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UFC keeps the assembly line moving in “The Sunshine State” with a return to ESPN+ TONIGHT (Weds., May 13, 2020) inside VyStar Veterans Memorial Arena in Jacksonville, Florida. Taking center stage will be the light heavyweight main event pitting Anthony Smith against fellow ex-title contender Glover Teixeira, a 205-pound showdown that was originally scheduled for last month in Lincoln, Nebraska. As with most of the promotion’s early-to-late spring fight cards, the coronavirus has forced UFC to rebook everything piecemeal, which is why we’re getting ready for streaming fisticuffs in the middle of the week. Elsewhere on the card, Ovince Saint Preux makes his heavyweight debut, just for the hell of it, against veteran bruiser “Big” Ben Rothwell. In addition, bantamweight action fighters Ray Borg and Ricky Simon hook ‘em up at 135 pounds.
MMAmania.com will deliver LIVE round-by-round, blow-by-blow coverage of the entire UFC Jacksonville fight card blow, starting with the ESPN+ “Prelims” undercard bouts at 7 p.m. ET, followed by the ESPN+ main card start time at 9 p.m. ET.
Keep in mind that we will also be the spot for the latest news, recaps, and post-fight analysis following “Smith vs. Teixeira.” Without further delay, see below for the latest UFC Jacksonville results. (Note: This will go from the bottom up; therefore, scroll toward the bottom for the latest detailed round-by-round action.)
UFC JACKSONVILLE QUICK RESULTS:
205 lbs.: Anthony Smith vs. Glover Teixeira — Teixeira def. Smith by TKO (punches) 1:04 at of Round Five
265 lbs.: Ben Rothwell vs. Ovince Saint Preux — Rothwell def. Saint Preux by split decision (28-29, 29-28 x2)
155 lbs.: Drew Dober vs. Alexander Hernandez — Dober def. Hernandez by TKO (punches) at 4:25 of Round Two
135 lbs.: Ray Borg vs. Ricky Simon — Simon def. Borg by split decision (28-29, 29-28 x2)185 lbs.: Karl Roberson vs. Marvin Vettori — CANCELED (full story here)
265 lbs.: Andrei Arlovski vs. Philipe Lins — Arlovski def. Lins by unanimous decision (30-27 x2, 29-28)
155 lbs.: Michael Johnson vs. Thiago Moises — Moises def. Johnson by submission (straight ankle lock) at 0:25 of Round Two
135 lbs.: Sijara Eubanks vs. Sarah Moras — Eubanks def. Moras by unanimous decision (30-27 x2, 30-26)
155 lbs.: Gabriel Benitez vs. Omar Morales — Morales def. Benitez by unanimous decision (30-27, 29-28 x2)
145 lbs.: Hunter Azure vs. Brian Kelleher — Kelleher def. Azure by KO (punches) at 3:40 of Round Two — HIGHLIGHTS!
265 lbs.: Chase Sherman vs. Ike Villanueva — Sherman def. Villanueva by TKO (punches and elbow) at 0:49 of Round Two — HIGHLIGHTS!
UFC JACKSONVILLE PLAY-BY-PLAY:
205 lbs.: Anthony Smith vs. Glover Teixeira
Round 1: Smith opens with a clean 1-2. Low kick connects. Firing jabs at the shorter man. Teixeira advancing, hasn’t connected yet. More jabs from Smith, right hand behind it a minute in. Teixeira falling short with his punches, eats another 1-2. Smith head kick blocked. Teixeira to the body on the fence, eats a pair of right hands and can’t get a single-leg. Two minutes in. Teixeira throws a combo against the fence and ends up punching Smith in the nards. Back to the action with a heavy Smith right. Working behind the jab. Teixeira to the body. Low kicks land. Two minutes to go.
Smith fires a combination. Another good right cross. Teixeira to the body once again. Smith with some body kicks. 2-3 from Smith. Head kick blocked. Teixeira single-leg denied. One minute to go. Jabs and straight right from Smith. Low kick and body kick. Heavy left hook by Teixeira knocks Smith back. Teixeira catches a kick, can’t use it, tries to spin. 10-9 Smith.
