The Ultimate Fighting Championship travelled to Amalie Arena in Tampa, Florida tonight for UFC Fight Night 161: “Jędrzejczyk vs Waterson.” The event was headlined by a women’s strawweight bout between former UFC champion Joanna Jędrzejczyk and Michelle “The Karate Hottie” Waterson.
In the featherweight co-main event, veteran contender Cub Swanson battled undefeated submission specialist Kron Gracie. Elsewhere on the card, Niko “The Hybrid” Price took on James “The Texecutioner” Vick at welterweight. MMARising.com has live play-by-play for UFC Fight Night 161 tonight.
Joanna Jędrzejczyk vs Michelle “The Karate Hottie” Waterson
Round 1:
Jędrzejczyk opened the action with a leg kick and a combination that prompted Waterson to shoot in for a takedown. Jędrzejczyk stayed on her feet and the fighters exchanged knees to the body. Waterson landed an elbow and broke free from the clinch, but Jędrzejczyk answered back with a quick flurry and another leg kick. She fought off another takedown attempt and landed an elbow to Waterson’s face. In the final two minutes, Jędrzejczyk kept Waterson pinned against the fence and she landed knees to the body and elbows. 10-9 Jędrzejczyk.
Round 2:
Both women landed leg kicks early in the second round, but Jędrzejczyk’s output was higher and she mixed up her strikes with kicks and quick punches. Waterson landed a head kick, but Jędrzejczyk fought off a clinch attempt. Waterson attempted another head kick and she clinched with Jędrzejczyk against the cage. Jędrzejczyk kneed to the body and backed Waterson up with an elbow. The fighters battled in the clinch and Jędrzejczyk bloodied Waterson’s nose with short punches and elbows. After separating from the clinch, Jędrzejczyk landed a head kick that spun Waterson around. Jędrzejczyk landed quick punches and more kicks late in the round. 10-9 Jędrzejczyk.
Round 3:
The third round began with Jędrzejczyk landing more leg and body kicks, and she stayed out of range of Waterson’s counters. Jędrzejczyk landed a hard flurry of punches and two more leg kicks that briefly backed Waterson up. Jędrzejczyk continued to score with kick-punch combos until Waterson clinched, but Jędrzejczyk countered by taking her back and dragging her down to the mat. She transitioned to a Brabo choke and did not let it go until Waterson rose to her feet. Jędrzejczyk threw a grazing head kick and she followed with kicks to Waterson’s lead leg and body. Waterson dragged her down and immediately locked on a rear-naked choke as Jędrzejczyk tried to get back to her feet. Jędrzejczyk fought off the choke, but Waterson remained on her back. Jędrzejczyk spun free and finished the round with punches and a body kick. 10-9 Jędrzejczyk despite the late submission attempt.
Round 4:
Jędrzejczyk and Waterson exchanged punches and kicks before clinching in round four. Jędrzejczyk broke free and she landed two leg kicks and a hard kick to the body. Waterson’s legs continued to turn red from the impact of Jędrzejczyk’s kicks. Jędrzejczyk landed kick-punch combos and continued to mix up her strikes. In the final two minutes, Jędrzejczyk landed more combinations and Waterson clinched with her against the fence. Jędrzejczyk reversed and scored a takedown, but Waterson got back up to her feet. A hard elbow landed to Waterson’s nose and Jędrzejczyk followed with vicious knees to the body. 10-9 Jędrzejczyk.
Round 5:
Jędrzejczyk’s right foot swelled up badly between rounds and appeared to be broken, but she began the final round strong with a flurry of fast punches. She backed Waterson up against the cage and landed more punches until Waterson tripped her and took her back. Waterson attempted a standing rear-naked choke and Jędrzejczyk escaped by turning into a clinch against the cage. The fighters separated and Jędrzejczyk avoided a takedown attempt. Jędrzejczyk landed a front kick and a hard combination late in the fight, and she followed with knees in a clinch before the bell. 10-9 Jędrzejczyk.
