Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) returns to its APEX facility in Las Vegas, Nevada, for the UFC Vegas 53 mixed martial arts (MMA) event TONIGHT (Sat., April 30, 2022), streaming LIVE on ESPN, ESPN2 and ESPN+, topped by the 135-pound showdown pitting No. 5-ranked bantamweight contender, Rob Font, opposite long-time division veteran and No. 8-seeded title hopeful, Marlon Vera. Before that five-round war of attrition gets underway, former UFC heavyweight champion, Andrei Arlovski, trades leather with hot-and-cold 265-pound bruiser, Jake Collier, in UFC Vegas 53’s co-main event. Familiar faces like Jared Gordon, Darren Elkins and Gerald Meerschaert will also see caged action tonight in “Sin City.”
MMAmania.com will deliver LIVE round-by-round, blow-by-blow coverage of the entire UFC Vegas 53 fight card below, starting with the ESPN2/ESPN+ “Prelims” undercard bouts at 4 p.m. ET, followed by the ESPN/ESPN+ main card start time at 7 p.m. ET. Bet on all the UFC Vegas 53 action with our friends at DraftKings Sportsbook right here.
Keep in mind that we will also be the spot for the latest news, recaps, and post-fight analysis following “Font vs. Vera.” Without further delay, see below for the updated UFC Vegas 53 results. (Note: This will go from the bottom up; therefore, scroll toward the bottom for the latest detailed round-by-round action).
UFC VEGAS 53 QUICK RESULTS:
135 lbs.: Rob Font vs. Marlon Vera — Vera def. Font by unanimous decision (48-47, 49-46 x2)
265 lbs.: Andrei Arlovski vs. Jake Collier — Arlovski def. Collier by split decision (27-30, 29-28 x2)
145 lbs.: Andre Fili vs. Joanderson Brito — Brito def. Fili by TKO (punches) at 0:41 of Round One — HIGHLIGHTS
155 lbs.: Jared Gordon vs. Grant Dawson — Dawson def. Gordon by submission (rear naked choke) at 4:11 of Round Three
145 lbs.: Darren Elkins vs. Tristan Connelly — Elkins def. Connelly by unanimous decision (30-27 x3)
185 lbs.: Krzysztof Jotko vs. Gerald Meerschaert — Jotko def. Meerschaert by unanimous decision (30-27 x3)
265 lbs.: Chase Sherman vs. Alexandr Romanov — Romanov def. Sherman by submission (americana) at 2:11 of Round One — HIGHLIGHTS
125 lbs.: Daniel da Silva vs. Francisco Figueiredo — Figueiredo def. da Silva by submission (kneebar) at 1:18 of Round One — HIGHLIGHTS
170 lbs.: Gabe Green vs. Yohan Lainesse — Green def. Lainesse by TKO (punches) at 4:02 of Round Two — HIGHLIGHTS
155 lbs.: Natan Levy vs. Mike Breeden — Levy def. Breeden by unanimous decision (29-28 x2, 30-27)
125 lbs.: Gina Mazany vs. Shanna Young — Young def. Mazany by TKO (punches) at 3:11 of Round Two125 lbs.: Tatsuro Taira vs. Carlos Candelario CANCELED
UFC VEGAS 53 LIVE PLAY-BY-PLAY:
135 lbs.: Rob Font vs. Marlon Vera
Round 1: Low kick lands for Vera. Jab, front kick, right cross from Font in return. Vera low kick, Font 1-2. Vera tries a body kick, lands a straight left, eats a 1-2 a minute in. Very solid boxing from Font to start. Clean uppercut on the fence. Right cross and knee. Vera marching through it, targeting the lead leg. Elbow from Font inside. Two minutes in. Clinch uppercuts. Nice body shots from Font. 1-2. Vera front kick and low kick met by hard right hands. Two minutes to go.
Font still putting together combinations. More low kicks from Vera as Font targets the head and body with heavy right hands. Counter right with a minute to go. Big uppercut. Another. More uppercuts and body work from Font. Vera tries a front kick, fires a body kick. 10-9 Font.
