UFC Fight Night: Yusuff vs. Barboza Results
UFC Fight Night: Yusuff vs. Barboza Results
PRELIMINARY CARD (ESPN+)
Ashley Yoder vs. Emily Ducote
Result: Emily Ducote def. Ashley Yoder by unanimous decision. (30-27, 29-28, 29-28.)
Division: Women's Strawweight
Referee: Chris Tognoni
Round 1: Ashley Yoder looks good after a 2-year layoff; however, Emily Ducote is timing counters excellently. An emphatic head kick lands for Yoder with 30 seconds remaining in the round; Ducote eats it and scores a takedown to end the round.
10-9 Yoder in the first.
Round 2: Ducote controls the center for most of the round. Both are landing heavy shots. This fight has been a battle of ones, one shot being returned repeatedly with not many combinations. Ducote attempts another takedown at the end of the round but is unsuccessful.
10-9 Ducote in the second.
Round 3: Yoder lands a massive elbow off the break of a clinch; again, Ducote eats it like it's nothing. Yoder flows effortlessly in this final round, and Ducote returns well-timed counters whenever possible. This is a ridiculously close fight; either woman could have won every round. However, a big right hand to close the final round secures this round for Ducote.
10-9 Ducote in the third.
Chris Gutiérrez vs. Alateng Heili
Result: Chris Gutiérrez def. Alateng Heili by unanimous decision. (30-27, 30-27, 30-27.)
Division: Bantamweight
Referee: Kerry Hatley
Round 1: Both men look fast in the opening round. Chris Gutiérrez is throwing nice, dexterous kicks; however, Alateng Heili is checking a few of them. Gutiérrez outstruck Heili 30-5 in the first round and took the round.
10-9 Gutiérrez in the first.
Round 2: More of the same from Gutiérrez in the second: great leg kicks slowing down Heili. Heili is whiffing big shots with no setup. Gutiérrez lands a colossal shot to the face of Heili, but Heili eats it. Heili's leg is looking well damaged.
10-9 Gutiérrez in the second.
Round 3: Heili is constantly eating leg kicks, and the damage is piling up. Heili walks forward through the strikes of Gutiérrez to land a hard shot that pushes Gutiérrez back to the fence. They begin to wrestle in the final 2 minutes of the round. Heili scores a brief takedown, but Gutiérrez can return to his feet. Heili scores another takedown at the end of the final round; however, it's too little too late.
10-9 Gutiérrez in the third.
Irina Alekseeva vs. Melissa Dixon
Result: Melissa Dixon def. Irina Alekseeva by unanimous decision. (30-27, 29-28, 29-28.)
Division: Women's Bantamweight
Referee: Mark Smith
Round 1: Great striking from both women to start this fight. Melissa Dixon's jab is money here. Irina Alekseeva throws a massive straight right that drops Dixon to the canvas. Dixon gets back to her feet, and Alekseeva begins grappling. Dixon takes the back with 30 seconds to go and unleashes some heavy ground and pound. The damage was on the side of Alekseeva with the knockdown, and it has to be scored for her.
10-9 Alekseeva in the first.
Round 2: Dixon times a beautiful shot that allows her to grapple and score a takedown. Dixon is on top with 3 minutes to work, landing ground and pound and trying to secure a choke. Dixon's grappling control is looking fantastic here. Dixon has made it clear she is the better grappler.
10-9 Dixon in the second.
Round 3: The striking from Dixon is holding Alekseeva back; Alekseeva's body language does not look good here. Alekseeva scores a beautiful judo hip toss but gets reversed on the ground for Dixon to wind up on top. Dixon holds the top position and secures the round.
10-9 Dixon in the third.
Terrance McKinney vs. Brendan Marotte
Result: Terrence McKinney def. Brendan Marotte by KO/TKO at 0:20 of round 1.
