Live, blow-by-blow updates for today’s UFC event in Nashville, which features a welterweight striking dream matchup in the headliner.
Join us today on Bloody Elbow for live results, discussion, round scoring, and play-by-play as UFC on ESPN+ 6: Thompson vs. Pettis from Nashville, TN.
The headliner comes in the welterweight division, where striking specialists Stephen “Wonderboy” Thompson and Anthony “Showtime” Pettis will square off. The co-main is at heavyweight, where Curtis Blaydes meets Justin Willis.
We’re still adjusting to the new schedule the promotion is using for ESPN broadcasts. The entire show will air on ESPN+ this time around. The six-fight preliminary card starts at 5pm ET/2pm PT, while the six-fight main card will kick off at 8pm ET/5pm PT.
Check out this week’s MMA Vivisection for predictions, analysis and betting odds on the each matchup.
Round 1 – Peterson charges forward right away. He gets a hold of Pena and methodically works to get him to the floor. Pena looks for a kimura. He drags Peterson down but ends up in an armbar. He slams his way out of it. Peterson looks for a leg lock. They eventually get up and Pena lands a big right. They battle in the clinch. They trade knees. They separate. Pena with long jabs. Peterson with leg kicks and body shots. Jump knee from Pena. Peterson clinches. He has a cut under his eye. 10-9 Pena.
Round 2 – Peterson gets at it right away and ends up on Pena’s back. Pena dumps him off and lands some punches. Right hook from Pena connect.s. Pena ties up Peterson now. Peterson manages to scoot around and end up on Pena’s back again while standing. Pena with a back elbow. Pena explodes out and they’re back at range. Peterson looks a bit labored. Jump knee and a left from Pena. Hard body shot. Peterson with a spinning back elbow. Pena with a shovel hook. Pena clinches up again. Pena with a nice combo before the horn. 10-9 Pena.
Round 3 – Pena backs Peterson up. Big uppercut scores, and a head kick. Peterson looks a little wobbled. He looks for a takedown. Pena hits a switch. Peterson lands a knee after they return to their feet. Peterson with an inside leg kick. Pena goes to his back and chains some submission attempts together. He reverses position. He stands over Peterson and lands hammerfists as Peterson tries to attack a leg. Pena lands a kick as Peterson comes up. They clinch. 10-9 and 30-27 Pena.
Luis Pena defeated Steven Peterson via unanimous decision (30-27, 30-27, 30-27)
Round 1 – Aldrich comes forward right away. Barber with a body kick. Aldrich drops Barber with a left! WOW! Barber is back to her feet. Aldrich with a right. Barber with an elbow inside. They trade hard shots. Outside leg kick from Barber. Aldrich with a combo. Inside leg kick from Aldrich. Stiff jab from Barber. Aldrich with another combo. Aldrich with a counter left. Stuff right too. Another left. She’s landing very well so far. Body kick from Barber. Another stiff counter right from Aldrich. Aldrich catches a kick and lands a left. Barber goes to her back. 10-9 Aldrich.
Round 2 – Aldrich lands a counter left right away. Aldrich with a right. Barber can’t get much going, but she does score with her own counter left. Now a counter right. Short elbow in the clinch from Barber. Aldrich swings and misses on the break. Barber hurts Alrdich with a right! Aldrich is backing off and being stalked. Aldrich clinches. They both land big shots! Barber with a huge right and a knee, and Aldrich is covering up against the fence. It’s over! Wow.
Maycee Barber defeated JJ Aldrich via TKO (strikes), 3:01 of round 2
Bryce Mitchell vs. Bobby Moffett
Round 1 – Side kick from Mitchell. Mitchell hurts Moffett with a shot and he nearly goes down! They end on the ground, but Moffett eventually ends up on top. Mitchell immediately secures a triangle! He’s attacking an arm as well. Moffett is surviving for now, and Mitchell gives it up! Wow. They’re back up. Moffett with a right. Mitchell shoots in. Moffett fights him off. Hard body kick from Mitchell but Moffett responds with two lefts. Mitchell scoops a single but can’t do anything with it. 10-9 Mitchell.
