The Ultimate Fighting Championship travelled to Denny Sanford Premier Center in Sioux Falls, South Dakota tonight for UFC Fight Night 91: “McDonald vs Lineker.” The event was headlined by a bantamweight bout between Michael “Mayday” McDonald and John “Hands of Stone” Lineker.
In the lightweight co-main event, Tony “El Cucuy” Ferguson squared off against late replacement Landon “Groovy” Vannata. Tim “The Barbarian” Boetsch battled Josh “Anqa” Samman in a featured middleweight bout. MMARising.com has live play-by-play for the UFC Fight Night 91 card.
John “Hands of Stone” Lineker vs Michael “Mayday” McDonald
Round 1:
McDonald landed an early front kick to the body and ducked under looping right hands from Lineker. A left hook landed for McDonald and he avoided more of Lineker’s power punches. Lineker eventually connected with a huge right hook that wobbled McDonald. He followed with a left that briefly dropped him, but McDonald returned to his feet and retreated as Lineker unloaded with bombs. McDonald scored with some huge shots of his own, but Lineker was unfazed and he backed him up to the cage. A final left hook dropped McDonald face-first to the canvas and the fight was stopped.
Winner: John Lineker by KO (Punch) at 2:43 of round one. He improves to 28-7-0.
Tony “El Cucuy” Ferguson vs Landon “Groovy” Vannata
Round 1:
Vannata landed a spinning back kick to the body and a pair of right hands early in the fight. Time was called after Ferguson was inadvertently kicked in the groin. Action resumed and Ferguson followed a body kick with a three-punch flurry. He knocked Vannata off-balance with a jab, but Vannata recovered and rocked Ferguson with a spinning backfist. He followed with more right hands that wobbled Ferguson again, but Ferguson stopped Vannata’s forward momentum with a spinning back elbow.
Ferguson landed leg kicks and a right hand. He began to pick Vannata apart with kick-punch combos and fought off a takedown. Seconds later, Vannata floored Ferguson with a head kick and teed off with punches on the ground. Ferguson recovered and tried for a heel hook, but Vannata took top position. Ferguson threatened with a late armbar. 10-9 Vannata.
Round 2:
Vannata ducked under early hooks from Ferguson and countered with right hands, but Ferguson established his jab and Vannata’s nose began to bleed heavily. Kicks were exchanged to the head and body and Ferguson secured a standing Brabo choke. He pulled Vannata to the ground and tightened the choke, which forced Vannata to submit.
Winner: Tony Ferguson by Submission (Brabo Choke) at 2:22 of round two. He improves to 21-3-0.
Tim “The Barbarian” Boetsch vs Josh “Anqa” Samman
Round 1:
Samman closed the distance and looked for a takedown in the opening minute, but Boetsch reversed it on the way down and struck from the top in Samman’s guard. He tried to mount Samman, but Samman worked back to his feet against the cage. He took Boetsch’s back and worked for a trip takedown, but Boetsch stayed on his feet. He backed Samman up with punches, but Samman fired back with a head kick and clinched again. Both men landed head kicks and Boetsch scored with two more right hands before time expired. 10-9 Boetsch.
Round 2:
Boetsch took Samman down in the second round and he landed some solid punches from the top. Samman prevented Boetsch from getting to mount, but Boetsch landed numerous punches from half-guard and threatened with a kimura. He eventually got to full mount and pummelled a bloodied Samman with ground and pound. Samman rolled to his side and convered up, and Boetsch continued to punch until the fight was waved off.
Winner: Tim Boetsch by TKO (Punches) at 3:49 of round two. He improves to 19-10-0.
Daniel Omielanczuk vs Alexey “The Boa Constrictor” Oleinik
Round 1:
Huge punches were exchanged right away and Omielanczuk used a guillotine choke to fend off an early takedown attempt. Oleinik got him down on his second try and methodically moved to mount. He landed some solid shots from the top and threatened with Ezekiel chokes. Omielanczuk escaped each time, but Oleinik continued to punish him with punches. Omielanczuk stood up in the final 90 seconds, but Oleinik dumped him to the mat again and took his back. He tried for a rear-naked choke late in the round. 10-9 Oleinik. Could be a 10-8.
