Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) is locked and loaded for the UFC Vegas 38 mixed martial arts (MMA) event, which takes place TONIGHT (Sat., Oct. 2, 2021) from inside UFC APEX in Las Vegas, Nevada, streaming LIVE on ESPN+. Main event duties fall to light heavyweight contenders Thiago Santos and Johnny Walker, who collide for a spot in the division title chase. In the 185-pound co-headliner, Kevin Holland goes to war against Kyle Daukaus.
MMAmania.com will deliver LIVE round-by-round, blow-by-blow coverage of the entire UFC Vegas 38 fight card below, starting with the ESPN+ “Prelims” bouts at 4 p.m. ET, followed by the ESPN+ main card start time at 7 p.m. ET.
Keep in mind that we will also be the spot for the latest news, recaps, and post-fight analysis following “Santos vs. Walker.” Without further delay, see below for the updated UFC Vegas 38 results. (Note: This will go from the bottom up; therefore, scroll toward the bottom for the latest detailed round-by-round action).
UFC VEGAS 38 QUICK RESULTS:
Thiago Santos vs. Johnny Walker — Santos def. Walker via unanimous decision (48-47 x3) — HIGHLIGHTS
Kyle Daukaus vs. Kevin Holland — Fight declared a No-Contest due to an accidental headbutt at 3:43 of Round 1 — HIGHLIGHTS
Alex Oliveira vs. Niko Price — Price def. Oliveira via unanimous decision (29-28 x3)
Misha Cirkunov vs. Krzysztof Jotko — Jotko def. Cirkunov via split decision (29-28 x2, 28-29)
Alexander Hernandez vs. Mike Breeden — Hernandez def. Breeden via KO (punch) at 1:20 of Round 1 — HIGHLIGHTS
Jared Gordon vs. Joe Solecki — Gordon def. Solecki via split decision (29-28 x2, 28-29)
Casey O’Neill vs. Antonina Shevchenko — O’Neill def. Shevchenko via TKO (GNP) at 4:47 of Round 2 — HIGHLIGHTS
Bethe Correia vs. Karol Rosa — Rosa def. Correia via unanimous decision (30-27 x2, 30-26)
Jamie Mullarkey vs. Devonte Smith — Mullarkey def. Smith via TKO (strikes) at 2:51 of round two — HIGHLIGHTS
Gaetano Pirrello vs. Douglas Silva de Andrade — Silva de Andrade def. Pirrello by KO (punches) at 2:04 of Round 1 — HIGHLIGHTS
Johnny Eduardo vs. Alejandro Perez — Perez def. Eduardo by submission (armbar) at 4:13 of Round 2 — HIGHLIGHTS
Stephanie Egger vs. Shanna Young — Egger def. Young by TKO (punches) at 2:22 of Round 2 — HIGHLIGHTS
UFC VEGAS 38 PLAY-BY-PLAY:
205 lbs.: Thiago Santos vs. Johnny Walker
Round 1: Main time, and we’ve got Walker in white, Santos in black and Dean accompanying the action. Lots of feinting from Walker to open. Finally a leg kick 30 seconds in. Santos switching stances… misses on a couple kicks. Front kick for Walker. Not much for either man save a few more Walker low kicks. I’m not sure Santos has landed a clean shot other than a leg kick the entire round. There’s a front kick and another leg kick for Thiago. 10-9 Walker
Round 2: Walker tries a low kick, Santos turns it into a takedown attempt. Both men swing and land rights. Solid leg kick from Santos. Santos hits a front kick. Very slow pace so far. Walker landing occasional single shots here and there. Liver kick from Santos. Another. A third. 10-9 Santos.
