This is the UFC on FUEL 3 undercard live blog for the UFC on FUEL 3 prelims from the Patriot Center in Fairfax, Va.
There will be six fights on the undercard. Brad Tavares vs. Dongi Yang, Cody McKenzie vs. Marcus LeVesseur, TJ Grant vs. Carlo Prater, Rafael dos Anjos vs. Kamal Shalorus, Jeff Curran vs. Johnny Eduardo and Alex Soto vs. Francisco Rivera will all be featured bouts.
Check out the UFC on FUEL 3 undercard live blog below.
Alex Soto vs. Francisco Rivera
Round 1: Soto tosses out a head kick early, then tries to stay active on the outside. Another head kick lands more cleanly moments later, but Rivera answers with a right that drops him. Soto finds his way to his feet, but Rivera has found a home for that right and he keeps firing. Soto looks wobbly, but still in it. Another hard right drops Soto to his knees, but he keeps coming and nabs a takedown. Soto has top position briefly, but can’t do much before Rivera makes it back to his feet. Soto keeps trying to circle away with Rivera following. Rivera turns what initially looks like a jumping knee into a jumping head kick that catches Soto. Soto seems like he’s just trying to survive the round now, avoiding the serious engagements whenever possible in the final minute. They end the round with Soto still circling away from that power. MMA Fighting scores it 10-8 for Rivera.
Round 2: Soto seems to have his legs under him again as they start the second. He works some kicks and bounces away from the counter. Clearly, he wants this fight on the outside, but every time he plants to fire off Rivera moves in with power shots. After a second inadvertent groin kick by Rivera, we pause for the briefest of moments, then it’s time in. Soto jabs on the run and Rivera answers with a heavy hook. Right hand by Rivera, followed by a knee. Soto mugs as if to show he’s not hurt, but Rivera quickly shows him there’s more where that came from. Now it’s Soto’s turn to land a groin shot. On the restart, Rivera’s back on the prowl. Rivera brings Soto’s head down with a punch, then nails him with a head kick. The horn sounds to end the round, and Rivera seems to be feeling the effect of that groin kick still. MMA Fighting scores it 10-9 for Rivera.
Round 3: After both Rivera and his cornermen expressed amazement and disappointment that Soto wasn’t knocked out yet, we start the final frame. Soto gets off to a nice start with a takedown, but can’t follow up. Soto misses with a punch and eats a right. Front kick from Rivera snaps Soto’s head back. Rivera lands another big right. There’s the jelly legs from Soto once again, but he just won’t give in. After a few seconds of wobbling he looks solid again, even if he can’t get much of an offense started. Soto has to know he’s way behind on the cards, but he seems content to keep circling away and lose this one by decision. It might be a moral victory to avoid getting finished after all that, but moral victories don’t pay as well as actual victories. Body kick by Rivera. Soto tries to push off the cage for a Superman punch, but nothing doing. MMA Fighting scores it 10-9 for Rivera.
Francisco Rivera def. Alex Soto via unanimous decision (30-27, 30-27, 30-27)
Jeff Curran vs. Johnny Eduardo
Round 1: Curran pumps the jab and feints a shot to see what Eduardo will do. Eduardo snaps out a couple quick leg kicks, while Curran responds with a kick to the body. Curran lunges forward with a big right, but seems to be coming up just short right now. Curran flicks out a backfist and eats some leather from Eduardo in exchange. The exchanges are relatively few as we close in on the final minute. Eduardo’s leg kick looks to be his best weapon, while Curran is putting much of his faith in the old one-two. Nether man is in a hurry to finish so far. Eduardo lands a nice right at the end of a combo, then another leg kick in the final ten seconds. His speed advantage is starting to become evident. MMA Fighting scores it 10-9 for Eduardo.
Round 2: Eduardo’s momma didn’t raise no fool. As soon as the second round starts, he goes right back to work on Curran’s leg. The Brazilian is chopping away at that left thigh, and Curran is clearly feeling it. All Eduardo has to do is move his hips and Curran lifts his lead leg to check. Curran’s still game, though. He fires off a punch combo in close, and Eduardo responds in kind. Eduardo dances around, avoiding the jab, snapping out a kick when he feels like it. He’s in control, but still in no rush. Curran gets busy with punch combos in the final minute, but Eduardo proves too elusive to deal much damage too. MMA Fighting scores the round 10-9 for Eduardo.
Round 3: Another round, and another leg kick attack by Eduardo to start us off. Judging by his comments to his corner between rounds, Curran knows he needs to do something, but what? Eduardo isn’t opening up enough to give him many opportunities. Takedown attempt by Curran is stymied. Curran fires off a left and Eduardo claims eye poke, but referee Rick McCoy doesn’t seem to be buying it. He tells Eduardo “you’ve got to fight,” but it does give him at least a temporary reprieve. Curran senses the opening and comes on with more punches, popping Eduardo’s head back. Again Eduardo claims eye poke, and this time nobody is buying it. With a minute left, Curran keeps looking to land that left, while Eduardo goes back to the leg kick. Good combo by Curran and Eduardo is in full-on backpedal mode. Might be too little, too late for the “Big Frog.” There’s the horn to end it. MMA Fighting scores the round 10-9 for Curran.
Johnny Eduardo def. Jeff Curran via unanimous decision (29-28, 29-28, 29-28)
Rafael dos Anjos vs. Kamal Shalorus
Round 1: After the requisite bit of dancing and jabbing in the opening minute, dos Anjos jacks Shalorus with a huge head kick that sits Shalorus down. Dos Anjos swarms on him as Shalorus tries to scramble. After some warnings from the ref about the back of the head, dos Anjos moves to the back, sinks in the rear-naked choke, and Shalorus has to tap. Impressive, quick finish from the Brazilian.
Rafael dos Anjos def. Kamal Shalorus via submission (rear-naked choke) at 1:40 of round one
TJ Grant vs. Carlos Prater
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Cody McKenzie vs. Marcus LeVesseur
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