Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) returns to “The Garden State” for the upcoming UFC Atlantic City mixed martial arts (MMA) event, streaming TONIGHT (Sat., March 30, 2024) LIVE on ESPN and ESPN+. UFC Atlantic City will be topped by the 125-pound collision between Top 5 title contenders Erin Blanchfield vs. Manon Fiorot, a five-round showdown with a spot in the division title chase hanging in the balance. Before that headlining clash of styles gets underway, rough-and-tumble welterweight bruiser, Vicente Luque, collides with 170-pound knockout artist, Joaquin Buckley, in UFC Atlantic City’s co-main event.
MMAmania.com will deliver LIVE round-by-round, blow-by-blow coverage of the entire UFC Atlantic City fight card below, starting with the ESPN2/ESPN+ “Prelims” undercard bouts at 7 p.m. ET, followed by the ESPN/ESPN+ main card start time at 10 p.m. ET. Bet on all the UFC Atlantic City 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 “Blanchfield vs. Fiorot.” Without further delay, see below for the updated UFC Atlantic City results. (Note: This will go from the bottom up; therefore, scroll toward the bottom for the latest detailed round-by-round action).
UFC ATLANTIC CITY QUICK RESULTS:
Erin Blanchfield vs. Manon Fiorot — Fiorot def. Blanchfield by unanimous decision (50-45 x3)
Vicente Luque vs. Joaquin Buckley — Buckley def. Luque by TKO (punches) at 3:17 of Round Two
Chris Weidman vs. Bruno Silva — Weidman def. Silva by TKO (eye pokes and punches) at 2:18 of Round Three — HIGHLIGHTS!
Nursulton Ruziboev vs. Sedriques Dumas — Ruziboev def. Dumas by TKO (punches) at 3:18 of Round One — HIGHLIGHTS!
Bill Algeo vs. Kyle Nelson — Nelson def. Algeo by TKO (punches) at 4:00 of Round One
Chidi Njokuani vs. Rhys McKee — Njokuani def. McKee by split decision (28-29, 30-27 x2)
Nate Landwehr vs. Jamall Emmers — Landwehr def. Emmers by KO (punches) at 4:43 of Round One — HIGHLIGHTS!
Virna Jandiroba vs. Loopy Godinez — Jandiroba def. Godinez by unanimous decision (29-28 x2, 30-27)
Julio Arce vs. Herbert Burns — Arce def. Burns by TKO (punches) at 2:00 of Round Two — HIGHLIGHTS!
Dennis Buzukja vs. Connor Matthews — Buzukja def. Matthews by TKO (punches) at 0:22 of Round Three
Ibo Aslan vs. Anton Turkalj — Aslan def. Turkalj by TKO (punch) at 1:32 of Round Three — HIGHLIGHTS!Victoria Dudakova vs. Melissa Gatto — CANCELED! Details here.
Andre Petroski vs. Jacob Malkoun — Malkoun def. Petroski by TKO (body kick and punches) at 0:39 of Round Two — HIGHLIGHTS!
Angel Pacheco vs. Caolan Loughran — Loughran def. Pacheco by unanimous decision (30-27 x2, 30-26)
UFC ATLANTIC CITY PLAY-BY-PLAY:
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125 lbs.: Erin Blanchfield vs. Manon Fiorot
Round 1: Quick hands from Fiorot in the opening seconds, catching Blanchfield on the way in. Solid straight left. Body kick on the break. Blanchfield having issues wiht the range a minute in, eats a body kick and stiff jab. Fiorot grabs a body lock and slams Blanchfield to the mat, but Blanchfield counters with a guillotine. Fiorot’s forced to scramble to her feet, where Blanchfield tries to put on the squeeze but doesn’t have the leverage. They separate two minutes in. Fiorot finding the mark with the check hook, lands a hard 2-3. Again. Yet again with two minutes to go.
