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Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) will wrap its month-long stay on “Fight Island” with the UFC on ESPN 14 mixed martial arts (MMA) event, topped by a middleweight headliner featuring hard-hitting contenders (and former welterweights) Robert Whittaker and Darren Till. The action gets underway this Sat. night (July 25, 2020) inside Flash Forum on Yas Island in Abu Dhabi. Elsewhere on the card, which airs on both ESPN and ESPN+, light heavyweight veterans Mauricio Rua and Antonio Rogerio Nogueira complete their decade-long trilogy. In addition, former 205-pound title contender Alexander Gustafsson makes his heavyweight debut opposite former division champion and decorated submission specialist Fabricio Werdum.
MMAmania.com will deliver LIVE round-by-round, blow-by-blow coverage of the entire UFC on ESPN 14 fight card below, starting with the ESPN/ESPN+ “Prelims” undercard bouts at 5 p.m. ET, followed by the ESPN/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 “Whittaker vs. Till.” Without further delay, see below for the latest UFC on ESPN 14 results. (Note: This will go from the bottom up; therefore, scroll toward the bottom for the latest detailed round-by-round action.)
UFC ON ESPN 14 QUICK RESULTS:
Robert Whittaker vs. Darren Till — Whittaker def. Till by unanimous decision (48-47 x3) —HIGHLIGHTS!
Mauricio Rua vs. Antonio Rogerio Nogueira — Rua def. Nogueira by split decision (29-28, 28-29, 29-28)
Fabricio Werdum vs. Alexander Gustafsson — Werdum def. Gustafsson by submission (armbar) at 2:30 of Round One — HIGHLIGHTS!
Carla Esparza vs. Marina Rodriguez — Esparza def. Rodriguez by split decision (28-29, 29-28, 30-27)
Paul Craig vs. Gadzhimurad Antigulov — Craig def. Antigulov by submission (triangle choke) at 2:06 of Round One — HIGHLIGHTS!
Alex Oliveira vs. Peter Sobotta — Oliveira def. Sobotta by unanimous decision (30-27 x3)
Khamzat Chimaev vs. Rhys McKee — Chimaev def. McKee by TKO (punches) at 3:09 of Round One — HIGHLIGHTS!
Jai Herbert vs. Francisco Trinaldo — Trinaldo def. Herbert by KO (punches) at 1:30 of Round Three — HIGHLIGHTS!
Nicolas Dalby vs. Jesse Ronson — Ronson def. Dalby by submission (rear naked choke) at 2:48 of Round One — HIGHLIGHTS!
Tom Aspinall vs. Jake Collier — Aspinall def. Collier by TKO (punches) at 0:45 of Round One — HIGHLIGHTS!
Movsar Evloev vs. Mike Grundy — Evloev def. Grundy by unanimous decision (30-27, 29-28 x2)
Tanner Boser vs. Raphael Pessoa — Boser def. Pessoa by TKO (punches) at 2:36 of Round Two — HIGHLIGHTS!
Bethe Correia vs. Pannie Kianzad — Kianzad def. Correia by unanimous decision (30-27 x2, 29-28)
Ramazan Emeev vs. Niklas Stolze — Emeev def. Stolze by unanimous decision (30-27, 29-28 x2)
Nathaniel Wood vs. John Castaneda — Wood def. Castaneda by unanimous decision (30-27 x3)
UFC ON ESPN 14 PLAY-BY-PLAY:
185 lbs.: Robert Whittaker vs. Darren Till
Round 1: Till on the front foot early. Jab lands for Whittaker. Counter left connects. Low kick. One minute in. Till catches a kick, can’t use it. They collide in the center and and intercepting elbow knocks Whittaker down. He manages to tie up and stand. Hard lead left from Till. Two minutes in. Head kick attempt. Another lead left and another and an uppercut. Till marching forward, avoids a combination and puts him on the fence. Knees from Till. Whittaker tries a throw, denied. Two minutes to go.
