHLIGHTS!
Joe Solecki vs. Matt Wiman — Solecki def. Wiman by unanimous decision (30-26 x2, 30-27)
Virna Jandiroba vs. Mallory Martin — Jandiroba def. Martin by submission (rear naked choke) at 1:16 of Round Two
Makhmud Muradov vs. Trevor Smith — Muradov def. Smith by KO (punch) at 4:09 of Round Three — HIGHLIGHTS!
UFC ON ESPN 7 PLAY-BY-PLAY:
265 lbs.: Alistair Overeem vs. Jairzinho Rozenstruik
Round 1: They trade low kicks to start. Overeem catches a low kick, avoids counters. Left hand lands for him. Up-jab from Rozenstruik in return a minute in. Overeem changes levels, lands an outside trip into side control. Rozenstruik regains half guard, eats an elbow. Two minutes to go.
Rozenstruik gets to a knee and Overeem grabs a body lock before flattening him back into side control. Good elbows from Overeem. 10-9 Overeem.
Round 2: Tentative start to the round. Overeem steps into the clinch, lands a knee downstairs. Rozenstruik tries to frame. One minute in. Trading knees. Overeem looks for that same outside trip, doesn’t get it. Two minutes in. Right hand by Rozenstruik in the clinch. Ref separates them. Two minutes to go.
They trade low kicks. Rozenstruik lands a glancing overhand right. Overeem lands a straight left in return, takes a body shot with a minute to go. Another straight left. Rozenstruik tries a combination on the fence. Overeem body kick, Rozenstruik low kick. another body kick before the bell. 10-9 Overeem.
Round 3: Rozenstruik tries a straight right, misses with an uppercut. Overeem changes levels, takes a glancing uppercut. Rozenstruik separates a minute in. Oblique kick from Overeem. Two-piece connects. Straight left by Overeem, blocking return fire two minutes in. Lead left. Low kick exchange. Rozenstruik steps in with a knee. Overeem body kick answered with a leg kick. Overhand left this time. He changes levels with two minutes to go.
After a bit of time, Overeem slings him to the mat. On top in half guard. One minute to go. Nice shots from Overeem. 10-9 Overeem.
Round 4: Lead left lands once again for Overeem. Rozenstruik bounces punches off of his guard. Another OVereem left hand and leg kick. One minute in. He changes levels, dnied. Rozenstruik comes back with a heavy combination, capped off with body shots. Overeem backs him up, lands another left, takes a right downstairs. Fake shot from Overeem two minutes in. Overeem oblique kick. Another overhand left with two minutes to go.
Leg kick connects. Rozenstruik tries a flying head kick, flurry, and jumping knee. Overeem blocks it all. Another big left from Overeem. One minute to go. Lead left from Overeem, Rozenstruik rips the body. 10-9 Overeem.
Round 5: Overeem changes levels, denied. Another lead left. Another and he ties up. Short elbow from Rozenstruik a minute in. They separate. Overeem low kick and he puts him on the fence again. He can’t complete the single-leg two minutes in. Low kick from Overeem, Rozenstruik claims it hit cup. Two minutes to go.
Overeem whiffs on an overhand left. Rozenstruik backs him up, tries to get through the guard. Uppercut seems to land. Jumping knee blocked. One minute to go. Crowd is unhappy. Rozenstruik stuffs another takedown. Counter jabs. Right as the ten-second clapper sounds, Rozenstruik backs Overeem up and uncorks a right hook that puts The Reem on his ass. Rozenstruik walks off in victory and the ref waves it off as Overeem stumbles back to his feet.
Final result: Rozenstruik def. Overeem by KO (punch)
115 lbs.: Cynthia Calvillo vs. Marina Rodriguez
Round 1: Calvillo circling early. Low kick lands for her. Rodriguez right hand just misses a minute in. Lead right lands, Calvillo steps away from the clinch. Rodriguez swings, lands a knee. Calvillo ducks a right hand for a takedown into half guard. Rodriguez makes it to her feet and blitzes, blasting Calvillo with knees and elbows. Rodriguez continues to advance, cracks her with a straight right. Two minutes to go.
1-2 from Rodriguez and Calvillo puts her on the fence. Rodriguez frames and lands a knee as they separate. Two huge clinch knees follow. One minute to go. Right hand from Rodriguez. Calvillo again ducks a right hand for a takedown, moving right to mount. Rodriguez regains half guard. 10-9 Rodriguez.