Blanchfield tries a head kick, walks into another check hook. Blanchfield’s only way to close the distance is to lunge in a straight line and Fiorot is catching her every time. Blanchfield briefly gets a body lock, can’t use it. Stiff counter jab by Fiorot. Side kick and right hook, then another jab with a minute to go. Blanchfield just can’t get inside without getting hit. She flurries her way into the clinch against the fence, gets reversed. Right hook from Fiorot on the break. 10-9 Fiorot.
Round 2: Fiorot continuing to pump the jab. Well-timed shot by Blanchfield, but Fiorot rolls through into top position and gets to her feet. One minute in. Blanchfield again gets the clinch, walking through a jab to do so. Nothing doing. Side kicks from Fiorot. Check hook two minutes in. Fiorot briefly ties up as Blanchfield lunges in, then lands another check hook. Heavy counters. Blanchfield’s having a bit more success but still getting the worst of these exchanges. Two minutes to go.
Blanchfield pressuring, ties up, nearly eats a head kick on the break. Another check hook by Fiorot, then a knee to the body. One minute to go. Side kick and right hook met by a body kick from Blanchfield, who briefly ties up. Fiorot plays keep-away until the bell. 10-9 Fiorot.
Round 3: Fiorot seems a bit more labored than in the early going, but she’s still in control of the striking, controlling range and punishing Blanchfield’s entries. Powerful takedown denial. Counter 2-1 a minute in. Heavy counters by Fiorot. 2-3. Body kick by Blanchfield. They briefly tie up. Two minutes in. Right hook from Fiorot, Blanchfield falls off-balance after overcommitting. Fiorot isn’t slowing down enough for Blanchfield to get any offense going. Counter 2-1 lands for her. Two minutes to go.
Heavy right hook by Fiorot. Blanchfield can’t consistently get inside, and even when she does, Fiorot shucks her off before she can do anything in the clinch. One minute to go. Right hook again. Intercepting knee. 10-9 Fiorot.
Round 4: Fiorot continues to pile up combinations as Blanchfield tries and fails to get inside. There’s no variation in Blanchfield’s entries and she’s getting picked off every time. Now she’s selling out a minute in, marching in with punches. Fiorot keeping her from tying up. Blanchfield shoots, denied. Fiorot gets the body lock, considers a throw, reconsiders two minutes in. Fiorot finding the mark with more counters, catches a kick but doesn’t use it. Solid left hand. Two minutes to go.
Hard 1-2 by Fiorot. Blanchfield’s trying to pressure but doesn’t know how to vary her entries. More counters by Fiorot. One minute to go. Blanchfield rushing in, unable to land punches or tie up. Fiorot considers a shot, lands a knee. 10-9 Fiorot.
Round 5: Blanchfield dings Fiorot with an early head kick but can’t capitalize. She’s still running in straight lines every time. One minute in. Fiorot continues to keep her doestance and land hard counters. Two minutes in. Straight left and jabs from Fiorot, Blanchfield body kick. 1-2-3. Two minutes to go.
Blanchfield ineffectually bullying her way forward. There’s a decent sequence from her. Heavy right hand by Fiorot on the counter. Big 1-2. 2-1. Blanchfield gars the body lock and puts her on the fence. She changes levels, Fiorot tries a flying knee after exiting. Side kick., right hook. Check hook yet again. Flying knee attempt, wheel kick attempt. They slug it out, then stare at each other for the final seconds. 10-9 Fiorot.
Final result: Fiorot def. Blanchfield by unanimous decision
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170 lbs.: Vicente Luque vs. Joaquin Buckley
Round 1: Kicks from Luque early. Combo by Buckley a minute in. Heavy flurry lands for Buckley. Luque lands a body kick and avoids a flurry. Two minutes in. Lots of movement, not a lot of clean strikes from either man. Body kick by Luque, low kick from Buckley. Two minutes to go.
Buckley catches Luque changing levels, waves him back up. Both whiff with punches. Buckley trying to push forward. Fancy footwork, no actual strikes. Luque lands a low kick while Buckley’s on one leg with a minute to go. Luque changes levels and scores a takedown despite Buckley grabbing the fence. Dud of a round. 10-9 Luque.