Till tries a head kick. Low kick exchange. Till leans under a head kick. Combination whiffs, as does Whittaker’s counter. One minute to go. Calf kick by Whittaker. Lead right connects. Another straight, then a calf kick. 10-9 Till.
Round 2: Oblique kick from Whittaker, counter left hook lands clean. Calf kick, eats one in return, looks for counters. Till low kicks. 1-2 and down goes Till! Whittaker follows him down into guard, where Till ties up. Short punches from Whittaker, nasty left elbow. He passes to half guard, lands another big elbow. Two minute sin. More clean elbows. Till rolls to his knees, avoids the back take and separates. Two minutes to go.
Low kicks from Whittaker. Till looks to press the action with a minute to go. Left hand bounces off the guard. Another low kick comes back at him. Whittaker falls short with a combo and blocks a head kick. He tries his own. 10-9 Whittaker.
Round 3: Another calf kick from Whittaker. Lead right. Good two-piece by Till in return. Left hand through the guard, head kick attempt. Counter left lands clean. One minute in. Counter right from Whittaker. Two-piece falls short. Long right hand. Both try head kicks. Two minutes in. Both fire their power hands. Counter jab lands for Whittaker. Till 1-2. Till fires a knee and takes a left hook as he does, avoiding a head kick and spinning back fist. Two minutes to go.
Whittaker shoots, denied, fires a left hook on the break. Low kick lands. One minute to go. Two-piece falls short. Counter left hook connects and he blocks a head kick. Whittaker shoots again, denied. Shifting hook attempt. 10-9 Whittaker on activity.
Round 4: Till tries a counter knee and head kick. Clean 1-2. Lots of feints. One minute in. Whittaker low kicks. Low kick from Till in return. Hard elbow appears to sting Whittaker and Till follows up with punches two minutes in. Another calf kick. Two minutes to go.
Whittaker shoots, denied. 1-2 appears to land. Counter hook falls short. Clean straight left from Till. Knee inside met by a Whittaker uppercut. One minute to go. Whittaker ducks a left for another takedown attempt, tries to pursue with punches on the fence. 1-2 by Whittaker. Till avoids the follow-ups. 10-9 Till.
Round 5: Hard 1-2 from Whittaker to start. He tries a reactive single-leg, can’t get it. Sharp left hands by Till. One minute in. Whittaker tries another 1-2. Good 1-2 by Till. Low kick from Whittaker. Two minutes in. Simultaneous kicks. Whittaker shoots, can’t get it, fires a left hook. Straight left by Till. Counter elbow just misses. Counter left connects. Two minutes to go.
Another 1-2 by Till. Whittaker stings him with a calf kick. Then another. He tries to shoot, lands on the break. Till left hand goes high. One minute to go. Lead elbow by Till opens Whittaker up. Calf kick and takedown attempt form Whittaker. Till makes it up, dragged back down. And again. Trading knees inside. I think Till may have eked it out in these last two rounds. 10-9 Till.
Final result: Whittaker def. Till by unanimous decision
205 lbs.: Mauricio Rua vs. Antonio Rogerio Nogueira
Round 1: Rua slowly advancing. Low kick lands for him. One minute in. Another low kick. Nothing from Nogueira so far as he circles. Rua advances with punches, puts him on the fence. Knees inside. Two minutes in. Nogueira tries some body shots. Clean 1-2 lands for him after they separate. Rua tries to blitz, throws a body kick. Two minutes to go.
Another low kick seems to bother Nogueira. He comes back with a left hand. Now Nogueira advancing. Rua circling, quick exchange. Another straight left by Nogueira. Lead right lands for Rua and he puts him back on the fence. One minute to go. They trade against the fence and Nogueira cracks Rua with big left hands. More lefts and Rua responds with a takedown into half guard. 10-9 Nogueira.