Round 3: Walker with feints and low kicks. Mixes a front kick to the pile. Head kick partially lands for Santos. Walker gets in a 1-2 on the back-foot. Straight left hand from Thiago. Left hand slips through for Walker. Santos counters a front kick with a right hand. Each man with a left. 10-9 Santos
Round 4: Santos digs to the body and leans back to avoid the big right hand on the return. Walker takes a kick to the shoulder, but lands one on Santos’ chin instead. Body kick and a right from Walker. Walker with a leg kick, partially checked by Santos. Santos gets in a counter left. 10-9 Walker
Round 5: Walker with a couple of push kicks. Question mark kick that glances off the arm of Santos. Lean-back right hand from Walker connects. Huge left hand from Santos and Walker eats it! Easiest the cleanest connection by either man so far. Thiago gets in a body kick and Walker sprints forward trying to get those strikes back. Snappy left kick from Santos. There’s the clapper and Walker goes for a wheel kick that misses. 10-9 Santos.
Final result: Santos def. Walker by decision (48-47 x3)
185 lbs.: Kyle Daukaus vs. Kevin Holland
Round 1: Co-main time. Daukaus in blue, Holland in black and Buffer letting us know we have big ol’ Tan Dan back with us. Holland with the lead leg kick. Daukaus with a punch into a takedown attempt. Holland with the over/under and he yells out “A LITTLE BETTER, EH DC?”
Holland dragged down for a split second. Holland reverses position, but gets stuck under the armpit of Daukaus. Holland with foot stomps as he’s kinda just stuck there. Ref break. Big right from Holland and then a huge… something nearly knocks out Holland! The booth screams that it’s a headbutt. Daukaus pounces on him and starts punching. Daukaus transitions to an anaconda choke, but Holland manages to break the grip. Daukaus switches to the back and chokes out Holland who taps just before he goes to sleep.
Herb Dean and Dan Miragliotta are getting together with the commission to decide what to call this. Its easy to see on the replays that both men leaned in and Daukaus’s head landed right on Holland’s chin.
Final result: Fight is declared a No Contest due to an accidental headbutt at 3:43 of Round 1
170 lbs.: Alex Oliveira vs. Niko Price
Round 1: Mark Smith is the ref for Oliveira in yellow and Price in gray. Price opens up with a leg kick, then they trade leg kicks. Bunch of leg kicks from Price. Oliveira lands a right hand. “Cowboy” swings on “Hybrid” and they clinch up against the cage. Oliveira gets a takedown, but Price uses the momentum to reverse and land on top. They settling in Oliveira’s full guard. Price separates and slams a right hand. Oliveira tries to get a deep half, but is stuffed by the cage. Price lands an elbow. Two minutes to go.
Oliveira punching from the bottom, but they’re not much. Price gets to a loose quarter guard for a bit, but Oliveira gets it back to a half. Price punching the body before getting enough separation for a right hand up top. 10-9 Price.
Round 2: Back to exchanging low kicks. Jab from Price. Nice left hand from Oliveira. There’s an overhand, too. Another just clips Price. Oliveira evades a kick, but eats a weird flail from Price’s rear hand. Price gets a kick caught and is taken down. Side control for Oliveira, but Price throws up his legs for an armbar. Good scramble from both men and Oliveira ends up in side control again. Price gets to his knees, but this lets Oliveira take his back and throw heavy leather down. They roll back to the ground and old man Olives is back in side control. More scrambling and it’s half guard. 10-9 Oliveira.
Round 3: Price with a right hand in this close fight. Heavy calf kicks from Oliveira and a big right hand as well. Oliveira tried a jump, but Price teeped him mid-air. Oliveira landing a pair of good right hands. Now it’s Price with some good connections and Oliveira does manage to evade the head kick. He gets in another right hand. Standing hammerfist, Lobov-style lands for Price, but an actual strike – a right hand – lands for Price. Niko with the cage grab, but still can’t get the Brazilian down. Side kick for Oliveira, Front kick from Price. They both swing heavy with about 1:10 left. Oliveira gets double underhooks in a clinch and tries to go to work. He slips to the back and is trying to drag Price down. Price starts to turn into him and manages to shuck him down. 20 seconds and Price is looking to pound away as the fight ends. 10-9 Price and 29-28 in my book.
