Reminder: We will deliver live round-by-round, blow-by-blow coverage of UFC 298’s entire five-fight pay-per-view (PPV) main card RIGHT HERE, beginning at 10 p.m. ET.
Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) continues its 2024 pay-per-view (PPV) event season TONIGHT (Sat., Feb. 17) with an absolutely loaded card from inside Honda Center in Anaheim, California. UFC 298’s main event will feature the brewing rivalry between long-time Featherweight roost-ruler, Alexander Volkanovski, putting his belt on the line against supremely confident up-and-coming contender, Ilia Topuria. In UFC 298’s co-main event, No. 3-seeded contender, Robert Whittaker, will attempt to secure a 185-pound title shot and reclaim his crown at the expense of Brazil’s Million-Dollar Man, Paulo Costa (No. 6). We’ve also got Ian Garry vs. Geoff Neal, Henry Cejudo vs. Merab Dvalishvili and so much more!
“OLD SCHOOL VS. NEW SCHOOL BABY!”
Before that action begins at 10 p.m. ET later this evening, though, MMAmania.com will deliver LIVE round-by-round, blow-by-blow coverage of the entire UFC 298 “Prelims” undercard below, beginning with the first fight at 6:30 p.m. ET on ESPN+ (ESPN will simulcast the undercard action at 8 p.m. ET). We will then cover UFC 298’s PPV main card in a separate thread right here, beginning at 10 p.m. ET. Bet on UFC 298 at DraftKings Sportsbook.
Keep in mind that we will also be the spot for the latest news, recaps, and post-fight analysis following “Volkanovski vs. Topuria.” Without further delay, see below for the latest UFC 298 “Prelims” undercard results. (Note: This will go from the bottom up; therefore, scroll toward the bottom for the latest detailed round-by-round action.)
UFC 298 QUICK RESULTS:
Alexander Volkanovski vs. Ilia Topuria
Robert Whittaker vs. Paulo Costa
Ian Garry vs. Geoff Neal
Henry Cejudo vs. Merab Dvalishvili — Dvalishvili def. Cejudo by unanimous decision (29-28 x3) — RECAP!
Anthony Hernandez vs. Roman Kopylov — Hernandez def. Kopylov by submission (rear naked choke) at 3:23 of Round Two — HIGHLIGHTS!
Amanda Lemos vs. Mackenzie Dern — Lemos def. Dern by unanimous decision (29-28 x3)
Marcos Rogerio de Lima vs. Junior Tafa — de Lima def. Tafa by TKO (leg kicks and punches) at 1:14 of Round Two
Rinya Nakamura vs. Carlos Vera — Nakamura def. Vera by unanimous decision (30-27 x3)
Mingyang Zhang vs. Brendson Ribeiro — Zhang def. Ribeiro by KO (punches) at 1:41 of Round One — HIGHLIGHTS!
Danny Barlow vs. Josh Quinlan — Barlow def. Quinlan by TKO (punches) at of 1:18 Round Three — HIGHLIGHTS!
Val Woodburn vs. Oban Elliott — Elliott def. Woodburn by unanimous decision (30-27 x2, 29-28)
Andrea Lee vs. Miranda Maverick — Maverick def. Lee by unanimous decision (30-27 x2, 29-28)
UFC 298 ESPN+ ‘PRELIMS’ PLAY-BY-PLAY RESULTS:
Amanda Lemos vs. Mackenzie Dern
Round one: Solid low kick from Lemos to start and she circles away from Dern’s wild flurry. Low kick to body kick. 1-2 stings Dern. Two-piece by Lemos, then another 1-2. Dern continuing to push forward, eats another calf kick a minute in. Dern lunging in with punches and falling short as Lemos stays light on her feet. Another calf kick spins Dern around. Heavy body kick. Two minutes in. Dern shoots under a right hand and takes Lemos down at the base of the fence. Side control for Dern. Lemos regains half guard. Two minutes to go.
Lemos trying to get her back against the fence. Dern considers an arm triangle, loses it. One minute to go. Lemos trying to sweep, can’t do so. Couple nice elbows by Dern. Still 10-9 Lemos on damage for me.
Round two: Lemos opens with a body kick. Again. Dern rushes in with a 1-1-2, can’t connect. Another calf kick and Dern is feeling it. She tries to charge and Lemos blasts her with a counter right for a knockdown. Lemos charges after her with wild punches and after a nasty left hook, Dern falls in a delayed reaction. Lemos jumps on her and explodes to try and pound her out, but can’t pull it off and settles in half guard. Two minutes in. Dern trying to invert and attack a leg. Lemos postures and kicks at her legs before letting her up. Dern’s right eye is a mess. Solid right by Dern with two minutes to go.