Round 2: Knee from Rua on the fence. Low kick connects. He tries a combination. One minute in. Nogueira counter left just misses, then the next one answers a body kick. 2-3 from Nogueira, Rua body kick, straight left comes back at him. Rua shoots, denied, stings Nogueira with a right hand and gets bullied down into half guard. Back to guard. Short ground-and-pound from Nogueira. Back to the feet with two minutes to go.
Quick exchange. Rua shoots again, can’t get the single-leg. Clean counter right lands for him, then on the lead. Two-piece, straight right. Body kick lands for him. One minute to go. Left hands by Nogueira back Rua to the fence. Big lead left. Rua patiently moves in. 10-9 Rua in a tossup.
Round 3: Another hard low kick clearly troubles Nogueira. Body kick from Rua. Lead left hook. Big exchange in the center. One minute in. Nogueira 1-2, eats a right, lands some counters. Low kick from Rua. Nogueira with a left around the guard, takes a right to the body. Two minutes in. Body kick to straight right land for Rua. Lead left hook, they trade. Two minutes to go.
1-2 from Nogueira. 3-2 falls short. Lead left. Low kick from Rua. Check hook catches Nogueira and Rua presses forward for a takedown against the fence. On top in half guard. Short left hands as Nogueira holds onto the lockdown guard. One minute to go. Good punches. Nogueira goes for deep half guard, takes a few hammerfists. 10-9 Rua.
Final result: Rua def. Nogueira by split decision
265 lbs.: Fabricio Werdum vs. Alexander Gustafsson
Round 1: Gustafsson light on his feet, takes a leg kick. Looking for jabs, slips a big right hand. Werdum leg kicks. Onebmintue in. Combo by Gustafsson. Werdum looks for a single-leg, eats some shots in the scramble, and takes the back before transitioning to an armbar. Two minutes in. Gustafsson holding onto his own arm, but Werdum breaks the grip and forces the tap.
Final result: Werdum def. Gustafsson by submission (armbar)
115 lbs.: Carla Esparza vs. Marina Rodriguez
Round 1: Good lead right lands for Rodriguez. Esparza shoots under a right hand and takes her down into guard. Short punches from Esparza. One minute in. More punches. Two minutes in. Rodriguez just holding on. Esparza postures up and slams her back down. Two minutes to go.
Esparza sporting a cut from Rodriguez’s elbows. Good elbow of her own. Esparza falls back for a straight ankle lock. One minute to go. Rodriguez takes top position and slams home some elbows. Esparza looks for a low single, avoids a guillotine and they separate. Hard right hands by Rodriguez and Esparza shoots again. Browne elbows by Rodriguez. 10-9 Esparza.
Round 2: Low kick from Rodriguez. Two hard right hands connect. Another right and low kick. One minute in. Rodriguez stuffs a takedown. Superman punch. Esparza shoots, denied. Esparza shoots off a low kick, gets rolled over, scrambles through into guard. Rodriguez trying to set up a triangle, cannot do so. Rodriguez tries to kick her away, fires upkicks. Two minutes to go.
Punches from Esparza. Body shots mixed in. Rodriguez kicks her away, forced back into guard while trying a triangle. One minute to go. Esparza stands, avoids an upkick, and falls back for the leglock again. Heavy shots from Rodriguez, who takes an illegal upkick and tries to chase her down. 10-9 Esparza.
Round 3: Rodriguez slowly advancing, lands a leg kick. Superman punch and jab behind it. Esparza shoots, stuffed, eats a 2-1 a minute in. She shoots again, lands some heavy left hands. Rodriguez eats shots as she stands. Double-leg from Esparza into half guard. Solid elbows. Two minutes to go.
Now Rodriguez looking for the triangle again, settles for landing an elbow. More elbows. Solid elbow by Esparza. One minute to go. Nice head kick by Esparza as Rodriguez stands. Another takedown by Esparza. She tries to jump on the back, can’t do so. 10-9 Esparza but the first two roudns were debatable.
