Anthony “Showtime” Pettis vs Donald “Cowboy” Cerrone

Round 1:
Cerrone opened the action with a front kick and a right hand as Pettis circled on the outside and threw occasional strikes in return. He shrugged off a Cerrone takedown attempt and landed a right hook. Cerrone countered a side kick from Pettis by clinching and taking his back, but Pettis quickly spun free and he landed a hard kick to Cerrone’s face as Cerrone shot in for a takedown. He got Pettis down into side control, but Pettis scrambled and kicked him off, then stood up. A spinning back kick to the body and a right hand landed for Pettis late in the round, and he countered Cerrone’s aggression with a hard right hook before the bell. Close round. 10-9 Pettis.

Round 2:
Pettis landed a head kick and a combination to begin round two, then followed with a one-two that snapped Cerrone’s head back. He countered a Cerrone leg kick with a spinning backfist and the fighters traded punches and kicks. Pettis landed a jumping switch kick and that led to both men firing off punches again. Cerrone got Pettis down, but Pettis quickly worked back to his feet. Cerrone landed a knee on the way up, but Pettis evaded a follow-up head kick attempt. Pettis threw a spinning back kick and Cerrone landed a front kick to the body. 10-9 Pettis.

Round 3:
Both men landed combinations early in the final round and Pettis countered Cerrone’s forward movement with a lead right hook. He stuffed a Cerrone takedown attempt and landed a hard body kick, but Cerrone responded with a knee in close. Pettis hurt Cerrone with an inadvertent poke to the right eye and Cerrone’s eye immediately swelled up. Pettis kept the pressure on with more punches and a grazing head kick. Big punches were exchanged and Cerrone landed a vicious head kick, but Pettis stayed on his feet. He recovered quickly and landed a quick one-two and a body kick. Cerrone chased him down with punches and both men landed looping hooks before the end of the fight. 10-9 Pettis.

Winner: Anthony Pettis by Unanimous Decision (29-28, 29-28, 29-28) after three rounds. He improves to 23-10-0.

 

Alexey “The Boa Constrictor” Oleynik vs Fabricio “Vai Cavalo” Werdum

Round 1:
Oleynik threw heavy punches early in the fight and he repeatedly scored with overhand rights. Werdum backed up to the cage and fought off a clinch with a knee, but Oleynik closed the distance again and he blasted Werdum with big uppercuts. More overhand rights and uppercuts scored for Oleynik, but Werdum stayed on his feet and he fired back with a right hand and two knees. The fighters battled in a clinch and Werdum broke free with a head kick attempt. Oleynik stayed on him and pressured with more overhand rights and uppercuts until the final seconds of the round when he took Werdum’s back against the cage. 10-9 Oleynik.

Round 2:
Oleynik looked to take the fight to the mat in round two, but Werdum countered with a standing guillotine choke. Oleynik fought free and he pressed forward with winging rights, but Werdum answered with short right uppercuts and he followed with a head kick that almost knocked Oleynik’s mouthpiece out. Werdum landed a knee and he took Oleynik down seconds later. He transitioned to back control and looked to secure a rear-naked choke, but Oleynik shook him off and the fighters returned to their feet. Oleynik landed a combination and a front kick to the body. He followed with short uppercuts until the bell. Close round due to Oleynik’s late rally. 10-9 Werdum.

Round 3:
Werdum immediately took Oleynik down in the final round and he effortlessly took his back. Werdum looked to set up an armbar transition, but he lost the position and Oleynik wound up on top in Werdum’s guard. Werdum cranked on a kimura from the bottom and he used it to sweep into mount. He released the kimura and Oleynik tried to scramble free, but he gave up his back and Werdum once again looked to set up an armbar. He alternated between mount and armbar setups until Oleynik escaped out the back and stood up. Oleynik landed big punches in the final minute that appeared to briefly stun Werdum, but Werdum countered with a knee and a late takedown into a guillotine choke. 10-9 Werdum.

