Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) is making its return to the ESPN+ digital network for another round of mixed martial arts (MMA) action, this time in the form of UFC Fight Night 144: “Assuncao vs. Moraes 2,” set for this Sat. night (Feb. 2, 2019) inside Northeast Olympic Training Center in Fortaleza, Brazil. As the name suggests, this weekend’s event will be topped by the bantamweight rematch pitting top-ranked contenders, Raphael Assuncao and Marlon Moraes, against one another for the second time, with the winner moving on to fight for the 135-pound title. In the featherweight co-main event, former division champion, Jose Aldo, will try to quell the uprising of Brazilian phenom, Renato Carneiro. Don’t have ESPN+? No problem, sign up here for a seven-day free trial.
MMAmania.com will deliver LIVE round-by-round, blow-by-blow coverage of the entire UFC Fight Night 144 fight card below, starting with the ESPN+ “Prelims” undercard bouts at 5 p.m. ET, followed by the ESPN+ main card start time at 8 p.m. ET.
Keep in mind that we will also be the spot for the latest news, recaps, and post-fight analysis following “Assuncao vs. Moraes 2.”
Without further delay, see below for the latest UFC Fight Night 144 results. (Note: This will go from the bottom up; therefore, scroll toward the bottom for the latest detailed round-by-round action.)
UFC FORTALEZA QUICK RESULTS:
Raphael Assuncao vs. Marlon Moraes
Jose Aldo vs. Renato Moicano
Demian Maia vs. Lyman Good
Charles Oliveira vs. David Teymur
Justin Ledet vs. Johnny Walker
Livinha Souza vs. Sarah Frota
Anthony Hernandez vs. Markus Perez
Mara Romero Borella vs. Taila Santos
Thiago Alves vs. Max Griffin
Junior Albini vs. Jair Rozenstruik — Rozenstruik def. Albini by TKO (head kick and punches) at 0:54 of Round Two
Felipe Dias Colares vs. Geraldo de Freitas Jr. — de Freitas def. Colares by unanimous decision (30-27 x2, 30-26)
Said Nurmagomedov vs. Ricardo Ramos — Nurmagomedov def. Ramos by TKO (spinning back kick and punches) at 2:28 of Round One
Magomed Bibulatov vs. Rogerio Bontorin — Bontorin def. Bibulatov by split decision (29-28, 28-29, 29-28)
UFC FORTALEZA LIVE PLAY-BY-PLAY:
135 lbs.: Raphael Assuncao vs. Marlon Moraes
Round 1:
Round 2:
Round 3:
Round 4:
Round 5:
Final result:
145 lbs.: Jose Aldo vs. Renato Moicano
Round 1:
Round 2:
Round 3:
Final result:
170 lbs.: Demian Maia vs. Lyman Good
Round 1:
Round 2:
Round 3:
Final result:
155 lbs.: Charles Oliveira vs. David Teymur
Round 1:
Round 2:
Round 3:
Final result:
205 lbs.: Justin Ledet vs. Johnny Walker
Round 1:
Round 2:
Round 3:
Final result:
115 lbs.: Livinha Souza vs. Sarah Frota
Round 1:
Round 2:
Round 3:
Final result:
185 lbs.: Anthony Hernandez vs. Markus Perez
Round 1:
Round 2:
Round 3:
Final result:
125 lbs.: Mara Romero Borella vs. Taila Santos
Round 1:
Round 2:
Round 3:
Final result:
170 lbs.: Thiago Alves vs. Max Griffin
Round 1: Alves lands a nasty leg kick to counter a jab. Griffin pressuring, eats another shot to the leg but rocks Alves with a punching flurry. Griffin opens up to the head and body, then looks for a takedown. They separate. Griffin firing his jab, lands a right downstairs. One minute in. Low kick from Alves. Clean right by Griffin. Another Alves leg kick met by a right hand. Again, to the inside this time. Alves catches a knee, can’t get the takedown. Two minutes in. Alves continuing to pick away at the leg every time Griffin steps in, but is taking punches. Griffin bangs the body and ties up. Good elbow on the break. Calf kick from Alves this time. Left hook connects. Two minutes to go.