Division: Lightweight
Referee: Herb Dean
Round 1: Terrence McKinney lands a huge knee in 8 seconds of the fight, which drops Brendan Marotte; McKinney follows up with ground and pound to end the first early by TKO.
McKinney finishes the fight by TKO in the first.
Tainara Lisboa vs. Ravena Oliveira
Result: Tainara Lisboa def. Ravena Oliveira by unanimous decision. (29–28, 29–28, 29–28.)
Division: Women's Bantamweight
Referee: Chris Tognoni
Round 1: These two ladies are swinging early! Some grappling occurs in the opening minutes, and Ravena Oliveira seems in control. Tainara Lisboa's striking on the inside is effective, but Oliveira scores a takedown with 2 minutes left in the round. Lisboa makes it to her feet and scores a takedown of her own, landing ground and pound all the while. A very close round; however, Lisboa's strong finish on top locks the round in for her.
10-9 Lisboa in the first.
Round 2: Lisboa secures a big takedown early in the second round. Lisboa keeps the top position for nearly 5 minutes and easily takes round 2.
10-9 Lisboa in the second.
Round 3: Oliveira lands some big shots to open the round and closes in on a clinch. They break and make it back to the center, but it's short-lived as Lisboa engages in a clinch and rips a takedown, but it's reversed, and Oliveira winds up on top. Oliveira holds the top position for most of the round; however, they finish the fight on the feet.
10-9 Oliveira in the third.
Darren Elkins vs. T.J. Brown
Result: Darren Elkins def. TJ Brown by submission at 2:23 of round 3.
Division: Featherweight
Referee: Kerry Hatley
Round 1: Darren Elkins scores a nice takedown in the first minute and begins raining down the ground and pound. Elkins' reversals are well executed, but TJ Brown can finally get up and score a takedown himself. Elkins takes the back with one minute to go in the round with the body triangle in; it looks like Brown might tap, but he's somehow able to survive to hear the round-ending buzzer.
10-9 Elkins in the first.
Round 2: Elkins attempts a takedown 30 seconds into the second round, but a nice sprawl from Brown stops him in his tracks. Elkins secures a takedown, holds the top position, and locks in the round.
10-9 Elkins in the second.
Round 3: Elkins continues with the wrestling-heavy gameplan and holds Brown on the canvas from the opening bell until Elkins secures a rear-naked choke submission halfway through the round.
Elkins finishes the fight by submission in the third.
MAIN CARD (ESPN+)
Cameron Saaiman vs. Christian Rodriguez
Result: Christian Rodriguez def. Cameron Saaiman by unanimous decision. (30-27, 30-27, 30-27.)
Division: Bantamweight
Referee: Mark Smith
Round 1: Christian Rodriguez lands a spinning back fist that seems to rock Cameron Saaiman, resulting in a takedown. They return to their feet after a submission attempt from both men. The work on the feet seems to favor Rodriguez slightly. The round ends on the feet after a close swing round.
10-9 Rodriguez in the first.
Round 2: Saaiman forces a scramble and ends up on the back of Rodriguez, but a mistake from Saaiman allows Rodriguez to reverse the position. The scrambles are back and forth, but Rodriguez is slightly ahead.
10-9 Rodriguez in the second.
Round 3: Saaiman looks like the fresher fighter in the final round. Saaiman has landed the bigger and better strikes in the final round. As the buzzer sounds, Saaiman raises his hands, feeling victorious.
10-9 Saaiman in the third.
Michel Pereira vs. Andre Petroski
Result: Michel Pereira def. Andre Petroski by KO/TKO at 1:06 of round 1.
Division: Middleweight
Referee: Chris Tognoni
Round 1: Michel Pereira lands a thunderous body kick and follows up with a straight punch that drops Andre Petroski; Pereira rains down the strikes and ultimately wins the fight by TKO—a massive Middleweight debut for Pereira.
Pereira finishes the fight by TKO in the first.
(#13) Jonathan Martinez vs. (#14) Adrian Yanez
Result: Jonathan Martinez def. Adrian Yanez by KO/TKO at 2:26 of round 2.
