The Ultimate Fighting Championship staged its first full event on the Fuel television network tonight from the Omaha Civic Auditorium in Omaha, Nebraska. UFC on Fuel TV 1: “Sanchez vs Ellenberger” was headlined by Diego “The Dream” Sanchez taking on Jake “The Juggernaut” Ellenberger.
In tonight’s heavyweight co-feature, Dave Herman returned to the Octagon for the first time since June to face Stefan “Skyscraper” Struve, while Aaron “A-Train” Simpson battled Brazil’s Ronny Markes in middleweight action. MMARising.com has live play-by-play for tonight’s UFC on Fuel TV card.
Jake “The Juggernaut” Ellenberger vs Diego “The Dream” Sanchez
Round 1:
Ellenberger landed a one-two right away and Sanchez answered with a leg kick. Sanchez scored with a left cross and Ellenberger threw another quick one-two. Ellenberger stayed outside of Sanchez’s range and landed a counter three-punch combo. He continued to throw punches in succession and scored with a knee as Sanchez pushed forward. Another knee and a counter hook scored for Ellenberger.
Sanchez managed to close in with two hooks of his own. He flurried and Ellenberger briefly clinched. Both fighters missed with looping punches in close and backed away. A two-punch combo dropped Sanchez and Ellenberger landed a nice knee on the way up. Ellenberger landed short knees and punches and wobbled Sanchez with a right cross just before the bell. Good first round. 10-9 Ellenberger.
Round 2:
Sanchez looked to mix things up with a spinning back kick in round two, but missed. A head kick partially landed for Ellenberger and both fighters threw left hands at the same time. Sanchez attempted another spinning kick and missed again. Ellenberger made him pay with a left hook. He landed a grazing uppercut and a left hook that prompted Sanchez to growl at him.
Another counter left-right combo landed for Ellenberger, but Sanchez managed to connect with a right hook in close. He missed with a lunging right and the fighters traded jabs. Ellenberger took Sanchez down and landed short punches to the head and body. Sanchez tried to posture for ana rmbar and Ellenberger elbowed out. Brutal elbows scored for Ellenberger in the final seconds. 10-9 Ellenberger.
Round 3:
Punches were exchanged early in the final round and Sanchez countered a body kick with a brief flurry. He pushed forward with more punches, but Ellenberger sent him off-balance with a leg kick. Ellenberger countered with hooks as Sanchez looked to back him up with lunging punches. A stiff jab connected for Ellenberger and he followed with a right hook. Sanchez landed some of his best punches of the fight and shrugged off a takedown attempt.
Ellenberger scored with a knee to the body and avoided a guillotine choke attempt. Sanchez cut Ellenberger on the bridge of the nose and landed more punches. Ellenberger dumped him to the mat, but lost position and Sanchez took his back. Sanchez landed a series of punches and tried to set up a rear-naked choke. Ellenberger defended and escaped to his feet. The fighters traded power punches as the final bell sounded. 10-9 Sanchez.
Winner: Jake Ellenberger by Unanimous Decision (29-28, 29-28, 29-28) after three rounds. He improves to 27-5-0.
Stefan “Skyscraper” Struve vs Dave Herman
Round 1:
Herman landed leg kicks early on and ducked under a head kick. He continued to throw leg kicks and landed a right hand to the body. Struve answered with a right hook that came up short. Herman put together a combination of punches and a leg kick. He ate a hard right hand from Struve, but immediately answered back with one in return.
Struve avoided a right from Herman, but a second punch from Herman landed. He kicked at Struve’s lead leg and body. Struve began to land kicks of his own and Herman flurried with punches. More leg kicks were exchanged and Herman caught a body kick. He landed a right cross just as Struve threw one of his own. Close round. 10-9 Herman.
Round 2:
A punch-kick combo from Herman was answered by a flurry from Struve in round two. Struve took Herman down and landed in mount. He punched from the top and took Herman’s back, but Herman scrambled up to his feet. Right hands landed for both fighters and Struve countered a leg kick with a vicious kick to the body. Herman threw a three-punch combo to the body and head.
Struve landed a right hand and a leg kick, then backed Herman up with a right cross and a follow-up flurry. Herman circled out and recovered, but Struve remained aggressive and dropped Herman with an uppercut. Struve moved to side control and then mount. He punched away from the top until the fight was eventually stopped.
Winner: Stefan Struve by TKO (Punches) at 3:52 of round two. He improves to 23-5-0.
Ronny Markes vs Aaron “A-Train” Simpson
Round 1:
Markes scored with punches right away and backed Simpson up to the cage. Simpson stayed on his feet and the fighters were separated. Markes scored with leg kicks and Simpson replied with one of his own. A counter flurry backed Simpson up and Markes landed more kicks. Simpson jabbed and floored Markes with a vicious uppercut.
Markes managed to hold on, but Simpson battered him with punches and elbows from the top. Markes attempted an armbar and Simpson stood up to escape. Markes bought himself some time to recover and the referee eventually stood him up. Markes walked Simpson down with punches, but Simpson snuck in a pair of counter right hooks. 10-9 Simpson.
Round 2:
Simpson countered a leg kick with two hard right hands to open round two. He clinched and backed Markes up to the cage. The fighters separated and exchanged punches. Simpson ducked under a right hook and clinched, then pressed Markes up against the fence again.
