Dustin “The Diamond” Poirier vs Max “Blessed” Holloway
Round 1:
The fighters exchanged leg and body kicks during the opening minute and Holloway scored with a quick combination. He just missed with a spinning back kick and landed a lead left hook and a flying switch knee. Poirier tried for a takedown and Holloway stayed on his feet. Poirier slammed him down on the second try and moved straight to mount.
Poirier worked from the top and eventually transitioned into an armbar. Holloway was in severe danger, but he managed to spin into Poirier’s guard. Poirier locked on a triangle choke and rolled into mount. When Holloway did not tap to the triangle, Poirier wrenched back on his arm and Holloway was forced to submit.
Winner: Dustin Poirier by Submission (Triangle Armbar) at 3:23 of round one. He improves to 12-1-0.
Edwin “El Feroz” Figueroa vs Alex “Bruce Leeroy” Caceres
Round 1:
Both fighters landed left hooks early in the fight that sent the other off-balance. Time was called after Figueroa was kicked directly in the groin. The fight eventually continued and Figueroa missed with a lunging one-two. Caceres countered a body kick with a right hook and followed with a kick to the upper body. Figueroa floored Caceres with a head kick and blasted him with punches.
Caceres somehow survived and managed to fight back to his feet. He tried for a guillotine and then switched to a rear-naked choke. Figueroa scrambled up and Caceres tried to jump into another rear-naked choke. He moved to mount, but lost the position. A scramble followed and Caceres tried for a neck crank. He switched between mount and back control in the final seconds. Crazy round. 10-9 Caceres by a slim margin.
Round 2:
Kicks were exchanged early in round two and Figueroa indicated that he had been kicked in the groin. The fight continued and Caceres landed a one-two and a head kick. Figueroa stayed on his feet, but Caceres landed a right hook and a knee. Time was called after Figueroa was kicked hard in the groin again. After a lengthy delay, the fight continued and Caceres was deducted two points.
After the restart, Caceres was aggressive with kicks and he dragged Figueroa to the mat. Caceres tried for a rear-naked choke and a neck crank, but Figueroa defended. Caceres kept him trapped in a body triangle and bloodied his nose with punches. Caceres spun into an armbar and then a triangle choke. Figueroa escaped and stood up in the final ten seconds. 9-8 Figueroa.
Round 3:
Figueroa countered Caceres’s knees with wild punches in the final round, but seemed to be moving much more slowly than early in the fight. Caceres landed a spinning back kick and blocked a head kick. He landed a Superman Punch and a jab that backed Figueroa up, then dropped him to his back with a lead right hook. Caceres took Figueroa’s back on the feet and secured a body triangle.
Caceres pulled Figueroa to the mat and tried to set up a choke, but Figueroa spun free and postured up with some of his best punches of the fight. Caceres looked to counter with a pair of triangle chokes, but Figueroa escaped and quickly transitioned to a leglock. The fighters stood up and Figueroa rolled forward with Caceres on his back at the bell. 10-9 Caceres.
Winner: Edwin Figueroa by Split Decision (28-27, 28-27, 27-28) after three rounds. He improves to 9-1-0.
Matt “The Immortal” Brown vs Chris “C-Murder” Cope
Round 1:
Brown landed a combination and a body kick early on. He followed with a looping right hook and the fighters clinched against the cage. Cope just missed with a knee and was briefly taken down. He stood and a battle in the clinch followed. Brown picked Cope up and swept him to the mat, but Cope immediately stood. Brown landed a standing elbow and backed away. Both fighters landed jabs and Brown countered a leg kick with a hard one-two. 10-9 Brown.
Round 2:
The second round began with an exchange of right hands and Cope sent Brown off-balance with a leg kick. Brown regained his footing and backed Cope up with a one-two. He rocked Cope with a right hook and dropped him with a left. Cope had no idea where he was and Brown finished him off with right hands on the ground.
Winner: Matt Brown by KO (Punches) at 1:19 of round two. He improves to 13-11-0.
Matt “Deep Waters” Riddle vs Henry Martinez
Round 1:
Martinez landed a leg kick and a one-two early in the fight and cracked Riddle with another three-punch combo soon after. Martinez remained a step ahead of Riddle and scored with more leg kicks and crisp punching combinations. Riddle moved forward with a one-two, but Martinez sidestepped and countered with two lead right hands.