Winner: Joanna Jędrzejczyk by Unanimous Decision (50-45, 50-45, 49-46) after five rounds. She improves to 16-3-0.
Cub Swanson vs Kron Gracie
Round 1:
Swanson connected with two right hooks early on while circling to the side to avoid Gracie’s clinch attempts. Swanson jabbed and he landed another right hand as Gracie pressed forward with punches of his own. Swanson scored with a hard body kick and two follow-up punches before circling away. Swanson darted in and out with punches to the head and body while staying out of Gracie’s range. Gracie finally landed a solid right hand in the final 70 seconds, but Swanson evaded his clinch attempts and he landed a nice left hook. Swanson scored with more punches and a vicious body kick before the bell. 10-9 Swanson.
Round 2:
The second round began with Swanson once again landing combinations before circling away from Gracie. Swanson flurried to the body and Gracie landed a hook over the top. He backed Swanson up with punches, but Swanson circled away and he avoided Gracie’s attempt to jump guard. Swanson continued to land punches on the feet and Gracie failed again to get the fight to the mat. Both men landed punches in close and Gracie continued to press forward as Swanson landed counter hooks. He landed more flurries of punches, but Gracie responded with combinations in return and he pressed forward in the final minute. Close round. 10-9 Swanson.
Round 3:
Both men landed power punches to begin the final round and Swanson punched to the body as Gracie chased after him around the cage. Swanson avoided a clinch and backed Gracie up momentarily with a front kick to the body. Gracie tried to jump guard and he landed an upkick before returning to his feet. Swanson fought off a throw attempt and he continued to land at will with punches to Gracie’s head and body. The fighters continued to trade looping punches and Swanson landed to the body. Both fighters landed with punches to the head, but Swanson continued to vary his offence. Gracie pulled guard and Swanson postured up to avoid a guillotine choke. The fighters stood and Swanson landed a flurry including a hard right hook to the body. 10-9 Swanson.
Winner: Cub Swanson by Unanimous Decision (30-27, 30-27, 30-27) after three rounds. He improves to 26-11-0.
Niko “The Hybrid” Price vs James “The Texecutioner” Vick
Round 1:
Price closed the distance and took Vick down after catching a kick in round one. Vick battled back to his feet and he reversed a takedown into top position. Vick stood up and Price landed a vicious upkick that immediately knocked him out. The fight was waved off.
Winner: Niko Price by KO (Upkick) at 1:44 of round one. He improves to 14-3-0, 1 NC.
Amanda Ribas vs Mackenzie Dern
Round 1:
Ribas landed a lead left hook and followed with a right hand early on. Dern landed a left hand in return, but Ribas cracked her with a hard right cross soon after. She continued to land punches and knocked Dern off-balance with a leg kick. Ribas landed another one-two and immediately returned to her feet after Dern momentarily took her down. Ribas backed Dern up with a flurry and she threw her to the mat with a hip toss. Dern briefly loooked to set up a submission, but she gave up on it and Ribas stayed on top until the bell. 10-9 Ribas.
Round 2:
Ribas shrugged off a takedown in round two and she landed a counter flurry of punches seconds later. Ribas connected with a hard right hook, but Dern appeared to be unfazed. Both women landed right hands and Ribas followed with a second one. She stuffed a takedown and backed Dern up with two lunging punches. Ribas kept the pressure on with a body kick and an overhand right. Ribas landed jabs and she reversed a takedown into Dern’s guard. Ribas landed hammerfists and stood up, prompting Dern to follow. Ribas flurried late in the round and landed a right hook to Dern’s temple. 10-9 Ribas.
Round 3:
Dern stumbled early in the final round, but Ribas backed away and forced Dern to return to a standing position. Ribas landed lunging punches and she avoided Dern’s counters. Dern tried for a takedown and she wound up on the bottom. Ribas landed elbows and she stood up to escape from Dern’s grip. Both women landed single right hands on the feet and Ribas backed Dern up with a hard right cross after thwarting a clinch attempt. Ribas jabbed and landed quick one-twos in the final minute as Dern struggled to land anything. Ribas backed her up with punches, but she could not secure a finish late in the fight. 10-9 Ribas.