1-2 from Griffin, low kick from Alves. They trade near the fence. 1-2-1 from Alves, last one connects. Lead right by Griffin, left hook from Alves. Body kick by the Brazilian and a glancing right. Griffin lands with a knee that strays low. One minute to go. Cross counter by Alves, knee by Griffin. 1-2 from Griffin. Alves steps in with an elbow, eats a body shot but lands a jab. Head kick lands with the foot. They trade to end the round and Alves falls from the onslaught. Saved by the bell. 10-9 Griffin.
Round 2:
Round 3:
Final result:
265 lbs.: Junior Albini vs. Jair Rozenstruik
Round 1: Trading inside low kicks to start. Albini shoots within 20 seconds and muscles Rozenstruik down into half guard. Good elbow. Albini trying to lock up a kimura. One minute in. Loses it, starts dropping elbows from side control instead. Knee on belly to mount. Rozenstruik regains half guard. Good scramble from Rozenstruik to get back up. Albini looks for a trip, can’t get it, lands another one right into back control. Rozenstruik reverses into guard. He stands and lets Albini up. Albini quickly connects with a lead right, backs him to the fence again. Two minutes to go.
Knee form Albini. They pause the fight for…reasons? I don’t know. They restart at range. Body kick and leg kick from Albini. He looks for a double-leg, can’t get it. They separate with 30 seconds to go. Left hook lands for Rozenstruik, who stuffs a takedown and lands a pair of hooks inside. Counter right and head kick attempt. 10-9 Albini.
Round 2: Low kick from Albini. They trade leg kicks. Combination from Rozenstruik and a right hand and head kick drops Albini. Rozenstruik swarms him for the finish against the fence.
Final result: Rozenstruik def. Albini by TKO (head kick and punches)
145 lbs.: Felipe Dias Colares vs. Geraldo de Freitas Jr.
Round 1: de Freitas flicking out kicks, lands a jab. Colares tries a jumping kick. Low kick exchange. Low kick and 3-2 from de Freitas land clean. One minute in. Left hook by de Freitas. Colares finds the mark with a 2-1, walks into a left hand and eats knees in the clinch. de Freitas bangs the body and lands a chopping right, only for COlares to heave him into the air for a takedown. Colares looks for the back, loses position. de Freitas on top in side control two minutes in. Colares stands, uses a whizzer to take him down in return. Colares on top in guard. de Feiras scrambles up for his own takedown, lands short punches. Colares stands, still pressed against the fence with two minutes to go.
de Freitas denies a hip toss for a double-leg into half guard. Colares trying to scoot free without success. Half guard to side control. de Freitas stepping over for a kimura, loses it in transition. Colares lands a hard elbow from on top. 10-9 de Freitas.
Round 2: Right hand and head kick from de Freitas. 1-1-2-3. Brutal 3-2 and he’s on the attack. Colares ties up, takes a knee to the body. de Freitas reverses and looks for a takedown a minute in. He lands on top in half guard. Full mount now. Nice hammerfist as he moves to the back. Both hooks in. Good balance from de Freitas as Colares tries to wriggle free. Colares manages to slip out and take top position. de Freitas threatens a triangle, nothing doing. Colares with some good top control of his own. Two minutes to go.
Colares looking for the back, loses position. de Freitas going for a takedown. One minute to go. de Freitas completes a double-leg, maintains a body lock as Colares stands. They separate. Head kick from Colares. Glancing right hand lands but he succumbs to a blast double. 10-9 de Freitas.
Round 3: They open the round swinging big until de Freitas catches a kick for a takedown. Colares returns to his feet. One minute in. Colares tries the drop seoi nage but he doesn’t have enough left. de Freitas lands some heavy blows on the feet in return. Brutal punches and a blast double into half guard. He swiftly passes to full mount, then looks for the back. He maintains a body lock as Colares stands. Two minutes to go.
Left hook, uppercut, left hook, blast double from de Freitas. Side control. Colares gets to his feet and grabs the rear waist lock. One minute to go. de Freitas looks for the switch. Sneaky knee from Colares and they slug it out until the bell. 10-9 de Freitas.
