Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) is back on television TONIGHT (Sat., Dec. 9, 2017) with the UFC Fight Night 123 mixed martial arts (MMA) event on FOX Sports 1, which features a featherweight main event between Cub Swanson and Brian Ortega, who battle for a spot in the 145-pound title chase.
Elsewhere on the card, held inside Save Mart Center in Fresno, Calif., Marlon Moraes and Aljamain Sterling throw hands for bantamweight bragging rights, while Jason Knight tries to get back into the win column at the expense of featherweight bruiser Gabriel Benitez.
All that and so much more.
MMAmania.com will deliver LIVE round-by-round, blow-by-blow coverage of the entire UFC Fight Night 123 fight card below, starting with the UFC Fight Pass “Prelims” matches online at 6:30 p.m. ET, followed by the FOX Sports 1 “Prelims” bouts at 8 p.m. ET, before the main card start time at 10 p.m. ET, also on FOX Sports 1.
Keep in mind that we will also be the spot for the latest news, recaps, and post-fight analysis following “Swanson vs. Ortega.”
Without further delay, see below for the latest UFC Fight Night 123 results. (Note: This will go from the bottom up; therefore, scroll toward the bottom for the latest detailed round-by-round action.)
UFC FIGHT NIGHT 123 QUICK RESULTS:
Cub Swanson vs. Brian Ortega
Gabriel Benitez vs. Jason Knight
Marlon Moraes vs. Aljamain Sterling
Scott Holtzman vs. Darrell Horcher
Eryk Anders vs. Markus Perez
Benito Lopez vs. Albert Morales — Lopez def. Morales by unanimous decision (30-27, 29-28 x2)
Liz Carmouche vs. Alexis Davis — Davis def. Carmouche by split decision (29-28, 28-29, 29-28)
Luke Sanders vs. Andre Soukhamthath — Soukhamthath def. Sanders by TKO (punches) at 1:06 of Round Two
Carls John de Tomas vs. Alex Perez — Perez def. de Tomas by submission (anaconda choke) at 1:54 of Round Two
Merab Dvalishvili vs. Frankie Saenz — Saenz def. Dvalishvili by split decision (28-29, 29-28 x2)
Iuri Alcantara vs. Alejandro Perez — Perez def. Alcantara by unanimous decision (30-27, 29-28 x2)
Chris Gruetzemacher vs. Davi Ramos — Ramos def. Gruetzemacher by submission (rear naked choke) at 0:50 of Round One
Trevin Giles vs. Antonio Braga Neto — Giles def. Braga Neto by TKO (punches) at 2:27 of Round Three
UFC FIGHT NIGHT 123 PLAY-BY-PLAY:
145 lbs.: Cub Swanson vs. Brian Ortega
Round 1:
Round 2:
Round 3:
Round 4:
Round 5:
Final result:
145 lbs.: Gabriel Benitez vs. Jason Knight
Round 1:
Round 2:
Round 3:
Final result:
135 lbs.: Marlon Moraes vs. Aljamain Sterling
Round 1:
Round 2:
Round 3:
Final result:
155 lbs.: Scott Holtzman vs. Darrell Horcher
Round 1:
Round 2:
Round 3:
Final result:
185 lbs.: Eryk Anders vs. Markus Perez
Round 1: Both come out southpaw. Low kick from Perez. Anders steps into the clinch against the cage. He tries a single-leg while Perez fires knees. One minute in. Moving along the fence, good right from Anders on the break. Perez tries a head kick, eats a right as Anders ties up. They jockey for position. Knees from both two minutes in. Perez reverses with double underhooks and slams Anders down into guard. Perez locks up a d’arce with two minutes to go.
The choke isn’t there and Anders gets top position, landing a knee on the way up. Both whiff on the break. Anders charging after him. He continues his advance, lands a knee. Left downstairs with a minute to go. Left cross by Anders, who avoids a spinning elbow and grabs the rear waist lock. Punches from there. They separate and Perez whiffs on a huge left hand. Perez scores a takedown at the bell. 10-9 Anders.
Round 2:
Round 3:
Final result:
135 lbs.: Benito Lopez vs. Albert Morales
Round 1: Lopez charges out of the gate and lands a clean head kick that Morales absorbs. Lopez continuing to advance. Looking for body kicks. Morales moves to the rear waist lock, can’t use it. Jab drops Lopez, who drops Morales in return with a perfectly timed flying knee. Morales staggers back and they trade on the fence until Lopez drops him with another knee. Lopez takes mount and goes for the guillotine. Morales escapes and unloads on Lopez when they get to their feet. Morales grabs the rear waist lock two minutes in. Morales with one leg laced through, landing left hands. Two minutes to go.
Morales continues to chip away with short left hands. One minute to go. Lopez unable to dislodge him so far. 10-9 Lopez.
