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Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) is back in “Sin City” for the UFC on ESPN 9 mixed martial arts (MMA) event, which takes place TONIGHT (Sat., May 30, 2020) inside UFC APEX in Las Vegas, Nevada, featuring a welterweight headliner between former 170-pound champion Tyron Woodley and streaking division contender Gilbert Burns. Also featured in this weekend’s combat sports offering is the titanic tilt between hulking heavyweights Blagoy Ivanov and Augusto Sakai, while strawweight standouts Mackenzie Dern and Antonina Shevchenko see action against Hannah Cifers and Katlyn Chookagian, respectively. UFC on ESPN 9’s lineup may not be littered with marquee match ups, but those are usually the fight cards that deliver the most fireworks.
MMAmania.com will deliver LIVE round-by-round, blow-by-blow coverage of the entire UFC on ESPN 9 fight card below, starting with the ESPN/ESPN+ “Prelims” undercard bouts at 6 p.m. ET, followed by the ESPN/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 “Woodley vs. Burns.” Without further delay, see below for the latest UFC on ESPN 9 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 9 QUICK RESULTS:
Tyron Woodley vs. Gilbert Burns — Burns def. Woodley by unanimous decision (50-45, 50-44 x2)
Blagoy Ivanov vs. Augusto Sakai — Sakai def. Ivanov by split decision (27-30, 29-28 x2)
Billy Quarantillo vs. Spike Carlyle — Quarantillo def. Carlyle by unanimous decision (29-28 x3)
Roosevelt Roberts vs. Brok Weaver — Roberts def. Weaver by submission (rear naked choke) at 3:26 of Round Two
Mackenzie Dern vs. Hannah Cifers — Dern def. Cifers by submission (kneebar) at 2:36 of Round One — HIGHLIGHTS!
Katlyn Chookagian vs. Antonina Shevchenko — Chookagian def. Shevchenko by unanimous decision (30-25 x3)
Daniel Rodriguez vs. Gabriel Green — Rodriguez def. Green by unanimous decision (30-27 x3)
Klidson Abreu vs. Jamahal Hill — Hill def. Abreu by TKO (knee and punches) at 1:51 of Round One — HIGHLIGHTS!
Tim Elliott vs. Brandon Royval — Royval def. Elliott by submission (arm triangle choke) at 3:18 of Round Two — HIGHLIGHTS!
Casey Kenney vs. Louis Smolka — Kenney def. Smolka by submission (guillotine choke) at 3:03 of Round One — HIGHLIGHTS!
Chris Gutierrez vs. Vince Morales — Gutierrez def. Morales by TKO (leg kicks) at 4:27 of Round Two — HIGHLIGHTS!
UFC ON ESPN 9 PLAY-BY-PLAY:
170 lbs.: Tyron Woodley vs. Gilbert Burns
Round 1: Woodley whiffs on an overhand right. Low kick from Burns. Big right hand hurts Woodley and Burns drops him with an uppercut, following him down with some hard hammerfists. Burns moves to mount, dropping elbows. One minute in. Nasty cut on Woodley from either those punches or the follow-up elbows. He tries to sit up. Two minutes in. Woodley just holding him close. Two minutes to go.
Woodley explodes to his feet and separates. Body kick from Burns. Side kick. Low kick. One minute to go. Woodley tries a head kick, lands a right hand downstairs. Another leg kick from Burns. Body kick to left hook. 10-8 Burns.
Round 2: Woodley’s left eyebrow is mostly just a cut at this point. Good combination and counter right from him, though. Big exchanges. One minute in. Burns tries a high kick as it slows back down. Both try to jab. Two minutes in. Burns tries a 1-2. Burns ducks a right hand and takes him down into guard. Woodley using the cage to stand. Two minutes to go.
Burns cracks him with a couple of right hands on the way up. One minute to go. Short right hands by Burns as they jockey for position. Woodley tries an outside reap, lands a knee. 10-9 Burns.
Round 3: Low kick from Burns. 1-3. Counter right from Woodley. One minute in. Combination bounces off Burns’ guard and the Brazilian comes back with a right. 1-2 rattles Woodley. Burns body kick. Another. Two minutes in. Counter right from Woodley met by a low kick. Woodley low kick. Burns patiently advancing, firing his jab. Leg kick and jab. Burns tries a flying knee, slips, Woodley lets him up. Two minutes to go.