Round 2: Luque tries a head kick, weathers a flurry. Flying knee from Buckley bounces off. He tries a blitz, eats a low kick, tries another flurry. One minute in. Counter left from Luque. Buckley winging a lot of haymakers but landing very few. Low kick connects for him. Head kick attempt. There’s a hard straight left and uppercut behind it. Buckley coming on strong two minutes in. Luque just not throwing enough at the moment. He shoots, denied, pulls half guard. Buckley dropping some heavy shots from the top as Luque shells up. He continues to unload until the ref steps in.
Final result: Buckley def. Luque by TKO (punches)
185 lbs.: Chris Weidman vs. Bruno Silva
Round 1: Weidman looks for a high kick to start. Silva bouncing, stiff-arms Weidman away. Body kicks from Weidman, then a head kick that dings Silva and kicks off a wild exchange against the fence a minute in. Weidman grabs the front headlock and lands knees to the top of the head. Quick takedown, looking for the back as Silva tries to rise two minutes in. Silva stuck on all fours. Two minutes to go.
Still deadlocked against the fence. One minute to go. This continues until the bell. 10-9 Weidman.
Round 2: Silva counters a low kick with a right hand and denies a shot. Body kick from Weidman. Solid low kick by Weidman. One minute in. Silva trying to counter with punches. Hard body kick. Body kick from Weidman soon after. Silva trying to pressure, fires a flurry and denies a level change. Flurry falls short two minutes in. He throws a 1-2 and Weidman thumbs him in the eye, pausing the action. Weidman goes back to the kicks when they resume, avoiding Silva’s lunging swings. He shoots, denied with two minutes to go.
Jab exchange, hard check hook by Weidman. Silva comes back with a heavy 3-2 an tries to charge, but twice loses his balance. Silva looking even more awkward than usual as Weidman patiently fires kicks. Solid blitz by Silva with a minute to go. Silva pressing forward with big swings, lands a knee inside. Weidman finding the mark with counters. Heavy overhand left from Weidman has Silva shelling up and Weidman tees off to end the round. 10-9 Weidman.
Round 3: Silva fires a jab and eats a finger in the eye. Replays show that Silva’s thumb also went into Weidman’s eye in the process. Fix the damn gloves. Both receive a warning and they resume. One minute in. Awkward flurry by Silva, head kick whiffs. Another blitz met by counters from Weidman. Silva rushes in and gets caught by a check hook, but goes down claiming an eye poke. The ref lets it proceed and Weidman swarms for the finish, much to “Blindado’s” fury.
Replays show that Weidman actually poked his eyes twice in that final sequence, damn. They need to overturn this.
Final result: Weidman def. Silva by TKO (eye pokes and punches) — WATCH HIGHLIGHTS!
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185 lbs.: Nursulton Ruziboev vs. Sedriques Dumas
Round 1: Feints from both men to start. Hard counter right from Ruziboev. Dumas falls short with a 2-3 a minute in. Lunging uppercut by Ruziboev, then on the counter. Lots of crashing into one another. Ruziboev continuing to look for the uppercut. Two minutes in. Going to the well way too often with that one but Dumas isn’t doing a whole lot besides ducking his head and shoving him away. Hard lead right by Ruziboev. Uppercut attempt, lead left hook. Dumas tries a blitz with two minutes to go.
Dumas claims an eye poke after an exchange but the referee tells them to fight on, clearing the way for Ruziboev to finally find the mark with the uppercut and send him to the mat for the finish.
Replays show that Ruziboev did, indeed, rake his fingers down Dumas’ face before the finish. Let’s see how this goes.
Final result: Ruziboev def. Dumas by TKO (punches) — WATCH HIGHLIGHTS!
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145 lbs.: Bill Algeo vs. Kyle Nelson
Round 1: Algeo comes out firing kicks and avoiding Nelson’s overhands. Algeo lands a body kick and tries to spin, only to get dropped by a right hand. They slug it out until Nelson puts him on the fence. One minute in. Knees to the thigh from Nelson, Algeo trying heel kicks to the same area. They separate. Trading low kicks. Teep by Nelson two minutes in. Combo by Algeo. Hard jab exchange after Nelson whiffs a Hug Tornado. Nice body and low kick by Nelson, who absorbs a wheel kick and eats a body kick. Algeo to the body. Nelson backs him up with body kicks. Two minutes to go.