Final result:
205 lbs.: Paul Craig vs. Gadzhimurad Antigulov
Round 1: Craig on the front foot early. Front kick attempt. Jab exchange. Antigulov ties up and completes a single-leg, avoiding a guillotine. Craig controlling well off of his back. One minute in. Right hand by Antigulov. Craig brings up his legs for a triangle. Hard right hands from Antigulov, but he’s forced to tap.
Final result: Craig def. Antigulov by submission (triangle choke)
170 lbs.: Alex Oliveira vs. Peter Sobotta
Round 1: Oliveira sending out kicks to start. Right hand falls short. Low kick from Sobotta. One minute in. Sharp body kick from Sobotta answered in kind. Another front kick kncoks Sobotta back. Sobotta comes back with a body kick two minutes in. Moving around the cage, not many exchanges. Oliveira body kick. Two minutes to go.
Sobotta tries a 1-1-2. Oliveira body kick. Head kick attempt, another hard body kick. One minute to go. Oliveira tries another front kick. Sobotta low kick. 10-9 Oliveira.
Round 2: Low kick lands for Sobotta. Oliveira tries a jumping switch kick. Sobotta shoots, eats Browne elbows. One minute in. Oliveira swats him a few more times and separates. Good body kick. Counter uppercut just misses. Another body kick connects. Two minutes in. One of the body kicks catches Sobotta in the nards. Back to the action. Left hook from Oliveira, body kick. Head kick attempt. Two minutes to go.
Jab lands for Sobotta. He’s hesitant to commit. Oliveira continues to send out kicks. One minute to go. Now Sobotta takes a finger in the eye. Oliveira feinting quite a bit. Low kicks land for him, Sobotta answers. Sobotta sends out a high kick and gets dropped by a counter right. 10-9 Oliveira.
Round 3: High kick from Oliveira knocks Sobotta back once again. Sobotta shoots under a jab, eats an elbow, pulls guard as he’s denied. Oliveira stands over and kicks at his legs. before letting him up. One minute in. Another Oliveira front kick. Jab connects. Staring contest for a bit. Two minutes in. Another heavy body kick. Combination by Sobotta. They trade in the center. Sobotta body kick, avoids the counters. Two minutes to go.
Oliveira low kick. Counter 1-2, clean jab. Sobotta body kick, Oliveira looking for counters. One minute to go. Straight left lands for Sobotta. Jab connects. Oliveira fires a body kick and a calf kick. Counter right stings Sobotta. 10-9 Oliveira.
Final result: Oliveira def. Sobotta by unanimous decision
170 lbs.: Khamzat Chimaev vs. Rhys McKee
Round 1: Chimaev shoots behind a right hand, hauls McKee to his corner, and trips him down against the fence. Looking for the back. Mount for Chimaev, short punches. Now the back, heavy right hands, back to mount. One minute in. McKee trying to roll, eats some hard hammerfists on his knees. Hunting for the RNC, back to brutalizing with punches and elbows. Flattened out on the back, right hands piling up. Elbows from mount. More pounding. Two minutes to go.
The onslaught continues until the ref intervenes.
Final result: Chimaev def. McKee by TKO (punches)
155 lbs.: Jai Herbert vs. Francisco Trinaldo
Round 1: Herbert light on his feet as always, sending out his jab. Trinaldo tries a straight left. Clean 1-2 from Herbert, backs away from left hands. Body shots from Trinaldo. Hard straight left by Trinaldo and he puts him on the fence. Outside trip puts the Brazilian on top in guard a minute in. Half guard, elbow. Trinaldo considers an arm triangle, then a guillotine. Back on the feet. Jockeying for position against the fence. Another takedown for Trinaldo. Two minutes to go.