Burns’ low kicks are doing damage. Head kick attempts. One minute to go. Woodley characteristically gunshy. Low kick and left hook land for Burns. 10-9 Burns.
Round 4: Burns lands a left hook and ducks under a right hand for a takedown attempt. Woodley defends and takes him to the fence. One minute in. Burns reverses position. Woodley reverses in turn and the ref separates two minutes in. Burns low kick to left hook. Stiff jabs landing. Woodley lands a leg kick. Burns with a knee downstairs. Two minutes to go.
Burns backs Woodley to the fence and uncorks a brutal combination, dropping Woodley again with a clean right hand. Woodley manages to tie up. Burns trips him to the mat in return. One minute to go. Half guard for Burns. He wraps up a guillotine, can’t get it before the bell. 10-9 Burns.
Round 5: Woodley throwing his right hand like he needs the finish. Burns shoots against the fence. One minute in. Jockeying for position against he fence. Two minutes in. Ref separates them. Left hook and low kick from Burns. Two minutes to go.
Counter right lands for Woodley. Burns sending out kicks. Burns ducks a left hook and shoots, denied. Woodley holds onto a body lock. One minute to go. They separate. Burns low kick. Body kick and left hook. Woodley swings a couple final bombs. 10-9 Burns.
Final result: Burns def. Woodley by unanimous decision
265 lbs.: Blagoy Ivanov vs. Augusto Sakai
Round 1: Tentative start to the fight. One minute in. Sakai low kick. Ivanov tries to blitz. Straight left lands for him. Two minutes in. Good low-high combination. Hard low kick from Sakai. Another left hand lands for Ivanov. Body shots. Another Sakai low kick. Ivanov blitzes and both connect. Two minutes to go.
Sakai pressing Ivanov against the fence. Short rights from Sakai before the break. Ivanov punches his way into the clinch. Good left on the break with a minute to go. Hard 1-2. Nasty low kick from Sakai. Back to the clinch, more shots on the exit by Ivanov. 10-9 Ivanov.
Round 2: Ivanov with some solid punches early. Sakai low kick. Good counter right from Sakai and he trips Ivanov up with a low kick before stopping a takedown. They trade heavy punches. Sakai puts him on the fence a minute in. Left hand by Ivanov on the break. 1-2 downstairs. Sakai lands low kicks, eats a straight left. Both land huge shots in the center and Sakai cracks him with a body kick in return before tying up. Knees from Sakai. Right hand and backfist as they separate. Two minutes to go.
More Sakai low kicks. Ivanov combination upstairs, big exchange. Another Sakai low kick and Ivanov’s having trouble moving. They trade power shots in the center. One minute to go. Ivanov to the body. He takes a knee to the body and takes Sakai down into half guard. Some short shots and Sakai stands at the bell. 10-9 Sakai.
Round 3: Counter combo lands for Ivanov. Right hand lands. Sakai lands a low kick, eats a low-high two-piece. Sakai misses punches, fires a body kick, lands a swatting right. One minute in. Body kick and left hand by the Brazilian, who tries a flying knee. Another snap kick downstairs. Left hand connects as they trade. Two minutes in. Combination lands for Ivanov. Body shots. Sakai takes him to the fence with double unders. Hard uppercut as they trade dirty boxing. Sakai blatantly grabs the fence to avoid a takedown. Two minutes to go.
Left hand lands for Sakai. Body kick. Right hand upstairs. Ivanov looking spent. Right hook lands for him, though. Sakai comes back with a body kick. One minute to go. Low kick and right hand Booming left from Ivanov against the fence. Sakai body kick and they tie up before the bell. 10-9 Sakai.
Final result: Sakai def. Ivanov by split decision
150 lbs.: Billy Quarantillo vs. Spike Carlyle (catchweight)
Round 1: Carlyle sprints out with a flying attack, cracks Quarantillo with elbows, and sets up in top position. Quarantillo tries an armbar and Carlyle immediately takes his back, putting in both hooks. Hard punches a minute in. He’s a a little high, but manages to re-establish. More nasty punches, then an armbar attempt as Quarantillo sweeps into top position. Two minutes in. Now Quarantillo looking for the back after Carlyle rolls to his knees. Carlyle rolls into top guard despite the body lock. Hard punches. Two minutes to go.