Simpson landed a kick that connected just below Markes’s jaw, but Markes landed a counter right. Back in the clinch, Markes landed knees to the body and managed to trip Simpson to the mat. Markes landed punches as Simpson worked his way back up. Close round. 10-9 Markes.
Round 3:
Simpson immediately threw a looping right hook to begin the final round and clinched. Markes shrugged him off and landed a leg kick. He avoided an uppercut from Simpson and landed one of his own. Another clinch followed and the fighters battled for position against the cage. The referee called for a break and Simpson landed a combination to the head and body.
Markes clinched and put Simpson against the fence again. He stomped at Simpson’s foot until the fighters were separated again. Simpson landed a right cross, but ate an uppercut and a knee. He tried to take Markes down, but could not. Simpson threw a wild right hook and slipped right into a knee from Markes. He stood and was promptly taken down. Simpson stood just before the bell. 10-9 Markes.
Winner: Ronny Markes by Split Decision (29-28, 29-28, 28-29) after three rounds. He improves to 13-1-0.
Stipe Miocic vs Philip De Fries
Round 1:
De Fries rocked Miocic with a series of punches early on, but Miocic held his ground and fired back with punches of his own. A right cross staggered De Fries and Miocic sent him to the mat with a flurry. De Fries fell face-first on the ground and Miocic unloaded with right hands until he was out cold.
Winner: Stipe Miocic by KO (Punches) at 0:43 of round one. He improves to 8-0-0.
T.J. Dillashaw vs Walel “The Gazelle” Watson
Round 1:
Dillashaw opened the fight with a Superman Punch and took Watson down near the cage. He struck from the top as Watson looked for submissions from his back. Dillashaw postured up with punches from Watson’s guard and transitioned to his back. He landed punches and worked for a rear-naked choke. Watson defended and tried to scramble to his feet.
Dillashaw regained back control and nearly finished Watson with another rear-naked choke. Watson managed to break Dillashaw’s grip and Dillashaw moved to mount. He scored with punches from the top and Watson rolled to his side. Dillashaw looked for a choke again, but gave it up and settled for hard punches until the end of the round. 10-8 Dillashaw.
Round 2:
Dillashaw landed a big right hook to start round two and took Watson back down. He struck from the top and passed to side control. Short elbows scored for Dillashaw and he stood up. Watson tried to upkick, but Dillashaw passed his legs and moved from back control to mount. He unloaded with punches and elbows as Watson struggled to defend.
Watson rolled to his stomach as Dillashaw continued to tee off with punches. Dillashaw locked on a rear-naked choke, but Watson somehow escaped. Dillashaw punished him with more big strikes from a high mount. Watson rolled over again and Dillashaw tried briefly for a rear-naked choke. He let it go and scored with punches and elbows until the bell. 10-8 Dillashaw.
Round 3:
Watson was aggressive with kicks early in the final round and he used his reach advantage to keep Dillashaw at bay. Dillashaw closed in and scored with a right hook and a one-two. He tripped Watson to the mat and moved to side control to escape a guillotine choke. Watson managed to scramble to his feet and Dillashaw landed a leg kick. Dillashaw ducked under a right hook and landed a counter uppercut.
Watson leapt into a flying triangle choke and used it to get the fight to the mat. Dillashaw escaped the choke, but Watson switched to a kneebar and then a heel hook. Dillashaw fought free and punched from the top, then took Watson’s back. He tried for rear-naked chokes until late in the round and closed out the fight with a series of elbows. 10-9 Dillashaw.
Winner: T.J. Dillashaw by Unanimous Decision (30-25, 30-25, 30-26) after three rounds. He improves to 5-1-0.
“The Pride of El Salvador” Ivan Menjivar vs John “Prince” Albert
Round 1:
Both fighters landed punches right away and Albert put together punch-kick combos. He avoided a spinning backfist, but Menjivar took him down and landed elbows. Albert countered with a triangle choke attempt and an omoplata. Menjivar blasted Albert with hammerfists, but Albert continued to try for submissions from the bottom. Albert stood and both fighters landed head kicks.
Albert hurt Menjivar and swarmed with knees. Menjivar fell to a knee and Albert landed more strikes including one illegal knee. Menjivar stood and Albert sent him to the mat with more knees. Menjivar managed to trip Albert and avoided a double armbar attempt. Menjivar took Albert’s back and landed punches to set up a rear-naked choke. He secured the choke and Albert tapped out. Excellent fight.
Winner: Ivan Menjivar by Submission (Rear-Naked Choke) at 3:45 of round one. He improves to 24-8-0.
Undercard Fights:
– Jonathan Brookins defeated Vagner “Ceara” Rocha by KO (Punches) at 1:32 of round one. He improves to 13-4-0 with the win.
– Justin Salas defeated Anton Kuivanen by Unanimous Decision (30-27, 30-27, 29-28) after three rounds. He improves to 10-3-0 with the win.
– Tim “The Dirty Bird” Means defeated Bernardo “Trekko” Magalhaes by Unanimous Decision (30-26, 30-26, 30-27) after three rounds. He improves to 17-3-1 with the win.