Live, blow-by-blow updates for today’s UFC event in Moscow, Russia, which is headlined by a heavyweight fight between Mark Hunt and Alexei Oleinik.
Join us today on Bloody Elbow for live results, discussion, round scoring and play-by-play (for the main card) as UFC Fight Night: Hunt vs. Oleinik takes place in the Olimpiyskiy Stadium in Moscow, Russia.
The headliner comes in the heavyweight division, where veterans Mark Hunt and Alexei Oleinik will meet in a battle of striking versus grappling. The co-main will see the returning Nikita Krylov face off with Jan Blachowicz at 205 pounds.
Today’s event is in Russia, and that means it will start early for North Americans. The eight-fight undercard will kick off at 10:30am ET/7:30am PT, and will air entirely on Fight Pass. The four-fight main card starts at 2pm ET/11am PT. It will air on Fight Pass as well.
Check out this week’s MMA Vivisection for predictions, analysis and betting odds on the each matchup.
Andrei Arlovski vs. Shamil Abdurakhimov
Round 1 – Abdurakhimov trips Arlovski, but lets him up. Another takedown, and Abdurakhimov jumps into Arlovski’s guard this time. Not much happens here, Abdurakhimov can’t pass Arlovski’s guard. So the ref stood them up with 1:45 to go. They clinch briefly. Abdurakhimov lands a left. Low kick from Arlovski trips up Abdurakhimov. He’s back up right away though. Arlovski wades in and lands some short shots. 10-9 Abdurakhimov.
Round 2 – Immediate low knee. Cornuts cam confirms. Only a brief delay. Abdurakhimov catches a kick and dumps Arlovski to the floor. He jumps into his guard. Abdurakhimov is landing a bit but the ref is warning them already. Now he’s opening up. Arlovski gets up though, and separates. Halfway though the round. Arlovski with a trip takedown but Abdurakhimov gets up immediately. They battle in the clinch in the center of the cage. Arlovski with the trip takedown. He lands a couple shots. 10-9 Arlovski.
Round 3 –
Thiago Alves vs. Alexey Kunchenko
Round 1 – Alves with an inside leg kick. Head kick from Kunchenko blocked. Jabs from Alves. More leg kicks. Kunchenko returns it. Not a lot of action here.Body shot from Kunchenko. Body kick from Alvves. They exchange in the pocket for the first time in the fight. The crowd is pretty tepid here. Not a lot happened. 10-9 Alves.
Round 2 – Body shot from Kunchenko. Leg kick from Kunchenko. Alves returns it. They exchange punches. Alves with a low kick. The crowd is booing the lack of action. Inside leg kick from Kunchenko. Right hook scores for Kunchenko, Alves fires back with a head kick. Alves steps in with a left. Another head kick from Alves, but it doesn’t land. Kunchenko kicks the inside of the leg. Alves fires back with two punches. Counter jab from Kunchenko. Alves with a body kick. Now a leg kick. Straight right from Alves, and he’s taking over a bit. As I say that though, Kunchenko turns up the volume. Alves with a slapping body kick. Kunchenko with a nice counter 1-2. 10-9 Alves.
Round 3 – Alves with a low kick and a body kick. Kunchenko returns the leg kick, and lands a right. Alves kicks the calf. Again. Kunchenko with a combo, but Alves counters. Kunchenko counters a leg kick with his fist. Another nice counter combo from Kunchenko. Low kick. Brief stop. Body kick from Alves. They trade hands. Alves with a body kick but Kunchenko flurries with counters and presses Alves against the fence. Kunchenko with a takedown, but Alves is up quickly. They battle in the clinch again. Kunchenko gets some distance and lands hard. He’s pushing forward through Alves’ striks. Step-in elbow from the Russian. Spinning elbow misses. 10-9 Kunchenko, but 29-28 Alves. Close fight.
Alexey Kunchenko defeated Thiago Alves via unanimous decision (30-27, 29-28, 29-28)
Main Card (2pm ET)
Mark Hunt vs. Alexei Oleinik
Nikita Krylov vs. Jan Blachowicz
Preliminary Card (10:30am ET)
Khalid Murtazaliev def. C.B. Dollaway by TKO (referee’s stoppage) at 5:00 of round 2
Petr Yan def. Jin Soo Son by unanimous decision (30-27, 30-27, 29-28)
Rustam Khabilov def. Kajan Johnson by split decision (29-28, 28-29, 29-28)
Mairbek Taisumov def. Desmond Green by unanimous decision (30-27 x3)
Magomed Ankalaev def. Marcin Prachnio via KO (head kick) at 3:09 of Round 1
Jordan Johnson def. Adam Yandiev by submission (side choke) at 0:42 of Round 2
Ramadan Emeev def. Stefan Sekulic by unanimous decision (29-28, 30-27, 30-26)
Merab Dvalishvili def. Terrion Ware by unanimous decision (30-25, 30-25, 30-25)