Final result: Price def. Oliveira by decision 29-28 x3
185 lbs.: Misha Cirkunov vs. Krzysztof Jotko
Round 1: Jotko in gray, Cirkunov in black and we’ve got the good graces of Herb Dean again. First good strike landed is a low kick from Cirkunov. Cirkunov ducks for a takedown, which is stopped by Jotko, but Misha pushes him to the cage. Jotko gets his left arm free and circles out. Another takedown attempt, another stuff, but Cirkunov kicks out the feet of Jotko. Cirkunov has a front headlock, but Jotko gets up within seconds. Still in the clinch until Jotko gets room and breaks free.
Halfway through the round and Cirkunov lands a nice straight right. This seems to wake up Jotko who spams a 5-piece combo, landing at least two of them. Both men have their defense working as they’re evading most of what the other man is throwing. Except for some low kicks. Fake takedown gets a big reaction from Jotko, but Cirkunov isn’t able to capitalize on it. It could go either way, but I’ll say 10-9 Cirkunov.
Round 2: Not much happens for the first 40 or so seconds, but Cirkunov finally initiates a clinch. Cirkunov is unable to get the takedown thanks to a cage grab from Jotko that goes unnoticed by the ref. Cup check lands for Cirkunov and we’ve got a break. Cirkunov ducks down like he’s gonna go for the takedown, but Jotko uses nice footwork to fade back and to his right, all the while spamming punches on Cirkunov, landing a couple. We clinch again with 2:13 on the clock, but Jotko gets out within seconds. Couple of decent right hands land for Jotko.
Another clinch and Jotko again uses the exact same escape to his left. Low kick lands for Cirkunov and he’s able to dodge the counter. Jotko tries a jump knee, but eats a counter right mid-air from Cirkunov. 10-9 Jotko.
Round 3: Good low kicks from both men, but Jotko’s was better. Cirkunov finally gets a takedown, but it doesn’t look like he’s gonna maintain position. They scramble and Cirkunov gets Jotko’s back. He knees him in the butt. Jotko crawls up, gets dragged back down. Up. Down. Butt knees again. Finally, Jotko slips out, but he tried to strike, rather than separate and he gets taken down again. They’re up and finally separated. Jotko with the trip takedown of his own, but Cirkunov stands back up. Good left on the break from Jotko, but he surprisingly re-clinches. Jotko on the attack, but seemingly pokes Cirkunov in the eye after a jump knee attempt.
We’re back after Cirkunov recovers. Cirkunov stuffs a takedown. Left on the jaw lands for Jotko. Nice jab, too. Jotko keeps pressuring forward and lands a takedown with seconds left. He gets in a couple ground strikes as the fight ends. 10-9 Jotko. 29-28 on my card.
Final result: Jotko def. Cirkunov by decision (29-28×2, 28-29)
155 lbs.: Alexander Hernandez vs. Mike Breeden
Round 1: Breeden in gray, Hernandez in black. Mr. Smith our ref. Breeden starts swinging rights energetically. Lands the first shot of the night with a right about 18 seconds in. Hernandez with a takedown attempt, but Breeden gets his hips back and stuffs it. Big 1-2 from Hernandez and Breeden is wobbled. Hernandez smells blood and he swarms in on Mike. Breeden’s mouthpiece goes flying and he tries his best to swing back and catch Hernandez. We’ve got rockem’ sockem robots… not anymore! A huge overhand lands on the temple and sends Breeden to the canvas, ending the fight early!
Final result: Hernandez def. Breeden by knockout (punch) at 1:20 of Round 1
155 lbs.: Jared Gordon vs. Joe Solecki
Round 1: “Flash” in gray, Solecki in black, 3rd man in the cage is Dan Miragliotta. Solecki with a quick left into a takedown. He passes into a low mount. Gordon shrimps and manages to get it to side control. Bit of a scramble, but Solecki controlling. He gets Gordon’s right wrist and it’s trapped. Gordon moves out of it after eating a few left hands, but Solecki gets the back and has his hooks in. RNC attempt just shy of halfway through the round goes nowhere, but he still has the back. Still fishing for the choke from different sides. Gordon gets to standing and he has a Solecki backpack on him Solecki tries for a guillotine, but Gordon moves to the correct side to alleviate the pressure and land on top. He’s on top and getting a little bit back. 10-9 Solecki.