Round 2: Calvillo tries a front kick, eats counters. Calvillo low kick. One minute in. Rodriguez absorbs a right hand and lands a knee downstairs. Calvillo jabs the body, takes a knee and a three-piece combo. Two minutes in. Rodriguez with a clinch knee in center cage. Right hand lands for her. Calvillo coming up short with her own punches. They trade low kicks. Two minutes to go.
Rodriguez tries a front kick and right hand. She denies a takedown. Spinning back kick. Calvillo tries a spinning back fist in return. Knee, elbow, and body kick by Rodriguez. Hard two-piece to the body, knees, low kick with a minute to go. Snap kick downstairs. Again. Rodriguez catches a level change with a jumping knee and stops a takedown. 10-9 Rodriguez.
Round 3: Calvillo tries to spin early. Rodriguez looks for a front kick. Calvillo with a well-timed double-leg into half guard a minute in. Looking for mount with a guillotine grip. She loses it, lands elbows. Now threatening a kimura, landing elbows to the body. Rodriguez gives up her back trying to stand and Calvillo wraps up the body triangle. Solid shots, looking to flatten her out. Big right hands. Two minutes to go.
Calvillo pounding away. Good elbows and punches. Back to mount, knee-on-belly. One minute to go. Calvillo going hard for the finish, but Rodriguez manages to survive and get to her feet. They separate. Rodriguez marching after her. Knee lands for her. Head kick attempt at the end. 10-8 Calvillo.
Final result: Majority draw
265 lbs.: Ben Rothwell vs. Stefan Struve
Round 1: Low kick from Struve to start things off. Again. Rothwell tries a combo, can’t reach. More Struve low kicks a minute in. Body kick from Struve and Rothwell puts him on the fence. Two minutes in. Struve tries an inside trip, can’t get it. Rothwell changes levels and is similarly unsuccessful. Two minutes to go.
They separate and Struve cracks him with a head kick. Rothwell answers with a vicious nut shot that has “The Skyscraper” rolling in pain. He takes the full five minutes to recover, but amazingly, he does so. Struve tries a flying knee and eats a 1-2. Rothwell catches a kick and cracks him with some right hands before putting him on the fence. Trading knees inside. One minute to go. Rothwell looking for Boetsch-style uppercuts. They separate with a minute to go. Low kick form Struve. More kicks. Struve with a nice counter. Rothwell puts him on the fence and lands a couple short shots. 10-9 Struve.
Round 2: Jab exchange. Low kicks from Struve. Rothwell to the body, tries a right over the top and ties up. Struve lands a cup shot in return, Rothwell elects not to take time. Big uppercuts by Struve, who absorbs an overhand right. One minute in. Rothwell puts him on the fence and tries to change levels. Knee from Rothwell, Struve lands uppercuts inside and shoves him away. Two minutes in. Low kick from Struve yet again, tries a head kick and gets clipped by an overhand right. Another low kick. Rothwell lands one in return and ties up. Two minutes to go.
Good knees by Struve before they separate. Head kick and front kick. Rothwell steps in and lands the exact same ball shot he did last time and down goes the Skyscraper. Ref takes a point for this one, but Struve does elect to continue. Rothwell comes out slugging and dings Struve with a left hook. Huge uppercut in the clinch. One minute to go. Struve separates, Rothwell continues to plod after him. Rothwell checks a kick and seems to hurt Struve’s leg. Rothwell finds the mark with an uppercut and lays into him with punches as Struve crumples against the fence, prompting the finish.
Final result: Rothwell def. Struve by TKO (punches)
135 lbs.: Yana Kunitskaya vs. Aspen Ladd
Round 1: Ladd marching forward as always. Kunitskaya denies a takedown with underhooks and puts her on the fence. Knees to the body. One minute in. Over-unders. Ref breaks them up after Kunitskaya grabs the fence. They trade in the center. Kunitskaya puts her on the fence again. More knees. Two minutes in. Ladd frames her, takes a knee. Now she gets underhooks and takes her down into half guard. Two minutes to go.
Ladd still stuck in half guard. Good elbows. One minute to go. She transitions right to the back and starts blasting away with punches, screeching as she does. Kunitskaya spins into guard. 10-9 Ladd.
Round 2: Ladd back on the advance as Kunitskaya jabs and kicks off her back foot. Ladd lands a left hook. Trading punches, Kunitskaya landing to the legs. One minute in. Ladd with a counter hook, muscles her to the mat, can’t keep her there. Kunitskaya presses her against the fence and lands knees. Two minutes in. Ladd pummeling for a second underhook. More knees. Body kick on the exit. Two minutes to go.