Winner: Amanda Ribas by Unanimous Decision (30-27, 30-27, 30-27) after three rounds. She improves to 8-1-0.
Matt “The Steamrolla” Frevola vs Luis “Violent Bob Ross” Pena
Round 1:
Frevola pressed forward with leg kicks and right hands immediately and Pena responded with a one-two. Frevola landed another flurry and Pena answered with a body kick. Frevola punched his way into a clinch and he slammed Pena down, but Pena immediately returned to his feet. Frevola elevated Pena on his back and slammed him down. He took top position in side control and Pena trapped him in a modified arm-and-leg triangle choke that he used to sweep into top position. Frevola escaped and got back to his feet, but Pena dragged him down and landed short punches. The fighters stood and Pena backed Frevola up with punches. Both men landed knees late in the close round. 10-9 Pena due to the late rally.
Round 2:
Pena backed Frevola up with jabs and rocked him with a flying switch knee in round two. He clinched and dragged Frevola to the mat with a kimura attempt. Frevola escaped and stood up, but Pena punished him with knees to the face. Frevola’s eyes began to swell up, but the fighters continued to trade punches on the feet until Frevola’s mouthpiece came out. Time was called to replace it and he landed a Superman punch after the restart. Frevola ducked into a head kick, but Pena fell in the process and Frevola initiated a clinch after he returned to his feet. Pena countered with another kimura attempt and he switched to a triangle choke. Frevola got his other arm in the break the triangle. Pena stood and Frevola suplexed him down. Pena used a guillotine choke to sweep and he landed punches from mount as time expired. 10-9 Pena.
Round 3:
The fighters traded single punches and kicks in round three until Pena landed a head kick. Frevola connected with a hard right hand seconds later and Pena lost his balance after Frevola landed a counter right hook. Frevola clinched and tried for a takedown against the cage. He landed a quick flurry and backed away as Pena pursued with punches. Both men landed right hands and Frevola followed with a lead left hook. Frevola landed a hard jab and tried for a takedown before the bell. 10-9 Frevola.
Winner: Matt Frevola by Split Decision (29-28, 29-28, 28-29) after three rounds. He improves to 8-1-1.
“Ya Boi” Eryk Anders vs Gerald “GM3” Meerschaert
Round 1:
Both southpaw fighters landed one-twos throughout the opening minute and Anders just missed with a looping left hook. A right hand hurt Meerschaert and he briefly dropped to the mat. Meerschaert stood and looked to counter Anders’s striking with a takedown. Anders avoided the clinch and he landed a lunging right hand soon after. Meerschaert landed two lunging left hands in the final minute, but Anders hurt him with a counter right hand late in the round. Meerschaert fell to his knees and Anders landed hammerfists until the bell. 10-9 Anders.
Round 2:
Anders pressured Meerschaert with punches in the second round and he backed him up with a left hand. Meerschaert landed quick combinations as the round progressed and Anders threw very few strikes in return. Meerschaert continued to land left hands in the final two minutes and he avoided most of Anders’s strikes. A nice flurry landed for Meerschaert with ten seconds to go and he followed with a body kick. Anders landed a counter hook and Meerschaert scored with another body kick at the bell. 10-9 Meerschaert.
Round 3:
The final round began with an exchange of one-twos and Anders mixed in body kicks. Meerschaert connected with cross-uppercut combos until Anders responded with an overhand left. He landed a hard left cross soon after and kept the pressure on with punch-kick combos. Both men landed punches in an exchange and Meerschaert continued to throw one-twos. Meerschaert wobbled Anders with a counter left hand in the final minute and he followed with another hook and a body kick. Anders recovered and both men landed punches late in the round. 10-9 Meerschaert.
Winner: Eryk Anders by Split Decision (29-28, 29-28, 28-29) after three rounds. He improves to 13-4-0.
(Undercard results and play-by-play on Page Two.)