Round 2: Clean 1-2-3 from Font. Sharp straight left. He’s turning up the aggression. He catches a kick, cracks Vera with an elbow that “Chito” laughs off before coming back with a spinning back kick. One minute in. Low kick to head kick from Vera met by 1-s. Font to the body. Vera body kick, stiff jab. Font continuing to put together combinations and tag the body with right hands. 1-2-1 from Vera two minutes in. They trade low kicks. More clean boxing by Font, though a stiff jab gets his attention. Font right cross and knee. Two minutes to go.
Another calf kick from Vera, who eats a long combo in return before slamming home a body kick. Snap kick to the body, right crosses from Font in return. Clean uppercut, low kick exchange, Font left hook. Another volley by Font. One minute to go. Vera leaps in with a hard left hook that takes out Font’s legs. He shoots and Vera tries to put him out with elbows, but runs out of time. 10-9 Vera.
Round 3: Font staying aggressive, tries to wrench Vera to the mat. Vera turns to face him and puts him on the fence. Font tries an elbow on the break. Head kick to left hand from Vera. Font continuing to stalk and throw volume. One minute in. Jab exchange. Low kicks from Vera. Font body and low kicks. Straight left lands for Vera, front kick attempt two minutes in. Font splitting his guard, landing to the body. Font low kick, Vera up-jab. Long series of jabs land for Font. Nasty body shot. Clean elbow with two minutes to go.
Font rips the body, tries an elbow, ties up. Vera fires a knee on the break, cracks him with a right hand inside. Font just burying him in volume but can’t seem to hurt him, while Vera’s barely landing but everything he lands hurts Font. One minute to go. Font continuing to be the aggressor, but a jump knee splits his guard and puts him on rubber legs again. Vera blasts him with elbows, but once again gets denied by the bell. 10-9 Vera.
Round 4: Font again marching forward to try and reclaim the momentum. Vera tries a flying knee. Sneaky elbow by Vera. Body shot, eats a right cross a minute in. Font’s combinations still looks crisp. Brutal right cross and again Vera just walks through it. They clinch, Vera lands an elbow on the break. Two minutes in. Jabs and crosses piling up for Font as usual. Low kick exchange, left hook by Vera. Calf kick, stiff jab. More rights by Font, but Vera floors him yet again with a side kick to the face. Two minutes to go.
Vera standing over him. kicking at his legs. One minute to go. He ends up letting Font up, then fires a wheel kick. Left hook upstairs, another spin attempt. Oblique kick. 10-9 Vera.
Round 5: Font still going for it, rips the body. Vera laughs off an elbow. Lengthy combo from Font. One minute in. Font uppercut, Vera jabs. Font landing combinations on the fence. Body kick to left hand by Vera, then a body shot two minutes in. Front kick and left hook land for Vera. Font’s face is straight-up deformed at this point but he’s still blasting Vera with clean right hands. Counter hook by Vera after eating a 1-2-3. Two minutes to go.
Heavy jab snaps Font’s head back. Double jab behind it, low kick. Hard straight left. Vera tries an elbow, eats a right cross after whiffing a head kick. Another clean jab. Big looping uppercut from Font that Vera shakes off with a minute to go. Another good combo by Font. Jab exchange. Font rips the body, eats another heel kick to the face that wobbles him. Vera sprints after him with flying knees but can’t put him away. 10-9 Vera.
Final result: Vera def. Font by unanimous decision
265 lbs.: Andrei Arlovski vs. Jake Collier
Round 1: Arlovski tries a front kick, lands a knee as Collier puts him on the fence. Collier tries an outside trip, lands knees. One minute in. Arlovski circles off. Body jab and low kick from Collier, who puts him on the fence again and goes back to the knees. Arlovski exits two minutes in. Collier swings and both connect inside. Solid cross by Arlovski. Low kick and 1-2 met by a Collier left hook. Arlovski counter right, Collier left hook. Two minutes to go.