Ladd still advancing, Kunitskaya circling well. Ladd shoots, dumps her into guard. Kunitskaya controlling her with a closed guard and overhooks. One minute to go. Ladd pops her arm out and lands an elbow. More short elbows. 10-9 Kunitskaya.
Round 3: Ladd charges out of the gate and immediately floors Kunitskaya with e left hook, following her to the mat and pounding away. The punches pile up until the ref steps in.
Final result: Ladd def. Kunitskaya by TKO (punches)
135 lbs.: Cody Stamann vs. Song Yadong
Round 1:Tentative start as Stamann presses forward. Song falls short with punches. Another combo. One minute in. Stamann looks to land behind the jab. Song tries a wheel kick that falls just short. Stamann clips him with a left hook as he opens up, then lands a takedown behind his jab. Two minutes in. Song gets to his knees and locks up a guillotine. Stamann flashes a thumbs-up, then Song hits him with a blatantly illegal knee. Song is visibly frustrated with himself and the referee takes a point, but Stamann is alright. Song on the attack right away when they resume. Two minutes to go.
Stamann tries a front kick, eats a jab. He fakes a shot. Song outworking him at the moment. One minute to go. Stamann ducks a 3-2 for a takedown attempt. He manages to establish before the bell. 9-9.
Round 2: Song opens with a lead right, lands a body kick. Hard right hand buzzes Stamann against the fence. Stamann shoots, sprawled on. Song grabs a cradle and uses it to stand, eating a combo as he backs away. 1-2 from Song a minute in. Song low kick, Stamann right hand. Song comes back with a combination. Stamann shoots under a 1-2 and takes him to the fence. Stamann separates, then lands a nice double-leg. Song looking for the back in response, stands in the scramble. Stamann head kick blocked. Two minutes to go.
Song lands a combo, takes a left hook. Stamann catches a front kick and dumps Song to the mat. One minute to go, Stamann on top in half guard. Song sweeps into butterfly guard. Hard elbow connects for him. 10-9 Song.
Round 3: They trade low kick sin the center. Jabs from Stamann. Both miss with two-pieces. Stamann hits a double-leg from the outside and Song tries to get to his knees. He turns for a leg, stuck on the bottom. Now Song gets to his knees two minutes in. Stamann looks to spin to the back, settles for half guard. Two minutes to go.
Stamann staying heavy, landing short shots. He gets to mount with a minute to go, then takes the back. Heavy shots from Stamann. Song tries to spin into guard, can’t get it and eats more shots. 10-9 Stamann.
Final result: Majority draw
135 lbs.: Rob Font vs. Ricky Simon
Round 1: Font aggressive early, just misses with a counter right. Font with a well-timed takedown as they trade. Simon pops back up with double underhooks. Two good knees form Simon on the break. One minute in. Font lands a massive uppercut; both men throwing with bad intentions immediately. Simon shoots, stuffed. Counter right from Simon. Stiff jab by Font. Simon low kick. Two minutes in. More jabs from Font. Simon digs in a body shot and blocks a head kick. Font lands a massive counter uppercut but gets rocked by a left. Simon follows up with some wild knee and takes him down against the fence. Looking for the back, hard knees on the way up. Font looks for a guillotine and gets slammed for his trouble. Two minutes to go.
Font turns to his knees, avoids a guillotine, and stands. Combination lands for Font near the fence. More good jabs. One minute to go. Font tries a counter spinning elbow and gets taken down into half guard. Font trying to stand against the fence, makes it up. Simon takes a low blow. 10-9 Simon.
Round 2: Font on the advance, denies a level change. Font catches a leg kick, can’t use it. Simon shoots after taking a body shot, denied. Font’s jab still working well. Trading leg kicks. One minute in. Big 1-2-3 cracks Simon, who shoots in response. Denied. Front kick and combination lands for Font. Body kick from Simon in response. He shoots, stuffed and Font pulls guard on a guillotine. He loses it but stands two minutes in. Another uppercut lands. Knee connects inside. Jab exchange. Lots of feints with two minutes to go.
Simon lands a lead right, looks for a takedown, denied. Font lands hard, denies another takedown. One minute to go. They trade lead rights. Simon looks for a reactive takedown, gets him down against the fence. Font gets to his feet and separates. Simon lands a jab, eats an uppercut and stuffs a takedown. Great fight. 10-9 Font.