Low kick lands for Algeo, but Nelson comes back with an overhand right that has Algeo doing interpretive dance. Algeo waving in him and trying to fire back. More big right hands as Algeo wobbles back and in comes the ref.
Final result: Nelson def. Algeo by TKO (punches)
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185 lbs.: Chidi Njokuani vs. Rhys McKee
Round 1: Both men looking for low kicks to start. McKee misses with a 1-1-2. More low kicks from Njokuani. One minute in. 1-2-3 by McKee, low kick exchange. 1-2. More low kicks from Njokuani, McKee tries to flurry in response. Combinations by McKee. Two minutes in. More low kicks by Njokuani, then a snap kick downstairs. McKee ties up and takes him to the fence. Knees by Njokuani as he defends. Two minutes to go.
More knees from Njokuani. McKee just leaning on him at the moment. Changing levels to no success. One minute to go. Post elbow by Njokuani. He’s stuck on the fence but he’s the only one doing damage here. Ref finally breaks them up. More low kicks by Njokuani. 10-9 Njokuani.
Round 2: Trading kicks to start the round. McKee tries a combo, eats a knee on the exit. They tie up and jockey for position. Double unders for Njokuani a minute in. Continuing to fight for position against the fence. Knee on the break two minutes in. Elbow to knee land for him. Low kick, jab, low kick. Another knee from Njokuani from the front headlock and he sprawls on a shot. He considers looking for the back, lands a knee before McKee goes back to leaning on him against the fence. Two minutes to go.
Post elbow by Njokuani. McKee unable to muscle him down. Another elbow with a minute to go. Both land knees. More shameless grinding by McKee, who eats an elbow at the bell. 10-9 Njokuani.
Round 3: More low kicks from Njokuani, who tries to shoot. Body kick to low kick. Nice knee by Njokuani and McKee takes him to the fence for a moment before disengaging. Right hand to knees by Njokuani. Hard counter right, low kick, counter right. Double-leg by Njokuani, can’t keep him down two minutes in. He denies a single-leg and cracks McKee with a right hand, then a level elbow. Another elbow, McKee puts him on the fence again. Two minutes to go.
The ref quickly separates them. Low kick and elbow by Njokuani, then another knee as McKee gets a body lock. One standing hook for McKee, loses it. Decent knee upstairs and he changes levels with a minute to go. Knees from Njokuani on the exit. Another good knee, then a counter right that catches McKee running in. Hard body kick, then a spinning elbow. 10-9 Njokuani.
Final result: Njokuani def. McKee by split decision
145 lbs.: Nate Landwehr vs. Jamall Emmers
Round 1: 3-2 from Emmers, then another combo that sends LAndwehr to a knee. Emmers staying patient as he pushes forward. Solid punches from Emmers. Simultaneous jabs a minute in. 3-2 again by Emmers. Right hands, body kick. Flurry inside. Landwehr trying to pressure with short combos. Flurry by Landwehr in center cage. Emmers comes back with a body shot. Two minutes in. More body shots by Emmers off the back foot. SOlid combo upstairs from Landwehr, who eats a hard elbow and trades jabs. Landwehr body kick, continuing to pressure. Hard lead right with two minutes to go.
Landwehr bleeding quite a bit from that elbow but still chugging forward. Heavy punches in the clinch. 2-3 from Emmers in return. Swatting right hand, then a near-miss with a minute to go. Hard body shot and left hook. Check hook by Landwehr, who eats that same combo again. Out of nowhere, Landwehr finds the mark with a vicious uppercut that takes out Emmers’ legs. Landwehr pours it on until Emmers crumbles to the mat, then pounds his lights out for the wild comeback win.
Final result: Landwehr def. Emmers by KO (punches) — WATCH HIGHLIGHTS!