Low kick from Collier. Clash of heads. Arlovski lands a lead right when they resume, eats an elbow that cuts him. He tries a spinning elbow and Collier puts him on the fence. They separate with a minute to go. Knee from Arlovski, lead right. Body shot met by a Collier knee. Collier low kick. Arlovski flurries at the bell. 10-9 Collier.
Round 2: Both land jabs and crosses to start. Collier tries a leg kick. Arlovski combo to answer a leg kick. Another. One minute in. Cuffing left lands for Collier as he ties up. Separation. Arlovski tries an elbow, lands a three-piece. Collier jab, Arlovski lead right. Solid hooks from Collier. Two minutes in. Arlovski tries a front kick. Counter right, leg kick, lead right. Collier fires some two-piece combos, eats a right on the exit. Heavy right by Arlovski, eats a looping right in return. Stiff Arlovski jab prompts Collier to tie up. Two minutes to go.
Collier muscles Arlovski to his knees. Arlovski stands, eats some knees to the thigh, separates with a minute to go. Collier 1-2. Combo from Arlovski in return, Collier right cross. Exchanging punches. Arlovski pursues at the bell and lands a combination. 10-9 Arlovski in a close one.
Round 3: Collier tries a head kick, lands a body kick. One minute in. Jab exchange, clash of heads. Right cross from Arlovski when they resume. Knees in the clinch. 2-1 by Collier lands well. Two minutes in. Arlovski tries a head kick, eats a combination. Collier tries a head kick. Arlovski combination. Low kick lands for him. Flurry from Collier. Two minutes to go.
Collier grabs a front headlock, lands a knee, tries to spin on the break. Arlovski low kick, left hand exchange. Collier low kick, Arlovski left hook with a minute to go. Collier lands a good 1-2, then a jab behind it. 1-2 to answer a low kick. They exchange inside. Arlovski low kick, Collier 1-2. Collier hits a takedown in the waning seconds. 10-9 Collier.
Final result: Arlovski def. Collier by split decision
145 lbs.: Andre Fili vs. Joanderson Brito
Round 1: Low kicks from Brito to start. Left hands from Fili. Brito comes back with a jab, then levels Fili with an overhand right. Fili goes in and out of consciousness under the subsequent hammerfist onslaught and in comes the ref.
Final result: Brito def. Fili by TKO (punches)
155 lbs.: Jared Gordon vs. Grant Dawson
Round 1: They trade kicks to start. Front kick lands for Dawson, then a counter hook. Gordon looking to pile up leg kicks. Solid combination, avoids a head kick. They tie up and Gordon counters a trip into top position a minute in. Back to the feet. Dawson tries a wheel kick and shoots for a single-leg. Nice body lock, but he has to roll through to get out of a guillotine and they return to the feet. Two minutes in. Good exchange in center cage. Level elbow and body shot land for Gordon, who gives up a double-leg. Dawson jumps right onto his back. Full body triangle. Two minutes to go.
Gordon fighting the hands as Dawson swats him with left hands. One minute to go. More punches from Dawson. He continues to land until the bell. 10-9 Dawson.
Round 2: Gordon tries a head kick, lands a left hook and jab. Solid combination work. Well-timed shot by Dawson and he runs the pipe to drag him down again. Both hooks in as Gordon tries to stand. One minute in. Full body triangle. Hunting the RNC. Hard face crank. Two minutes in. Not as many punches from back mount this time but his control is rock-solid so far. Nice explosion from Gordon to get to his feet and Dawson shoots back in. Two minutes to go.
Gordon fights off a trip, dragged down by another. Now they separate. Gordon marching after him, just misses on a head kick. Low-high 2-3. One minute to go. Gordon swings, lands elbows in the clinch. Dawson changes levels and dumps him to the mat in return. Looking to retake the back. 10-9 Dawson.