Round 2 – Moffett looks for a takedown. He gets Mitchell to his butt against the cage. Now he’s landing some punches with Mitchell lying on his side. He scoots away though and they’re back up. Mitchell with a left. Mitchell with a spinning kick to the body. They trade knees in close. Moffett gets a body lock takedown. Mitchell tries to attack a kimura, without success. Moffett sets up a D’Arce choke. Mitchell trying valiantly to escape. Moffett can’t tie up the legs though, and Mitchell gets out. Mitchell gets onto his back and he’s got a crucifix. He tries to come over for the armbar, but keeps the cricifix. He’s got Moffett tied up like a pretzel. Moffett eventually pops out. Fun round. 10-9 Moffett.
Round 3 – Michell presses forward with punches. Moffett ducks under for a takedown but can’t get it. He tries again and succeeds. Mitchell isn’t down long. He gets another takedown though. He works in half. He look for the same choke he had in the second round, but Michell isn’t letting it happen. Mitchell reverses and takes the back. He’s looking to secure a choke and it looks like he has it! Or does he? Mitchell manages to sit up. Mitchell is up high but he’s still trying to get it locked in. Moffett back up at the horn. Very good fight. 10-9 and 29-28 Mitchell.
Bryce Mitchell defeated Bobby Moffett via unanimous decision (29-28, 29-28, 29-28)
Round 1 – Saenz charges in right away. Vera with an inside leg kick. Now a body kick from Saenz. They trade low kicks. Saenz swings and misses. Vera drops Saenz with a straight left! He just kneels on him and lands hammerfists and it’s over just like that!
Marlon Vera defeated Frankie Saenz via TKO (strikes), 1:25 of round 1
Round 1 – Maia with a nice combination. Counter right over the top. Davis walks her down with punches. DAvis gets a body lock and clinches. Knee to the gut. Elbow over the top from Davis on the break. Low kicks and a combo from Maia before she’s pushed into the cage again. Knees from Davis. Maia with an uppercut and she lights Davis up with shots! Davis is hurt! She shoots but gets nowhere and falls to her back. Maia lets her up. Maia with two big rights over the top. Uppercut again. Front kick from Davis to create some space. Davis clinches again. Maia spins her around. Maia elects to hold her there instead of separating. Knees from both ladies. 10-9 Maia.
Round 2 – They get to striking right away. Davis with some dirty boxing. Maia with a counter right. Davis lands to the body. Body kick from Davis. Body kick from Davis, counter right from Maia. Another body kick from Davis. Davis catches a kick, sweeps the leg, and takes her down right into mount. That was beautiful. Still half a round left. Maia gets back to half. Davis trying to set up an arm triangle. Davis with some punches and a couple of elbows. Not a lot going on. 10-9 Davis.
Round 3 – Hard left from Maia. Body kick from Davis. Maia with a combination. They trade shots inside. Right over the top for Maia. Another body kick from Davis. Davis with a hard straight right. Maia with a nice combo. Front kick from Davis. Davis throws Maia to the mat but she’s up immediately. Davis just keeps kicking the body and Maia doesn’t do a thing about it. Maia with a right over the top, and a jab. Maia with a hard right. Davis with a counter right. Davis clinches. Maia scoots away quickly. Close. I’ll go 10-9 and 29-28 Davis.
Jennifer Maia defeated Alexis Davis via unanimous decision (29-28, 29-28, 29-28)
Round 1 – Hill with a head kick. They stall out against the cage. They get separation and both land a couple of shots. Markos gets a takedown right into side control. Markos takes the back against the cage with one hook and lands a few punches. She has full back control now. She flips over for an armbar. Hill is fighting it. She finally fights the hands, straightens the arm out, and Hill taps. Nicely done.
