LIVE! UFC Vegas 31 Results & Play-By-Play!

Photo by Josh Hedges/Zuffa LLC/Zuffa LLC via Getty Images

Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) is locked and loaded for UFC Vegas 31, which takes place TONIGHT (Sat., July 17, 2021) streaming LIVE on both ESPN and ESPN+ …


UFC 187: Makhachev v Kuntz
Photo by Josh Hedges/Zuffa LLC/Zuffa LLC via Getty Images

Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) is locked and loaded for UFC Vegas 31, which takes place TONIGHT (Sat., July 17, 2021) streaming LIVE on both ESPN and ESPN+ from inside UFC APEX in Las Vegas, Nevada. Main event duties fall to lightweight contenders Islam Makhachev and Thiago Moises, who collide for a spot in the 155-pound title chase. Shortly before that headlining affair gets underway, women’s bantamweight veteran Miesha Tate makes her Octagon return opposite Belizean bruiser Marion Reneau.

MMAmania.com will deliver LIVE round-by-round, blow-by-blow coverage of the entire UFC Vegas 31 fight card below, starting with the ESPN/ESPN+ “Prelims” bouts at 7 p.m. ET, followed by the ESPN/ESPN+ main card start time at 10 p.m. ET.

Keep in mind that we will also be the spot for the latest news, recaps, and post-fight analysis following “Makhachev vs. Moises.” Without further delay, see below for the updated UFC Vegas 31 results. (Note: This will go from the bottom up; therefore, scroll toward the bottom for the latest detailed round-by-round action.)

UFC VEGAS 31 QUICK RESULTS:

Islam Makhachev vs. Thiago Moises — Makhachev def. Moises by submission (rear naked choke) at 2:38 of Round Four — WATCH HIGHLIGHTS!
Marion Reneau vs. Miesha Tate — Tate def. Reneau by TKO (punches and elbows) at 1:53 of Round Three — WATCH HIGHLIGHTS!
Mateusz Gamrot vs. Jeremy Stephens — Gamrot def. Stephens by submission (kimura) at 1:05 of Round One — WATCH HIGHLIGHTS!
Dustin Stoltzfus vs. Rodolfo Vieira — Vieira def. Stoltzfus by submission (rear naked choke) at 1:54 of Round Three — WATCH HIGHLIGHTS!
Billy Quarantillo vs. Gabriel Benitez — Quarantillo def. Benitez by TKO (punches) at 3:40 of Round Three — WATCH HIGHLIGHTS!
Preston Parsons vs. Daniel Rodriguez — Rodriguez def. Parsons by TKO (punches) at 3:47 of Round One — WATCH HIGHLIGHTS!
Amanda Lemos vs. Montserrat Ruiz — Lemos def. Ruiz by TKO (punches) at 0:35 of Round One — WATCH HIGHLIGHTS!
Sergey Morozov vs. Khalid Taha — Morozov def. Taha by unanimous decision (30-27 x3)
Anderson dos Santos vs. Miles Johns — CANCELED (details here)
Francisco Figueredo vs. Malcolm Gordon — Gordon def. Figueiredo by unanimous decision (30-27, 29-28 x2)
Alan Baudot vs. Rodrigo Nascimento — Nascimento def. Baudot by TKO (punches) at 1:29 of Round Two – WATCH HIGHLIGHTS!

UFC VEGAS 31 PLAY-BY-PLAY:

155 lbs.: Islam Makhachev vs. Thiago Moises

Round 1: They trade head kick attempts. Makhachev slowly pressuring. Low kick lands for him a minute in. Fast head kick attempt by Moises. Right hook. He puts Makhachev on the fence two minutes in. Short knees from Makhachev. They separate. Body kick, 3-2-3-2. Combination to a knee, Moises responds by putting him on the fence with two minutes to go.

Moises looking for a takedown, denied, eats more knees. Makhachev gets a body lock and wrenches him down into half guard. One minute to go. Working from guard. 10-9 Makhachev.

