The Ultimate Fighting Championship came to the Bridgestone Arena in Nashville, Tennessee tonight for UFC Fight Night 73: “Teixeira vs St. Preux.” The event was headlined by a light heavyweight contender’s bout between former title challenger Glover Teixeira and Ovince “OSP” St. Preux.
In tonight’s lightweight co-feature, Michael “The Menace” Johnson took on Beneil Dariush. Derek Brunson battled “Smile’n” Sam Alvey in middleweight action, and Sara McMann clashed with Amanda “Lioness” Nunes at 135 pounds. MMARising.com has live play-by-play for tonight’s main card.
Glover Teixeira vs Ovince “OSP” St. Preux
Round 1:
Teixeira dumped St. Preux to the mat early on and landed on top in half-guard, but St. Preux scrambled back to his feet. Time was called after Teixeira was kneed in the groin. Action resumed and St. Preux hurt Teixeira with a vicious kick to the liver. He swarmed on Teixeira with punches and elbows on the ground, but Teixeira weathered the storm and scrambled back to his feet.
Teixeira took St. Preux down and moved straight to mount. St. Preux gave up his back and Teixeira looked for a rear-naked choke. St. Preux escaped and rolled again. He stood up and Teixeira dragged him down again. Teixeira moved from mount to back control, but St. Preux spun free and worked for a shoulder choke from side control. Teixeira scrambled up and both men landed punches. 10-9 St. Preux.
Round 2:
St. Preux opened round two with kicks to the body and head. He fought off a takedown attempt and countered body shots with an uppercut. Teixeira slammed him down into half-guard and postured up with elbow strikes. St. Preux eventually stood up and ate a knee to the body along the way. He scored with a combination and an elbow before the bell. 10-9 Teixeira.
Round 3:
Teixeira flurried with punches that backed St. Preux up against the cage in round three. St. Preux attempted an ill-advised takedown and Teixeira responded by taking him down. He used short punches to set up an arm-triangle choke attempt and mounted St. Preux soon after. Teixeira bloodied St. Preux with punches and elbows, then locked on a tight rear-naked choke after St. Preux gave up his back. St. Preux refused to submit and was choked unconscious.
Winner: Glover Teixeira by Technical Submission (Rear-Naked Choke) at 3:10 of round three. He improves to 23-4-0.
Beneil Dariush vs Michael “The Menace” Johnson
Round 1:
The fighters traded leg kicks in the opening 90 seconds and both came up short with left hands. Dariush jabbed and mixed in more leg kicks. Johnson countered a knee with a lead right hook. Dariush remained effective with jabs and leg kicks, but Johnson easily stuffed a takedown and rocked him with a counter hook. He backed Dariush up with more punches and repeatedly scored with right hands before the end of the round. 10-9 Johnson.
Round 2:
The second round began with another exchange of kicks and Dariush jumped in with two flying knees. Johnson countered the second one with an overhand left. He tagged Dariush with more left hands and followed with stiff jabs. Dariush connected with three left hooks of his own and snuck in an uppercut soon after. Johnson backed him up with left hands and stuffed a takedown attempt. 10-9 Johnson.
Round 3:
Johnson controlled the early striking exchanges in round three with jabs and left hands, but Dariush landed jabs of his own as the round progressed. He connected with an uppercut and a leg kick from a distance, then followed with a left hook before ducking under one from Johnson. Dariush landed a knee, but Johnson knocked him off-balance with a lunging one-two. Both fighters missed with flying knees in the final 30 seconds. Close round. 10-9 Johnson.
Winner: Beneil Dariush by Split Decision (29-28, 29-28, 28-29) after three rounds. He improves to 12-1-0.
Derek Brunson vs “Smile’n” Sam Alvey
Round 1:
Brunson punched his way into an early clinch and he followed with uppercuts and left hooks in close. A big combination scored for Brunson, who teed off with relentless punches. Alvey fired back with counter right hooks, but he was hurt by a series of left hands. Alvey eventually fell to his knees and Brunson landed two final punches before the fight was stopped.
Winner: Derek Brunson by TKO (Punches) at 2:19 of round one. He improves to 14-3-0.