Division: Bantamweight
Referee: Kerry Hatley
Round 1: Jonathan Martinez is throwing bombs immediately. Adrian Yanez is returning but is slightly off. Martinez is piling in the leg kicks, which look like they will end the fight. Yanez is limping and barely putting weight on his lead leg. Yanez drops with 1 minute left in the round; however, he makes his way to his feet and survives to hear the buzzer.
10-9 Martinez in the first.
Round 2: A low blow halts the action immediately, but they return to it shortly after. One more kick to the inside of the knee sends Martinez to the canvas. Yanez gets back to his feet, but it's short-lived as Martinez keeps piling the leg kicks, and with one final kick, Yanez drops, and referee Kerry Hatley waves the bout off.
Martinez finishes the fight in the second.
(#9) Jennifer Maia vs. (#11) Viviane Araújo
Result: Viviane Araujo def. Jennifer Maia by unanimous decision. (29-28, 29-28, 29-28.)
Division: Women's Flyweight
Referee: Mark Smith
Round 1: Both women begin with a feeling-out process. A few nice jabs from Jennifer Maia put her slightly in the lead in the first 2 minutes. They start throwing down briefly but go back to feeling out. Viviane Araujo attempts to grapple but is pushed off, and they remain on the feet. A slow, close round comes to a close.
10-9 Maia in the first.
Round 2: Araujo scores a takedown to start the round, and Maia desperately fights to get to her feet but is placed back on the mat. Araujo holds Maia down while fighting for a rear-naked choke. The round ends with Araujo still on the back, and she takes round 2 dominantly.
10-9 Araujo in the second.
Round 3: Araujo continues to grapple in the third and is trying to force a takedown; ultimately, Maia gets into the dominant clinch spot, nearly locking in an armbar. However, Araujo defends it, and they return to a stalemate position.
10-10 Draw in the third.
(#11) Sodiq Yusuff vs. (#13) Edson Barboza
Result: Edson Barboza def. Sodiq Yusuff by unanimous decision. (49-46, 48-46, 48-46.)
Division: Featherweight
Referee: Herb Dean
Round 1: The main event is here! And these men are engaging in a war right from the start. Sodiq Yusuff is landing bombs that are rocking Edson Barboza. Barboza is wobbled, and Yusuff could put him away here. Yusuff gets Barboza to the ground and postures up to land some big shots in the guard. Barboza fights him off with a submission, but they scramble out, and Yusuff remains on top. Barboza shoots some more leg locks, but Yusuff twists out. Yusuff finishes on top.
10-8 Yusuff in the first.
Round 2: The second round starts slower, and Barboza looks much better on the feet this round. Barboza lands a stinging shot with 1 minute remaining - his best shot of the fight. Barboza is cutting great angles to land nice body shots.
10-9 Barboza in the second.
Round 3: Barboza is back in this fight. Barboza is landing big kicks and finally finding a rhythm. Yusuff could be gassed or injured from the amalgamation of body shots from Barboza. All this work has Yusuff on his heels against the cage. Edson lands his patented wheel kick straight to the temple of Yusuff. Yusuff drops, and Barboza rains strikes and submission attempts, but Yusuff is saved by the bell to see the championship rounds.
10-8 Barboza in the third.
Round 4: Barboza has entered his flow state. Barboza keeps it on the feet in the fourth round to secure another round. We could have a 10-8 for both men in rounds 1 and 3, and a draw could be on the cards.
10-9 Barboza in the fourth.
Round 5: Barboza's chin, cardio, and heart are driving him to victory in this fight. Although both men have slowed down, Barboza seems in control. Yusuff is still in this fight. Both men need to dig deep here, as the scores could be all over the place right now. Barboza scores a colossal takedown with 90 seconds to go; Yusuff gets back to his feet but is held against the cage by Barboza for the remainder of the round.
10-9 Barboza in the fifth.