Round 3: Gordon pressing forward, denies a level change. Dawson looking for combos. Low kick and right hand from Gordon, who clubs Dawson with right hands after denying a takedown. Dawson just barely misses with a jump knee, then shoots a minute in. Good defense by Gordon, but he lands a low blow. Dawson shoots back in and Gordon rolls free, firing uppercuts inside. Elbows by Dawson. Two minutes in. Gordon right cross, tripped to the mat chasing a guillotine. It’s enough to force Dawson to bail though. Slugging it out in the clinch. Both land combinations in sequence. Dawson slips on a spinning back fist and Gordon sprawls on him with two minutes to go.
Dawson muscles him to the fence and changes levels once again. Punches from Gordon as he defends, but Dawsom spins to his back and hunts the RNC again with a minute to go. He puts on the squeeze and there’s the tap.
Final result: Dawson def. Gordon by submission (rear naked choke)
145 lbs.: Darren Elkins vs. Tristan Connelly
Round 1: Elkins fakes a shot, lands a pair of clubbing rights, then takes Connelly down against the fence. Looking to take the back, wraps up an arm triangle, loses it and settles in guard. Continuing to chip away. Connelly works his way to the fence and tries to stand. Elkins trips him down again and looks for another arm triangle setup two minutes in. No dice and Connelly stands. They separate. Elkins fires a double-leg and dumps him back down into guard. Two minutes to go.
Elkins staying heavy. One minute to go. Connelly turns for a leglock, eats punches, and stands, Elkins still attached. Elkins tries to punch on the break. Right hand as he circles and they exchange in the waning seconds. 10-9 Elkins.
Round 2: Elkins pushing forward with jabs and crosses. He shoots, denied, eats knees on the way out. Long right from Elkins, who eats a hard low kick soon after. Clash of heads as Elkins ties up, then opens up against the fence before changing levels. They trade on the break. Elkins continuing to load up on the right hand, shoots, rebuffed. Both land inside before Elkins re-shoots. Successful double-leg and he avoids a guillotine on the way down. Two minutes in. Elkins takes the back, shows good balance to avoid falling over the top. Two minutes to go.
Elkins trying for the body triangle but loses position. Back to the feet. Right cross by Connelly, now pushing forward. Elkins comes back with a right hand. Combination. Low kick and knees from Connelly inside. One minute to go. Elkins counters a low kick with an overhand right. He pushes into the clinch with punches. Reactive single-leg and he ties up against the fence, and when Connelly grabs the fence on the way down, the ref resets them in that position. Elbow from Connelly, 1-2 from Elkins. Connelly tries a flying knee at the bell. 10-9 Elkins.
Round 3: Trading punches early, solid hook from Elkins. He shoots, denied. Both land on the break. Connelly fires a flying knee. Heavy elbows in the clinch, left hook from Elkins on the break a minute in. Low-high combo by Connelly. Elkins shoots, denied, eats an elbow and right hand. Connelly going to work against the fence, landing nice elbows. Elkins comes back with a series of heavy right hands. Clubbing each other in the clinch. Two minutes in. Connelly puts him on the fence and goes to work with dirty boxing. Elkins lands on the exit, eats a right hand. Connelly goes for a head kick. Connelly uppercut, Elkins right hands. Two minutes to go.
Well-timed double-leg puts Elkins back on top in guard. Looking for the back. Both hooks in, body triangle, dropping punches. One minute to go. Elkins continuing to drop hard right hands, then gets his forearm under the chin. Connelly fighting his hands and manages to break his grip. 10-9 Elkins.
Final result: Elkins def. Connelly by unanimous decision
185 lbs.: Krzysztof Jotko vs. Gerald Meerschaert
Round 1: Counter left lands for Jotko. Meerschaert lead left after getting backed to the fence. Low kick. Counter right from Jotko a minute in. Counter left soon after. Front kick appears to land for him, backing Meerschaert off. Counter right to rear waist lock. They separate two minutes in. Meerschaert finds a right hand inside, eats that same 3-2 counter left once again. Meerschaert’s pressuring but getting picked off. Two minutes to go.