Winner: Alexey Oleynik by Split Decision (29-28, 29-28, 28-29) after three rounds. He improves to 59-13-1.

 

Carla “Cookie Monster” Esparza vs Michelle “The Karate Hottie” Waterson

Round 1:
The fighters circled in the opening two minutes and Waterson threw occasional leg kicks and jabs while Esparza answered with overhand punches. Waterson mixed in front kicks and she finished each of her combinations with a kick to Esparza’s leg or body. A big right hand scored for Esparza, but Waterson was unfazed and she landed another body kick. She followed with quick kicks to Esparza’s lead leg and body until Esparza took her down with 30 seconds to go. Waterson held on from the bottom and little transpired until the bell. 10-9 Waterson.

Round 2:
Esparza darted in with quick combinations in the second round and she backed Waterson up with a hard right hand to the eye. Waterson resumed throwing kicks to Esparza’s body and lead leg and Esparza countered with another one-two. She rushed forward and clinched in search of a headlock throw, but Waterson defended well and stayed on her feet. In the final minute, Esparza closed in with more overhand punches and Waterson landed a knee to the body in return. Esparza kept the pressure on with punches and she tried for a late takedown, but Waterson countered with another knee. Close round. 10-9 Esparza.

Round 3:
Esparza looked to shoot in for a double-leg takedown in the final round and Waterson countered with a quick knee. Seconds later, Esparza backed Waterson up with a right hand, but she was unable to follow up. She landed a three-punch combo soon after, however, and Esparza kicked from a distance. Waterson fought off two more takedown attempts and she landed a hard knee to the body. Esparza caught it and tried to take her down, but Waterson once again defended. The fighters separated and Esparza landed a chopping leg kick and an overhand right. Waterson responded with a side kick to the face and she stuffed another takedown with a knee. Both women landed big punches in an exchange and Esparza closed out the round with a flurry. Very close final round. 10-9 Esparza due to damage. Fight could go either way.

Winner: Carla Esparza by Split Decision (30-27, 29-28, 27-30) after three rounds. She improves to 16-6-0.

 

Vicente “The Silent Assassin” Luque vs Niko “The Hybrid” Price

Round 1:
Luque landed hard kicks to the inside and outside of Price’s lead leg early in the fight. He followed with more kicks and Price responded with a one-two. A nice right hand also landed for Price, but Luque cracked him with a one-two combo and more leg kicks. Price’s lead leg already seemed to be losing mobility and Luque fired off an overhand right. Two more leg kicks landed for Luque and he countered a head kick attempt with a strong right cross. Price answered with his best punch of the fight, an overhand right, but it seemed to have no effect on Luque. Price pressed forward with a hard combination and he took Luque down with just over a minute remaining. Luque tried to stand up and Price threatened with a Brabo choke. Luque escaped to his feet and he landed overhand rights and lefts before the bell. Close round. 10-9 Luque.

Round 2:
Luque continued to score with leg kicks in round two and he used them to set up a flurry. Time was called after Price was kicked in the groin, but action quickly resumed and Luque mixed things up with stiff jabs and chopping leg kicks. Price threw a crescent kick in return, but it did not slow down Luque’s offence. Price pressed forward with a flurry of his own and he tried to clinch. Luque rocked him with an uppercut and Price dropped to his knees while maintaining his grip on a double-leg takedown attempt. The fighters battled in a clinch against the cage and Luque prevented Price from taking him down. After separating, Price walked Luque down with a kick-punch combo, but Luque continued to tag him with overhand rights. Price pressed forward with front kicks and jabs late in the round as Luque countered with hooks while backing away. 10-9 Luque.