115 lbs.: Virna Jandiroba vs. Loopy Godinez
Round 1: Godinez keeping her guard high. Jandiroba considers a level change, fires a head kick. Solid right by Godinez as they exchange. One minute in. Jandiroba powers through an uppercut to put Godinez on the fence. Strong whizzer by Godinez to deny the takedown. Godinez lands some knees, then forces Jandiroba to the mat two minutes in. Front headlock for her, solid shots on the break after Jandiroba stands. Godinez body kick, Jandiroba 1-2. Two minutes to go.
Both women trying to jab. Right cross catches Jandiroba coming in. Jandiroba staying busy with the jab. 1-1-2. She changes levels in pursuit of a single-leg. One minute to go. Jandiroba switches to a double, and muscles her down, looking for the back. Slick move from Jandiroba to slip in her second hook. 10-9 Jandiroba.
Round 2: Godinez opens with some volume punching. Low kick connects. Jandiroba pops her with a jab, looking for 1-2s. Heavy lead right by Godinez in center cage. One minute in. Quick level change by Jandiroba, who ends up in bottom half guard. Trying to work deep half guard. There’s some bizarre leg entanglement going on as Jandiroba takes top position two minutes in. They’re deadlocked in something approaching a 50/50. Backfists from Godinez as she threatens a leglock. Two minutes to go.
Hammerfists from Jandiroba. Both women punching each other from 5/0/50. One minute to go. They finally break out and Jandiroba scrambles to her feet. Knee and right hand from Godinez. How do you score that? 10-9 Godinez?
Round 3: Reactive level change from Jandiroba as she puts Godinez on the fence. Godinez reverses, landing knees downstairs, and Jandiroba jumps guard. Godinez breaks out and lands shots on the break. One minute in. Combination from Jandiroba. She’s clearly fading but is the more active striker so far. Solid straight left. Combination to level change, knees from Godinez as she defends. Elbow by Godinez on the break two minutes in. Stiff jab. Jandiroba still plugging forward, denied on another level change. Godinez jabs the body. Hard 2-3 rattles Jandiroba, who continues to wade in with tired swings. Hard right catches Jandiroba changing levels and Godinez limp-legs out. Jandiroba puts her on the fence with two minutes to go, then drags her to her knees.
Super-slick back take by Jandiroba, who plays backpack as Godinez stands. RNC attempt juices some blood out of Godinez’s now before she loses it. Jandiroba fighting hard for the choke with a minute to go. She sends the rest of the round attached to Godinez’s back. 10-9 Jandiroba.
Final result: Jandiroba def. Godinez by unanimous decision
145 lbs.: Julio Arce vs. Herbert Burns
Round 1: Burns pressuring early. He shoots, denied. One minute in. Right hands from Arce. Both men very patient in the early going. Two minutes in. Hard 1-1-2 from Arce draws a smile. Arce circling, showing the jab. Nice body shot. Burns shoots, runs into Arce’s underhooks, and lands a knee to the jewels that pauses the action. Burns shoots when they reset and puts him on the fence with two minutes to go.
Burns swiftly knees him in the balls again, earning himself a point deduction. Arce answers a head kick with a body shot. Burns shoots behind an overhand right with a minute to go and puts him on the fence again. Knee from Arce on the exit. Another straight left downstairs. Burns feinting level changes as he pressures. Overhand right to level change, Arce trips him to the mat and disengages. 10-9 Arce.
Round 2: Burns showing more pressure, gets rocked by a right hook before managing to tie up. Arce grabs the Thai clinch and blasts Burns with a knee upstairs as Burns tries to pull guard. One minute in. Arce’s southpaw jab is controlling everything so far. Slick head kick. Body kick from Burns. Burns backs to the fence and Arce puts the pedal to the metal, smashing Burns with an onslaught of punches until a left hand sends “The Blaze” crashing down.
Final result: Arce def. Burns by TKO (punches) — WATCH HIGHLIGHTS!