Round 2: Lots of lead hand fighting. Combination from Moises, good low kick. One minute in. Coutners and a body kick from Makhachev. Good knee into the clinch. Moises puts him on the fence and hits his own takedown, hunting for the back but falling off the top two minutes in. Makhachev scrambles into his own back take, trying to put in hooks. Moises stuck on one knee. Two minutes to go.

Makhachev landing some short punches as Moises continues to deny his attempts to insert hooks. One minute to go. Now Makhachev sneaks a hook in, softening him up with more punches. Both hooks, body triangle. Full mount and a last-second armbar attempt. 10-9 Makhachev.

Round 3: Makhachev slowly advancing. Moises body kick, tries to follow with a head kick. They trade right hands. One minute in. Makhachev fires a combination on the fence and Moises ties up. Two minutes in. Moises unable to spin him down, manages to pop back up after Makhachev hits a whizzer throw. Makhachev tries a foot sweep, still has his back pressed against the fence. Two minutes to go.

Makhachev slips around to a rear body lock and fires knees upstairs. Lovely takedown directly into a back take. Both hooks in with a minute to work. Moises scrambles free and chases a heel hook. Hammerfists from Makhachev as he defends. Moises tries to switch to a toe hold, then the heel hook. No angle and no time. 10-9 Makhachev.

Round 4: Low kick connects for Moises. Makhachev backs him to the fence and tries a head kick, then dumps him to the mat while avoiding a triangle. On top in guard against the fence. One minute in. Good elbow from Makhachev. Moises tries to scramble up and has to fight off another back take. Two minutes in. Right hands from Makhachev. Looking for a no-hook RNC and he forces the tap.

Final result: Makhachev def. Moises by submission (rear naked choke)


135 lbs.: Marion Reneau vs. Miesha Tate

Round 1: Rangy striking battle to start. Neither woman landing anything clean. One minute in. Hard right hand from Tate, stiff jab soon after. Reneau low kick. Tate with another two-piece. Reneau with a 1-2 of her own, stung in the process. Tate on the advance now. Two minutes in. Good right hand by Reneau. Leg kick connects. Tate tries a 1-2 and shoots. Trading clinch strikes with two minutes to go.

Reneau separates, eats a left hand. Tate with some solid right hands. Good exchange then a double-leg with a minute to go. Reneau setting up a triangle. Tate postures out, eats some shots, passes to half guard. 10-9 Tate.

Round 2: Reneau opens with a front kick to the face. Tate looking for combinations. Front kick downstairs. Left hook from Reneau. Tate fires some jabs. One minute in. Good lead right for Reneau. Another right hand as they trade near the fence. She stuffs a shot. Another solid right. Tate fires a double-leg and dumps Reneau to her back despite a blatant fence grab. On top in half guard two minutes in. Reneau looking to latch onto a kimura as Tate elbows her body. Two minutes to go.

Reneau abandons the grip after taking some more body blows. Tate stands over her, then goes down into half guard after shrugging off an upkick. Good elbow. Hammerfists as well, another elbow with a minute to go. Reneau sporting a bloody nose. Tate continuing to land some solid shots. She stands over Reneau again, comes back down with a right hand. 10-9 Tate.

Round 3: Tate continuing to press forward and throw. Stiff jabs, clinch shots, level change. Reneau defends initially, but succumbs to a trip and ends up on the bottom in side control a minute in. Now the back, racking up punches. She adds some elbows to the mix and there’s the stoppage.

Final result: Tate def. Reneau by TKO (punches and elbows)


155 lbs.: Mateusz Gamrot vs. Jeremy Stephens

Round 1: Gamrot lands a left hand and follows up with a successful takedown. Stephens holding onto a kimura grip. Gamrot spins to north-south and looks to wrap up his own kimura. It’s in ultra-deep and there’s the tap.

