Reminder: We will deliver live round-by-round, blow-by-blow coverage of UFC 286’s entire five-fight pay-per-view (PPV) main card RIGHT HERE, beginning at 5 p.m. ET.
Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) returns to The O2 in London, England, TODAY (Sat., March 18, 2023) with a five-round pay-per-view (PPV) main event rubber match between newly-minted Welterweight roost-ruler, Leon Edwards, running it back with former 170-pound kingpin, Kamaru Usman. In UFC 286’s PPV fire co-main event, dynamic Lightweight wrecking balls, Justin Gaethje and Rafael Fiziev, will lock horns in a potential “Fight of the Year”-type firecracker. We’ve got Gunnar Nelson, Casey O’Neill and Marvin Vettori, too!
IT’S AN ULTRA-RARE CHAMPIONSHIP TRILOGY!
Before that action begins at 5 p.m. ET later this afternoon, though, MMAmania.com will deliver LIVE round-by-round, blow-by-blow coverage of the entire UFC 286 “Prelims” undercard below, beginning with the first fight at 1 p.m. ET on ESPN+ (then the remaining undercard on ESPN2/ESPN+ at 3 p.m. ET). We will then cover UFC 286’s PPV main card in a separate thread right here, beginning at 5 p.m. ET. Bet on UFC 286 at DraftKings Sportsbook.
Keep in mind that we will also be the spot for the latest news, recaps, and post-fight analysis following “Edwards vs. Usman 3.” Without further delay, see below for the latest UFC 286 “Prelims” undercard results. (Note: This will go from the bottom up; therefore, scroll toward the bottom for the latest detailed round-by-round action.)
UFC 286 ESPN+ PPV QUICK RESULTS:
170 lbs.: UFC Welterweight champion Leon Edwards vs. Kamaru Usman
155 lbs.: Rafael Fiziev vs. Justin Gaethje
170 lbs.: Gunnar Nelson vs. Bryan Barberena
125 lbs.: Jennifer Maia vs. Casey O’Neill
185 lbs.: Roman Dolidze vs. Marvin Vettori
UFC 286 ESPN+ PRELIMS QUICK RESULTS:
145 lbs.: Makwan Amirkhani vs. Jack Shore — Shore def. Amirkhani by submission (rear naked choke) at 4:27 of Round Two
155 lbs.: Chris Duncan vs. Omar Morales — Duncan def. Morales by split decision (27-30, 29-28 x2)
155 lbs.: Yanal Ashmouz vs. Sam Patterson — Ashmouz def. Patterson by KO (punches) at 1:15 of Round One
125 lbs.: Jafel Filho vs. Muhammad Mokaev — Mokaev def. Filho by submission (rear naked choke) at 4:32 of Round Three — HIGHLIGHTS
145 lbs.: Lerone Murphy vs. Gabriel Santos — Murphy def. Santos by split decision (28-29, 29-28 x2)
185 lbs.: Christian Leroy Duncan vs. Dusko Todorovic — Duncan def. Todorovic by TKO (knee injury) at 1:52 of Round One
125 lbs.: Malcolm Gordon vs. Jake Hadley — Hadley def. Gordon by TKO (punches) at 1:01 of Round One — HIGHLIGHTS
125 lbs.: Luana Carolina vs. Joanne Wood — Wood def. Carolina by split decision (28-29, 30-27, 29-28)
155 lbs.: Jai Herbert vs. Ludovit Klein — Majority draw (29-27, 28-28 x2)
125 lbs.: Veronica Hardy vs. Juliana Miller — Hardy def. Miller by unanimous decision (30-27 x3)
UFC 286 ‘PRELIMS’ PLAY-BY-PLAY RESULTS:
145 lbs.: Makwan Amirkhani vs. Jack Shore
Round one: 1-2-body lock from Shore. Amirkhani reverses on the fence a minute in. Solid knees to the body. Shore pummels under and reverses in turn. They separate two minutes in. Nice counter right by Amirkhani and a jab behind it. Shore comes back with his own jab. Strong double-leg puts Amirkhani on top in half guard. Shore regains guard with two minutes to go.
Amirkhani stands over him, avoids an omoplata, and comes back down into half guard. Ref asking for more action. One minute to go. Shore nearly scrambles his way to a triangle, no dice. Rare elbow from Amirkhani. 10-9 Amirkhani.