Another calf kick stumbles Dern. She’s still trying to push forward. 3-2 from Lemos. Long overhand and low kick, Dern wings shots of her own and tries to shoot. Lemos gets double underhooks and takes her down into guard with a minute to go. Dern hunting an armbar, then hits a pendulum sweep into half guard. 10-8 Lemos.
Round three: Quick hug to start the round. Dern counters a body kick with an overhand right to knock Lemos off-balance. Lemos ties up and Dern tries to jump guard on a guillotine before getting slammed into guard. Dern wants the armbar. Lemos pulls her arm free and drops right hands as Dern tries to attack her leg a minute in. Lemos grabbing the fence relentlessly but the ref doesn’t seem to mind. Dern getting deeper on the kneebar and Lemos figure-fours to defend as Dern takes top position two minutes in. Dern settles in half guard. Two minutes to go.
Punches from Dern as Lemos tries to get her back against the fence. Elbows land for her. One minute to go. Lemos explodes to her feet, then counters a takedown and takes top position. Dern rolls for a leg again but can’t find it. 10-9 Dern.
Final result: Lemos def. Dern by unanimous decision
Marcos Rogerio de Lima vs. Junior Tafa
Round one: de Lima advancing behind a high guard, lands some hard calf kicks. They trade and de Lima cracks him with a left hook, then boots his calf again. 1-2 a minute in. Another calf kick and Tafa already can’t walk. de Lima changes levels and puts him on the fence. They separate two minutes in. Quick jab from Tafa, who’s moving a bit better. de Lima lands a thundering calf kick, then another that deadens the leg again. Body shot from de Lima, then a perfectly timed double-leg into half guard. He briefly pins an arm to drop punches with two minutes to go.
de Lima chipping away from the top. Tafa gets to his seat with a minute to go. More short punches from de Lima and Tafa tries to throw his own to no effect. 10-9 de Lima.
Round two: Another calf kick trips Tafa up and de Lima tries to hammer him as he stands. They tie up and de Lima puts him on the fence again. They separate a minute in. 1-1-2 from Tafa, who gets dropped by a calf kick. His face is a rictus of pain and de Lima initially hesitates to follow, but ultimately swats him with a few hammerfists to send the ref into action.
Final result: Rogerio de Lima def. Tafa by TKO (leg kicks and punches)
Rinya Nakamura vs. Carlos Vera
Round one: Low kick exchange to start the fight. Lots of feints from Nakamura. Vera tries a spinning kick to the thigh and Nakamura takes him down, kicking off a scramble. Vera hunting a heel hook, but Nakamura has his knee out and limp-legs free a minute in. Holding onto turtle position. Vera rolls and Nakamura tries to dive in with punches. Heavy left hands. Nakamura avoids another leglock sequence and settles in guard two minutes in. Nasty left hand. Nice upkick by Vera, who avoids the next diving punch and tries to invert. Nakamura counters and moves to side control. Two minutes to go.
Vera turns to his knees, then rolls to his back again. Nakamura postures up for punches, dives out of another armbar attempt, scrambles back into top guard. One minute to go. Nakamura moves to half guard, avoids yet another leg attack, and tries to come down with punches. Some final shots before the bell. 10-9 Nakamura.
Round two: Low kick from Nakamura in the opening seconds. He catches a kick and takes Vera down once again, looking for punches. Vera still trying to invert and attack without success. One minute in. Side control for Nakamura. Vera gets to his knees, then surrenders full guard. Nakamura postures, can’t find the punches two minutes in. Upkicks from Vera, who looks for a deep half guard sweep without success. Elbow from Nakamura, who takes the back and looks for the RNC. Good roll by Vera, still on the bottom with two minutes to go.
Vera stuck on his knees, tries another failed leg attack. Nakamura hunting the back. One minute to go. Side control for Nakamura, Vera turns to his knees, Nakamura slams him back to the mat. Solid punches from guard. 10-9 Nakamura.
Round three: Vera tries a head kick to start, staying light on his feet. Nakamura slowly advancing, lands a leaping right hook. Vera tries a wheel kick and slips to the ground, where Nakamura whacks him with punches. Nakamura looks for the back as they scramble a minute in. Hard knee. Vera rolls, eats a huge right hand as Nakamura comes down into guard. Vera rolls for another leglock two minutes in, then tries to cinch up an inverted triangle to no avail. Another leglock attack with two minutes to go. Nakamura pulls his knee out with two minutes to go.