Round 2:
Omielanczuk rocked Oleinik with punches in round two and stuffed a takedown, but a bloodied Oleinik attacked with a heel hook from the bottom. He used it to sweep and threatened with a scarf hold. Omielanczuk escaped and the fighters battled back and forth for position. Oleinik held Omielanczuk against the base of the cage and punched to the body. Back on the feet, Omielanczuk landed a massive overhand left. Oleinik took him down and transitioned to an armbar and then a triangle choke. Omielanczuk rained down heavy hammerfists from the top. 10-9 Omielanczuk.
Round 3:
Oleinik drove in for a takedown to begin round three, but Omielanczuk punished him with punches to the face. Oleinik fell to his back and Omielanczuk landed punches from the top. He attempted a can opener, but Oleinik broke his grip and the fighters were stood up. Oleinik took Omielanczuk down into back control. He tried to turn into mount in search of an arm-triangle choke, but Omielanczuk avoided danger and struck from the top. Referee Kevin MacDonald stood the fighters up again and Omielanczuk reversed a late takedown. 10-9 Omielanczuk.
Winner: Daniel Omielanczuk by Majority Decision (29-28, 29-28, 28-28) after three rounds. He improves to 19-5-1, 1 NC.
Keita “K-Taro” Nakamura vs Kyle “KO” Noke
Round 1:
Noke stunned Nakamura with hard jabs right away, but Nakamura recovered and pressed forward. Noke landed more jabs, but Nakamura tagged him with straight left hands and a head kick. He cracked Noke with a four-punch flurry, but Noke countered with a brief takedown. Back on the feet, Nakamura slipped while throwing a kick. He stood up and both men landed big punches. Nakamura landed left and right hooks late in the round, and Noke answered with jabs and body kicks. Close round. 10-9 Noke.
Round 2:
Nakamura shot in for a takedown after landing a one-two in the second round, but Noke easily stuffed it. He targeted Nakamura’s lead leg with kicks and mixed in jabs. The fighters traded kicks to the legs and body. Nakamura landed a hard kick to Noke’s forearm and he forced Noke to retreat after landing a flurry of punches. Noke took Nakamura down, but he could not hold him there for long. Nakamura landed back elbows and broke free from Noke’s grasp. Another big combination scored for Nakamura and he dropped Noke with a knee. Noke gave up his back and Nakamura teed off with punches. He locked on a rear-naked choke and Noke tapped out at the bell.
Winner: Keita Nakamura by Submission (Rear-Naked Choke) at 4:59 of round two. He improves to 32-7-2, 1 NC.
Louis “Da Last Samurai” Smolka vs Ben “10” Nguyen
Round 1:
Nguyen rushed at Smolka right away and landed punches and a head kick. Smolka countered with a throw attempt, but landed on his head and wound up on the bottom. Nguyen briefly held mount, but Smolka scrambled out and took him down into side control. Nguyen worked back to his feet and he took Smolka’s back in a scramble. Nguyen worked for a rear-naked choke on the ground, then mounted Smolka again.
Smolka swept, but Nguyen used an omoplata to take top position. Smolka secured another sweep and he rained down huge punches from the top before transitioning to a Brabo choke. Nguyen escaped and Smolka switched to a power guillotine choke. He mounted Nguyen and blasted him with punches and elbows until the bell. Amazing round. 10-9 Smolka, if not a 10-8.
Round 2:
Nguyen reversed a takedown and took Smolka’s back in round two, but Smolka shook him off and resumed working from the top with ground and pound. He locked on another power guillotine, but Nguyen refused to submit. Smolka re-opened a cut from round one with elbow strikes to Nguyen’s right eyebrow. He hunted for an Achilles lock before returning to Nguyen’s half-guard.
Nguyen used the cage to get back to his feet, but Smolka tripped him and landed hard punches and knees on the way up. He pulled guard with a power guillotine and switched to a triangle choke that led to a scramble. Smolka mounted Nguyen, then took his back and locked on a rear-naked choke. Nguyen survived, but Smolka unloaded with punches and elbows from mount until the bout was stopped.
Winner: Louis Smolka by TKO (Punches & Elbows) at 4:41 of round two. He improves to 11-1-0.
(Undercard results and play-by-play on Page Two.)