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Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) is staging one of its best pay-per-view (PPV) events this weekend (Sat., Aug. 17, 2019), UFC 241, inside Honda Center in Anaheim, California. UFC 241, which requires a subscription to ESPN+ to purchase, will be headlined by the five-round Heavyweight title rematch between reigning division kingpin, Daniel Cormier, against the man he lifted the belt off of at UFC 221 more than one year ago, Stipe Miocic. Meanwhile, former Lightweight champion, Anthony Pettis, will welcome back Nate Diaz to the Octagon after a three-year hiatus in UFC 241’s highly-anticipated Welterweight co-main event. Oh, and two of the most impressive Middleweight specimens, Yoel Romero (No. 2) and Paulo Costa (No. 7) will lock horns in additional PPV main card action, with the winner possibly earning a future 185-pound title shot. UFC 241 is going to be bananas … and we’ve got you covered all night long below.
MMAmania.com will deliver LIVE round-by-round, blow-by-blow coverage of the entire UFC 241 fight card below, starting with the UFC Fight Pass “Prelims” matches online, which are scheduled to begin at 6:30 p.m. ET, then the remaining undercard balance on ESPN at 8 p.m. ET, before the PPV main card start time at 10 p.m. ET on ESPN+.
Keep in mind that we will also be the spot for the latest news, recaps, and post-fight analysis following “Cormier vs Miocic 2.” Without further delay, see below for the latest UFC 241 results. (Note: This will go from the bottom up; therefore, scroll toward the bottom for the latest detailed round-by-round action.)
UFC 241 QUICK RESULTS:
UFC Heavyweight Champion Daniel Cormier vs. Stipe Miocic — Miocic def. Cormier by TKO (punches) at 4:09 of Round Four — HIGHLIGHTS!
Nate Diaz vs. Anthony Pettis — Diaz def. Pettis by unanimous decision (30-27 x2, 29-28) — HIGHLIGHTS!
Paulo Costa vs. Yoel Romero — Costa def. Romero by unanimous decision (29-28 x3) — HIGHLIGHTS!
Gabriel Benitez vs. Sodiq Yusuff — Yusuff def. Benitez — Yusuff def. Benitez by TKO (punches) at 4:14 of Round One
Derek Brunson vs. Ian Heinisch — Brunson def. Heinisch by unanimous decision (29-28 x3)
Devonte Smith vs. Khama Worthy — Worthy def. Smith by TKO (punches) at 4:15 of Round One — HIGHLIGHTS!
Raphael Assuncao vs. Cory Sandhagen — Sandhagen def. Assuncao by unanimous decision (30-27 x2, 29-28)
Christos Giagos vs. Drakkar Klose — Klose def. Giagos by unanimous decision (29-28 x3)
Manny Bermudez vs. Casey Kenney — Kenney def. Bermudez by unanimous decision (29-28 x3)
Hannah Cifers vs. Jodie Esquibel — Cifers def. Esquibel by unanimous decision (30-28, 30-27 x2)
Brandon Davis vs. Kang Kyung-Ho — Kang def. Davis by split decision (28-29, 29-28 x2)
Shana Dobson vs. Sabina Mazo — Mazo def. Dobson by unanimous decision (30-24, 30-25 x2)
UFC 241 LIVE PLAY-BY-PLAY UPDATES:
UFC Heavyweight Champion Daniel Cormier vs. Stipe Miocic
Round one: Cormier on the front foot early, lands some leg kicks. He fakes a level change, fires a left hook. One minute in. Quick jab by Cormier. 2-3 lands. Lead left hook. Another overhand right, left hook, takedown attempt. He lifts Miocic into the air and, after a delay, slams him down two minutes in. Cormier on top in half guard. Miocic regains guard with two minutes to go.
Cormier still on top in guard. One minute to go. Now he postures up a bit for some bigger shots. Upkick from Miocic, scrambles to his knees. Hard hammerfists from Cormier. Miocic still driving, eats elbows. 10-9 Cormier.
Round two: Miocic tries some early combos, lands a knee downstairs. 1-2 and body kick land, nice uppercut. Cormier just misses with an overhand a minute in. Jab, 3-2, elbow from Cormier. Right cross by Miocic. Cormier lands a jab upstairs and they trade in the center. Miocic claims an eyepoke, then hurts Cormier with an uppercut and left hook. Left hook soon after. Uppercut and hook by Miocic, Cormier right hands. Big 1-2 by Cormier. They tie up and Miocic puts him on teh fence. They separate and Miocic lands some 1s and 2s. Both land near the fence. Right cross exchange. Two minutes to go.