Round 2: Smith combinations back Teixeira off. More jabs from Smith, more body shots from the Brazilian in return. Right cross and body kick by Smith, another right around the guard. One minute in. Smith right hand, lands a knee downstairs. More body kicks and jabs. Spinning elbow misses and Teixeira comes back with a straight right. Smith’s volume paying dividends. Teixeira tries to land against the fence. Lead elbow and right cross from Smith. Two minutes in. More right hands. Head kick attempt. Keeping Teixeira at range with regular, lighter shots. Heavy right cross. Teixeira sporting a swollen eye, but lands a right hand. Two minutes to go.
Good combination by Teixeira! Head kick and power punches landing. He’s keeping Smith on the fence, lands a hard body shot. Smith comes up short with a knee. Teixeira tries a head kick, rattles Smith with a left hook. SMith low kick. One minute to go. Hard body kick by Teixeira met by a 1-2. Teixeira tries to spin. Smith straight left. Up-elbow met by a left hook. Teixeira tries to spin again. 10-9 Teixeira.
Round 3: Lead hook lands for Smith. Teixeira leg kick. Smith catches a body kick, tries to follow him down but cannot. REf has warned Smith about his fingers at least half a dozen times. Heavy uppercut hurts Smith inside and Teixeira pours it on, slumping him with a left hook. Smith looks out, but wakes up enough that Teixeira follows him down onto his back. Punches from Teixeira piling up. Two minutes to go. Full mount, but Smith rolls out. Teixeira looking to retake the back, still punching. Two minutes to go.
Punches landing for Teixeira. Ref tells Smith to move. One minute to go. Hard hammerfists. Smith rolls to half guard. Hard elbow form Teixeira. 10-8 Teixeira.
Round 4: Another heavy uppercut from Teixeira backs Smith to the fence. Overhand right connects. Smith comes back with elbows. Another Smith elbow met by a knee. Now Smith has Teixeira on the fence, but Teixeira comes back with crushing uppercuts that force Smith to shoot. Teixeira sprawls, looks for the back. He lets Smith stand. Good two-piece by Smith. Teixeira patiently advancing. Smith looks exhausted but still throwing. Teixeira fires some heavy blows, then takes him down into half guard. Two minutes to go.
Steady ground-and-pound from Teixeira. One minute to go. Brief mount, more heavy shots. 10-8 Teixeira.
Round 5: Teixeira popping him with jabs, easily stuffs a takedown and takes top position.Nice pass to side control, now mount. Teixeira postures up for some punches and the ref finally stops it. Disgraceful cornering by Smith’s team to let it go that long.
Final result: Teixeira def. Smith by TKO (punches)
265 lbs.: Ben Rothwell vs. Ovince Saint Preux
Round 1: OSP sending out kicks to start. Rothwell plodding forward, lands a body shot after catching a kick. Combination for Rothwell, including an uppercut a minute in. Two more right hands. Another combination attempt on the fence. Two minutes in. Straight left lands for OSP. Body kick exchange. Rothwell advancing, OSP circling. Head kick catches Rothwell leaning, but he wraps up a ten-finger guillotine as OSP falls over. Two minutes to go.
Rothwell with some rights to the body as he tries to set up the choke. He loses the choke, still in the front headlock with a minute to go. Short right hands from Rothwell. OSP stands and separates. 10-9 Rothwell.
Round 2: OSP looks for another head kick. Sticking and movie. Shifting left hand, body kick. Head kick to left hand. Hard combination by Rothwell a minute in. Double left into an uppercut and clinch. OSP circles off. Rothwell low kick, OSP teep and 1-2. Rothwell tries a had kick. OSP with some lefts low and high, eats an overhand right and uppercut. Good uppercu tin the clinch by OSP as Rothwell grabs the plum and looks for knees. Back to range, nice overhand left by OSP with two minutes to go.