Round 3: Early body shot from Simon met by a 1-2. Trading jabs in the center. 2-3 and knee by Simon. Good exchange. Simon shoots, denied. One minute to go. Low kick and combination by Font as he stuffs a takedown. 1-1-2 by Font. Back to exchanging jabs. Simon hurts Font with a left hook downstairs and looks to capitalize. Two minutes in. Font rips a right to the body and looks for a guillotine, only to get taken down into side control. Font gets an underhook and stands, landing a right on the break. Two minutes to go.
Good jabs by Font. Big right cross and uppercut by Font. Looking for combinations. One minute to go. 1-2 lands. Knee from Font, takes a right hand. More Font jabs and a cross behind them. Simon shoots, denied, takes a body kick. More Font jabs and an uppercut. 10-9 Font.
Final result: Font def. Simon by unanimous decision
170 lbs.: Thiago Alves vs. Tim Means
Round 1: Aleves lands an early right hand and they’re trading already. Means unexpectedly shoots against the fence, denied. Overhand right and low blow from Alves. Means gets stung by a 2-3. Brief clinch a minute in. Means digs a left downstairs and eats a right upstairs. Means body shot and left hand. Alves answers with a body kick and Means shoots. Means exits with a spinning elbow and body shots. Two minutes in. Mens fires a light leg kick, then floors Alves with a straight left behind it. Means looks to pound him out, then switches to a power guillotine for the finish.
Final result: Means def. Alves by submission (guillotine choke)
145 lbs.: Jacob Kilburn vs. Billy Quarantillo
Round 1: Low kick from Quarantillo, then a step-in right into the clinch. Kilburn punches the body as he takes a knee and they jockey for position on the fence. Quarantillo grabs a guillotine, loses it, and switches to an anaconda choke. He rolls through, but Kilburn manages to peel his hands apart, though he gives up mount in the process a minute in. Quarantillo posturing up for some hard shots. Kilburn gives up his back. Brutal right hands, back to mount for additional punishment two minutes in. Kilburn trying to bridge or roll but getting pummeled as he does. He nearly sweeps into guard, Quarantillo retains back control. Two minutes to go.
More nasty shots and Quarantillo gets under Kilburn’s chin. He goes palm-to-palm, loses it. One minute to go. Under the chin again, goes back to punching. Kilburn regains guard, eats more punches. 10-8 Quarantillo.
Round 2: Quarantillo takes him down within 10 seconds and takes side control. Kilburn tries a triangle, can’t get it. Quarantillo looking for a kimura from north-south, takes mount again a minute in. Quarantillo pounding away. Kilburn regains half guard. Quarantillo wraps in an arm triangle, stymied by the fence. Two minutes in. He switches to back control and keeps punching. Back to the back and now looking for an armbar, He switches to a triangle and there’s the tap.
Final result: Quarantillo def. Kilburn by submission (triangle choke)
145 lbs.: Bryce Mitchell vs. Matt Sayles
Round 1: Sayles wings a big right hand, gets taken down via single-leg. Mitchell on top in side control. Sayles regains half guard a minute in. Mitchell tries to pass to mount, does so. Sayles regains half guard again. Back to mount. Good left hand by Mitchell. Trying to isolate an arm for an arm-triangle. Landing shots as he alternates sides. Mitchell looks for the back, can’t get it, maintains mount. Two minutes to go.
Sayles turns to look for a leg and Mitchell gets a hook in. Now two, body triangle. . Attempted arm triangle transition fails but he still has control. One minute to go. Mitchell only has a single hook, but he uses it to wrap up a gnarly twister to force the tap.
Final result: Mitchell def. Sayles by submission (twister)
155 lbs.: Joe Solecki vs. Matt Wiman
Round 1: Solecki on the advance early and they trade leg kicks. Wiman tries another low kick and gets taken down for it. Wiman keeping a closed guard a minute in. Solecki looking to get a bit of space to posture. Half guard now. Short lefts from Solecki. He looks for mount, denied. Wiman takes some punches as he briefly regains guard two minutes in. Wiman trying to turn, taking more shots and vies up his back. Here come the punches, Wiman working to stand with two minutes to go.
Solecki looks for the neck and wraps up the body triangle. Wiman tries to get half guard, eats more punches. Back to the back, constantly landing punches. Wiman’s still trying to move. Solecki looks for the choke for a second, goes back to throwing. 10-8 Solecki
Round 2: Wiman lands an early right cross. They trade and Wiman looks for a guillotine as Solecki takes him down into guard. Solecki quickly gets out. Short GnP from the closed guard a minute in. Good elbow. Two minutes in. Solecki postures up, lands some punches. Staying busy as Wiman keeps his guard closed. Back down to the mat. Two minutes to go.