These guys are trading some big shots. Cormier still wading after him, firing combos. Miocic with a clean 1-2, overhand by Cormier in return. Nice uppercut by the champ, then an overhand right on the break. One minute to go. 1-2 from Miocic, left hook from Cormier. Combination by Cormier in the center. Cormier body kick, big combination by Cormier. They trade on the fence. 10-9 Cormier.
Round three: Cormier continues his advance. 1-2 from Miocic. Jab and low kick land. He changes levels, stuffed, eats a right hand on the way up. Jabs landing for Cormier. One minute in. Counter right from Miocic, tight right from Cormier in return. Swinging big in the center. They tie up and Miocic looks for a trip. Uppercut lands for him. Pressing Cormier against the fence. Miocic tries a spinning elbow on the break. Combinations land for him. Cormier landing come jabs. Technical difficulties again; by the time it comes back, the round’s over. Based on what I saw, 10-9 Miocic.
Round four: Miocic the one moving forward this time. Low kick lands. Double jab. Leg kick from Cormier. 2-3 lands for him. One minute in. Jab from Miocic. Trading jabs, Cormier landing more. Miocic digs a left downstairs, then another. To the head this time. Two minutes in. Lead right lands for Cormier. Miocic digs another liver shot, then another. Another body shot and another. Comrier slinging right hands in return, eats more body shots. Two minutes to go.
Cormier pops him with a right straight. Anotehr liver shot by Miocic, another. Cormier with a 1-2. More body shots and a right cross from Miocic. Liver shot and 1-2 and Cormier’s hurt! Miocic unloads until Cormier goes down against the fence and he has reclaimed the title.
Final result: Miocic def. Cormier by TKO (punches)
?170 lbs.: Nate Diaz vs. Anthony Pettis
Round one: Diaz advancing, Pettis circling. Teep by Diaz. He walks into a pair of right hooks. Low kick and counter hook land for Pettis. Diaz eats another set of counter hooks as he walks into the clinch a minute in. Short lefts in the clinch. Diaz fires a knee, eats a body shot on the break. Pettis catches him leaning with a head kick. Two minutes in. Both men doing a bit of showboating. Diaz walks back into the clinch, fires knees to the thigh. Swatting right hook after they separate. Having some technical issues, I apologize. Two minutes to go.
I get my feed back with Diaz looking for the back. Pettis surviving on the ground but Diaz has both hooks in. Runs out of time. 10-9 Diaz.
Round two: Pettis lands a leg kick, slips, lands a counter as Diaz puts him on the fence. Pettis separates. Stiff jab lands. Both try to slap the other. Hard right hook from Pettis, tries a leg kick. One minute in. Diaz’s left eye is bothering him. Pettis rips a right hand downstairs, left hook when Diaz tries to open up. The ref pauses to check out Diaz’s eye. Diaz assures the doctor he’s fine. Pettis lands a lead right, just misses with a head kick. Diaz looks uncomfortable but puts him on the fence two minutes in. Good 1-2 and knee to the body. Pettis with another clean right hand to the body. Diaz with a body kick. Pettis hands him a rear waist lock, gets taken down. Diaz lands a knee after they stand. Two minutes to go.
Hard elbow by Diaz. Good clinchwork. Pettis sits down on some heavy punches but he looks gassed. Diaz landing solid shots on the fence. Jumping knee by Pettis, knee and right hook by Pettis in return. One minute to go. Pettis elbow, Diaz body shot. Pettis looks exhausted but they’re trading. Big shots from Diaz. 10-9 Diaz.
Round three: Diaz puts him back on the fence and they trade at close range. Short uppercut by Diaz. Pettis’ right ankle is damaged. One minute in. Diaz continues to pressure. Hard 1-2. Pettis tries to spin, blasted with knees. Pettis turns his back, falls under the onslaught. Diaz taking his back. Both hooks in. Pettis manages to reverse into guard. Two minutes to go.
Good elbow from Pettis. He briefly stands over Diaz and Diaz waves him on. Diaz goes for an armbar, takes top position when Pettis looks for the back. Pettis rolls to his knees. Punches from Diaz. He takes the back, both hooks in. Pettis again manages to reverse into guard, avoids a triangle. 10-9 Diaz.