Jared “The Big Show” Rosholt vs Timothy Johnson
Round 1:
Rosholt pinned Johnson against the cage throughout the first half of round one, but he was unable to get Johnson down and a stalemate ensued. He eventually took Johnson down and worked for a shoulder choke and an arm-triangle choke from the top. Johnson escaped and Rosholt closed out the lacklustre round with short strikes from the top. 10-9 Rosholt.
Round 2:
Rosholt once again held Johnson against the fence in the second round and Johnson stayed on his feet. Rosholt landed short punches and Johnson countered with a brief guillotine choke attempt. Rosholt eventually got Johnson down into half-guard and he locked on a far-side keylock. Johnson appeared to be on the verge of tapping out, but he escaped and made it to the bell. 10-9 Rosholt.
Round 3:
Rosholt took Johnson down in round three and bloodied his nose with short punches. Johnson worked back to his feet and the fighters were separated. Rosholt slowed way down and Johnson scored with punches. He clinched and Rosholt reversed against the cage. Johnson rocked Rosholt with big punches late in the fight and took him down before time expired. 10-9 Johnson.
Winner: Jared Rosholt by Unanimous Decision (29-28, 29-28, 29-28) after three rounds. He improves to 13-2-0.
Amanda “Lioness” Nunes vs Sara McMann
Round 1:
Nunes landed a nice combination early in the fight and stuffed a takedown attempt. She missed with a spinning wheel kick and McMann countered by taking her back. Nunes turned into the clinch and broke free by landing a pair of right hands. She connected with a three-punch flurry to the head and body, then dropped McMann with three more punches to the face. Nunes landed punches from back control that set up a tight rear-naked choke and McMann was forced to submit.
Winner: Amanda Nunes by Submission (Rear-Naked Choke) at 2:53 of round one. She improves to 11-4-0.
Ray “The Tazmexican Devil” Borg vs Geane “La Pulga” Herrera
Round 1:
Borg took Herrera down right away and tried to pass to side control. He settled for a top-side guillotine choke attempt from half-guard, but Herrera countered with a heel hook. Borg stood over him and dropped punches, then looked to set up a kimura. He nearly mounted Herrera, but Herrera retained half-guard. Borg locked on an arm-triangle choke, but Herrera defended and attacked with a triangle choke attempt from his back. 10-9 Borg.
Round 2:
Borg scored another takedown in round two and he once again worked to set up a top-side guillotine choke. He used it to move to mount, but Herrera stayed calm and escaped back into half-guard. Borg switched to an arm-triangle choke and Herrera broke free again. Borg punched his way out of a triangle choke and passed to North-South position. He mounted Herrera momentarily, but Herrera scrambled back to full guard. 10-9 Borg.
Round 3:
Herrera countered a takedown from Borg in the final round by landing a short elbow from his back that opened a severe gash near Borg’s left eye. Blood poured from the cut and time was called to check on it, but action resumed and Borg continued to work from the top. A scramble ensued and Herrera tried for a guillotine choke and an inverted triangle choke. Borg took top position again and finished the round with a guillotine choke attempt and punches from back control. 10-9 Borg.
Winner: Ray Borg by Unanimous Decision (30-27, 30-27, 30-27) after three rounds. He improves to 9-1-0.
Undercard Fights:
– Uriah “Primetime” Hall defeated Oluwale “Holy War Angel” Bamgbose by TKO (Punches) at 2:32 of round one. He improves to 11-5-0 with the win.
– Chris Camozzi defeated Tom “Kong” Watson by Unanimous Decision (30-26, 29-27, 29-27) after three rounds. He improves to 22-10-0 with the win.
– Dustin Ortiz defeated Willie “Whoop Ass” Gates by TKO (Punches) at 2:58 of round three. He improves to 15-4-0 with the win.
– Frankie Saenz defeated Sirwan “Zohan” Kakai by Split Decision (30-27, 30-27, 28-29) after three rounds. He improves to 11-2-0 with the win.
– Johnathan “Jonny Bravo” Wilson defeated Chris Dempsey by KO (Punches) at 0:50 of round one. He improves to 7-0-0 with the win.
– Marlon “Chito” Vera defeated Roman “El Gallito” Salazar by Submission (Triangle Armbar) at 2:15 of round two. He improves to 7-2-1 with the win.
– Scott “Hot Sauce” Holtzman defeated Anthony Christodoulou by Submission (Rear-Naked Choke) at 2:40 of round three. He improves to 8-0-0 with the win.