Herbert scoots to the fence and Trinaldo looks for the back before slamming home elbows in half guard. He briefly takes side control. Herbert makes space to stand and Trinaldo grabs the front headlock. One minute to go. Herbert makes it up, puts Trinaldo on the fence. Herbert fires some clinch knees, gets cracked by a left hand and backs off. Right hand by Herbert, who denies a takedown and takes top control. Trinaldo tries a half guard sweep, can’t get it. 10-9 Trinaldo.
Round 2: Herbert immediately drops Trinaldo with a hard 1-2 and follows him down. Trinaldo holding on from the bottom, gives up mount and then the back. Herbert looking for the body triangle and the RNC. One minute in. Still looking for the choke, preventing Trinaldo from turning into guard. Two minutes in. Trinaldo manages to wriggle free and Herbert looks to open up when they stand. Big left hand stings Herbert as Herbert slips. Knee by Herbert. Left hand by Trinaldo. Two minutes to go.
Knee by Herbert inside. Clean 1-2 rocks Trinaldo again. Another right cross, avoids an overhand left. Herbert combinations, Trinaldo body shot, Herbert body shot. One minute to go. Herbert takes him to the fence. More knees. Low kick form Trinaldo. Herbert 1-2. Another Trinaldo leg kick. Clash of shins. 10-9 Herbert.
Round 3: Low kicks from Trinaldo. Herbert still boxing sharp, eats a body kick. He blocks a long left. Jabs land, met by a straight left and low kick. One minute in. Double left by Trinaldo met by a cleaner 1-2. Suddenly, Trinaldo uncorks a massive overhand left that knocks Herbert silly. Trinaldo stands over him for several , refusing to follow up on his unconscious opponent, and Herb Dean forces him to keep punching. Herb Dean is garbage.
Final result: Trinaldo def. Herbert by KO (punches)
170 lbs.: Nicolas Dalby vs. Jesse Ronson
Round 1: Dalby sending out some early kicks. Low kicks from Ronson. Lengthy combination by Dalby. Side kick, Brazilian kick attempt. Double right hand. Body kick lands for Ronson. They trade crosses a minute in. Trading in the center, clinch knees by Dalby. He takes Ronson to the fence, lands an elbow, changes levels. They trade after separating, body shot form Ronson. Counter right hooks. More kicks from Dalby two minutes in. They trade in the center. Dalby answers a low kick with a combination and tries to open up, only to get floored by a sneaky left. Ronson follows him down with some heavy elbows, passes to mount, and then takes the back with a rear naked choke for the finish.
Final result: Ronson def. Dalby by submission (rear naked choke)
265 lbs.: Tom Aspinall vs. Jake Collier
Round 1: They trade low kicks to start. Slow combo by Collier. Heavy 1-2 by Aspinall. 3-2. Collier low kick. Aspinall fires a knee, then a 1-2 that sends Collier face-first to the mat.
Final result: Aspinall def. Collier by TKO (punches)
145 lbs.: Movsar Evloev vs. Mike Grundy
Round 1: Grundy looking to reach with punches early. Overhand right lands for Evloev. Grundy takes him down off of a low kick and sets up in half guard a minute in. Evloev sits up, caught in the front headlock. Slick roll by Evloev to separate, Grundy lands a knee inside before they return to range. Two minutes in. Grundy with a lovely reactive shot into guard. Grundy looking for a d’arce as Evloev sits up. It looks ultra deep, but Evloev somehow manages to wriggle free and stand. Two minutes to go.
1-2 from Evloev. Looking for combinations as he moves around the cage. Jab from Evloev, righ thand, avoids a takedown. Hard right hand from Evloev stings Grundy as the latter throws a knee. Evloev tries a spinning back kick with a minute to go. Grundy changes levels off a low kick, denied. Jab from Evloev. Grundy ducks a right hand, can’t secure the takedown. Body kick by Grundy, takes him down off a failed spin. 10-9 Grundy,
Round 2: Grundy falls short with a right hand, shoots, denied. Good counter left. Evloev low kick. Another swatting hook by Grundy. Short uppercut by Evloev. Grundy tries a super low shot and puts him on the fence. They separate. Jab from Evloev. Grundy ducks a right hand, gets taken to the fence. Right hands from Evloev inside. Two minutes in. Grundy takes him down, can’t establish. Both fire right hands. Jab from Evloev, spinning back kick attempt. Lead right connects, knee to the body. Two minutes to go.