Final result: Diaz def. Pettis by unanimous decision
185 lbs.: Paulo Costa vs. Yoel Romero
Round one: Costa on the front foot early. Romero threatening kicks, falls short with a left hand Head kick from Romero and he shoots, lands an uppercut on the way up. Both throw lefts at the same time and Romero goes down! Costa tries to press the advantage and gets crushed by a right hook in return! Somehow, both survive the exchange intact and go back to the center. Body kick from Costa, pressuring well. He’s keeping Romero on the fence. Two minutes in. Spinning back fist attempt from Romero. Costa pressuring, eats a hard left hand. Right hook lands for Costa, body kick afterwards. Costa opening up on the fence. Romero suddenly comes back with a flying knee and a left behind it. He forces Costa back, only to crumple from a knee to the balls. He takes some time to recover. Two minutes to go.
Romero fires an overhand left. Costa tries a head kick. Check hook stings Romero, who comes back with a 3-2. Costa with a heavy combination on the fence. Romero with a hard combo in return. One minute to go. Body kick from Costa. Romero with a left hook. Counter left wobbles Costa. Romero counter 1-2. Costa tries a wheel kick. Overhand right at the bell. 10-9 Costa.
Round two: Costa continues to pressure, lands an overhand right. Good body kick. Leg kick soon after, then a pair of body kicks. Left hook downstairs. One minute in. Couple of left hook land for Costa. Overhand right. Swinging big on the fence. Romero sticks his tongue out at him. Straight right connects, met by a body kick. Two minutes in. Oblique kick by Romero, jabs upstairs. Costa body kick. More Romero jabs. Two minutes to go.
Body shot exchange. Romero continues to fire jabs. Costa backs him to the fence, can’t keep him there. Costa looks like he might be slowing down, but lands a clean right hand. One minute to go. Costa digs a hook to the body. Costa focusing on the midsection, lands an overhand right. Body kick from Romero, continuing to taunt Costa. Uppercut by Romero. Romero hits a blast double at the bell. 10-9 Costa.
Round three: Costa going back to the pressure. Low kicks from Romero, hard straight left and a big uppercut. Body kicks from Costa. One minute in. Right cross by Costa. Romero lands a left straight that busts up Costa’s nose. Costa takes an eye poke. They trade in the center when they resume. Left hand by Romero, jab from Costa. Costa going back to the body two minutes in. Romero fires a combination. Straight left by Romero, pressuring for a second. Costa comes back with a body kick and rips some body punches. Backfist catches Costa unawares. Romero on the attack with two minutes to go.
Costa waving him on and they’re trading. Big uppercut by Romero. Left hands land. Uppercut , left hand, right backfist. Romero pressuring. One minute to go. Body kick and head kick from Costa. Romero wades forward, eats another body shot. They trade in the center. Inside trip from Romero, can’t establish. Costa tries a spinning back fist. 10-9 Romero.
Final result: Costa def. Romero by unanimous decision
145 lbs.: Gabriel Benitez vs. Sodiq Yusuff
Round one: They start the round trading heat. Big kicks from Benitez, looping rights from Yusuff. Low kick from Benitez. Two more hard right hands land for Yusuff. Marching after Benitez. Low-high two-piece. One minute in. Low kick from Benitez. Straight left. Yusuff lands a leg kick of his own, eats a harder one in return. Another Yusuff leg kick answered in kind. Two minutes in. Yusuff tries a head kick. They trade in the center. Benitez landing left hands, drops Yusuff with a cross. Yusuff trying to throw back after standing. Swatting left lands for him. Two minutes to go.
Yusuff looking for counter hooks. Hard straight lefts coming back at him, landing clean. One minute to go. Benitez tries to press the advantage and gets clobbered by a counter right. A few more punches secure the finish.
Final result: Yusuff def. Benitez by TKO (punches)
185 lbs.: Derek Brunson vs. Ian Heinisch
Round one: Heinisch on the advance, crushes Brunson with a clean head kick. Brunson somehow survives and wraps him up, looking for a slam. Can’t get it, takes Heinisch to the fence. They separate. One minute in. Straight left from Brunson. 1-2 falls just short. Heinisch clips him with a lead right and left hook. Brunson staying patient, but throwing hard. Head kick blocked, straight left lands. Two minutes in. Falling short with their punches. Heinisch lands a lead right, shoots, stuffed. Body kick from Brunson. Two minutes to go.