Slow exchange near center cage. Meerschart looks for a body shot. They tie up with a minute to go and Meerschaert takes him to the fence. Jotko reverses. 10-9 Jotko.
Round 2: Meerschaert still wading forward. Right hand into the clinch, can’t spin Jotko to the mat a minute in. Jotko tries a knee on the break. Meerschaert leg kick answered in kind. Two minutes in. Jotko continuing to look for check hooks as Meerschaert advances and puts him on the fence again. Solid whizzer by Jotko to defend. He moves to a body lock and lands knees to the thigh. Two minutes to go.
Jotko grinding against the fence. One minute to go. Jotko drags him down into side control, avoids a guillotine, settles in guard. Short ground-and-pound through the final minute. 10-9 Jotko.
Round 3: Check hook lands for Jotko. Another slow-mo exchange. Meerschaert low kick. Jotko ties up, shoots, denied. Level elbow attempt, check hook a minute in. Check hook to takedown for Jotko puts him on top in guard. Meerschaert gets a whizzer and stands two minutes in. Looking to change levels on the fence, nothing doing. They trade, knee and left cross by Jotko. He tries an elbow and head kick. Two minutes to go.
Another quick double-leg by Jotko and he’s in guard again. Meerschaert tosses up a triangle, no dice. Jotko looking for side control. Meerschaert turns to his knees, tries to sit through, ends up on the bottom in half guard. One minute to go. Jotko lets him up before the bell. 10-9 Jotko.
Final result: Jotko def. Meerschaert by unanimous decision
265 lbs.: Chase Sherman vs. Alexandr Romanov
Round 1: Romanov shoots within 10 seconds and drags Sherman to the mat. Sherman stands, gets suplexed into half guard. Sherman works his way up a minute in, dragged right back down from the high crotch. Side control for Romanov. Full mount. He postures up and drops some bombs. Americana attempt and there’s the tap.
Final result: Romanov def. Sherman by submission (americana)
125 lbs.: Daniel da Silva vs. Francisco Figueiredo
Round 1: Low kicks from Figueiredo to start. Spinning back kick by da Silva. Solid body kick from Figueiredo, who gets taken down into guard. One minute in. da Silva tries to pass, but Figueiredo wraps up a kneebar in transition and forces a quick tap.
Final result: Figueiredo def. da Silva by submission (kneebar)
170 lbs.: Gabe Green vs. Yohan Lainesse
Round 1: Body kick from Lainesse. Low kicks fall short, as does an overhand right. More low kicks from Lainesse. One minute in. Green tries a combo and they trade leg kicks. Lainesse wobbles him with a looping right and a left hook behind it, but Green gets his feet under him quickly. Cuffing right by Lainesse two minutes in. Body kick. Continuing to throw volume at range. Green uncharacteristically passive so far, gets taken down with two minutes to go.
Half guard for Lainesse. Green stands, gets caught in a front headlock, separates. One minute to go. More low kicks from Lainesse, then a left hook. Green falling short with most of his punches. Solid flurry by Green late, tanks a right hand in return. 10-9 Lainesse.
Round 2: Green looking a bit more active, lands a right hook. Low kicks from Lainesse, eats a body kick in return. More Green low kicks and he denies a takedown. Flying knee attempt, but he gets dropped by a loaded-up bomb of a right hand. Lainesse follows him down into side control, can’t keep him down. Holding onto a front headlock, knee on the break. Low kick connects, half-speed spinning back fist. Two minutes in. Green back on the advance, easily sprawls on a shot, gets taken down looking for the back. North-south for Lainesse. Slick attempt at a back transition and RNC, but he can’t get it. Green manages to stand and separate with two minutes to go.
Trading leather as Green marches forward. Body kick by Green. Flying knee attempt. Lainesse looking gassed and Green tees off on his body against the fence. Lainesse falls to his seat and Green polishes him off with punches.