145 lbs.: Dennis Buzukja vs. Connor Matthews
Round 1: Both open with solid kicks. Solid counters from Matthews. Buzukja trying to load up without success. One minute in. Matthews pressuring. Hard exchange in center cage. Good low kicks from Buzukja, coutner left by Matthews. Big exchange in the center, Buzukja gets the better of it two minutes in. Low kick from Buzukja answered in kind. Stiff jab. Body kick from Matthews in return. Buzukja cracks him with a 1-2. Two minutes to go.
Buzukja falls short with a head kick. Good exchange and a combo knocks Matthews back. Hard left hook as they exchange, then Buzukja takes a low blow. One minute to go. Jabs from Buzukja. Matthews continuing to pressure. He avoids a head kick, can’t find the clinch. Overhand right by Matthews, harder overhand right by Buzukja. Another overhand right. 10-9 Buzukja.
Round 2: Solid low kicks from Buzukja as Matthews tries to pressure. Heavy right cross. Matthews backs him to the fence but gets rattled by a check hook a minute in. Hard 2-23 by Buzukja; Matthews is aggressive but eating the heavier blows. Big exchange two minutes in. Buzukja continuing to land the better punches, even as Matthews backs him to the fence. Hard left hook by Buzukja with two minutes to go.
Hard overhand right by Buzukja kicks off a combination. Matthews ties up and gets the body lock, trying and failing to jump on Buzukja’s back. Solid mat return, one hook in with a minute to go. Buzukja slips out and gets to his feet, landing an elbow on the exit. Matthews still trying to pressure, shoots at the bell. 10-9 Buzukja.
Round 3: Buzukja comes out swinging and a long left hook finally cracks Matthews’ chin. He stumbles to the mat and Buzukja swarms in to pound him out.
Final result: Buzukja def. Matthews by TKO (punches)
205 lbs.: Ibo Aslan vs. Anton Turkalj
Round 1: Both land low kicks to start. Lots of feints, no real strikes in the first minute. Glancing head kick by Turkalj, who mocks Aslan for missing a low kick. 1-2 from Turkalj, looping shots from Aslan, who denies a takedown. Overhand right from Aslan to counter a body kick. Stiff jab two minutes in. More jabs. Low kick by Turkalj and they trade near the fence. Left by Aslan on the break. He slips throwing a kick but Turkalj can’t capitalize. Two minutes to go.
Both swing big in the center. Body kick from Turkalj after both land low kicks. Turkalj chases him across the cage with punches, landing well before Aslan hits the fence and fires back. Aslan denies a takedown and tries to wing punches. Calf kick connects. Double jab by Turkalj, who blocks a combo. Turkalj tries a Saenchai kick at the bell and Aslan cracks him with right hands for it. 10-9 Turkalj.
Round 2: They meet in the center and wing bombs at each other, Aslan getting the better of it despite an eye injury. Another huge right hand lands for him, but Turkalj boots him in the cup while throwing a knee. The ref advises him to take more time, but Aslan returns after a few minutes and goes back to throwing low kicks. One minute in. Trading heat. Heavy counter hook catches Turkalj trying a Superman punch. Aslan denies a takedown and avoids a head kick. Hard 1-2 by Aslan. Turkalj ties up and puts him on the fence two minutes in. Aslan separates soon after. Overhand right by Aslan as they trade. Right cross, left hook as Turkalj looks for a knee. Turkalj shoots again, denied again. They trade in the center, both landing well. Two minutes to go.
Turkalj ties up, lands uppercuts inside. Low kick from Aslan. Hard lead right. Straight right from Turkalj in return. One minute to go. Straight right again from Aslan. Turkalj backs him to the fence with a blitz. 1-2 from Aslan. Overhand right stumbles Turkalj for a moment. Turkalj tries to shoot, denied. Low kicks from Aslan, then a pair of overhand rights. 10-9 Aslan.
Round 3: Heavy exchanges in the center to start the round. Turkalj lands well. Stiff jab a minute in. Swatting right hand, then another. Lead right by Aslan, and as Turkalj tries to get it back, Aslan absolutely decks him with an overhand right. Turkalj does the chicken dance and seems out of it when he hits the mat, forcing the referee to rush in and wave it off.