Final result: de Freitas def. Colares by unanimous decision
135 lbs.: Said Nurmagomedov vs. Ricardo Ramos
Round 1: Low kicks from Nurmagomedov to start. Head kick attempt. Another heavy low kick. Ramos tries a spinning back kick, eats a spinning back fist. Spinning back kick connects for Nurmagomedov a minute in. Ramos tries a spinning elbow, falls short, eats a body kick. Nurmagomedov looks for a wheel kick. Another leg kick spins Ramos around. Spinning back fist glances off. Two minutes in. He whiffs on a punching combo, then lands a spinning back kick that folds Ramos. Ramos staggers back and wilts to his knees under the resulting onslaught.
Final result: Nurmagomedov def. Ramos by TKO (spinning back kick and punches)
125 lbs.: Magomed Bibulatov vs. Rogerio Bontorin
Round 1: Bibulatov advancing early. Bontorin counters a low kick. Body kick and spinning back fist attempt from Bibulatov. Another body kick prompts Bontorin to tie up. Lovely throw from Bibulatov into guard. Bontorin setting up an omoplata, gets clocked with a right but gets to his feet. Bibulatov tries a wheel kick. 1-2 counters a Bontorin leg kick. Bontorin buzzes him with a right hand in combination. Two minutes in. Bibulatov catches a body kick for a throw, but Bontorin immediately sweeps to the back. Looking for the choke. Bibulatov fighting off the hands, taking some short blows. Two minutes to go.
Bontorin worms his forearm under the chin, but Bibulatov manages to spin, landing on the bottom in guard. Quick scramble and Bibulatov tries a spinning back kick. One minute to go. Bontorin whiffs on an overhand left, eats a punch and kick to the body. Left hand from Bontorin in response. Bibulatov continues to rip the body. Bontorin with a knee inside, fights off a foot sweep. They fight in the clinch. 10-9 Bontorin.
Round 2: Bibulatov keeping up the pressure, looks to spin again. Back to the clinch. Bibulatov tries to change levels. Bontorin gets him against the fence, loses hold of him. One minute in. Bibulatov slings a lead right and they trade knees in the clinch. Bibulatov looking for a takedown on the cage, can’t get it and is warned for grabbing the shorts. Bibulatov with a spinning back fist and front kick. Lead left lands for Bontorin. Two minutes in. Bibulatov tries a hook kick, eats a straight left. Another hard right and side kick downstairs. Lead right. Bontorin whiffs on a pair of hooks. Clean overhand left by Bontorin. 1-2. Two minutes to go.
Spinning back kick to the midsection and a straight right from Bibulatov, then a jumping knee attempt as Bontorin looked for the body. Pressing Bontorin on the fence and takes him down into guard. Bontorin scrambles up with a minute to go. Bibulatov lands a hook kick, gets clocked with a 3-2. Bibulatov to the body, avoids a flying kick. Bontorin shoots from too far out, eats a clean uppercut. Bibulatov tries a spinning kick to the face. 10-9 Bibulatov.
Round 3: Bibulatov looks the fresher of the two, still slinging heat. Bontorin looks for a straight left. Bibulatov to the body. One minute in. Bibulatov tries to spin, lands a side kick and counters a body shot with a left hook. Step-in knee. Bontorin blasts him with a 3-2. Bibulatov comes back with a body shot. Two more big punches from Bontorin, who takes a right to the gut again. Two minutes in. Head kick from Bibulatov. Straight right and body shot, then a spinning back kick downstairs. Bontorin is slugging with him but it’s the Russian getting the better of it. He pressures with punches and looks for a takedown on the fence. Bontorin defending so far. Two minutes to go.
Trading knees inside. Bontorin lands one to the head. Chopping right connects for him. They separate and both land clean crosses. Bibulatov shoots, denied, pressed against the fence. He separates with a minute to go. Bontorin rips a counter right downstairs and counters a takedown with a throw from the whizzer, putting in a hook and looking for the back. Bibulatov survives the choke attempt. 10-9 Bibulatov on superior striking.
Final result: Bontorin def. Bibulatov by split decision