Nakamura spins away and tries to fire punches from guard. One minute to go. North-south for Nakamura, then the front headlock, then side control. Vera turns to a knee and gets to hie feet, then tries and fails another rolling kneebar. Nakamura postures up for some hard punches. 10-9 Nakamura.
Final result: Nakamura def. Vera by unanimous decision
Mingyang Zhang vs. Brendson Ribeiro
Round one: Low kicks from Zhang to start. Solid body kick. Ribeiro stings him with a jab, then a heavy right cross behind it. Another 1-2 from Ribeiro. They trade in the center. One minute in. 1-2-3 from Zhang and they slug it out, both landing heavy shots. Another heavy right by Ribeiro. Zhang complains of an apparent eye poke and Ribeiro tries to capitalize, only to run into a vicious 1-2-3 that sends him crumpling to the mat. Zhang stands over him and smashes him unconscious for a dramatic debut victory.
Final result: Zhang def. Ribeiro by KO (punches) — WATCH HIGHLIGHTS!
Danny Barlow vs. Josh Quinlan
Round one: Barlow takes the center and fires an early head kick. Probing jabs, sharp straight left. Counter body kick a minute in. Jump knee just misses. Quinlan steps in with a lead right, eats a jab for it. Quinlan struggling with the range so far. Body kick from him, straight left and low kicks from Barlow. Two minutes in. Barlow falls short with a flying knee and right hand. There’s a stiff jab by Quinlan. Left hook misses high. Counter 1-2 by Barlow. Trading kicks in center cage. Hard straight left by Barlow with two minutes to go.
Stiff jab and counter left land for Barlow. Quinlan answers with a heavy southpaw 2-3 and avoids the next flying knee. Barlow whiffs on some counters before finding the mark with a straight left. Low kick from Quinlan with a minute to go. Barlow steps in with a knee and sticks a thumb in Quinlan’s eye as he exits, but Quinlan brushes it off and is good to keep going. Good right hand lands for him. Harder counter left by Barlow, low kicks behind it. He chases Quinlan down with a pair of hard punches at the bell. 10-9 Barlow.
Round two: Quinlan looking more aggressive as Barlow keeps the jab in his face. Body kick from Quinlan, who falls short with a Superman punch. More jabs from Barlow and they trade kicks a minute in. Barlow cross counter, Quinlan low kick. Another sharp counter left by Barlow backs Quinlan off. Jabs, straight left. Two minutes in. Quinlan really struggling to consistently get inside as Barlow picks him off. There’s a decent sequence from Quinlan capped by a body kick. Another solid combo. Check hook and straight left from Barlow, then another flying knee attempt. Two minutes to go.
Barlow on the front foot now. Quinlan backs him to the center and punts him directly in the cup, prompting a minute’s pause. Another hard straight left from Barlow when they resume. Quinlan body kick met by a straight left. Body knee, elbow, overhand left, 1-2 all land for Barlow with a minute to go. More heavy punches. Quinlan shoots, denied. Barlow tries another flying knee, takes a glancing low blow. Hard counter left. 10-9 Barlow.
Round three: Barlow cracks him with yet another straight left, then tries another jump knee. Body kick from Quinlan in return. Barlow flying knee just misses and they trade right hands. Quinlan finally sells out on a flurry and Barlow melts him with the nastiest left hand yet. Barlow hammering away, clubbing Quinlan to the ground a second and third time before the ref intervenes.
Final result: Barlow def. Quinlan by TKO (punches) — WATCH HIGHLIGHTS!
Val Woodburn vs. Oban Elliott
Round one: Woodburn comes charging after Elliott, who ties up and puts him on the fence. Solid knee on the exit from Elliott. Elliott fires a head kick and gets clipped by an overhand right, prompting Woodburn to chase him down with haymakers and drop him near the fence. Elliott manages to scramble free, escape the clinch, then take Woodburn down when he continues to charge. Elliott quickly takes his back, slips in both hooks, and hammers away with punches. Alternating between punches and choke attempts. Two minutes in. Woodburn avoiding the choke but not doing much to escape as Elliott softens him up. Two minutes to go.
More good punches from Elliott, but he just can’t seem to get his forearm under Woodburn’s chin. He loses a hook, drops an elbow, then retakes half guard. One minute to go. Solid elbows and he takes mount, posturing up for yet more elbows. Woodburn gives up his back as the damage piles up. 10-9 Elliott.