Hard body shots from Rothwell, who eats a left cross in return. They trade power hands and Rothwell puts him on the fence. Rothwell changes levels, nothing doing. One minute to go. Uppercut on the break. OSP tries a head kick. Rothwell presses the advantage, only to get buckled by a counter left. They trade knees in the clinch. 10-9 Saint Preux.
Round 3: Rothwell tries to chase OSP, eats a left and lands a low kick. Rothwell goes back to the Thai plum and fires knees, eating an uppercut as he does. They separate. OSP to the body. Hard combo from Rothwell, chasing OSP down a minute in. Body shots, knees. They’re trading heat on the fence. Rothwell presses him against the side. Two minutes in. OSP tries to separate, can’t. Rothwell changes levels, can’t get it with two minutes to go.
Big left hook from OSP stings Rothwell. More punches, head kick attempt. Rothwell wading after him, lands a swatting right hand. Hard left by OSP. Rothwell fires more knees inside, lands a body shot and goes back to the Thai plum. One minute to go. OSP lands to the body and separates. Combination by OSP, another overhand by Rothwell in return. OSP with some more big shots and Rothwell stumbles after the bell. 10-9 Rothwell but OSP may have stolen it at the literal last second.
Final result: Rothwell def. Saint Preux by split decision
155 lbs.: Drew Dober vs. Alexander Hernandez
Round 1: Hernandez aggressive in the early going, counters a low kick with a right hand. Straight left from Dober. Both fire their power hands. Dober counter left, Hernandez body kick. One minute in. Hernandez shoots, completes it into half guard. Dober uses the fence to stand and they trade on the break. Check right hook by Hernandez two minutes in. Hernandez body kick met by a left hand. Dober with a fake level change into a straight left. Hernandez left hook. Southpaw jab. Two minutes to go.
Good exchange. Dober with a stiff jab. Hernandez ducks a left hand for a takedown attempt, denied. Body kick connects with a minute to go. Nice, lengthy combo by Dober. Hernandez right hand falls short. Hernandez counter left, takes an eye poke. Close round. 10-9 Hernandez.
Round 2: Dober takes an eye poke right off the bat. He comes back strong with a combination, eats a body kick but continues to pressure. Both connect. Right hand catches Hernandez off-balance, prompting a failed shot. Hernandez still looking for the body kick, lands a jab. One minute in. Hernandez straight right as he circles on the fence. Both swinging big. They trade power hands. Dober continuing to pressure. Two minutes in. Body shot connects, then a leg kick. Hernandez body kick met by left hands. Both land lefts. Two minutes to go.
Three-piece hurts Hernandez, Dober patiently putting it on. Big left cross and right hook, but he gets taken down for it. Dober manages to sit out and stand. Hard combinations hurt Hernandez again. Dober pouring it on, avoids a takedown. Hernandez is out on his feet and the ref stops it.
Final result: Dober def. Hernandez by TKO (punches)
135 lbs.: Ray Borg vs. Ricky Simon
Round 1: Low kick and body jab from Simon. Left hook lands to kick off a combo, soon met by a right from Borg. Both land heavy right hands and Simon changes levels for a takedown against the fence. Good shots from Simon on the way up. Borg punches his way into his own takedown attempt, then looks for a guillotine as Simon dumps him to his back two minutes in. Borg stands and cracks Simon with a right hand. Low kick exchange, body shot by Simon. Borg with a flurry in return with two minutes to go.
Combinations from Simon. Simon to the body, Borg rips the body in return and shoots. Simon denies it and looks for a slam. One minute to go. Borg works his way up against the fence as he eats knees to the bum. Single-leg puts Borg back on his back. Looking to set up an arm triangle, loses it, drops shots and eats an upkick. 10-9 Simon.
Round 2: Simon looks to jab. Body shot connects. Borg combinations. He punches his way into a takedown attempt, can’t get it and gets dumped in return after losing a guillotine. One minute in. Borg pops back up, lands a straight right. Spinning elbow from Borg, counter two-piece soon after. Good 1-2. Two minutes in. Simon tries a 3-2 and followup combination. Body shot. Jab catches Borg trying a knee. Body shot again. Simon tries a double-leg. Two minutes to go.
