It was deja vu for Ronaldo “Jacare” Souza and Derek Brunson, with Jacare scoring a first-round knockout in their rematch that closed out UFC on Fox 27 in Charlotte, North Carolina.
Both fighters have developed a reputation as first-round finishers, but this matchup seemed to feature an extended feeling-out process.
As it turned out, Jacare had Brunson a little more figured out.
After tagging Brunson with some right hands, Souza timed up a head kick that broke the fight wide open and sent Brunson tumbling backward. Souza’s killer instinct then went on full display as he finished him off with hooks until the referee stepped in to call the fight.
Patrick Wyman of Heavy Hands gave Souza props for the masterful performance:
As Brett Okamoto of ESPN noted, the win puts Jacare right back in line for title consideration:
Souza was fighting for the first time since losing to Robert Whittaker in April. It’s clear with this performance that the loss may have had more to do with how good Whittaker truly rather than an indication that Jacare is through at age 38.
Perhaps there’s another rematch to be had yet for Jacare.
The battle of top-ranked middleweights wasn’t the only attraction on the card, though. Here’s a look at the complete results along with a closer look at the main card fights.
Main Card
Ronaldo Souza def. Derek Brunson via first-round KO (3:50)
Andre Fili def. Dennis Bermudez via split decision (29-28, 29-28, 27-30)
Gregor Gillespie def. Jordan Rinaldi via first-round TKO (4:46)
Drew Dober def. Frank Camacho via unanimous decision (29-28, 29-28, 30-27)
Undercard
Bobby Green def. Erik Koch via unanimous decision (29-28, 29-28, 29-28)
Mirsad Bektic def. Godofredo Pepey via first-round TKO (2:47)
Katlyn Chookagian def. Mara Romero Borella via unanimous decision (29-28, 29-28, 30-27)
Randa Markos def. Juliana Lima via unanimous decision (30-27 x3)
Ji Yeon Kim def. Justine Kish via split decision (29-28, 28-29, 30-27)
Vinc Pichel def. Joaquim Silva via unanimous decision (29-28 x3)
Niko Price def. George Sullivan via second-round submission (rear-naked choke, 4:21)
Cory Sandhagen def. Austin Arnett via second-round TKO (punches, 3:48)
Dennis Bermudez vs. Andre Fili
Andre Fili has been alternating wins and losses in his UFC career since 2014, but against Dennis Bermudez, he found a way to break into the win column in back-to-back fights.
Bermudez didn’t make it easy. The much shorter fighter applied constant pressure with jabs and leg kicks that forced Fili to fight off the back foot. The UFC passed along an example of the pressure Fili had to contend with:
The key was Fili’s ability to counter. Both in the striking and with takedowns, Fili was able to turn Bermudez’s own aggression against him and do enough in the judges’ eyes to get the decision.
While one judge gave all three rounds to Bermudez, Fili won two rounds on the other judges’ cards.
It was a decision that many, including Bloody Elbow, questioned:
Regardless of whether the judges got it right, Fili now has back-to-back wins, including one over a ranked opponent in the No. 12 Bermudez. After years of struggling to gain momentum, that’s a huge win for the featherweight.
Jordan Rinaldi vs. Gregor Gillespie
Gregor Gillespie came in as the most hyped prospect on the card, and he didn’t do anything to change that perception with a first-round TKO victory over Jordan Rinaldi.
Gillespie’s last few wins in the UFC have been striking affairs, but this time the former All-American wrestler went back to his roots. After a few exchanges, Gillespie latched on to a single leg.
From there, it was fluid transitions and devastation. He ultimately took Rinaldi’s back and forced the referee stoppage with strikes.
For Damon Martin of UFC.com, it was the kind of performance that reminded him of another undefeated force at lightweight:
The UFC has been patient with Gillespie’s development. He’s now 4-0 with relatively low competition, but a step up should be on the horizon.
A stacked division might become even more stacked if Gillespie’s performance is a harbinger of things to come.
Drew Dober vs. Frank Camacho
The Drew Dober-Frank Camacho fight that kicked the main card off was a three-act play of violence that was instantly the favorite for Fight of the Night.
Camacho took the early lead. His judo trip game proved to be a big factor, with the takedowns enabling him to secure the opening round. The UFC passed along one of his takedowns:
Cardio would play a role, though. While Camacho took the early lead, Dober made investments with body shots that paid dividends in the second frame. A winded Camacho ceded the lead to Dober, who had the more crisp striking as the fight wore on.
It would set up an interesting third round as Camacho collected himself and came out swinging. Both fighters landed solid shots, making the third and final round a toss-up that the judges all scored for Dober.
Fox Sports UFC passed along the highlights:
It’s a big win for Dober, who moved up to welterweight for the fight. Paired with his last win over Josh Burkman in the first round, a victory on a Fox card should bump up his stock.
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