Final result: Gamrot def. Stephens by submission (kimura)


185 lbs.: Dustin Stoltzfus vs. Rodolfo Vieira

Round 1: Jab lands for Vieira. Good 1-2. Low kick connects. Doing good work with his jab. Stoltzfus tries combos, blocked. One minute in. Vieira 1-2. Another heavy 1-2. Low kick lands for him. Another hard jab. Toltzfus struggling to get past the guard so far. Two minutes in. Straight left lands for him. Spinning back kick to combination. Vieira continues to land jabs. 1-2. Two minutes to go.

Jab exchange. Counter right lands for Stoltzfus. Vieira continuing to pop him with the jab. Stoltzfus tries a head kick. They trade combinations in the center. That jab is really bothering Stoltzfus, who fires a 3-2. One minute to go. Nice wheel kick by Stoltzfus. Trading jabs. Stoltzfus fires a flying knee and denies a takedown at the bell. 10-9 Vieira.

Round 2: Vieira shoots in the opening seconds and completes a double-leg. Stoltzfus works his way up against the fence, then manages to separate. One minute in. Stoltzfus 1-2, eats a jab downstairs. Good combination. Counter right from Vieira. Two minutes in. Stiff jabs. Low kick connects. Continuing to spear Stoltzfus with these jabs. Stoltzfus shoots, lands punches after abandoning it. More Vieira jabs. Two minutes to go.

1-1-2 from Vieira. Both land hard right hands, Stoltzfus’ harder. He stuffs a shot and lands a knee. 1-2 with a minute to go. Low kick and 1-2 met by a Vieira jab and low kick. Good right hand by Stoltzfus to answer a jab. He shoots, denied, lands a knee downstairs. 10-9 Vieira?

Round 3: Stoltzfus presses forward, falls victim to a blast double. Right to half guard. Stoltzfus scrambles free, avoiding a back take, but Vieira shoots back in a minute in. Stoltzfus holding onto a guillotine, loses it right away. He works his way up, but Vieira spins to his back from the seatbelt grip and wraps up the RNC to force the tap.

Final result: Vieira def. Stoltzfus by submission (rear naked choke)


145 lbs.: Billy Quarantillo vs. Gabriel Benitez

Round 1: Quarantillo pushing forward early. Body kick lands after checking a low kick. Big overhand right lands for Quarantillo, who tries a shot and continues to land after that fails. Another overhand right sends Benitez to the mat and Quarantillo tries to pound him out. Quarantillo slams his way out of a triangle and spins to Benitez’s back a minute in, landing punches all the while. Full body triangle. Short punches from Quarantillo. Continuing to try and soften Benitez up. Two minutes to go.

Benitez trying to throw punches and elbows over his shoulder as Quarantillo looks for the choke. Hard elbows by Quarantillo. Benitez sweeps into guard with a minute to go. Hard shots from Benitez, who lets Quarantillo up. Heavy exchanges near the fence. Hooks land for Quarantillo, who eats a body kick in return. He shoots, ends up on his back to avoid a triangle, then looks for a leglock. Benitez counters with his own heel hook attempt. Quarantillo slips out and drops heavy shots. 10-8 Quarantillo.

Round 2: Quarantillo opens with punches, then a flying knee into a takedown attempt that puts him on top in guard. Looking for the body triangle again, gets it. He nearly gets the choke locked up, but good defense from Benitez. One minute in. Benitez manages to slip out and stand, but eats a knee as Quarantillo remains attached. Some swelling under Benitez’s left eye. They separate. Quarantillo continuing to pressure and swing big. Good knee, good shoulder strike two minutes in. Benitez digs a left downstairs, eats a body kick. Another double-leg from Quarantillo and he fires away from guard. Two minutes to go.

Benitez works his way up, eats a knee downstairs and comes back with a pair of punches on the break. He threatens a guillotine to escape the next takedown and follows with a body shot. Knee exchange. Quarantillo continuing to wade in and throw. Another guillotine attempt by Benitez. He loses it, lands a knee downstairs. Swarming punches form Quarantillo in return but he lands a low blow. They use the lull to check out Benitez’s eye; the swelling’s huge but it’s not affecting his vision, so they continue. Quarantillo goes right back to slugging, walking through Benitez’s return fire. Long combination lands for Benitez. Quarantillo blasts him with a right hand in return and tears into him on the fence. Hell of a fight. 10-9 Quarantillo.