Lead right lands for Simon. Good exchange. Simon shoots again, transitions to a rear waist lock, and looks for the back as Borg tries a granby roll. Borg back to his feet. One minute to go. Simon pressing him against the fence. Borg rolls his way free. Good right hand cracks Simon, then an uppercut and body shot. Simon pressing forward. 10-9 Simon.
Round 3: Jab lands for Borg. Simon switching stance. Hard body shot from Borg, then another soon after. Jab exchange. Simon looks for the body, falls short. Left hook lands for him. Simon takes an uppercut, takes him down into side control for it. Nice sweep from Borg, who grabs the front headlock as Simon spins to his knees. Simon stands, slams him down, can’t establish but presses him against the fence. Two minutes to go.
Simon changes levels for a single-leg, lands a big elbow on the break. Borg rips the body. Head kick lands for him. Both swing big in the center. Borg tries a spinning elbow. One minute to go. Simon changes levels, can’t get it. Borg tries a Superman punch. Simon with a bicycle knee, eats a right hand. Borg digs some more nasty body shots, cracking Simon with a right at the bell. 10-9 Borg.
Final result: Simon def. Borg by split decision
265 lbs.: Andrei Arlovski vs. Philipe Lins
Round 1: Lins sending out his jab. Arlovski low kick answered in kind. One minute in. Lins 1-2s falling short. Arlovski tries a head kick. Good close-range exchange. Trading low kicks. Big counter right knocks Arlovski back. Arlovski working from southpaw, lands a low kick. Another counter right lands for Lins. Both land well in the center. Lins leg kick. Two minutes to go.
Arlovski tries a head kick. Body shots land. Counter 2-3 by Lins. He puts Arlovski on the fence, separates. One minute to go. Good spinning back fist lands for Arlovski. Trading low kicks. Lins counters go high. Close round. 10-9 Lins.
Round 2: 1-2 from Arlovski. Lins body kick. Counter right just misses. Arlovski with a good leg kick, eats a pair of counter rights. One minute in. Lins on the attack near the fence. They tie up and Arlovski fires a right hand on the break. Lins leg kicks. Two minutes in. Lins fires counters, can’t land clean. Good right hand by Arlovski. 1-2. Two minutes to go.
Low kick lands for Arlovski. Lins leg kick catches Arlovski in the ghoulies. He takes some time to recover. Oblique kick when they resume. Combination with a minute to go. Body kick. Lins opening up with some heavy combos, lands a left hook. Arlovski flicking out kicks. 10-9 Arlovski.
Round 3: Arlovski opens with kicks. Lins still on the advance. Big counter 3-2. Arlovski body kick answered in kind. One minute in. Both swing right hands. Arlovski leg kick and front kick. Lins counter left. Hard combination by Lins on the fence. Left hook connects. Arlovski continuing with the low kicks two minutes in. Arlovski with an elbow on the break. Hard lead shot, avoids the counter combo. Lins left hook, Arlovski right hand. Two minutes to go.
Arlovski low kick and body shot, briefly caught in a front headlock. Lins lands a low kick. They trade in the center. Arlovski straight left. One minute to go. Counter 3-2 by Lins. He briefly slips. Arlovski sending out more kicks. 10-9 Arlovski.
Final result: Arlovski def. Lins by unanimous decision
155 lbs.: Michael Johnson vs. Thiago Moises
Round 1: Moises looks for a head kick as Johnson presses forward. Johnson to the body. Moises shoots, sprawled on. Low kick lands. Johnson body kick. One minute in. Moises shoots again, handily denied. More head kick attempts. Two minutes in. Johnson fires a body shot, lands a leg kick. Body kick connects. Straight left splits the guard. Hard body shot. Two minutes to go.
Johnson keeping Moises near the fence. Body kick lands for him. Left hand downstairs, another body kick soon after. Low-high combo. Continuing to target the body on the fence. One minute to go. Low kick and body shots. He punches high, hits the body when Moises blocks. Johnson ties up at the bell. 10-9 Johnson.