Round 2: Lopez tries a jumping switch kick. Right to the body. Both men jabbing. Lopez targeting the body. One minute in. Hard body kick connects. Leg kick from Morales. Left hook lands for him. Back to the jab exchanges. Another good leg kick. Spinning back kick lands clean for Lopez, who lands a head kick and follows up with punches. Morales throws back two minutes in. Leg kick. Lopez body kick met by punches. Lopez lands another heavy body kick. Two minutes to go.
More leg kicks from Morales. In combination this time. Body shot, right hand upstairs. .Lopez’s output doesn’t look great at the moment. Wheel kick attempt. One minute to go. Things slow down in the final minute. Morales cracks him with another leg kick. 10-9 Morales.
Round 3: Lopez sends out head kicks. Morales leg kick. They exchange low kicks. One minute in. Lopez left hook connects, spinning back kick does not. Another hook. Clean head kick by Lopez off a leg kick and they slap hands. Another head kick. Two minutes in. Morales goes back to the leg kicks, eats body shots. Lands one of his own soon after. Sharp right hand by Morales. Two minutes to go.
Tit-for-tat exchanges at range. Morales leg kick and counter left. One minute to go. Morales lands a teep and they exchange low kicks. Jumping front kick from Lopez met by a body shot. Lopez tries to spin. Jumping knee attempt met by a right hand. Lopez gets the final blow with a left hook. 10-9 Morales.
Final result: Lopez def. Morales by unanimous decision
125 lbs.: Liz Carmouche vs. Alexis Davis
Round 1: Davis puts Carmouche on the fence early. Carmouche whacks away with arm punches. Double underhooks for Davis. One minute in. Good knees by Davis. Davis tries to change levels briefly. Knee exchanges. Davis looking for a single-leg, can’t get it. Ref separates them two minutes in. Davis catches a kick, ties up, gets tripped into side control. Davis gets to her knees, Carmouche in the front headlock. Two minutes to go.
Knees from Carmouche as Davis rises. Davis makes it up, can’t fight off the takedown. Rubber guard for Davis. One minute to go. High Davis turns and locks up an armbar. Davis stacks, then tries to pull free. Davis cranking on it, survives a slam. 10-9 Davis.
Round 2: Davis catches a kick and takes Carmouche down into guard. One minute in. Good right hand from Davis. Ref wants more action. Davis hops into half guard two minutes in. Carmouche tries lockdown control as Davis whacks away. Carmouche kicks her away, can’t make space. Two minutes to go.
Davis continuing to chip away. Carmouche closes her guard briefly and tries to control. Carmouche looking for wrist or overhook control to set up a triangle. Ref stands them up with a minute to go. They trade right hands. Right hand from Carmouche, then a harder one. Leg kick from Davis, who grabs double under hooks. Carmouche with a takedown at the bell. 10-9 Davis.
Round 3: Leg kick exchange, right hand from Carmouche. Some nasty swelling on Davis’ forehead. Nasty punches by Carmouche, who shoots into a guillotine. She slips out and sets up in guard a minute in. Davis with rubber guard once again. Knee to the butt from Carmouche. Two minutes in. Davis locks up another armbar when Carmouche postures up. Carmouche slams her way out and passes to side control. Two minutes to go.
Davis regains her guard. One minute to go. Body shots from Carmouche. Davis turns for a Kimura, uses it to sweep. She ends the round dropping punches. 10-9 Carmouche.
Final result: Davis def. Carmouche by split decision
135 lbs.: Luke Sanders vs. Andre Soukhamthath
Round 1: Sanders pressing forward from the southpaw stance. Good combination on the cage. Head kick attempt a minute in. Soukhamthath tries a 1-2-3. Solid jab. Counter left from Sanders backs him off. Soukhamthath tries a jumping knee. Body kick lands for Sanders tow minutes in. Sanders pressing forward, lands a body kick as Soukhamthath tries to counter. Two minutes to go.
Sanders lands a good 3-2 on the cage and ties up. Sanders looking for a trip from the body lock. One minute to go. Sanders still pressing him into the cage. Knee from Soukhamthath. 10-9 Sanders.
Round 2: Soukhamthath looking busier, landing well early. Sanders slings a left hand, only to get blasted to bits by a savage counter right. Soukhamthath pours on the hammerfists until the ref steps in.
Final result: Soukhamthath def. Sanders by TKO (punches)
135 lbs.: Carls John de Tomas vs. Alex Perez
Round 1: Low kick from Perez to start. Head kick attempt. They trade inside. Perez shoots, stuffed. One minute in. de Tomas just misses a counter hook. Perez leg kick, eats a body shot. Straight left from de Tomas. Perez shoots, threatens a guillotine, then snaps de Tomas down two minutes in. Perez looking for an anaconda choke. It’s not quite deep enough and he’s back to the front headlock. He threatens a power guillotine, then a marcelotine. Two minutes to go.
de Tomas scrambles up and puts him on the fence. Perez counters a takedown, back in the front headlock. Looks like a a Schultz headlock attempt. He goes for the back and de Tomas transitions to his own takedown attempt. Perez forces him to the mat and sets up in guard. 10-9 Perez.