Riddle flashed out a kick to the upper body, but Martinez blocked it and fired back with a flurry. Martinez cracked Riddle with another counter combination and Riddle began to bleed from small cuts near both eyes. An overhand left scored for Martinez and he followed with a right hook. Riddle just missed with a knee before the bell. 10-9 Martinez.
Round 2:
The pace slowed somewhat in the second round until Martinez countered a lunging flurry from Riddle with quick three-punch combos. Martinez landed a left hook and two more seconds later. Riddle threw a leg kick and Martinez immediately countered with an overhand left. Riddle finally landed a right hand and tried for a head kick.
Martinez shrugged off a brief clinch attempt and Riddle landed a body kick. Quick punches landed for Martinez and he backed Riddle up with a left hook. Riddle began to find success with kicks from a distance and he ducked under a Martinez hook. Martinez scored with a one-two, but ate a right hand and a head kick. The fighters traded big punches in the final seconds. 10-9 Martinez.
Round 3:
Riddle opened the final round with leg kicks and jabs. Martinez, who fought just two weeks ago, began to slow down. Riddle threw a leg kick and Martinez answered back with two punches and a kick of his own. A left hook backed Riddle up briefly, but he pushed forward again and clinched. Martinez broke away, but Riddle landed body kicks and took him down.
Riddle transitioned to Martinez’s back and tried to flatten him out. Martinez escaped and got back to his feet. He narrowly blocked a head kick from Riddle, who backed away. Riddle landed a body kick and took Martinez back down. Riddle postured up in Martinez’s guard and landed punches and forearms to the head and body. 10-9 Riddle.
Winner: Matt Riddle by Split Decision (29-28, 29-28, 28-29) after three rounds. He improves to 6-3-0.
Rafael “Sapo” Natal vs Michael “Judo” Kuiper
Round 1:
Kuiper landed two leg kicks and scrambled back to his feet after a brief Natal takedown. The fighters separated and Natal landed leg kicks of his own. He took Kuiper down, but Kuiper defended well and worked back up. Kuiper landed an uppercut and Natal took him back down. Once more, Kuiper stood and was promptly taken down.
Natal looked to set up a submission from the top, but Kuiper swept and avoided an armbar. Natal attempted a second armbar and Kuiper rolled to escape. He landed hammerfists and stood up. Natal got to his feet and ducked under a Kuiper head kick before the bell. 10-9 Natal.
Round 2:
Both fighters landed body kicks and punches early in the second round and Kuiper got the better of the exchange. Natal began to slow down, but he landed two hard right hands and clinched. Kuiper stayed on his feet and Natal pinned him against the cage. Natal landed a combination and backed away.
Kuiper walked Natal down, but Natal countered with two spinning backfists and a right hook. Kuiper answered with an uppercut, but Natal continued to throw looping hooks. He clinched for a takedown and managed to trip Kuiper to the mat. Natal closed out the round with short strikes on top. 10-9 Natal.
Round 3:
Kuiper dropped Natal with a right hook very early in the final round and he landed more punches and hammerfists on the ground. Natal held on to defend, but Kuiper scored with more hammerfists. Kuiper postured up and landed a hard right hand, then began targeting the body with his left. He avoided an armbar, but Natal battled back to his feet.
Natal picked Kuiper up and slammed him down. He worked from side control and tried to trap Kuiper in a top-side crucifix. Natal moved to mount and secured an arm-triangle choke. He passed to the side and adjusted his grip on the choke. Kuiper appeared to be seconds away from tapping, but he made it to the bell. Close round. 10-9 Kuiper, barely.
Winner: Rafael Natal by Unanimous Decision (30-27, 30-27, 29-28) after three rounds. He improves to 14-3-1.
Stephen “Wonderboy” Thompson vs Dan “The Anvil” Stittgen
Round 1:
Thompson stayed on the outside in the opening minute and mixed up his strikes with quick one-twos and kicks. Stittgen rushed in with punches, but Thompson kept out of range and countered with a short right hook. Thompson landed body kicks and a left cross. Stittgen answered with two kicks of his own.
Thompson put together a combination of punches and ended with a body kick. He remained active with punches and quick kicks and Stittgen struggled to counter. A head kick from Thompson sent Stittgen crashing to the mat, unconscious, and the fight was stopped.
Winner: Stephen Thompson by KO (Head Kick) at 4:13 of round one. He improves to 6-0-0.