Round two: Both attempt head kicks. Amirkhani slips on his, allowing Shore to clamp down on a front headlock and scramble for a bit before they return to their feet. Shore body kick. 1-2 into the clinch. Amirkhani reverses with a body lock and lands a knee before Shore pummels and separates a minute in. Nice head kick by Shore. Amirkhani already looks winded, and he runs into a straight right before changing levels. Shore sprawls and extracts his arm. 1-2 from Shore two minutes in. Front kick to the body. Amirkhani with a tired-looking check hook. Shore answers with a short uppercut and clean jab. 1-2, more jabs, 3-2. Amirkhani tries a head kick, eats a left hook. He shoots, denied with two minutes to go.
Nice outside trip puts Shore on top. Good pass to side control, then mount. Arm triangle’s there but the fence is in the way with a minute to go. He abandons it and drops elbows until Amirkhani gives up his back. In goes the RNC and in comes the tap.
Final result: Shore def. Amirkhani by submission (rear naked choke)
155 lbs.: Chris Duncan vs. Omar Morales
Round one: Low kick from Duncan. Tentative start from both. Low kick exchange a minute in. Body kick by Morales. Both fire low kicks, Morales’ lands better. Neither man committing to anything huge so far. Morales catches a low kick and lands a counter right. Two minutes in. There’s a good 1-2 from Duncan, who’s been on the front foot thus far. Inside low kick. Double counter right by Morales a bit later. Duncan falls short with a 1-2. Two minutes to go.
Body kick from Duncan, half-committed spinning back fist from Morales. Duncan shoots, easily rebuffed with underhooks. Quick counters from Morales. Duncan wades into the clinch, can’t get anything from there. One minute to go. Low kick met by a Morales jab and low kick. Hard 1-2 stings Duncan and Morales follows up with some brutal combos. He slips trying to polish him off, though, allowing things to settle back down. Duncan shoots, denied, solid knee and elbow inside. Another elbow on the break. 10-9 Morales.
Round two: Duncan gets in deep on his best level change yet, forcing Morales to one knee. One minute in. Knees to the thigh from Duncan. Nice switch from Morales to get free and reset two minutes in. Counter right connects. Duncan fires low kicks, eats a hard check and right hand. Morales low kick with two minutes to go.
Duncan changes levels and hauls him to the fence again. Morales limp-legs out with just over a minute to go. Knee from Morales before Duncan shoots again. Looking for a single-leg, can’t get it. Good 1-2 from Morales in the final seconds. 10-9 Duncan.
Round three: Both open with low kicks. Body kicks from Duncan. Jab and low kick knock Duncan over, prompting him to shoot a minute in. Tree-topping gets Morales down for a moment and allows Duncan to grab a front headlock. Two minutes in. Continuing to control Morales against the fence. Morales looking for the switch as Duncan holds onto the body lock. Two minutes to go.
Morales struggling to break free. Stuck on his rear with a minute to go. Morales manages to exit and stalks Duncan with huge swings, prompting Duncan to hit one more takedown before the bell. 10-9 Duncan.
Final result: Duncan def. Morales by split decision
155 lbs.: Yanal Ashmouz vs. Sam Patterson
Round one: Patterson sporting comical height and reach advantages in this matchup. Both throwing kicks early. Patterson gets a bit too lazy throwing a low kick and Ashmouz comes over the top with a right hand, then a left hook as the off-balance Brit falls that puts Patterson to sleep. Ashmouz bombs him in and out of consciousness for a while until the ref intervenes.
Final result: Ashmouz def. Patterson by KO (punches)
125 lbs.: Jafel Filho vs. Muhammad Mokaev
Round one: Body kick lands for Mokaev. Filho falling short with his offerings thus far. Low kick exchange. Teep catches Filho throwing and briefly knocks him over. One minute in. They’re sticking near the fence so far. Body kick to level change from Mokaev, who gets caught in a guillotine but works through to land in side control. Filho gets to a knee, eats punches. Two minutes in. Body triangle for Mokaev against the fence. He tries to transition to an arm triangle, settles for top guard with two minutes to go.
Punches starting to pile up for Mokaev as Filho tries to improve position. Back to guard with a minute to go. Diving right hand from Mokaev into half guard. Filho briefly considers a guillotine before closing guard. 10-9 Mokaev.