Round 2: Perez completes a single-leg directly into side control. de Teomas gets to a knee, eats ground-and-pound. Perez going to work, trapping a wrist. More punches while de Tomas turtles. Perez transitions to an anaconda choke and rolls for the finish.
Final result: Perez def. de Tomas by submission (anaconda choke)
135 lbs.: Merab Dvalishvili vs. Frankie Saenz
Round 1: They tie up and trade in the clinch right away. Dvalishvili hauls him to the fence and fires knees to the body. Over-unders. Sanez landing good knees of his own from the plum, lands one to the head that Dvalishvili uses to shoot. Great scrambling a minute in. Dvalishvili with a body lock on the fence. Good inside trip, Saenz pops right back up. Still pressing Saenz into the cage. Two minutes in. Solid knees by Saenz and they separate. Dvalishvili cut around his right eye. Another good knee by Saenz inside. Dvalishvili with a reactive shot, stuffed. He continues to drive with two minutes to go.
Dvalishvili completes the takedown and looks for mount. Lefts on the way up. Saenz makes it to his feet and separates. One minute to go. Overhand right lands for Saenz, who gets taken down off a body kick. Saenz scooting to the fence, uses it to stand. 10-9 Dvalishvili.
Round 2: They go right back to trading inside until Dvalishvili drags him down again. Saenz returns to his feet, avoids a spin on the break. Heavy knee by Saenz, who tries a takedown of his own without success. Dvalishvili swinging wild and they clinch a minute in. Dvalishvili puts him on the fence. Dvalishvili with some punches inside. Knees from Saenz. More knees by Saenz, Dvalishvili changes levels. He completes it, Saenz again powers his way up two minutes in. They separate. Dvalishvili winging punches, lands a solid right hand. Saenz rushes in with a right and Dvalishvili takes him down. Again he rises immediately. Good knee and elbow by Saenz. Two minutes to go.
Dvalishvili with a left hand inside, completes another takedown. Ref stands them up. One minute to go. Saenz shoots, stuffed, eats a body kick. Dvalishvili with a right hand inside. Saenz wings punches. Dvalishvili tries another takedown, eats another knee, completes it on the cage. 10-9 Dvalishvili.
Round 3: Saenz tries a knee, taken down yet again. He stands, taken down. Another clash of heads has widened Dvalishvili’s cut. One minute in. He trips Saenz down, Saenz stands. Right hand by Dvalishvili on the break. 1-2 from Saenz. Spinning back fist from Dvalishvili lands with the forearm. Right hand connects. Saenz with a knee and some good right hands two minutes in. Elbow from Saenz inside. Dvalishvili hauls him to the fence again. Dvalishvili drags him to a knee. Saenz stands and puts him on the fence. Two minutes to go.
They jockey for position, Saenz separates with an elbow. Knee from Saenz, spinning elbow attempt. Dvalishvili shoots, sprawled on. Another good sprawl from Saenz. One minute to go. Dvalishvili just keeps on driving, again forces him to a knee. Knees from Saenz, who lands a solid flurry. 10-9 Dvalishvili.
Final result: Saenz def. Dvalishvili by split decision
135 lbs.: Iuri Alcantara vs. Alejandro Perez
Round 1: Perez orthodox, Alcantara southpaw. Low kicks from the Brazilian. Perez reaches in with a right, left hand comes back a minute in. Perez clips him with an overhand right. Leg kick from Alcantara. Two minutes in, both whiff. Perez flurry slipped. They briefly tie up. Two minutes to go.
Alcantara to the body. Leg kick. Alcantara slipping shots, not landing in return. Perez leg kick. Alcantara tries a head kick, eats a right. One minute to go. Perez catches a body kick, lands a spinning back fist. Alcantara tries to tie up. Alcantara jumps in with a flying knee attempt. 10-9 Perez.
Round 2: Perez opens the round with a combo. Alcantara kicked to the mat when his own kick gets caught. One minute in. Crowd is peeved. Perez leg kick, Alcantara threatens to spin. Left hand by Alcantara met by a counter. Two minutes in. Alcantara tries a head kick, eats a leg kick. Body kick lands for the Brazilian. Perez catches a kick and lands counters. Alcantara front kick. Two minutes to go.
Perez to the body. Hard left connects for Alcantara as they exchange, his cleanest punch so far. Perez fires leg kicks. Alcantara tries to counter, denies a takedown. One minute to go. Alcantara with a heavy combo, countered. Perez straight left. He denies a late takedown. 10-9 Perez.
