The Ultimate Fighting Championship stayed at UFC Apex in Las Vegas, Nevada tonight for UFC Fight Night 185: “Blaydes vs Lewis.” The event was headlined by a heavyweight contender’s bout between standout wrestler Curtis “Razor” Blaydes and hard-hitting Derrick “The Black Beast” Lewis.
In tonight’s co-main event, Ketlen “Fenômeno” Vieira, who weighed in over the bantamweight limit, took on Yana “Foxy” Kunitskaya. Elsewhere on the main card, Charles “Boston Strong” Rosa battled Darrick Minner in featherweight action. MMARising.com has live play-by-play for the card.
Derrick “The Black Beast” Lewis vs Curtis “Razor” Blaydes
Round 1:
Lewis backed Blaydes up with a a counter right-left combo early in the fight. Blaydes pressed forward again and both men landed left hooks. Blaydes scored with a stiff jab and a leg kick, then blocked a head kick. A hard right hand landed for Blaydes as Lewis threw wild punches that missed. Blaydes began to target Lewis’s lead leg with kicks and he landed for more punches while ducking under Lewis’s haymakers. Blaydes landed a punch-elbow combination and another leg kick. Lewis tried to circle to his right and Blaydes lunged in with two left hooks. Time was called when Lewis was poked in the eye. The fight continued and the bell sounded seconds later. 10-9 Blaydes, if not a 10-8.
Round 2:
Blaydes remained aggressive with his punches in the second round and he landed another combination. Lewis struggled to connect with anything until Blaydes shot in for a takedown. Lewis landed a perfectly-timed uppercut that instantly rendered Blaydes unconscious. He collapsed to the mat and Lewis landed two more shots on the ground before referee Herb Dean could step in.
Winner: Derrick Lewis by KO (Punch) at 1:26 of round two. He improves to 25-7-0, 1 NC.
Yana “Foxy” Kunitskaya vs Ketlen “Fenômeno” Vieira
Round 1:
Vieira closed the distance and clinched right away, then landed knees and punches to Kunitskaya’s stomach while holding her against the cage. She took Kunitskaya down, but Kunitskaya stood and landed knees to the body. She reversed the clinch, but Vieira scored another takedown and passed to mount. Kunitskaya got back to half-guard and she struck from the bottom while Vieira tried to move to mount again. Vieira landed occasional elbows from the top in the final minute. 10-9 Vieira.
Round 2:
Kunitskaya opened round two with knees in a clinch and she backed Vieira up against the fence. Kunitskaya took Vieira down and Vieira tried to trap her in an omoplata. She switched to an armbar, but Kunitskaya punched her way free. Vieira framed up a triangle choke and Kunitskaya defended by keeping both arms in. With two minutes to go, Vieira rolled for a kneebar and Kunitskaya continued to pepper her with punches. The fight returned to the feet and Kunitskaya reversed a hip toss into back control. Vieira countered with a kimura on Kunitskaya’s left arm and Kunitskaya attacked with knees to the body. She continued to target Vieira’s ribs and kidneys with punches and elbows late in the round. 10-9 Kunitskaya.
Round 3:
Vieira took Kunitskaya down right away in the final round and she tried to pass to mount. Kunitskaya maintained half-guard, but Vieira used a shoulder choke to set up her move to mount. Kunitskaya rolled to her right and Vieira hunted for an arm-triangle choke. Kunitskaya escaped and tried to stand up against the cage. Vieira took her back and pulled her back down to the ground. Kunitskaya punched backwards and repeatedly landed to the face of Vieira, who methodically worked for a rear-naked choke as time ticked down. Late in the fight, Vieira transitioned to an armbar attempt, but she lost the position and Kunitskaya unloaded with elbows from the top that cut Vieira near her right eye. Close round due to Kunitskaya’s rally. 10-9 Vieira.
Winner: Yana Kunitskaya by Unanimous Decision (29-28, 29-28, 29-28) after three rounds. She improves to 14-5-0, 1 NC.
Darrick Minner vs Charles “Boston Strong” Rosa
Round 1:
Minner landed a nice combination of punches in the opening minute and Rosa replied with two uppercuts during a brief clinch. Minner took him down and he looked to set up a Brabo choke from the top in Rosa’s half-guard. Rosa avoided danger and he regained full guard. A scramble followed and Rosa tried to roll for a kneebar. Minner defended well and landed punches from the top. He took mount position and attacked with elbows and punches before attempting an arm-triangle choke. Rosa escaped and he tried for a toe hold late in the round. 10-9 Minner.