Final result: Green def. Lainesse by TKO (punches)
155 lbs.: Natan Levy vs. Mike Breeden
Round 1: Breeden marching forward, lands a body kick and trips him into half guard. Levy uses the fence to work his way up and separates. Low kick connects. One minute in. Hook kick attempt, body kick. Breeden catches a head kick and Levy falls for a leglock. No dice, back to neutral. Two minutes in. Levy low kick and they trade right hands. Breeden combo. Continuing to stalk forward. Levy body kick. They clinch and Levy takes a low blow.. Two minutes to go.
Knee from Levy to answer a body kick. Breeden fires a heavy combo on the fence, gets dinged by a head kick and Levy looks for a leg once again. No dice. Levy to the body. They trade punches with a minute to go. Low-high 2-3 by Levy, low kick met by a flurry from Breeden. Levy hits a takedown and grabs a body lock as Breeden stands. Back down they go. Knees to the body from Levy. He tries a head kick on the break. 10-9 Levy.
Round 2: Breeden pushing forward with power shots. Low single by Levy into a seatbelt grip. He considers a guillotine setup, settles for a body lock and pulls Breeden back down. One minute in. Back up, back down. Levy keeping control but can’t properly take the back. Back down, back up. Grinding against the fence. Breeden gets double unders and turns to face him two minutes in. Looking for foot sweeps. Levy separates. Body kick, unsuccessful double-leg. Breeden puts him on the fence. Two minutes to go.
Breeden lands a body shot, eats a counter left. Breeden continuing to pressure, gets backed off by a left hook and nearly folds from a body kick. Levy tries a wheel kick, then drags him down and follows with hammer fists. One minute to go. Back to the up-down sequences. Levy looking for the back again. Breeden turns to face and they separate. Breeden stalking forward and throwing. 10-9 Levy.
Round 3: Breeden wading in with more power shots, landing on the fence. Levy shoots, denied. Check hook. Levy tries a foot sweep and briefly clinches. One minute in. Good work inside from Breeden. Levy counter left, Breeden body shots. Levy shoots, tries to pull guard. He’s tired. Breeden ripping the body. Levy steps in with a knee, tries an elbow, can’t land a takedown. Straight left lands for him. Hard knee by Breeden. He calls Levy up. They trade straights. Levy still landing counters but he’s exhausted and Breeden’s continuing to march forward. Hard Breeden body shots, sprawls on a level change. Two minutes to go.
Levy head kick. Breeden backs him to the fence and rips more body shots. Levy 1-2, Breeden elbow and body shots. Levy uppercut, Breeden elbow. Brief clinch. Levy landing counters and he drops Breeden with a left hand. Breeden’s unsteady, avoids a wheel kick and has to fight off a takedown. One minute to go. Levy can’t complete it. Heavy combo lands for him though. Snap kicks downstairs, straight left. Breeden hauls him to the fence. Levy tries to spin and they slug until the bell. 10-9 Levy.
Final result: Levy def. Breeden by unanimous decision
125 lbs.: Gina Mazany vs. Shanna Young
Round 1: Trading hands to start. Mazany putting together punches, hauls Young to the fence. She ties up once again a minute in. Knees to the thigh inside. Two minutes in. Young turns and separates. Low kick connects, then a good knee inside that briefly drops Young. Young pops up and lands a right cross. Mazany tossing out kicks. Two minutes to go.
Young straight right. Mazany body shots. Low kick from Young, body kick from Mazany. One minute to go. Quick exchange in center cage. They end the round trading in the center. 10-9 Mazany.
Round 2: Both women leaning on kicks. Mazany left hand and body shot. Some more straight lefts land for her a minute in. Another, gets matador’d when she tries to shoot. Young 1-2. Teep, counter jab. Mazany punches into the clinch two minutes in and goes for a throw, but ends up on her back. She gets up, dragged back down into side control. Young takes her back and flattens her out, dropping punches. Mazany curls up and there’s the finish.
Final result: Young def. Mazany by TKO (punches)
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