Results and highlights: Worthy chokes out Pena, Hansen armbars Frey

Photo by Chris Unger/Zuffa LLC

Check out the full results from Saturday’s UFC on ESPN: Poirier vs. Hooker preliminary card, including a sweet armbar win for 20-year-old Kay Hansen.

The UFC on ESPN 12 preliminary card is in the books. Cancellations earlier this week led to just four fights on this portion of the event. The night started with Youssef Zalal getting the better of Jordan Griffin in a featherweight bout. 20-year-old strawweight Kay Hansen recorded the card’s first finish with a slick third-round armbar against former Invicta FC atomweight champion Jinh Yu Frey. Canadian heavyweight Tanner “Bulldozer” Boser lived up to his nickname with a sensational KO of Phillipe Lins, while Khama Worthy wrapped up the prelims with a third-round guillotine finish of Luis Pena in a lightweight battle.

Here’s how the fights played out.

Khama Worthy def. Luis Pena by submission (guillotine choke) at 2:53 of round 3 – Lightweights

Worthy and Pena wasted no time exchanging shots in the first couple of minutes. Khama had considerable success going to the body while Pena looked to make full use of his size advantage by establishing his jab. The smaller Worthy had the slight advantage in more damaging strikes, although there wasn’t a whole lot to separate these men through five minutes.

Pena hit a reactive takedown straight into side control, soon advancing to full mount. He threatened Worthy with an arm-triangle choke. Worthy escaped but Pena was still in full mount, then transitioned to back mount and got the body triangle. Khama grabbed Pena’s wrist and tried to reverse position and he managed that successfully. Pena scrambled and switched to an omoplata before standing back up. Pena got another takedown and into side control. With under ten seconds left in the round he again looked for a rear-naked choke, but Worthy transitioned to top just before time expired. It was nevertheless a winning round for “Violent Bob Ross.”

Worthy clipped Pena with a counter right hand and stopped a takedown, which drew a smile out of Khama, who then tagged Pena with two more solid shots. It was obvious that Worthy was the superior striker but almost all of his punches were going exclusively to the head. He did get Pena with a few leg kicks. “The Deathstar” kept on stopping Pena’s takedowns and he turned Luis’ wrestling against him by locking in a modified guillotine. Pena was trapped and subsequently tapped, giving Worthy another upset win in his UFC career. As for Pena, he suffers his first submission loss and falls to 4-3 in UFC competition.

Tanner Boser def. Philipe Lins by KO (punches) at 2:41 of round 1 – Heavyweights

Boser looked sharper and more accurate than the former PFL heavyweight champion, and it paid off with a terrific knockout. The Canadian caught the Brazilian with an overhand right that stunned Lins momentarily. As Lins moved forward, a filthy five-punch combination had Lins out before he even hit the floor. The two hammerfists weren’t even needed. Boser gets his first KO win in the UFC while Lins is now 0-2 inside the Octagon.

Kay Hansen def. Jinh Yu Frey by submission (armbar) at 2:26 of round 3 – Strawweights

Frey cracked fellow newcomer Hansen with a nice left elbow against the fence. The former Invicta FC atomweight champion had the more effective offense throughout round one. Frey did well to stifle the 20-year-old’s offense and stop her takedowns, including a couple of head-and-arm throws.

Hansen was able to get her first takedown in round two, much needed given that’s where she prefers her fights take place. Hansen didn’t have a lot of offense but she did maintain top control. Kay couldn’t quite pass to mount and Frey utilized the butterfly guard to stymie that attempt. Hansen did get in some body strikes from half-guard before Frey swept her way back up, only for Hansen to get one last takedown to close out the second frame.

Frey clocked Hansen with a flush counterpunch early in the final round, easily one of the more significant strikes of the bout. Hansen had a telegraphed shot that Frey saw and stuffed. Frey used the whizzer to stop another takedown but Hansen countered with a flying armbar. Kay had her in massive trouble and extended that arm, forcing Frey to tap to get off to a dream start to her UFC career.

Youssef Zalal def. Jordan Griffin by unanimous decision (29-28 x3) – Featherweights

Griffin secured an early takedown and took Zalal’s back when he stood back up. Zalal was able to break free and return to striking, but Griffin caught him with a head kick on the end of a combination. Zalal and Griffin clinched up against the fence once more and this time it was the Moroccan who sought to take the American down. Griffin did well to stay up right and then take Zalal down, briefly threatening a rear-naked choke before time expired for round one.

Zalal took the offensive initiative early in round two. He upped the aggression and in turn so did Griffin. Zalal landed multiple knees and jabs, while Griffin sought the left high kick. Griffin shot for a takedown after getting hurt by a body shot. Zalal sprawled but the American was able to scramble to back mount and go for a standing rear-naked choke. That proved futile and Zalal was able to get the better of Griffin on the feet, before another jumping knee put himself off balance and Griffin went on top. Griffin put himself into some dominant positions on the mat but his offense was minimal, and Zalal returned to his feet as round two drew to a close.

Griffin was noticeably fatigued entering the final round and Zalal was lighting him up with a variety of punches and elbows. Out of desperation, Griffin went for a takedown and secured it. Zalal again eventually stood up without getting into any trouble. They threw down briefly in the center of the cage before another shot by Griffin, with Zalal denying him again. Zalal cracked Griffin with a knee and used the whizzer to stop another double leg. Curiously, Zalal went for a takedown but Griffin stuff it. Zalal peppered Griffin with elbows and knees before they clinched up to end the contest.