Ref elects to stand them up. Solecki left hand, Wiman right. Wiman tries a combo, falls short. Solecki ducks a left and takes him down, landing in an arm-in guillotine. He waits it out. 10-9 Solecki.
Round 3: Wiman looking chastened, manages to deny a level change and throw until Solecki takes him down with the next shot. On top in half guard. Wiman looking to regain guard, can’t do so. Two minutes in. Short punches and elbows. Side control now. Two minutes to go.
Solecki looking for the back. He’s got it, both hooks in. Wiman manages to survive and take a couple shots before sweeping into guard. The two jaw after the bell. 10-9 Solecki.
Final result: Solecki def. Wiman by unanimous decision
115 lbs.: Virna Jandiroba vs. Mallory Martin
Round 1: 2-1 from Martin to start. Long combo falls short. Martin steps in and gets taken down into half guard, holding onto a guillotine. One minute in. Jandiroba works her head free, denies Martin’s attempt to get to her knees. Martin tries the guillotine again and ends up mounted. Jandiroba wraps up the arm triangle and clamps down. Two minutes in. Martin manages to use the fence to alleviate the pressure and avoids a back take, eating a right as they separate. Jandiroba jab. Two minutes to go.
Martin puts her on the fence. Jandiroba tries a hip toss with the whizzer, can’t get it. Knees from the Brazilian. Martin exits with an elbow. One minute to go. Martin again steps in and again wraps up a guillotine as she’s taken down. Jandiroba again pops her head out. 10-9 Jandiroba.
Round 2: Martin tries a combination as she presses forward. She steps in too far again, gets taken down, and Jandiroba immediately transitions to the back. Patiently working on the RNC. She’s got it a minute in. Martin peels her hand off, but Jandiroba adjusts her grip and forces the tap.
Final result: Jandiroba def. Martin by submission (rear naked choke)
185 lbs.: Makhmud Muradov vs. Trevor Smith
Round 1: Trading jabs to start. Smith tries a low kick. Smith answers a jab with a left hook. Another Smith lead hook a minute in. Low kick catches Muradov in the dongle. Smith eats a counter right when they resume that seems to sting him. Muradov slips a right through the guard. Two minutes in. Low kick lands for Smith. Muradov jabs. Smith really having issues with Muradov’s range and movment, lands a leg kick. Two minutes to go.
Long left from Muradov. Jab upstairs. 1-2 connects. Body kick and jab, 3-2. One minute to go. They trade rights in the center. Muradov follows up to the body. More body work in combination. Smith backs him up and catches him with a left, then shrugs off a flying knee. Flying front kick afterwards connects and then a straight right. 10-9 Muradov.
Round 2: Muradov continuing to run circles around Smith behind his jab. Muradov with a 1-2 downstairs. Hard right cross up top. Now a nice overhand right comes back from Smith. one minute in. Smith lands a jab. Muradov combo, head kick blocked. Good matador move as Smith overextends. Muradov 1-2. Overhand slips around the guard two minutes in. Smith leg kick and overhand right. Muradov counter left. Low-high two-piece. Two minutes to go.
1-1-2 connects for Muradov. Smith manages to tie up, eats a right on the break. Muradov body kick and jab. Muradov right to the body stings Smith. More body shots. One minute to go. Front kick downstairs. Smith shoots on the fence, can’t establish but lands a knee. Smith still walking after him. Muradov catches a kick, drops him with a right, and immediately wraps up the RNC. Smith saved by the bell. 10-9 Muradov.
Round 3: Smith goes for it early, can’t connect. Still advancing, though. Muradov falls short with an overhand right a minute in, then cracks Smith with a 1-2 downstairs that makes both men smile. Low kick lands for Smith. Muradov circles away from a right hand. Check hook lands. Low-high 1-2. Smith leg kick two minutes in. Muradov cracks him with a looping right and looks to capitalize. Big 1-2. Another overhand right to counter a low kick. Another overhand and left hook. Stiff jab. Two minutes to go.
Counter left by Muradov, slick uppercut. Smith continues to press forward, takes a right downstairs. Muradov slips a right to land one of his own. Body kick form Smith. One minute to go. Muradov steps in and goes low-high-high with a three-piece, launching Smith’s mouthpiece into the crowd with the final overhand right and putting him to sleep.
Final result: Muradov def. Smith by KO (punch)