Round 3: Low kick lands for Benitez. Good combination. Heavy 1-2 catches Quarantillo off-balance and sends him to the mat. Benitez looking to land from guard, postures out of a triangle and lets him back up. Quarantillo rips the body in response, eating 1s and 2s. One minute in. Both land their power hands. Quarantillo shoots, denied. Still wading forward and swinging big. Short clinch punches connect. Slick takedown into guard. Short punches and elbows landing. Two minutes in. He transitions right to the back as Benitez tries to scoot to the fence. Benitez sporting a ton of blood and swelling on his face. Quarantillo still looking for the RNC. Two minutes to go.

Good punches and elbows from Quarantillo. The damage continues to pile up and there’s the stoppage.

Final result: Quarantillo def. Benitez by TKO (punches)


170 lbs.: Preston Parsons vs. Daniel Rodriguez

Round 1: Parsons tries a head kick, then shoots, taking Rodriguez to the fence. Good balance by Rodriguez to separate. Straight left lands for him, Parsons comes back with some nice punches of his own. Parsons to the body. Well-timed reactive shot denied a minute in. Rodriguez low kicks. Parsons right hand and two-piece. Rodriguez answers a body kick with a body punch. Brief clinch. Parsons right hand. Rodriguez with a good straight left. Two minutes in. They trade leg kicks. Big left hands from both men. Big 1-2 by Rodriguez, heaviest of the fight so far. Parsons comes back with a crisp combination. Big counter left appears to hurt Parsons’ eye and Rodriguez looks to polish him off. Parsons shoots, denied. Two minutes to go.

Rodriguez staying patient, sends him stumbling back with a straight left. Huge 1-2. Counter right by Parsons. He’s trying to fight back but a 3-2 hurts him badly. Parsons covers up and Rodriguez pours it on for the finish.

Final result: Rodriguez def. Parsons by unanimous decision


115 lbs.: Amanda Lemos vs. Montserrat Ruiz

Round 1: Hard body kick from Lemos to start. Ruiz aggressive, walks into a head kick and comes back with a right hand. Ruiz tries to charge in and gets crushed by a counter right; she wobbles for a moment, then some more heavy blows send her careening to the mat.

Final result: Lemos def. Ruiz by TKO (punches)


135 lbs.: Sergey Morozov vs. Khalid Taha

Round 1: Taha tries a combination, lands a hard leg kick. Counter combo from Morozov. One minute in. Overhand right from Taha. Morozov shoots, grabs the body lock, and takes him down into half guard two minutes in. Staying heavy on top. Two minutes to go.

Taha tries to turn into him, still stuck on the bottom. Solid elbow off his back. Morozov threatens a kimura, grabs a cradle. Short punches. One minute to go. Taha regains guard. Looking for a leglock, eats punches for his trouble. 10-9 Morozov.

Round 2: Taha rushes, appears to land a long right hand. Front kick attempt. Hard leg kick connects. Hard counter 3-2 from Morozov, then two more right hands behind it. One minute to go. Both landing heavy punches. Jab from Morozov, eats a leg kick. Taha low kick. Counters from Morozov. Two minutes in. He gets in deep on a double-leg and looks for the back against the fence. Taha trying to work his way up and separate against the fence. Back to his feet. Two minutes to go.

Slick trip from Morozov, Taha immediately works his way back up. Knees to the butt from Morozov. One minute to go. Another outside trip and Morozov gets both hooks in this time. Short punches landing. 10-9 Morozov.

Round 3: Heavy exchanges to start the fight. Good shots from Morozov. He counters a front kick with a 2-3. Taha going for it but these are favoring Morozov. One minute in. Morozov shoots after taking a low kick and drags Taha down, putting in a hook as he does. Short right hands. Taha works his way up, eats some knees two minutes in. Failed hip toss attempt. Morozov remains attached. Short knees downstairs. Hunting that same trip. Gets it, can’t establish. Two minutes to go.