Round two: Filho advancing to start. Each lands a low kick. Falling short with their strikes so far. One minute in. Filho tries a 3-2. Combination comes up short. Leg kick two minutes in. Both whiff on punches from too far out. Been an uninspiring sparring match so far this round. Mokaev tries a series of spinning shenanigans that don’t connect. Two minutes to go.
Mokaev shoots and locks his hands despite Filho’s sprawl, putting him on the fence. Filho manages to defend and separate. Mokaev shoots again and Filho initially stops it, but lingers inside to throw a body shot and ends up in bottom guard with a minute to go. Swatting each other from inside. I guess 10-9 Filho? He did slightly less nothing and Mokaev landed nothing of note at the end.
Round three: Mokaev shoots in the opening seconds and transitions fist to a body lock, then full back control with a body triangle. Looking for the RNC, angle’s bad. Filho scrambles free a minute in and they stand. Well-timed takedown from Mokaev as Filho steps in, again ending with the body lock. One hook in. Two minutes in. Filho spins for a kneebar and cranks for his life. That is a deeply unpleasant angle, but Mokaev weathers it to kick off another scramble that ends with him on top in side control. Landing punches as Filho gets to his knees and works to stand. Two minutes to go.
Mokaev hunting the back once again. One hook in. Looking for the RNC, nothing there. One minute to go. Filho stuck on his seat against the fence. Mokaev slips past FIlho’s arm and gets both hooks in for the next RNC, which forces a tap.
Final result: Mokaev def. Filho by submission (rear naked choke)
145 lbs.: Lerone Murphy vs. Gabriel Santos
Round one: Santos times a Murphy low kick for a takedown 15 seconds in. Murphy works his way up with the fence, eats a knee to the body He avoids getting dragged to the bottom and settles in Santos’ guard, where he has to fight off a triangle. One minute in. Murphy postures out and stands, giving Santos space to stand as well. Both land hard calf kicks. Murphy 1-2. Again. He looks faster than Santos so far, though Santos does land a pair of good left hands and a body kick two minutes in. Trading in the center. Murphy jab, Santos low kick and counter knee. 1-2 from Santos. Nice knee tap by Santos and a body kick on the way up. Murphy comes back with straight rights. Brief clinch exchange with two minutes to go.
Combinations landing for Murphy. Santos tries a flying knee and uses it to set up another double-leg against the fence. Murphy’s cut on the eyelid. Murphy stands, eats shots on the exit. One minute to go. Nice body shots by Santos. Clean straight left met by a Murphy body kick. Another counter left connects for Santos, who tries a flying knee and cracks Murphy with a pair of left hooks before eating a right hand. Great round. 10-9 Santos.
Round two: Santos continuing to pressure. They battle it out against the fence until Murphy slows things down in the clinch. One minute in. Murphy muscles him down into side control. Santos rolls to regain guard, eating body shots. Body shots from Murphy on the way up. He starts to pick up some momentum on the feet, only to kick Santos in the jewels and prompt a pause two minutes in. Nice head kick from Santos when they resume. Murphy head kick goes high. Both land hard near the fence. Vicious calf kick drops Murphy with two minutes to go.
Murphy comes back with a hard right hand, but gets spun down by a single-leg into side control. Santos latches onto his back and wraps up the body triangle. One minute to go. Good defense from Murphy so far, but can’t escape the body triangle. Murphy throws some punches over his shoulder, only for Santos to spin into an armbar that Murphy escapes in the final seconds. 10-9 Santos.
Round three: They resume trading on the feet. Heavy 1-2 from Murphy that Santos answers with a body kick before shooting in. Again he runs the pipe to end up on top in butterfly guard. One minute in. Murphy tries to roll free and this time does so, avoiding a back take to stand and fight off another level change. Elbows on the break. Head kick attempt, body shot. Nasty counter left by Santos two minutes in. Murphy outworking him this round. 1-2. Both land their power hands. Murphy 1-2 on the counter, heavy straight left behind it. Santos still marching in and looking to trade but it’s Murphy getting the better of it. Two minutes to go.
Trading in the center. Quick Brazilian kick from Murphy. He’s circling well, runs Santos into a right hand. Another on the counter. Santos gets in deep on a double-leg and carries Murphy to the center before slamming him down with a minute to go. Murphy scoots his way to the fence, then stands, blocking a head kick on the break. Both spin before the bell. Great fight. 10-9 Murphy.