Randa Markos defeated Angela Hill via submission (armbar), 4:24 of round 1
Chris Gutierrez vs. Ryan MacDonald
Round 1 – Gutierrez with an outside leg kick. MacDonald with a body kick. They trade leg kicks. Inside leg kick from Gutierrez. Gutierrez spins, then digs to the body. Slapping leg kick and a body shot again from Gutierrez. MacDonald having trouble gettting off here. Hard body kick from Gutierrez. More low kicks from Gutierrez. Not a ton happening. Easy 10-9 Gutierrez.
Round 2 – Gutierrez right back to the leg kick. MacDonald finally goes first and lands a punch. Gutierrez fires back with a jab though. Gutierrez really beating up the front leg. Spinning kick to the body from Gutierrez. Gutierrez is just walking him down. MacDonald dives in on a takedown but Gutierrez just front headlocks him and pushes him away. MacDonald catches a kick and holds Gutierrez against the cage, albeit briefly. More leg kicks from Gutierrez and MacDonald is compromised. Hard body shot from Gutierrez. 10-9 Gutierrez.
Round 3 – More leg kicks right away. Hard body shot. MacDonald is bleeding badly from a forehead cut too. Gutierrez with a counter right. MacDonald tries to press with a lead elbow but can’t connect. Gutierrez has finally slowed down a bit. Kick up the middle from Gutierrez, and he kicks the other leg. Tons of blood now. MacDonald with a spinning jump kick that doesn’t land. Gutierrez with more low leg kicks. Gutierrez gets fancy but ends up on his back. MacDonald can’t do anything with it though. 10-9 and 30-27 Gutierrez.
Chris Gutierrez defeated Ryan MacDonald via unanimous decision (30-27, 30-27, 30-27)
Jordan Espinosa vs. Eric Shelton
Round 1 – Espinosa with a couple of kicks. He shoots in but is rebuffed by Shelton. Espinosa moving around a lot. Shelton catches him with a right hook as he rushes is. Shelton with another counter right. He’s timing Espinosa’s movements. Right and a low kick for Espinosa. Shelton with a right, Espinosa with a low kick. Cup check from Espinosa. Cornuts cam confirms. We’re right back to the action though. Back to the low kicks from Espinosa. Shelton is checking some of them. Oblique kick. Shelton with a body kick. Espinosa changes levels and scoops a single, but can’t get Shelton down. He lands a nice knee on the break though. Shelton wades in with a double jab and a leg kick. 10-9 Espinosa
Round 2 – Shelton catches a body kick and fires back. Lead left from Shelton. Shelton pressing a lot more in this round so far. Espinosa is bringing a more measured pace. Espinosa wit ha right over the top. Nice jab. Shelton with a counter. Espinosa spins but Shelton sees it coming and cracks him with a right. Jab from Espinosa. He gets a takeown but Shelton spins away and is up right away. Leg kick from Espinosa. Shelton presses. 10-9 Espinosa.
Round 3 – Espinosa throws out some jabs and misses. He lands a front kick to the eye and the ref steps in. It was actually a finger poke after the kick. Good call by the ref. The doc is in to look at Shelton. He’s good to go, and the crowd approves. Shelton presses but Espinosa circles out. Right hook and leg kick from Shelton. Shelton catches a kick but Espinosa still manages to land a punch. Shelton with two counter rights. Low leg kick from Espinosa. Hard leg kick from Shelton. He misses with a front kick. Lands a left at the end of a combination. Nice jab too. He catches a kick and beats Espinosa up a bit. Espinosa firing back with the jab. They trade jabs. Espinosa with a counter off a Shelton left hook. Shelton pressuring late. 10-9 Shelton but 29-28 Espinosa.
Jordan Espinosa defeated Eric Shelton via unanimous decision (29-28, 30-27, 30-27)
Main Card (ESPN+, 8pm ET)
Stephen Thompsonvs. Anthony Pettis
Curtis Blaydes vs. Justin Willis
John Makdessi vs. Jesus Pinedo
Deiveson Figueiredo vs. Jussier Formiga