Round 3:
Price was aggressive to begin the final round and he attacked with leg kicks and one-two combos as Luque slowed down. More punches landed for Price, but Luque bloodied his nose with a counter flurry and he snapped his head back with a hard jab that re-opened a cut on Price’s cheek from the second round. Price threw more leg kicks and Luque responded with punches including a lead left hook that dropped Price to the mat. Luque dove in with more punches on the ground and he avoided a Price triangle choke attempt. Time was called to check on a cut on Price’s right eyelid, which had caused his eye to swell completely shut. The doctor waved off the fight, as Price could not see out of the eye.

Winner: Vicente Luque by TKO (Doctor Stoppage) at 3:37 of round three. He improves to 18-7-1.

 

Bryce “Thug Nasty” Mitchell vs Charles “Boston Strong” Rosa

Round 1:
Mitchell secured an early takedown against the cage and he locked on a tight arm-triangle choke. Rosa nearly tapped out, but he held on and managed to spin free. Mitchell briefly took his back and a scramble followed. Mitchell transitioned from a reverse triangle choke attempt into a Twister within seconds. Rosa defended well and prevented Mitchell from cranking on his neck to complete the submission. Mitchell moved to mount and then back to an arm-triangle choke, but Rosa once again escaped. 10-8 Mitchell.

Round 2:
Mitchell once again took Rosa down in round two and he threatened with more arm-triangles from half-guard and mount. Mitchell gave up on the arm-triangle chokes momentarily in order to attempt a mounted triangle choke, but Rosa evaded danger and scrambled back to half-guard while holding on to Mitchell’s leg. Mitchell spun free and spent the remainder of the round working for arm-triangle chokes and another Twister just before the bell sounded. 10-8 Mitchell.

Round 3:
The final round began with another takedown from Mitchell and he immediately worked for a Twister once more. Rosa was wise to it and defended until Mitchell switched to a top-side arm-triangle choke and then a rear-naked choke soon after. Mitchell returned to the top-side arm-triangle choke from mount and Rosa talked trash in return while defending. Late in the round, Mitchell landed punches from a top-side crucifix and the fighters stood up just before the end of the fight. 10-8 Mitchell.

Winner: Bryce Mitchell by Unanimous Decision (30-24, 30-25, 30-25) after three rounds. He improves to 13-0-0.

 

Ryan “Superman” Spann vs “Smile’n” Sam Alvey

Round 1:
Spann landed three right hands and briefly took Alvey down to begin the fight. He got Alvey down for a second time and locked on a standing arm-triangle choke as Alvey rose to his feet against the cage. Alvey appeared to be on the brink of losing consciousness, but he held on and managed to break free from the hold. He landed lead right hooks and countered Spann’s forward movement. Both men connected with right hands and Alvey knocked Spann off-balance. Spann responded with a nice hook of his own and he worked for a late takedown, but Alvey defended with a knee to the body. 10-9 Spann.

Round 2:
Alvey opened round two with a hard leg kick and Spann once again worked for a takedown against the cage. The fighters separated and Spann landed an overhand right. Both men landed big right hands in a brief exchange before clashing heads on the break. Spann followed with a combination and Alvey cracked him with another lead right hook, which remained effective as a counter to Spann’s offence. The fighters continued to trade right hands and Alvey attacked Spann’s lead leg with kicks. A big one-two backed Alvey up momentarily and Spann followed with a body kick that led to an exchange of punches before the bell. Close round. 10-9 Spann.

Round 3:
Spann punched his way into a clinch against the cage to begin the final round and he landed a one-two on the break. Spann scored with a head kick and he unloaded with power punches, but Alvey held his ground and fired back with looping punches before circling away. Two lunging left hooks scored for Alvey and both men connected with looping rights. Alvey threw a head kick that was partially blocked and he stunned Spann with a lead right hook. A dazed Spann shot in for a takedown and Alvey countered with a power guillotine choke. Spann managed to free himself and he stood up, but he was wobbly on his feet and Alvey hurt him with another lead right hand late in the round. 10-9 Alvey.

Winner: Ryan Spann by Split Decision (29-28, 29-28, 28-29) after three rounds. He improves to 18-5-0.