Heinisch shakes off a low blow. Brunson tries a head kick, shoots. Heinisch defending the single-leg and they trade while he’s on one leg. One minute to go and they separate. Head kick attempt from Brunson answered in kind. Counter right dings Heinisch as he steps in. Brunson shoots, puts him on the fence, looks for a slam and lands a left on the break. 10-9 Heinisch.
Round two: Heinisch tries another head kick, blocked. Brunson left blocked. He backs Heinisch to the fence, appears to briefly drop him with a left and sprawls on a shot a minute in. Heinisch stands and separates. Brunson head kick attempt. Counter straight left, another behind it and he defends a shot. Heinisch comes back with a lead right. Two minutes in. Head kick attempt by Brunson, Heinisch comes back with a body kick. Brunson starting to turn it on, forces him back with a combo and denies a shot. Hard punches on the way up. Two minutes to go.
They trade lefts on the break. Jab from Heinisch. Heinisch tries a flying knee, attempts to flurry when Brunson slips on a head kick. One minute to go. Body kick lands for Brunson. Head kick attempt. Heinisch shoots, denied, eats hard lefts on the way up. 10-9 Brunson.
Round three: Good exchanges in the center to start the round. Brunson transitions from a single-leg to a suplex, can’t keep him down. Brunson puts him on the fence. One minute in. They separate and Brunson lands some left hands. Body kick. Counter left. Again, another looping left behind it. Heinisch looking labored. Body kick lands for Brunson. Heinisch shoots, sprawled on, lands a 1-2. Two minutes in. Brunson gets a body lock and hits an outside trip. Can’t get the back, avoids a low single from Heinisch as they separate. Elbow from Heinisch, left hand by Brunson in the clinch. Good trading. Straight left by Brunson with two minutes to go.
Brunson body kick lands. Jab from Heinisch. Hard right hand lands for him. Another afterwards. Brunson comes back with a straight left, eats a jab. Brunson looks for a single-leg, loses it. One minute to go. Body kick by Brunson. Heinisch still marching after him, eats another body kick. They’re both spent. Heinisch throwing arm punches, Brunson countering. Straight left from Brunson. He shoots, stuffed. 10-9 Brunson.
Final result: Brunson def. Heinisch by unanimous decision
155 lbs.: Devonte Smith vs. Khama Worthy
Round one: Worthy tossing out low kicks. Body kick from Smith. Just kicks so far for the most part. Worthy with a teep downstairs a minute in. Low kick lands. Just a sparring session at the moment. Two minutes in. Worthy takes a finger in the eye throwing a 1-2. He doesn’t take long. Counter combination connects. They trade low kicks. 1-2 from Worthy. Two minutes to go.
Back to trading leg kicks. Worthy’s are to the thigh, Smith’s to the calf. One minute to go. Smith steps in with a right hand and gets clobbered by a counter left hand that takes his legs out. Worthy follows up with ground-and-pound and the card’s biggest underdog claims the TKO victory.
Final result: Worthy def. Smith by TKO (punches)
135 lbs.: Raphael Assuncao vs. Cory Sandhagen
Round one: Assuncao answers a low kick with a two-piece. Again. Fast start to the fight. Sandhagen switching stance as he advances. Slick uppercut through the guard. Counters from AssuncaoOne minute in. Low kick from Sandhagen. Body kick by Assuncao. Sandhagen answers with a body shot of his own. 1-2 by Assuncao met by a leg kick. Another leg kick. Two minutes in. Sandhagen showing some good head movement to avoid the counters. 1-2 buzzes Assuncao. Left hook to the body, leg kick. Body kick. Right hand downstairs. Two minutes to go.
Counter left lands for Assuncao. Sandhagen ties up, takes some knees downstairs. He briefly tries to change levels. They separate. Sandhagen back on the advance, lands a shifting right hook. One minute to go. Flying knee from Sandhagen. He digs a right downstairs and clinches. 10-9 Sandhagen.
Round two: Sandhagen still pressing forward, staying out of range of most of Assuncao’s return fire. Body shot lands for Assuncao. Sandhagen ties up with underhooks. One minute in. They separate. Assuncao catches a body kick and looks for the back. He’s too low and Sandhagen spins into top position. They scramble and now it’s Sandhagen on the back. Assuncao works his way to his feet, Sandhagen still attached. They roll and now it’s Assuncao with a rear waist lock on the feet. Sandhagen latches onto a kimura, loses it, looks for a leg. Assuncao defends, gets on top, drops hard punches. Two minutes to go.