Grundy tries to spin. Stiff jab catches him. 1-1-2 from Evloev. Low kicks. Double right hand, another cracking jab. Grundy shoots, can’t established, backed off by a right hand. Big right cross by Evloev with a minute to go. Grundy shoots, Evloev rolls free. Knee from Evloev. They trade uppercuts inside. Another clean jab. 10-9 Evloev.
Round 3: Slick head kick attempt by Evloev. Grundy changes levels, denied. Evloev tries a combination. Low kick and jab. Grundy jab. Right hand by Evloev, eats one in return. One minute in. Nasty jab. Grundy shoots, denied, blocks a spinning back kick. Low kick from Evloev. Right hand lands for him, more stiff jabs. Two minutes in. Grundy shoots, gets to turtle position, can’t establish. Evloev tries a knee, lands a right cross. Grundy tries a flying knee. Jab to uppercut from Evloev. Body kick, another jab. Two minutes to go.
Grundy hits a takedown, looks to set up another d’arce. Evloev uses an underhook to stand and puts him on the fence He looks for his own level change, warned for grabbing the fence. He separates with another jab. One minute to go. Spinning back fist attempt. Evloev gets backed to the fence, lands a right hand on the break. Good right from Grundy, eats another jab. 1-2 from Evloev. Grundy tries a flying knee, Evloev tries to spin. Right from Grundy at the bell. 10-9 Evloev.
Final result: Evloev def. Grundy by unanimous decision
265 lbs.: Tanner Boser vs. Raphael Pessoa
Round 1: Boser the more mobile of the two early. Pessoa tries to spin. Low kick from Boser. One minute in. Very tentative fight so far. Boser overhand just misses. Low kick again. Pessoa tries to blitz. Low kicks from Boser. Two minutes to go.
Counter hook by Pessoa. He eats another leg kick. Left hook from Boser. Overhand falls short. Pessoa runs in with a leg kick. One minute to go. Good left hand by Boser. Keeping up the low kicks. Pessoa tries a spinning back kick. 10-9 Boser.
Round 2: Boser opens with hard leg kicks. Double jab attempt. He lands another leg kick, checks the one that comes back. One minute in. Boser right hook, Pessoa swings inside. Pessoa catches a leg kick, can’t get the trip but lands some glancing shots on the exit. More low kicks by Boser. Counter overhand by Boser and Pessoa again attempts to flurry in response. Two minutes in. Jab by Pessoa, 1-2 falls short. Left hook appears to badly hurt Pessoa’s right eye and the big man crumbles to the mat. Boser pounds away on his shelled-up foe and there’s the finish.
Final result: Boser def. Pessoa by TKO (punches)
135 lbs.: Bethe Correia vs. Pannie Kianzad
Round 1: Trading jabs to start. Both fire combinations. Overhand right lands for Kianzad. 2-3. Correia latches onto a single-leg, can’t get it. Kianzad low kick. They trade right hands. Right hand from Correia met by a left hook. One minute in. Sneaky uppercut by Correia on the break, eats a jab. Kianzad combination, Correia left hand. Both land big shots in the center. Correia ducks a right hand, eats a knee for her trouble. Two minutes in. Correia lands a hard cross counter and takes a left hook in return. Kianzad double jab. Body kick. Counter left by Correia. Kianzad gets the Thai plum, lands some knees and a two-piece on the break. Correia digs some shots inside, counters a leg kick with a left hook. Two minutes to go.