Round 2: The round starts nearly the same way – Solecki punches into a clinch and then into a takedown. He doesn’t have as much control and Flash is able to get up. Back down. Up again and Gordon lands a knee. And an elbow. Two. A third. Hammerfists to the side of Solecki’s head. Foot trip from Solecki and he’s got a grapevine on Gordon’s legs. Gordon reverses and now he’s on top in full guard midway through the round. Short ground and pound from Gordon. Solecki trying to elevate and sweep, but Gordon defends. One minute left. He’s getting some short punches in, but not much. Solecki mixing between closed and open full guard, but not much else happening. 10-9 Gordon.
Round 3: We’re a minute in and Solecki hasn’t tried a takedown yet, which favors Gordon. He’s not going nuts in the standup, because he knows he’ll just get Solecki to shoot when he’s out of position, so he’s maintaining a measured attack. Calf kicks land for Gordon. They both land rights. Gordon with a second one while Solecki misses his. Does land one a minute later. Gordon with a takedown attempt and eats a knee for his trouble. Solecki tries one and also fails. They clinch and Gordon backs Solecki to the link. He gets a trip, but can’t control it and Solecki is back up. 90 seconds left. Gordon with a slow leg kick, but it lands on the calf. He gets in a left, too. Solecki on the counter. Gordon looks like he’s cut up and the booth thinks its from a headbutt. They clinch and break with 35 seconds to go. Uppercut from Flash. Solecki with a right hand. Tight round. Gordon 10-9 and 29-28 on my card.
Final result: Gordon def. Solecki by decision (29-28 x2, 28-29)
125 lbs.: Casey O’Neill vs. Antonina Shevchenko
Round 1: O’Neill in blue, Shevchenko in black, Chris Tognoni our ref. Another no touch. O’Neill takes the center and starts swinging. Shevchenko gets a warning for her fingers being outstretched. They clinch into an awkward head-and-arm situation, but it ends with Shevchenko on top in side control. Shevchenko gets a crucifix and hammers about 4 or 5 elbows before the Aussie can get out and up to her feet. Shevchenko with a Thai clinch and gets in a few knees. O’Neill fakes a punch into a takedown. She gets it and she’s on top in quarter guard. Now back to half guard for Shevchenko. O’Neill with a couple punches but Shevchenko uses the movement to get into full guard. O’Neill postures up. Shevchenko gets some space, kicks the face and scrambles up. 20 seconds left in the round. O’Neill catches a weak kick and takes her down. There’s some good right hands to end the round. Close round, 10-9 Shevchenko.
Round 2: Shevchenko lands a kick early, they exchange jabs. O’Neill with a punch and clutch. Shevchenko reverses the position and O’Neill is back to the links. Elbow from Shevchenko and they break. O’Neill with a good left and then gets a level change for the takedown. Full guard. Elbow from O’Neill but Antonina again uses the movement to threaten an armbar and then scramble. O’Neill jumps the back and now has her hooks in. O’Neill gets mount as Shevchenko turns to her back. Right hands and left elbows from the undefeated O’Neill. Good, solid GNP here and the ref is looking close here. Rear naked attempt and gets back to striking. Pair of right elbows and a left gets the warning from Tognoni. O’Neill hammerfisting Shevchenko like she stole something, jeez. Finally the ref sees enough and ends it with 13 seconds left in the round.
Final result: O’Neill def. Shevchenko via technical knockout (ground & pound) at 4:47 of round two
135 lbs.: Bethe Correia vs. Karol Rosa
Round 1: Buffer introduces Rosa (in the black trunks and bra) and for the last time, Correia (in the yellow). Herb Dean to ref. No touch of gloves. Rosa with a kick that grazes the thigh. Inside leg kick for Rosa and Correia tries to return with a right hand, but misses. They clinch and Rosa gets in some knees while Correia rips punches to the body. Hard outside low kick lands for Rosa and she gets a couple more clinch knees.