Looking for the back. Sandhagen turns, takes top position in guard. Assuncao sits up and grabs a leg. Sandhagen defends and they roll. Assuncao in a weird omoplata-esque position with a leg and arm in his grip. Sandhagen knees him in the butt for a while. Wild round. 10-9 Assuncao?
Round three: Sandhagen back on the advance, firing leg kicks. Counter left from Assuncao. Sandhagen leg kick. Left hook to the body. Overhand right by Assuncao, right straight comes back at him a minute in. Stiff jab from Sandhagen. Assuncao looks for a single-leg, can’t keep him down. Sandhagen straight right. He lands to the body, ties up. Assuncao with a right on the break. Two minutes in. Assuncao catches a body kick for the same rear waist lock transition as the previous round. Can’t establish on teh takedown and they separate. Sandhagen firing jabs. Two minutes to go.
Assuncao lands a jab of his own, avoids an uppercut. Leg kick from Sandhagen, fades away from a left. Assuncao gets a body lock again. He gets a high crotch and slams Sandhagen down. Again Sandhagen stands immediately with a minute to go. Jab exchange. Another flying knee form Sandhagen just misses. He uses a kimura to break the clinch. Another knee attempt. Counter left from Assuncao. 10-9 Sandhagen.
Final result: Sandhagen def. Assuncao by unanimous decision
155 lbs.: Christos Giagos vs. Drakkar Klose
Round one: Klose moving forward, eats a body kick. Giagos with a counter right a minute in, buzzes Klose with a counter left as they exchange. Klose ties up, knees the body as Giagos reverses. Trading knees downstairs. Two minutes in. They separate. Low kick from Giagos, right hand and knee as Klose ties up. He takes Klose to the fence. Two minutes to go.
Knee to the body from Giagos. Klose reverses and separates, eating a 1-2 soon after. Knee by Giagos. Low kick. One minute to go. 1-2 downstairs. 2-3. Klose having issues dealing with Giagos’ versatility. He puts Giagos on the fence. Giagos fires a knee, eats a right at the bell. 10-9 Giagos.
Round two: Some crazy exchanges to start the round, both men landing big. Giagos fires a body kick and takes him down into guard. Klose works his way up, Giagos still attached. One minute in. Klose with some knees. Giagos changes levels and dumps him into guard. Quick pass to side control, takes the back as Klose tries to stand. Giagos wraps up the RNC, doesn’t have it under the chin. Two minutes in. Giagos still looking to wrap it up again. He’s going to slip off. Klose gets out he back door. 1-2, knees from Giagos. Hard combinations landing. Klose stuffs a takedown with two mintues to go.
Big uppercuts and elbows by Klose. Giagos tries a desperate shot, falls to his back as Klose cracks him with punches. When he stands, Klose trips him back down, kicks his body, drops a hammerfist. One minute to go. Posturing up for some brutal punches. He takes side control, lands elbows that split Giagos open. 10-9 Klose.
Round three: Klose back on the advance, walking through Giagos’ shots. He puts Giagos on teh fence. Elbow and knee. Body shot from Giagos. Leg kick knocks Giagos over, he doesn’t capitalize. Giagos whiffs on an uppercut, lands a two-piece counter. Giagos lands a body kick, tries to shoot, eats a knee. Trading big punches. Low kick by Klose. 1-2 from Giagos. Left hand, right cross. Two minutes in. Big counter right. Klose absorbs it and lands some dirty boxing. Giagos cracks him with a cross, then one from southpaw. Giagos might actually be winning this round, constantly picking Klose off. Klose refuses to acknowledge it though, still marching forward. Big 1-2 by Giagos. Another right cross. HE shoots, stuffed. Klose puts him on the fence. Two minutes to go.
Giagos reverses, then they separate. Giagos bleeding again. Klose leg kick, Giagos body kick. Klose shoots, hauls Giagos into the air, holds him for a bit, then slams him. One minute to go. Klose on top in side control. Giagos rolls to his knees, working his way up. Giagos cracks him with a left hand, still slugging. They trade until the end. 10-9 Giagos.