Final result: Murphy def. Santos by split decision
185 lbs.: Christian Leroy Duncan vs. Dusko Todorovic
Round one: Early low kick from Todorovic. Duncan answers in kind. Side kick to the midsection. Another heavy low kick. He threatens to spin, doubles up the side kick and lands a straight left instead. One minute in. Todorovic catches a body kick and gets hauled to the fence. Knees to the thigh. As they’re jockeying for position, Todorovic’s right knee gives out, bringing the fight to a sudden and deeply unfortunate end.
Final result: Duncan def. Todorovic by TKO (knee injury)
125 lbs.: Malcolm Gordon vs. Jake Hadley
Round one: Hadley on the front foot early. Low kicks from Gordon as he circles. Both throwing lots of volume early and it’s Hadley who breaks through, drilling Gordon with a vicious body shot that folds Malcolm “X” and allows Hadley to pound him out.
Final result: Hadley def. Gordon by TKO (punches)
125 lbs.: Luana Carolina vs. Joanne Wood
Round one: Wood on the front foot, Carolina circling. Big 1-2 from Wood into the clinch, knees to the body. Jockeying for position against the fence. Trading knees a minute in. Wood exits with a right hand. Good punching exchange, knees from Carolina in the clinch. Both land good elbows. Two minutes in. Carolina tries a head kick. Counters landing for her. 1-2 from Wood into the body lock. Two minutes to go.
Carolina tries a whizzer kick, eats an elbow and knees. She reverses and exits with an elbow. Stiff jab by Wood. Carolina body kick. Hard uppercut and left hook land for Wood with a minute to go. Teep. Carolina answers to the body. 1-2. Low kick from Wood, who catches a kick and eats an elbow. She falls just short with a spinning elbow. 10-9 Wood in a close round.
Round two: Trading at close range right off the bat. Wood puts her on the fence. Solid elbow. Both land knees before they separate. Teep and 1-2 from Wood kicks off an exchange a minute in. Counter left. Wood continuing to stalk, lands a 1-2, then another right hand off a caught kick. She puts Carolina on the fence and lands knees. Two minutes in. Carolina gets a bit of space and fires knees of her own. Carolina tries a whizzer kick, eats a knee, elbow, and left hook for her trouble. Two minutes to go.
1-2 from Carolina. Wood digs another knee downstairs as Carolina falls in. Wood lead right. Teep to the face. 1-2. Counter right by Carolina. One minute to go. Carolina tries to rush into the clinch. Double right by Wood. 1-2 by Wood, clinch, elbow. Foot sweep to knee by Wood, who kicks at Carolina’s legs until the bell. 10-9 Wood.
Round three: Right back to trading volume at a distance. Counter right from Carolina. Low kick met by dirty boxing by Wood a minute in. Lead right. Body and low kicks. Teep by Carolina, solid combination in the center. 1-2. Two minutes in. Counter left. Wood still wading after her but getting picked off. There’s a combo from her. Teep. Wood marches into the clinch and they trade knees downstairs. Two minutes to go.
Trading knees and elbows, Wood tries a spinning back fist. Heavy exchanges. Nasty knees and elbows inside. Wood counter right. Counter jabs with a minute to go. Carolina tries to step in with knees. Hard straight left. Counter elbow. Wood tosses her to the mat, then waves her up. Good knee to the body, hard counter right. Carolina wading after her, gets dropped be a point-blank left hook in the final seconds. 10-9 Wood.
Final result: Wood def. Carolina by split decision
155 lbs.: Jai Herbert vs. Ludovit Klein
Round one: Both open with heavy kicks. Herbert circling, Klein advancing. Klein catches a body kick for a takedown into guard a minute in. Herbert looks to elevate with butterfly hooks, spins for an armbar, two minutes in. Hammerfists off his back. Solid upkicks. Klein comes back with some punches but he’s cut from those upkicks. Klein lets him up with two minutes to go
Right to exchanging. Klein 1-2 falls short, as do Herbert’s. Step-in knee from Herbert and they exchange in the clinch until Herbert hauls him to the fence. Herbert sneaks one in upstairs with a minute to go. Klein falls short with a combo, lands a straight left a bit later. Still pursuing, solid low kick. 10-9 Herbert.