Final result: Aslan def. Turkalj by TKO (punch) — WATCH HIGHLIGHTS!
185 lbs.: Andre Petroski vs. Jacob Malkoun
Round 1: Malkoun buzzes Petroski with a series of jabs and looks to pressure. Petroski head kick misses a minute in and he eats a counter 1-2. Both men largely keeping their distance. Counter jab again from Malkoun, then a sharp combo near the fence two minutes in. Petroski keeps lunging in and getting clipped. Check hook this time. Petroski tries a low-high combo. There’s a straight left from Petroski that drops Malkoun, who pops back to his feet and waves him on. Two minutes to go.
Malkoun ties up and hauls Petroski to the fence. Hunting the trip, can’t find it. Low kick from Petroski when they separate. Head kick attempt with a minute to go. Malkoun pops him with another counter jab. Petroski shoots and takes him down in center cage, then hits a mat return in the way up. Malkoun again makes it to his feet and separates. 10-9 Malkoun, that knockdown was light.
Round 2: Petroski denies a level change and lands punches on the break. Malkoun pressuring early. They trade lefts. Petroski shoots, and when Malkoun limp-legs out. Petroski suddenly falls to his knees. Malkoun rushes in with a soccer kick to the ribs before the ref intervenes. Replays suggest Petroski may have knocked himself out running into Malkoun’s hip.
Final result: Malkoun def. Petroski (body kick and punches) — WATCH HIGHLIGHTS!
135 lbs.: Angel Pacheco vs. Caolan Loughran
Round 1: Both men flashing the jab to start. They trade and Loughran cracks him with a heavy right cross. Body shots from Pacheco, who walks into a counter right a minute in. Pacheco very busy with the jab early on but falling short with most of them. Loughran answers a low kick with a cross counter. Heavy cross by Loughran two minutes in. Loughran isn’t throwing a ton but what he does land hurts. Another right cross lands for him as he starts to pressure. Pacheco to the body. They trade in the center with two minutes to go.
Solid low kick from Pacheco, who eats a cross counter. Pacheco lands to the boy, only to get rattled by an uppercut and right cross. Loughran backs him to the fence but walks into a solid right hand in return. Loughran finding the mark with some telling punches. One minute to go. Pacheco tries a head kick. More body work met by a right hand from Loughran. Nice exchange and Loughran’s nose is bloody despite getting the better of it. Pacheco bangs the body and eats a left hook at the bell. 10-9 Loughran.
Round 2: Pacheco opens with a clean left hook but gets the worst of the following exchange. Heavy combos by Loughran. Good right cross by Pacheco prompts Loughran to take him down and immediately move to his back. Both hooks in a minute in, working for the choke. He switches to right hands and lands at least a dozen of them before getting the body triangle and going back to chasing the RNC two minutes in. More punches when Pacheco gets to his knees. He flattens Pacheco out and tees off with two minutes to go.
Pacheco manages to regain half guard. One minute to go. He works to his feet and eats an elbow on the break. Big shots from both men. Solid check by Pacheco, body kick behind it. He punches into the clinch. 10-9 Loughran.
Round 3: A hard low kick appears to compromise Pacheco’s left knee and Loughran slowly pursues, landing more kicks and some solid punches. Blast double a minute in, no dice. Knees from Pacheco on the exit. Low-high combo by Loughran, then another calf kick. Pacheco can barely move at this point. Two minutes in. Pacheco still somehow pushing forward and lands a glancing flying knee before Loughran puts him on the fence. Nice level change puts Loughran on top at the base of the fence. Two minutes to go.
Pacheco gets to his feet and Loughran cracks him with elbows on the way up. Low-high combo, low kick, right cross. Another low-high 3-2 from Loughran, then another calf kick with a minute to go. Nasty right cross. Pacheco still pushing forward, lands a hard left hook and flying knee before getting taken down again. Pacheco gets to his feet and eats another series of power shots, then a spinning elbow at the bell. 10-9 Loughran.
Final result: Loughran def. Pacheco by unanimous decision
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