Final result: Klose def. Giagos by unanimous decision
140 lbs.: Manny Bermudez vs. Casey Kenney
Round one: Kenney tries a jumping switch kick to start. Low kicks connect. Bermudez comes back with a combo, cracks him with a counter left. He tries a knee, takes a counter hook. One minute in. Bermudez ties up and takes him down. Casey threatens a toe hold in return. Nothing doing, Bermudez sets up on top in half guard. Two minutes in. Bermudez looks for mount, Kenney stands and throws him into half guard. Side control now. Two minutes to go.
Bermudez could take the back if he can get to his side but Kenney is staying heavy. One minute to go. Kenney gets a whizzer and stands. Trading knees inside. 1-2 from Kenney on the break. 1-2 again, low kick, spinning back kick. They trade inside. 10-9 Kenney.
Round two: Low kicks from Kenney, tries to spin. Bermudez shoots against the fence. He completes the takedown, ends up on top in side control. Kenney trying to invert for the sweep. One minute in. Kenney makes it on top into side control. Bermudez regains half guard in a weird fashion and now he’s looking to sweep. Kenney winds up taking the back and threatening a choke with one hook in. Bermudez turns to his side, eats an elbow. Kenney in side control with two minutes to go.
Hammerfists, looking for the back again as Bermudez turtles. Kenney abandons it when Bermudez looks to slip out the back door. Right cross from Bermudez, left hook after catches a kick. He drags Kenney to the mat. Looking for the back. Kenney sweeps into guard, drops a hard left hand. 10-9 Kenney.
Round three: Bermudez back on the advance, eats a left hand. Low kick from Kenney, counter left again. Big 3-2. Bermudez throwing hard, lands a combination on the fence as Kenney throws back. One minute in. One minute in. Kenney puts him on the fence. Knees to the thigh, hits an outside trip into side control. Bermudez kicks off the fence to sweep into side control in return. Two minutes in. Kenney tries an arm triangle from the bottom. Bermudez looking for mount. Kenney regains half guard. Two minutes to go.
Bermudez looking for a guillotine. Kenney wriggles out, still on the bottom in half guard. Good pressure from Bermudez. One minute to go. Right hands from Bermudez. Kenney nearly hits a sweep, can’t get it. 10-9 Bermudez.
Final result: Kenney def. Bermudez by unanimous decision
115 lbs.: Hannah Cifers vs. Jodie Esquibel
Round one: Low kick from Cifers to start. Lots of feinting, no real strikes yet. They trade in the center before the one-minute mark. Right hand by Cifers. Esquibel with some rights of her own. Esquibel shoots, eats a right as she’s denied. Two minutes in. Some more quick exchanges. Nobody really standing out. Body kick and right cross connect for Cifers, who takes a glancing head kick to the face but shrugs it off. Two minutes to go.
Esquibel left hand, counter right by Cifers in return. One minute to go. Esquibel shoots, stuffed, they slug inside. Head kick attempt. Cifers leg kick as Esquibel tries to open up. Counter right again from Cifers. Esquibel with a well-timed shot, stuffed. 10-9 Cifers.
Round two: Esquibel tries to step in with a left hook. Both try kicks up top. Cifers with a counter right a minute in. Cifers lands a combination, denies a takedown. She starts focusing on leg kicks, but gets taken down for it. Esquibel on top in guard. She doesn’t do enough for the ref. Cifers catches a head kick and takes her down, landing short shots. Esquibel works her way up and separates, then shoots again but lands in a triangle. Two minutes to go.
Cifers loses it, is still going for some kind of armbar. She transitions to an omoplata sweep, can’t establish top position and they stand. One minute to go. Lots of moving, not much engagement. Esquibel fires a pair of kicks, two-piece from Cifers in return. Closer round. 10-9 Cifers.
Round three: Esquibel falling short with lefts. Leg kick from Cifers. They’re circling outside of each other’s range. One minute in. Cifers tries a head kick. Jabs from Esquibel. Cifers with a counter right. Leg kick bothers Esquibel, body kick behind it. Two minutes in. Well-timed takedown into guard by Esquibel. Two minutes to go.
Short rights from Esquibel. Ref stands them up. Cifers eats a teep, lands low kicks with a minute to go. More kicks from Cifers. Body kick exchange. Counter right by Cifers, body kick behind it. Esquibel shoots, stuffed, shoots again, swept and Cifers opens up on the way up. 10-9 Cifers.