Round 2: Moises immediately goes for a single-leg, then falls back for an ankle lock. It doesn’t take long to force the tap.
Final result: Moises def. Johnson by submission (straight ankle lock)
135 lbs.: Sijara Eubanks vs. Sarah Moras
Round 1: Low kick from Eubanks, combination from Moras. Left hook lands for Eubanks. She hurts Moraes with a counter right and another right hand behind it, following up with a head kick. Another overhand. Moras comes back with a combination. One minute in. Eubanks lead right. 2-3. Body kick connects. Moras comes back with a low kick and eats a right hand. Two minutes in. Moras low kick and jabs. Eubanks comes back with a right to the body. Counter right by Eubanks. Check hook. Two minutes to go.
Low kick from Eubanks. Moras low kick met by an overhand. Eubanks double jab. Jab and body kick land for Moras. Eubanks tries a high kick with a minute to go, lands a straight right. 2-3 connects. Good exchange in the center. Low kick and jab from Moras again. 10-9 Eubanks.
Round 2: Moras pressuring with strikes, gets clinched up. Eubanks tries a trip before taking her to the fence. Back to range. One minute in. Combo lands for Moras. Eubanks goes low-high. Body kick connects. Moras the busier of the two, eats a right hand. Eubanks with some jabs and left hooks, prompting a combo from Moras two minutes in. More flurries from Moras, caught with counter rights. Clinch, plum for Moras. Knee from Eubanks to the body, looking for uppercuts as Moras fires knees. Two minutes to go.
Moraes lands an elbow. More body knees by Eubanks, who denies a takedown and takes her down in return. Moras quickly brings up a high guard. transitioning from a gogoplata setup to an armbar to an omoplata. Eubanks avoids it with a minute to go and takes half guard. Hard ground-and-pound from Eubanks. Looking for mount, takes the back at the bell. 10-9 Eubanks.
Round 3: Moras back on the advance. Hard right hand by Eubanks. Stiff jab catches Moras throwing. Moras low kick. Body kick. Eubanks with her own body kick a minute in, eats a low kick. Moras fires a head kick and ties up, looking for knees. Knees from Eubanks in return, puts her on the fence. Two minutes in. They separate and Moras, nose bloodied, walks into a straight right. Superman punch connects for Eubanks. Low-high. Combination. Nice knee tap by Eubanks with two minutes to go.
Eubanks on top in guard. Moras uses the fence to spin for an armbar. Eubanks stacks, tells her corner she’s okay as they discuss tactics. One minute to go. Eubanks pulls her elbow free and takes side control. She gets a crucifix, drops some nasty shots. 10-9 Eubanks.
Final result: Eubanks def. Moras by unanimous decision
155 lbs.: Gabriel Benitez vs. Omar Morales
Round 1: Tentative start. Benitez low kick falls short, as do Morales’ punches. Hard body kick by Benitez a minute in. Morales tries to answer in kind. Morales head kick just misses. Straight right connects. Morales still looking for high kicks, tries a right hand behind it. Big left hand by Benitez. Both fire head kicks. Morales tries an oblique kick and gets cracked by a 1-2. Two minutes to go.
Morales lands a straight right. Morales advancing. Benitez follows up a head kick with a straight left and avoids an angry reprisal. One minute to go. Morales checks a low kick, lands a body kick. 1-2. Benitez with a body shot and right hook. Another body blow. Counter left by Benitez. Morales leg kick. 10-9 Benitez.
Round 2: Low kick from Benitez. Morales sending out his jab, eats a straight left. Benitez body kick. Morales 1-2. Apparent eye poke. Hard body kick form Morales a minute in. Benitez tries a high kick. Body kick lands, met by a straight right. Quick exchange favors Morales. Benitez catches a body kick two minutes in. Morales straight right, glancing left hand comes back. Leg kick connects. Benitez to the body, blasted with a straight right. Tow minutes to go.