Not a strong start for Correia so far. She ducks to throw a body right and a left to the head. Rosa lands a right to the head and backs away from the return fire. Jump knee to the body from Rosa elicits a big grunt from Cormier on the mic. Correia tries to counter a low kick with a 1-2, but they’re mostly blocked. Liver kick from Rosa. There’s a right hand get through the guard of Rosa. Rosa changes levels for a takedown and they’re up against the fence. Correia defends well with double underhooks and that’s the end of the round. 10-9 Rosa.
Round 2: Rosa with a nice low kick and a left hand. Big running knee to the chest for her as well. Correia starting to get picked apart. 1-2-knee-2 and Correia ate both of those right hands. Correia swinging, but hitting arms for the most part. There’s a 3-2 to Rosa’s gut. Another knee to the torso. Rosa landing hard shots. Correia making sure she brings some traffic, but she’s mostly the one getting hit by the bus here. They clinch on the fence. Rosa separates for a second to land a big right elbow. Finally they break. Correia gets in a nice right hand. That step in knee is landing every time Rosa tries it. Correia has no answer for it at all. 10-9 Rosa.
Round 3: Rosa still landing nice and clean most of the time. Good knee (again) followed by a right hand. This isn’t exactly a one-sided beatdown, but it’s been pretty close to it. Bethe landing a bit more often this round, but none of the seem to be interfering with whatever Rosa wants to do. Hard inside leg kick from Rosa, misses a wheel kick, but lands a left hand a few seconds later. Correia gets double underhooks, but has her back to the cage and can’t seem to spin Karol. Yet another jumping knee. Correia gets a takedown stuffed and ends the fight on the bottom eating a couple punches. 10-9 Rosa
Final result: Rosa def. Correia by decision (30-27 x2, 30-26)
155 lbs.: Jamie Mullarkey vs. Devonte Smith
Round 1: Mullarkey opens with a jab as both fighters jockey for striking position early. Not much action in the first minute — feeling out process on the feet. Smith lands a nice short left hook and circles to his right. Mullarkey stops his roll with a left kick to the body. Smith responds with a big left hook that looked like it hurt Mullarkey … but he cleared the cobwebs quickly. Mullarkey misses with a low kick, with Smith pumping a jab to get back inside. Another low kick from Mullarkey. Huge knee from Smith, which opens up Mullarkey on his face. Mullarkey continues to chase Smith regardless, continuing to try and attack Smith’s lower half with bad results. Low kick/Stockton slap combination from Smith stuns Mullarkey for a second. With 30 seconds left he pressed Smith up against the cage and scored a flash takedown. Smith defended another takedown at the bell, with Mullarkey landing some shots upstairs from behind. 10-9 Smith.
Round 2: Mullarkey comes out aggressive again, with Smith more than happy to play the role of counter sniper. Front kick from Smith, with Mullarkey scoring with a low kick that Smith clearly did not enjoy. Another low kick from Mullarkey as Smith is backed into the fence. Mullarkey traps him along the fence, but Smith was quick to spin out of danger. Announcers seem to think Smith is compromised from the two big leg kicks and they may not be wrong. Mullarkey finally traps Smith up against the cage and begins to open with a barrage of dirty boxing. Smith is in trouble, knocking down Smith to the canvas with hard shots inside, ripping body punches and mixing in hard knees.. Smith is in trouble and isn’t fighting back … and that’s it! Mullarkey finds a finish midway through round two after likely dropping the opening stanza.
Final result: Mullarkey def. Smith via technical knockout (strikes) at 2:51 of round two
135 lbs.: Gaetano Pirrello vs. Douglas Silva de Andrade
Technical difficulties … play-by-play for this fight unavailable.
Final result: Silva de Andrade def. Pirrello by KO (punches) at 2:04 of Round 1 — HIGHLIGHTS
135 lbs.: Johnny Eduardo vs. Alejandro Perez
Technical difficulties … play-by-play for this fight unavailable.
Final result: Perez def. Eduardo by submission (armbar) at 4:13 of Round 2 — HIGHLIGHTS
135 lbs.: Stephanie Egger vs. Shanna Young
Technical difficulties … play-by-play for this fight unavailable.
Final result: Egger def. Young by TKO (punches) at 2:22 of Round 2 — HIGHLIGHTS
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