Taha separates, throws a right hand, and gets taken down for it. Back to his feet. Hard right hand form Morozov on the break, Taha comes back with body shots with a minute to go. Taha swinging for the fences, cracked with a right hook, whiffs a flying knee. Leg kick connects. Left hook from Morozov, then a spinning elbow. 10-9 Morozov.

Final result:


125 lbs.: Francisco Figueredo vs. Malcolm Gordon

Round 1: Gordon shoots in the opening seconds. Short knees against the fence before they separate. Gordon super aggressive early, lands a right hand and eats one in return before shooting. He lands the takedown, but gets swept into half guard a minute in. Figueiredo trying to pass, can’t get there. Short elbow. Two minutes in. Knee to the body, briefly considers a guillotine against the fence. Gordon regains guard and eats an elbow for his trouble. Active off of his back but not getting anything going. Two minutes to go.

Figueiredo unable to get to half guard, keeps landing short shots. Hard elbow. Figueiredo falls back for a leglock, loses it and Gordon ends up on top in half guard. Hard shots before Figueiredo briefly regains guard with a minute to go. Back to full guard. Good elbows from Gordon. 10-9 Figueiredo.

Round 2: Gordon right back on the attack. Looking for a single-leg. Figueiredo defends and separates, Good boxing from Gordon. He shoots, sprawled on, continues to drive a minute in. They separate. More aggression from Gordon. Two minutes in. Big swings, outworking Figueiredo so far. Gordon considers a shot, throws punches instead. They trade lefts. Gordon shoots, denied. Jabs from Figueiredo, who stuffs another shot. Figueiredo body kick, Gordon right hand. Two minutes to go.

Figueiredo steps in with a knee. Right cross connects. Gordon fakes a shot, lands an uppercut, eats a 1-2, and avoids an elbow. Hard knees to the body by Figueiredo. One minute to go. Gordon low kick. Figueiredo straight left. Gordon grabs a body lock and takes him down in the waning seconds. 10-9 Gordon.

Round 3: Figueiredo tries a flying knee and ends up on the bottom in side control. He regains guard after eating some shots. Figueiredo tries to kick him off with butterfly hooks, can’t do so a minute in. Gordon staying tight, landing punches. He denies another attempt to stand. Figueiredo scooting to the fence, turns to his knees. He finally manages to get free and stand, trying to take Gordon’s back. Two minutes to go.

Gordon turns and goes hard for a takedown. Pressing Figueiredo against the fence. Figueiredo responds by taking him down with a minute to go. He looks for mount, loses position chasing a submission. They scramble up and he drags Gordon back to his knees. 10-9 Gordon.

Final result: Gordon def. Figueiredo by unanimous decision


265 lbs.: Alan Baudot vs. Rodrigo Nascimento

Round 1: Trading low kicks early. Sharp left hook and right cross land for Baudot. Nascimento 3-2. Jab exchange. Baudot slips a right around his guard. Good 1-2. One minute in. Good punches by Baudot. Nascimento grabs over-unders, gets taken to the fence. He reverses, tries to change levels. Two minutes in. Nascimento flubs the takedown and ends up on his back. Heavy shots from Baudot with two minutes to go.

Nascimento turns and looks for a takedown attempt, eating Browne elbows as he goes. Knee from Baudot. Elbow with a minute to go. They separate. Heavy combinations from Baudot. Big left hook, landing at will. Nascimento ties up. 10-8 Baudot.

Round 2: Nascimento walking into punches as he stalks. Baudot eats a low blow. Overhand right and left hook from Baudot after they resume. Nascimento continuing to advance and send out jabs. One minute in. Baudot tries a Yair Rodriguez elbow and eats a series of combinations. Nascimento piecing him up on the fence and he folds Baudot with an uppercut. The punches pile up and there’s the finish.

Final result: Nascimento def. Baudot by TKO (punches)