Morales follows up with a body kick, marching forward. Benitez lands a body kick and avoids a jump knee. Benitez straight left. Morales body kick, Benitez 1-2. Morales with a glancing head kick. Both throw knees at the same time. Benitez side kick. Morales gets taken down throwing a wheel kick. 10-9 Morales.
Round 3: Trading jabs to start. Morales body kick and right cross, then another clean right. Benitez to the body, head kick just misses. Benitez straight left a minute in. Good inside low kick. Now the outside. Morales left hand. Advancing, firing rights, lands a pair of body kicks. Counter combo. Benitez jabs two minutes in. Body shot. Both fire their power hands, then a body kick by Morales. Nasty body shot from Benitez, heavy 1-2 soon after. Counter combination. Two minutes to go.
Inside low kick. Morales 1-2. Hard 1-2 by Benitez on the retreat. Morales tries a jump knee. Both fire body kicks. One minute to go. Morales combination. Benitez body shot, Morales tries to answer in kind and lands a right. Benitez to the body as he takes another right upstairs. Another body shot met by a Morales body kick. They slug it out until the bell. 10-9 Benitez.
Final result: Morales def. Benitez by unanimous decision
145 lbs.: Hunter Azure vs. Brian Kelleher
Round 1: Both men low in their stances. Good low kick from Azure. Kelleher body kick falls short, Azure kick blocked. Azure using his jab and hook well alongside the low kicks. Kelleher with a leg kick, blocks a lead right. Azure check hook and combination a minute in. Brief clinch. Azure body shot. Azure uppercut splits the guard. Kelleher fires a body kick, tries to shoot. Two minutes in. Azure stuffs another takedown. They trade. Azure body shot. Kelleher low kick and 1-2 connect. Spinning back fist goes well wide. Two minutes to go.
Azure combination, stuffs a takedown. Stiff jab. Kelleher tries a Superman punch into a double-leg. Single-leg transition. They trade lefts with a minute to go. Azure to the body with some hard shots, eats a left hook in return. Cuffing right hook. Azure low kick. Kelleher tries a slow high kick and Azure slips throwing one of his own.
Round 2: Kelleher lands an early right hand into a combination. Kelleher on the advance, Azure punching off the back foot. Good body shot. Kelleher low kick. Dart right hand. One minute in. 1-1-2. Good Azure low kick. Brief clinch, Azure with a right on the break. Counter right. Hard Kelleher leg kick and right hand. Two minutes in. Teep strays low. Good body shot by Azure. Kelleher body kick, Azure body punch. Azure tries a combo. Kelleher with an uppercut and Azure takes him to the fence. Two minutes to go.
They trade on the break. Azure low kick, Kelleher left hook and a heavy right hand. Azure fires a naked inside low kick and gets just absolutely pasted by a left hook. Kelleher raises his arms, sees that Azure is still conscious, and thumps him with a pair of hammerfists to put him to sleep.
Final result: Kelleher def. Azure by KO (punches)
265 lbs.: Chase Sherman vs. Ike Villanueva
Round 1: Lots of feints as they meet in the center. Sherman with a couple of kicks. Hard low kick lands for him. Villanueva tries a 1-2-3, gets cracked by a left hook a minute in. Quick flurry by Villanueva. More combinations, eats a left hook and low kick in return. Sherman digs a right to the body. Two minutes in. Another low kick by Sherman and they trade punches. Nice combo by Sherman. Lead right from Villanueva. Jab exchange. Sherman body kick. Two minutes to go.
Sherman on the advance. Heavy combo by Villanueva. Sherman low kick. Jab exchange, they trade on the fence. Another body shot by Sherman, who opens up on the fence with a minute to go. Huge right cross and knee. Another heavy low kick. He tries a combination. Good right hand. Villanueva check hook. 10-9 Sherman.
Round 2: Big exchange and Sherman stings him with a knee. Another Sherman leg kick and brutal 1-2 send Villanueva backing to the fence. A crunching level elbow and it’s over.
Final result: Sherman def. Villanueva by TKO (punches and elbow)