Final result: Cifers def. Esquibel by unanimous decision
135 lbs.: Brandon Davis vs. Kang Kyung-Ho
Round one: Davis opening with low kicks. Kang with a couple of straight rights. Right hand exchange. Kang shoots and they jockey for position. Davis separates with a knee a minute in. Kang landing his jab. Several landing. Low kicks still landing for Davis, knock Kang over. Body shot, low kick. Jab stings Davis in return. Two minutes in. Kang answers a low kick with a right hand. Another leg kick from Davis and another. Kang still landing his jab, takes a right hand. Two minutes to go.
They trade left hooks. Body kick from Kang. Jabs land, then he drops Davis with a right straight. Kang jumps on his back as he stands. One minute to work, one hook in but not in a great angle. Davis falls back to half guard, nearly gives up mount. 10-9 Kang.
Round two: Trading punches to start the round. Davis leg kick, -3 from Kang. Kang counter left. He shoots, Davis sprawls and tries to turn for a submission, but gives up top position. One minute in. Davis on his rear against the fence, Kang low on his legs. Now full guard. Davis opens his guard, lands a hard upkick but has to fight off a back take. Davis gets on top two minutes in. Kang uses the cage to stand and separates. Low kick from Davis. He tries a knee in the center, doesn’t land. Davis leg kick, Kang jab. Two minutes to go.
Kang switches to southpaw, takes a body shot. Davis leg kicks and punching combination. Lead right cross lands for Kang and he starts to pressure. Davis throwing hard in return, lands right hands. One minute to go. Davis to the body. Kang left hook. Low kick from Davis. Ref finally gives Davis his mouthpiece back after about a minute. Trading in the center, hard low kick again makes Kang switch to southpaw. Flying knee attempt by Davis. 10-9 Davis.
Round three: Davis continues to punish the leg, but slips while throwing a kick and gives up side control. Ref stands them up from side control a minute in. Kang just hits a blast double right back into side control. Two minutes in. Davis stands, almost gives up his back as he does. Davis swinging big. Kang comes back with a right hand. Two minutes to go.
Kang shoots again, dumps him into guard. Kang staying heavy, landing some short punches as Davis comes back with elbows. One minute to go. Decent punches from Kang. 10-9 Kang.
Final result: Kang def. Davis by split decision
125 lbs.: Shana Dobson vs. Sabina Mazo
Round one: Trading low kicks to start. 1-2 from Dobson. Body kick hurts Dobson and Mazo attacks, firing knees in the clinch. She changes levels for a takedown into guard. One minute in. Right hands and elbows landing for her. Two minutes in. Dobson hits a nice sweep, can’t quite take the back and ends up back in guard. Body punches now from Mazo. Two minutes to go.
Mazo looking for side control, stuck in half guard. Dobson stands, eats a some knees. Dobson lands a knee in return, gets taken down soon after. One minute to go. Mazo moves into mount. Sharp elbow lands. Not quite a 10-8 but all Mazo so far, 10-9.
Round two: Mazo goes right back to the body kick, mixing in some to the head and leg. Dobson catches a kick, lands a right hand and shoots. Mazo defends, gets the Thai plum and puts her on the fence. One minute in. Knees from Mazo. Dobson lands a couple in return. More knees by Mazo. Two minutes in. Still on the fence. Mazo knees, Dobson elbows. Uppercut from Dobson. Mazo changes levels and puts her on her rear with two minutes to go.
Mazo on top in half guard. Trying to get her leg out with a minute to go. Dobson stands, eats a knee on the way up. 2-1 from Dobson. Mazo continuing to fire kicks. Dobson whiffs on an overhand. 10-9 Mazo.
Round three: Dobson marching forward, looking for big right swings. Mazo lands a jab, still throwing lead-leg kick. Right cross from Dobson met by more jabs. Body kick by Mazo. One minute in. Another body kick. More jabs. Dobson falling short with the haymaker rights, lands one as I type it but eats a body kick as she does that hurts her. Mazo pressing forward behind her jab, starts blasting her with knees. Two minutes in. The assault slows, but the knees are still coming. More and more knees and Dobson doesn’t seem inclined to improve the situation. Two minutes to go.
Mazo takes her down into side control. Knee to the body. One minute to go. She postures up for some bigger shots. 10-8 Mazo.
Final result: Mazo def. Dobson by unanimous decision