Round 3: Alcantara tries a front kick, met by a 1-2. Alcantara leg kick. One minute in, 1-2 from Perez. Alcantara just misses with a big counter after taking a left hook. Two minutes in. This sucks, man. Perez right hand. Alcantara tries to attack, runs into a left hand. Two minutes to go.
Alcantara shoots after taking a body kick. Perez counters into a takedown attempt of his own. He knees Alcantara’s thighs for a bit before they separate. One minute to go. Good cut kick by Perez. Front kick by Alcantara. Perez clips him on the temple with a right hand for a late knockdown, doesn’t jump on him. Alcantara running after him, lands a knee, tries a takedown. 10-9 Perez.
Final result: Perez def. Alcantara by unanimous decision
155 lbs.: Chris Gruetzemacher vs. Davi Ramos
Round 1: Gruetzemacher pressing forward, lands a heavy right hand before eating a knee. Ramos shoots from too far out, denied. Overhand right lands for Ramos. Gruetzemacher leg kicks. One minute in. Ramos shoots off a Gruetzemacher leg kick, denied, Gruetzemacher follows him down and lands shots. Ramos tries an arm drag without success and they stand. 2-3 from Ramos, jabs. Lead right two minutes in, then a clean flying knee. Gruetzemacher shrugs it off and goes back to attacking his lead leg. Ramos catches a kick and lands a knee tap into half guard. Two minutes to go.
Gruetzemacher holding on as Ramos tries to pass. Gruetzemacher regains guard. One minute to go. Ramos grabs a cradle as Gruetzemacher tries to stand. Hard left hand. 10-9 Ramos.
Round 2: Another leg kick from Gruetzemacher, who gets blasted with hard hooks. Right hand drops an off-balance Gruetzemacher, who scrambles up and avoids a wheel kick. Ramos shoots in off a hard Gruetzemacher knee. Referee stands them up in seconds. One minute in. Left hook from Gruetzemacher. Hard leg kick. Gruetzemacher advancing, walks into a flurry. Good uppercut lands for him and he avoids a spin. Two minutes in. Ramos shoots, stuffed, eats a knee. 1-2 from Gruetzemacher. Counters from Ramos, who shoots without success. Leg kick chops out Ramos’ leg. Ramos flurry. Two minutes to go.
Ramos fires a double leg into guard. Gruetzemacher kicks off, eats some big punches when they stand. Leg kicks land for him, right hand comes back. Knee by Ramos. One minute to go. Jabs, right hand by Ramos. Gruetzemacher buzzes him with a right hand and a knee. Ramos flurry inside, another takedown. 10-9 Ramos.
Round 3: Gruetzemacher stuffs an early takedown. Ramos tries again and transitions to a rear body lock. Ramos drags him down and locks up the RNC in a flash, drawing the tap.
Final result: Ramos def. Gruetzemacher by submission (rear naked choke)
185 lbs.: Trevin Giles vs. Antonio Braga Neto
Round 1: Giles lands an early flurry. Neto ties up off a Giles 1-2, only for Giles to circle off and crack him with an uppercut on the way up. Good jabs. Low kick from Braga Neto. Giles slips on a combo a minute in. Another leg kick by Neto. Giles with a right downstairs. Two minutes in. Neto locks up and hits an outside reap into half guard. Right hands landing. Two minutes to go.
Neto looking to pass while Giles plays defense. Knee lands for him, then right hands with a minute to go. Brief arm triangle threat. He keeps up the pressure until the bell. 10-9 Braga Neto.
Round 2: Leg kick, front kick attempt by Neto. Giles sending out the jab. More lancing jabs, slick left hook. Check hook from Neto after eating another left. One minute in. 1-3-3 from Giles. Heavy right cross bounces off Neto’s chin and Giles follows up with a low kick. Two minutes in. Giles digs a right to the body. Neto flings out right hands. 1-2 comes back at him and they trade big shots. Giles gets the better of it. Two minutes to go.
2-1 buzzes Neto, more jabs piling up. Braga Neto forces him back and tries a head kick. Giles just picking up apart with his jab. A minute to go. Hard right cross. Left hook. Giles rears back and splits Neto’s guard with a heavy cross. 10-8 Giles.
Round 3: Giles continues to bounce his jab off Neto’s face at will. Neto shoots in against the fence, looking for foot sweeps, hits an outside reap. One minute in. He jumps on Giles’ back, too high and slips off a minute in. Giles waves him up and he is slow to rise. Overhand right lands clean for Giles. Right cross. Another nasty jab. 1-2. Two minutes in. 1-2 and Neto stumbles back. 1-2. Ref warning Neto to fight back, but Giles crushes him with a pair of nasty right hands for the finish.
Final result: Giles def. Braga Neto by TKO (punches)