Round two: Klein back on the advance. Counter left to answer a Herbert knee. He lands a knee inside and they battle for position in the clinch. Herbert puts him on the fence a minute in, Klein reverses and separates. 1-2 from Klein, eats a low kick. Herbert looks for an outside trip but gets put on the fence. Two minutes in. Trading knees inside. Elbow and left hand from Klein on the exit. Continuing to advance. Two minutes to go.
Herbert triples up on kicks. Good low kick. Klein shoots and puts him on the fence. Knees to the thigh. One minute to go. Elbow on the exit. 2-1 from Klein, then another on the exit. Counter left, Herbert tries a head kick in return. 10-9 Klein in a close round.
Round three: Trading combinations. Good knee from Herbert. Klein continuing to pressure. 2-1 into the clinch. Herbert reverses and drills Klein right in the jewels. Klein comes out of the break throwing heat, blasting Herbert with combinations until Herbert ties up. One minute in. Solid right hand by Herbert met by a straight left. Back to the clinch and Herbert again knees him in the balls, resulting in a point deduction. Klein again comes out slugging. Two minutes in. Back to the clinch, ultra-slick sweep by Herbert into side control. Half guard. Two minutes to go.
Herbert dropping solid punches. Klein regains guard, then takes Herbert down gainst the fence. One minute to go. Herbert stands, tries a whizzer kick, puts Klein on the fence. Klein stuck on one knee, eats shots. 9-9 with the point deduction.
Final result: Majority draw
125 lbs.: Veronica Hardy vs. Juliana Miller
Round one: Trading kicks early. Hardy circling, Miller advancing. Sharp rights from both and Miller slips briefly. Hardy to the body a minute in. Another counter right from Hardy. Miller body kick. Hardy moving well and picking her off. Nasty counter three-piece. Two minutes in. Miller’s having a lot of issues getting inside. Low kick and right hand from Hardy. Now Miller finds her with a 1-2 and ups the pressure. More nasty counters by Hardy when Miller tries to tie up. Two minutes to go.
Miller wades into the clinch and puts her on the fence. She looks for a takedown with a minute to go and ends up on her back, immediately spinning for an armbar as Hardy drops punches. No dice on that or the triangle, so she inverts in pursuit of a leg. Hardy sneaks in a couple more heavy right hands before stepping away and letting her stand. 10-9 Hardy.
Round two: Miller comes out slugging, walking through some heavy counters to put Hardy on the fence. Again Miller flubs the takedown and ends up on her back, looking for an armbar. One minute in. Good defense by Hardy to slip out and land hard left hands. Miller tries to sit up into her, eats more left hands, regains guard. Two minutes in. Hunting the armbar once again, once again Hardy yanks her arm free and cracks her with a shot before taking half guard. Brutal elbow. Miller’s got a big ol’ hematoma in the middle of her forehead. Two minutes to go.
Hardy moves her to the base of the fence and lands some hard punches. She stands over Miller, then lets her back up. Miller low kick, Hardy body kick. Miller back in the clinch and looking for a whizzer kick. One minute to go. Hardy cracks her with an elbow and tries to take the back. Miller counters with a kimura, can’t get the leverage she needs. 10-9 Hardy.
Round three: Side kicks from Hardy as she circles. Miller tries to rush in and gives up a body lock, allowing Hardy to trip her to the mat. Looking for the kimura again, loses it a minute in. Now chasing a kneebar after Hardy postures. Hardy thumps her with body shots as Miller tries to crank. Miller loses it two minutes in, then stands and puts her on the fence. Hardy reverses and hits that same outside trip, fighting off that same kimura again with two minutes to go.
Hardy stands and kicks at Miller’s legs until the other follows her up, then blasts her with a counter left and trips her back into guard. She lets Miller up with a minute to go. More good counters, then a huge left head kick into the clinch. Miller looks for another last-minute kimura trap and eats some final punches for her trouble. Career-best performance from Hardy. 10-9 Hardy.
Final result: Hardy def. Miller by unanimous decision
Remember: MMAmania.com will deliver LIVE round-by-round, blow-by-blow coverage of UFC 286’s entire five-fight PPV main card RIGHT HERE, beginning at 5 p.m. ET on ESPN+ PPV.
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