Knee from Kianzad again, then a lead right. Jab connects, hard right cross. Clean left hook. Low kick with a minute to go. Counter left hook. Kianzad tries to spin. Low kick lands for her. Correia mistakes the 10-second clapper for the bell, turns her back, and gets blasted with a combination. She and the ref laugh it off after the bell. 10-9 Kianzad.
Round 2: Cracking 1-2 by Kianzad to start the round. Lead right, knees in the clinch, but she slips and Correia takes guard. Kianzad looking for an armbar. One minute in. Correia looking for short punches. More punches. Kianzad kciks her away and stands two minutes in. Correia to the body when Kianzad looks for the plum. Right hand to the body from Correia, eats a jab and 2-1. Correia counter right met by a left hook. They trade to the body inside. Lead elbow by Kianzad. Correia combo met by a low kick with two minutes to go.
They trade in the center. Counter hook by Kianzad. Correia rips the body. 2-1 from Kianzad. Another exchange inside. Correia 1-2. One minute to go. 1-2-3 from Kianzad. Left hook connects. Again. Correia low kick met by a jab. 10-9 Correia.
Round 3: Early jabs from Kianzad. They trade left hands. Big exchange in the center. Kianzad jab, low kick, left hook. One minute in. Left hook lands for Kianzad. Big left hook by Correia as they trade. Correia lead right met by a left hook. Correia cross counter. Kianzad continuing to send out the jab. Hard right cross connects. Two minutes in. 3-2-1 from Kianzad. Hard left hook. Uppercut and jab knock Correia back. Correia changes levels, can’t get it. 1-2 by Kianzad. Low kick with two minutes to go.
Kianzad with a counter left hook. Correia still advancing despite her left eye being a mess. Another hard right from Kianzad in combination. One minute to go. Combo by Kianzad. Correia ducks a right hand and puts her on the fence for a moment. Correia with a takedown into guard in the waning seconds. 10-9 Kianzad.
Final result: Kianzad def. Correia by unanimous decision
170 lbs.: Ramazan Emeev vs. Niklas Stolze
Round 1: Stolze switching stance, fires some hard leg kicks. Emeev comes back with a heavy right straight and takes him down, but can’t keep him there. One minute in. Overhand right from Emeev, catches a s low kick and takes him down into guard. Stolze brings up a high guard, eats a right hand for his trouble before scooting to the fence. Emeev wraps up a power guillotine as Stolze sits up, loses it. Two minutes in. Emeev still latched onto his neck, can’t complete it and Stolze stands. Emeev keeps the body lock. Jockeying for position with two minutes to go.
Stolze manages to separate, lands a clean 1-2. Emeev ducks a two-piece and takes him down into guard as Stolze latches onto a guillotine. Emeev punches his body as he works his head free with a minute to go. Stolize kicks back to his feet, then catches Emeev leaning with a vicious knee. Stolze ends up in top position before the bell. 10-9 Stolze.
Round 2: Awkward slip from Emeev early on. Stolze pops him with a low kick, eats an overhand right and shakes his head. Emeev fires a low kick and follows up with a two-piece. One minute in. Emeev tries to shoot off a low kick, can’t get it, tries a knee. Stolze body kick. Straight right lands for Emeev. Three-piece. Two minutes in. Leg kick from Stolze. Another lead right by Emeev. 1-2. Stolze lands a lead right, continues to kick the lead leg. Head kick attempt. Two minutes to go.
Emeev backs him up, takes a side kick. Sneaky uppercut lands for him. Overhand right blocked. 2-1 through the guard. Good overhand right with a minute to go. Hard low kicks from Stolze. Emeev pops him with a jab as he presses forward. 1-2-3 on the fence. 2-1 met by a right jab. Counter left. 10-9 Emeev.