Quarantillo looking for rubber guard, loses it. Side control for Carlyle, who snuffs out an attempt to stand. Back to guard with a minute to go. Hard hammerfists and punches from Carlyle. Carlyle stands and bizarrely looks to walk away, only to get dropped by a left. 10-9 Carlyle.
Round 2: Carlyle drops Quarantillo with a counter elbow, but it’s Quarantillo latching onto his back in the scramble. Carlyle turns into his guard. One minute in. Quarantillo tries to sit up with a front headlock. Carlyle pulls his base out and sets back up in guard. Two minutes in. Carlyle looking to take the back on the way up, is too high, manages to adjust. Quarantillo stands with two minutes to go.
Good knee by Quarantillo and an outside reap into guard. Good scramble, back to the feet. Quarantillo looking for shoulder strikes. Knee and right hand on the break. One mjinute to go. Carlyle looks for a single-leg, powers through a guillotine. Quarantillo wraps up a triangle, loses it, puts it in deeper, tries an armbar. 10-9 Carlyle.
Round 3: Carlyle pulls him down early, Quarantillo stands with the whizzer. Failed throw puts Quarantillo in top guard. Half guard. Quarantillo tries to mount and Carlyle bridges into top position, immediately threatening the back again. Quarantillo scrambles through into guard. One minute to go. Good punches and elbows from Quarantillo. Another RNC attempt but Carlyle again sweeps into his guard. Quarantillo briefly threatens a triangle, loses it, another, loses it. Quarantillo kicks him off, doesn’t have enough space to stand. He uses the fence to stand. Carlyle remains attached. Two minutes to go.
Quarantillo looking for the back, gets his hooks in. Right hands from Quarantillo. One minute to go. Alternating between punches and RNC attempts, Carlyle scrambles through and stands. Huge punches from both men. Carlyle tries to spin and Quarantillo lands bombs at the bell. 10-9 Quarantillo.
Final result: Quarantillo def. Carlyle by unanimous decision
155 lbs.: Roosevelt Roberts vs. Brok Weaver
Round 1: Weaver takes him to the fence, gets reversed, separates. Hard right hand from Roberts and Weaver again puts him against the fence. They’re talking trash as they’re locked up. One minute in. Combination from Roberts, then a straight right. Good body shot. Weaver fires a combination. Weaver again marches into the clinch. Two minutes in. They separate once again. Roberts 1-2. Head kick attempt. Another hard right hand and a two-piece behind it. Weaver lands a body shot and ties up. Two minutes to go.
Back to the center after 40 seconds. 3-2 from Roberts misses. Weaver flurries, clinches with a minute to go. Roberts knees the body and separates. He whiffs on a right hand and shoots, not successful. Weaver goes in again and gets caught in Roberts’ signature guillotine. Weaver spins free, has to defend the back. 10-9 Roberts.
Round 2: Another quick tie-up. Separation, then Weaver back into the clinch, avoiding a knee. He looks to strike on the exit. Roberts to the body, Weaver answers in kind and gets reversed. Weaver grabs a front headlock a minute in, loses it. Roberts separates. Big right straight, combination, successful takedown. Now looking for a guillotine, loses it. On top in half guard two minutes in. Elbows form Roberts. Full mount. Weaver gives up the back and there’s the RNC. Weaver manages to turn, and gets blasted with right hands for his trouble. Two minutes to go.
Both hooks in, wraps up the choke again and there’s no escaping this one.
Final result: Roberts def. Weaver by submission (rear naked choke)
125 lbs.: Mackenzie Dern vs. Hannah Cifers
Round 1: Cifers active early, lands in the clinch. Good knees, then separates. One minute in. Good exchange in the center. Quick 1-2. Cifers lands a leg kick, falls short with a head kick. Both land good right hands and Cifers catches a kick, avoiding an uchi mata and scrambling into top position. Dern rolls through and wraps up a kneebar, forcing the tap.