Round 2:
Power punches were exchanged right away in the second round and Minner dropped Rosa with two right hands. He took Rosa’s back on the ground and then transitioned to mount. Rosa kicked off of the cage and escaped out the back. Minner retained top position and he fought off an armbar attempt from Rosa. He struck from the top with elbows and took Rosa’s back as Rosa stood up against the cage. Minner pulled Rosa back down and he switched to another arm-triangle choke attempt. Minner fully sunk in the choke, but Rosa refused to submit and he managed to break Minner’s grip. Rosa attempted two armbars and a triangle choke during the final seconds. 10-9 Minner. Could be a 10-8.
Round 3:
Minner stunned Rosa with two quick punches in the final round and immediately took him down. Rosa got back to his feet very briefly and was taken down again. He worked for a kimura on Minner’s right arm and then chained together an armbar to a triangle choke to an omoplata. Minner cut him with an elbow during the transitions, however, and he moved to North-South position. Rosa rolled over to his stomach and tried to stand up, but Minner secured back control and kept him down. Minner tried to set up a Twister late in the round, but Rosa defended and landed left hands to his face until the bell. Back-and-forth round. 10-9 Minner.
Winner: Darrick Minner by Unanimous Decision (30-26, 30-27, 29-27) after three rounds. He improves to 26-11-0.
Chris Daukaus vs Alexey “The Boa Constrictor” Oleynik
Round 1:
Oleynik clinched and tried to drag Daukaus down to the mat, but Daukaus remained on his feet and he scored with right hands as Oleynik rose to his feet. Power hooks were exchanged and Daukaus landed a flurry of punches and a knee. He hurt Oleynik with more punches and another knee against the cage. Oleynik covered up and Daukaus continued to land punches until the fight was stopped.
Winner: Chris Daukaus defeats Alexey Oleynik by TKO (Knee & Punches) at 1:55 of round one. He improves to 11-3-0.
Phil “Megatron” Hawes vs Nassourdine “The Sniper” Imavov
Round 1:
Hawes attacked Imavov lead legs with kicks right away and Imavov lunged forward with a one-two. Hawes cracked him with a quick flurry of punches and followed with another leg kick. The fighters clinched and Hawes held Imavov against the cage. Both men landed knees to the body and they continued to trade short strikes in the clinch until Hawes slammed Imavov down. Imavov stood and Hawes took him back down into half-guard. He landed right hands to Imavov’s face until the bell. 10-9 Hawes.
Round 2:
The second round began with Hawes landing a leg kick and a side kick to the body. He pursued a takedown against the cage and briefly got Imavov down to a knee. Imavov stood and escaped from the clinch. He hurt Hawes with a four-punch combo, but a wobbled Hawes managed to secure a takedown. He took Imavov’s back as Imavov stood up. Imavov looked for a standing kimura on Hawes’s right arm, but Hawes escaped by powering him back down to the mat. Imavov landed elbows from the bottom as Hawes threw short punches to his head and body. Closer round. Still 10-9 Hawes.
Round 3:
Imavov opened round three with a front kick to the face and Hawes promptly took him down. Imavov stood and Hawes held him against the fence. Imavov escaped from the clinch and he partially landed with a spinning backfist. A left hook and a right uppercut scored for Imavov before Hawes tied him up in another clinch. Imavov hurt Hawes with two elbows and he followed with uppercuts as Hawes staggered and tried desperately for a takedown. He recovered in the clinch, but Imavov landed more elbows and a knee. He hurt Hawes again with two left hooks, but Hawes survived to the bell. 10-9 Imavov, if not a 10-8.
Winner: Phil Hawes by Majority Decision (29-28, 29-28, 28-28) after three rounds. He improves to 10-2-0.
Tom Aspinall vs Andrei “The Pitbull” Arlovski
Round 1:
Arlovski opened with a three-punch combo and a body kick, but Aspinall countered with a hard left hook. He kicked at Arlovski’s lead leg and hurt Arlovski with a big combination. Aspinall absolutely teed off with punches and landed dozens to Arlovski’s face and body as Arlovski covered up against the cage. Arlovski did just enough to prevent the fight from being stopped and he clinched with Aspinall to slow the pace down. The fighters separated and Arlovski landed a combination. Aspinall clinched and held him against the fence as the pace slowed down. Arlovski broke free with 30 seconds to go and both men landed powerful right hands. 10-9 Aspinall.
Round 2:
Arlovski struck first with two right hands in the second round and Aspinall countered a leg kick with a takedown. Arlovski tried to stand up against the cage and Aspinall trapped him in a rear-naked choke. Arlovski had nowhere to go and tapped out within seconds.
Winner: Tom Aspinall by Submission (Rear-Naked Choke) at 1:09 of round two. He improves to 10-2-0.
(Undercard results and play-by-play on Page Two.)