Round 3: Emeev shoots early and takes him to the fence. Knees to the body, rear waist lock. Knees to the butt. Slick knee to the head, brief RNC attempt and another hard shot on the break. Stolze comes back with a clean 1-2 a minute in. He tries a flying knee, eats a glancing right on the break. Stolze left hook, Emeev right hand. Stolze shoots, completes it after Emeev tries to grab a kimura on the way down. Emeev kicks him off and eats a right hand, then a knee as he ties up. Two minutes in. Emeev grinding on the fence. He grabs the rear body lock again. Two minutes to go.
Knees from Emeev prompt Stolze to put his hands on the mat for a moment. Another sneaky knee to the head by Emeev. To the body now with a minute to go. Stolze turns to face him and Emeev changes levels.He looks for a single-leg and Stolze commits to a guillotine. Out of time. 10-9 Emeev.
Final result: Emeev def. Stolze by unanimous decision
135 lbs.: Nathaniel Wood vs. John Castaneda
Round 1: Low kick from Castaneda to start. Wood answering in kind, then a straight right. Castaneda straight left in his return. Shifting left hook, good exchange. Wood with some clinch uppercuts. Counter hook lands for him, then a pair of straights. One minute in. Lead right. Both picking at each other’s legs. Castaneda lands a right hook on the pivot. Wood sending out a snap kick to the body. Stiff jab connects. Castaneda tries a head kick. Two minutes in. Castaneda steps in with a straight left, takes a left hook inside. Straight left. Castaneda side kick. Leg kicks. Two minutes to go.
They continue to beat on each other’s legs, Wood adding that snap kick. Right hand clips the top of Castaneda’s head and Wood puts him on the fence for a moment, landing on the break. One minute to go. More kicks from Wood. Castaneda shoots, denied by an underhook and briefly taken down in return. Hard punches from Wood on the fence, Castaneda looks to answer. Head kick from Castaneda. 10-9 Wood.
Round 2: They start the round trading. Castaneda aggressive early. Straight left lands for him. Wood with some low kicks. One minute in. Counter left by Wood, eats a body kick and jab. Castaneda tries a head kick and takes a low kick for his trouble. Left hook from Wood met by a 1-2. Straight left by Castaneda. Two minutes in. They trade and Wood puts him on the fence for a moment. Low kicks, body kicks by Wood. Staggered 1-2 lands, heavy 1-2-3. Left hook, more leg damage and a 3-2. Both land well. Castaneda sporting a cut by his right eye. Two minutes to go.
Wood puts him on the fence. Castaneda tries to hammerfist his thigh and gets taken down for a moment. Wood still attached on the fence. Castaneda breaks the grip and separates. Those inside low kicks are starting to get to him but he lands a straight left. Jabs from Wood, eats a right hand. Snap kick stings Castaneda with a minute to go. Hard left hook by Wood on the fence, another cracking low kick. Big right cross by Castaneda, his best punch of the round. Counter jab from Wood. 10-9 Wood.
Round 3: Castaneda aggressive, lands a right hook. Wood fires a right to the body. 1-2 lands clean. Castaneda shifts in with a nice cross. Snap kicks from Wood and some counter punches. One minute in. Castaneda head kick just misses. Wood continuing to chop Castaneda’s right leg, fires an elbow on the fence. Elbow from Castaneda in return, eats a right cross. Wood to the body. Low kick exchange. Two minutes in. Counter 1-2 from Wood. Castaneda just misses with a counter right as he continues to take leg damage and snap kicks. Combo lands for him. Castaneda digs the body inside and eats a two-piece on the break. Two minutes to go.
Wood gets the Thai plum, lands a pair of knees and an uppercut. Combination upstairs. Castaneda tries a jumping something, takes more leg kicks. One minute to go. Big counter hook from Wood. Right hand to the body from Wood. Counter hook. Castaneda still advancing, puts him on the fence with underhooks and looks for a guillotine as he’s taken down. Nothing doing and they trade on the break. 10-9 Wood.
Final result: Wood def. Castaneda by unanimous decision