Final result: Dern def. Cifers by submission (kneebar)
125 lbs.: Katlyn Chookagian vs. Antonina Shevchenko
Round 1: Chookagian catches an early kick and takes Shevchenko to the mat, immediately wrapping up a rear naked choke. It’s looking deep, but Shevchenko hand fighting to survive so far. One minute in. She goes palm to palm, still can’t finish. Two minutes in. Now to mount, dropping right hands. Elbows. Two minutes to go.
Chookagian’s strikes continue to pile up. To the back once again. One minute to go. Shevchenko trying to roll back to her knees, eating shots as she does. She makes it up, eats a right hand. 10-8 Chookagian.
Round 2: Chookagian takes her right to the fence and gets double underhooks. She trips Shevchenko to the mat and immediately takes mount. One minute in. Not as active with the strikes this time. Two minutes in. Arm triangle attempt. Now she takes the back and here come the punches. Two minutes to go.
Back to mount, more punches. Hard elbow, more shots with a minute to go. 10-8 Chookagian.
Round 3: Early punching exchanges. Chookagian lands a leg kick. One minute in. Combination by Shevchenko. Body kick lands for Chookagian. One from Shevchenko not long after. Chookagian tries to tie up. Shevchenko with an axe kick attempt two minutes in. Counter jab. Shevchenko body kick, Chookagian jab and body kick in return. Chookagian grabs a body lock and takes her to the fence. Two mintues to go.
Trading knees. They separate. Chookagian body kick, Shevchenko 1-2. One minute to go. Another Chookagian body kick. Body lock to outside reap into mount. She postures up and unloads until the bell. 10-9 Chookagian.
Final result: Chookagian def. Shevchenko by unanimous decision
170 lbs.: Daniel Rodriguez vs. Gabriel Green
Round 1: Green throwing volume early. Low kick from Green, jabs from Rodriguez. Green on the front foot, tries a head kick and eats a right hook. One minute in. Green tries a lead right, lands a leg kick. Glancing head kick connects. Rodriguez 1-2. Green ends a combo with a body kick, eats a 3-2. Straight left lands for Rodriguez. Two minutes in. Rodriguez with a left downstairs, met by a body kick. Trading big shots. Hard body shots by Rodriguez but Green continues to press forward and throw. Two minutes to go.
More low kicks from Green, avoids some big lefts. Two-piece by Rodriguez near the fence. One minute to go. High-low 1-2. Green follows a missed head kick with a side kick. Rodriguez low kick. Close round. 10-9 Rodriguez.
Round 2: Early punches landing for Rodriguez. Green advancing, firing combinations. Rodriguez three-piece. They trade body kicks. One minute in. Green body shot met by counters. Brutal combination from Rodriguez against the fence. 1-2-2 connects. Green lands a hard right hand in return and they start slugging. Rodriguez sitting down on his punches two minutes in. Green presses forward with a combo, lands a body shot and a flying knee to the body. More kicks from Green, Rodriguez looks to slug in return and gets briefly pressed against the fence with two minutes to go.
Green body kick and straight left. He puts Rodriguez on the fence again. Double jab met by a big Rodriguez two-piece. Green continues to press forward. Green firing volume, backed off by a left. Rodriguez looks like the more tired of the two. 10-9 Rodriguez.
Round 3: Green continues to march forward and throw with volume. Rodriguez still landing in return with strong counters. Two minutes in. Slugging against the fence. Green looking for the body now as Rodriguez lands counters. Big lead left by Green, Rodriguez forces him back. Another Green lead left. Big 1-2 from Rodriguez and a three-piece behind. Green body kick and short uppercut. Two minutes to go.
Rodriguez now the busier at the moment. Green tries a bicycle knee. Rodriguez digs a right to the body. Hard straight left with a minute to go. Green wades through the counters for his own body blow. Rodriguez exits the clinch with underhooks, catches a body kick and hits a takedown. Side control for him, now north-south. 10-9 Rodriguez.