Round two: Elliott tosses out some kicks as Woodburn waits for a chance to step in. Huge counter right from Elliott and both men sling heat, though neither connects. Another straight right by Elliott, then a body kick a minute in. Jabs landing for him. Woodburn steps in, denies a level change, and gets taken to the fence. Elbow by Elliott on the exit and he goes back to leaning on the jab. Solid body kick, Woodburn tries to answer with a head kick two minutes in. Woodburn clips Elliott on one leg and knocks him over, then grabs a body lock off a caught kick. Elliott hits the switch and drags him down at the base of the fence, looking for the back once again. One hook in. Two minutes to go.
Elliott slips the other hook in and continues to hunt the choke. Decent punches landing for him. One minute to go. Woodburn once again defending his neck well but making no effort to try and escape. 10-9 Elliott.
Round three: Woodburn rushes in and immediately gets clinched, though he soon breaks free. Counter right by Elliott. More stiff jabs landing for Elliott as he circles. He changes levels, avoids an uppercut on the exit. Sharp 1-2 a minute in. Woodburn catches a kick and lands a 1-2. Elliott fires a long-distance double and bundles Woodborn to his back, much to the crowd’s displeasure. Elliott on top in half guard. Woodburn trying to turn into him two minutes in. Elliott not letting Woodburn get to his knees. Elliott quickly moves to mount. Two minutes to go.
Elliott playing tight. Now he postures up in triangle position, but Woodburn sits through and tries to take his back. Elliott gets to his feet as Woodburn holds the body lock. One minute to go. Woodburn looks for a takedown and eats elbows as he does. Elliott avoids a back take but can’t break Woodburn’s grip. They break in the last five seconds and Elliott cracks him with one last left hook. 10-9 Elliott.
Final result: Elliott def. Woodburn by unanimous decision
Andrea Lee vs. Miranda Maverick
Round one: Lee orthodox, Maverick southpaw. Low kicks from Maverick. Straight left into a body lock and she tries to muscle Lee to the mat. One minute in. Maverick looking for the back but overextends and ends up in bottom side control. She quickly sweeps back to her feet, only to eat a high-amplitude suplex. Again she returns to the feet and exits, eating an elbow along the way. She comes back with an overhand left two minutes in. Low kicks from Lee. Solid body kick catches Maverick stepping in. Maverick catches a kick and doubles up the left hand. Hard overhand left off a fake shot, best punch of the round so far. Two minutes to go.
Another left hand from Maverick to answer a body kick. Side kick to the midsection. They trade body kicks. Maverick outworking her in the latter half of the round, lands two more overhand lefts. One minute to go. Counters from Lee. Maverick low kick. Maverick punches into the clinch again and bullies her down, avoiding a guillotine along the way. 10-9 Maverick.
Round two: Lee opens with kicks, eats one in return. Maverick doing well with the low kicks. Lee head kick met by a series of left hands. Body kick exchange. Lee tries head kicks a minute in. She circles away from a clinch attempt. She jabs the air for a bit until Maverick transitions from a single-leg to a body lock against the fence. Knees from Maverick inside. Inside trip puts her on top in half guard and she slips out of Lee’s butterfly hook to secure position two minutes in. Heavy shoulder pressure from Maverick. Lee does a Lewis-esque Just Stand up to get away with two minutes to go.
Back to the long-range touch-and-go kickboxing. Glancing blows from both, slow-motion wheel kick misses for Lee. Maverick tries to clinch, can’t do so with a minute to go. Neither woman with a clean edge on the feet at the moment. Maverick shoots in the least 10 seconds, Lee counters with a head-and-arm throw, and Maverick sweeps into top position. 10-9 Maverick.
Round three: Jab to elbow by Maverick, body kick behind it. Combo inside, low kick. Lee not fighting like she’s behind; she’s still throwing out half-committal single strikes as Maverick cruises. One minute in. Maverick catches a kick and comes back with counters, then goes for a head kick. She punches into the body lock again and looks for the back, but Lee uses a two-on-one two break her grip and separate. Lee body kick, Maverick left hand. Two minutes in. Something of a sparring session at the moment, Maverick busier and more mobile and Lee content to pick her shots. Two minutes to go.
Both women fall short with punches. Maverick tries a knee tap, exits with punches. Slick head kick attempt and she avoids Lee’s own. Clean spinning back fist from Lee, who walks right into a single-leg and winds up in bottom guard. Looking to play a high guard with a minute to go. Maverick playing tight, forehead-to-face. Lee manages to wrap up a reverse triangle and swat at her body in the final seconds. 10-9 Lee.
Final result: Maverick def. Lee by unanimous decision
Remember: MMAmania.com will deliver LIVE round-by-round, blow-by-blow coverage of UFC 298’s entire five-fight PPV main card RIGHT HERE, beginning at 10 p.m. ET on ESPN+ PPV. Bet on UFC 298 at DraftKings Sportsbook.
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