Final result: Rodriguez def. Green by unanimous decision
205 lbs.: Klidson Abreu vs. Jamahal Hill
Round 1: Both men southpaw. Big right hand drops Abreu, who eats some hard shots on his way back to his feet but manages to survive. Straight left from Hill. Another one and a jab. One minute in. Front kick attempt. Abreu having issues with the range. Right hand and a wilting knee to the body send the Brazilian to the mat, where Hill pounds him out.
Final result: Hill def. Abreu by TKO (knee and punches)
125 lbs.: Tim Elliott vs. Brandon Royval
Round 1: Royval fires a knee and gets taken down for it. Looking to scramble, gets to his knees. Left hands from Elliott. He grabs a front headlock, stands, shoots in again. One minute in. Royval staying up against the fence as Elliott knees his thigh. Royval wraps up a kimura, can’t complete the sweep and separates. Royval leg kick. Elliott shoots again, trips him down. Two minutes in. Royval stands again, still wrapped up. More Elliott knees. They separate. Royval low kick and spinning back fist, denies a shot. Two minutes to go.
Elliott momentarily knocks him over with a teep. Both looking for big shots and Elliott hits another takedown. Looking for a rear crucifix. One minute to go. He tries to step over for an armbar, can’t get it, tries a low single and eats some shots on the way up. Royval with some solid shots, wraps up an armbar in a scramble but runs out of time. 10-9 Elliott.
Round 2: Elliott tries a spinning kick, kicks his legs. Royval sprawls on a shot and takes top position in guard. Half guard a minute in. Elliott looks to stand, powers through a guillotine to take side control. Elliott looks to bear down on a Von Flue and Royval regains guard. Elliott lets him up and they trade heat. Two minutes in. Easy takedown from Elliott, looking for the back. Roybal sweeps, caught in a guillotine that he waits out. Full mount for Royval. Two minutes to go.
Elliott looks to scramble and Royval wraps up an arm triangle, forcing the tap.
Final result: Royval def. Elliott by submission (arm triangle choke)
135 lbs.: Casey Kenney vs. Louis Smolka
Round 1: Kenney low kick met by some body shots. Smolka body kick. More body blows. right hands upstairs. Kenney with some hard leg kicks and a counter left. Good exchanges in the center. One minute in. Smolka almost exclusively targeting the body, catches a body kick. Trading punches. Low kick knocks Smolka over and Kenney looks to punch on the way up. Smolka body shots, Kenney counters to the head and follows with a low kick. Smolka goes low-high. Hard punches landing for both men. Two minutes in. Smolka catches another body kick and counters. More body shots form Smolka. Counter 2-3 hurts Smolka, who shoots in response and gets caught in a guillotine. Kenney bears down on it from top half guard and forces the tap.
Final result: Kenney def. Smolka by submission (guillotine choke)
145 lbs.: Chris Gutierrez vs. Vince Morales
Round 1: Low kick and counter left from Gutierrez to start things off. More low kicks. Hard straight left stings Morales, who backs off. Glancing wheel kick a minute in. Morales looking to jab, cracked by another leg kick. Body kick, more leg kicks. Just punishing that leg, follows up with a combination. Two minutes in. Wheel kick falls short. Brazilian kick lands clean. Another low kick and Morales is switching stance. Two minutes to go.
Morales really not offering much offense at the moment. Now a nice right hand to the body. Another leg kick. Morales answers with a cuffing right hand, blocks another wheel kick. One minute to go. Morales now staying southpaw, gets that leg booted for his trouble. Another wheel kick blocked. Flying knee attempt, then a southpaw low kick. More low kicks. 10-8 Gutierrez.
Round 2: Morales’ eye is apparently also giving him issues. Gutierrez patiently advancing, continuing to fire off kicks. Morales really hesitating to throw. One minute in. Morales tries a head kick, gets compromised by another leg kick and stumbles back. Morales can barely stand. Gutierrez tries a switch kick, avoids a blitz. Two minutes in. Lead right from Gutierrez. Another leg kick. Morales holding himself up with the cage as he heats another one. Two minutes to go.
Gutierrez continues to punish the leg, follows Morales down with heavy blows before they stand. Snap kick, then a clean Brazilian kick. One minute to go. Check hook. Another low kick and finally the ref stops it as Morales falls to his back.
Final result: Gutierrez def. Morales by TKO (leg kicks)