Darren “The Damage” Elkins vs Diego “Ceara” Brandao

Round 1:
Brandao landed a Superman Punch, leg kick combo early on and took advantage of a slip from Elkins. He landed a knee on the way up, but Elkins clinched again and tried for a takedown. Brandao used a Kimura to sweep into mount and Elkins fought back to guard. Elkins attempted a Kimura of his own and the fighters stood up. A jumping switch knee rocked Elkins and he fell to the mat. Brandao landed elbows from the top in side control.

Elkins kicked Brandao off and the fight returned to the feet. Brandao landed a series of right hooks that hurt Elkins again. He fell and Brandao returned to side control on the ground. Brandao landed punches and stood. He landed a huge right hook as Elkins was about to get up. Brandao landed some big shots from the top, then stood and dove in with more punches. He ended the round on top. 10-8 Brandao.

Round 2:
Brandao landed a knee in round two and Elkins countered with a left hook. He followed with a right cross and ate a standing back elbow from Brandao. Elkins continued to put together punching combinations, but most came up short. Brandao slipped and Elkins took top position in his guard. Brandao used upkicks to push Elkins off, but Elkins kept him down on the mat.

Elkins moved to half-guard and threw more short strikes. Brandao regained full guard and elbowed from the bottom. Elkins passed to half-guard again and landed punches and knees to the body. He moved to mount and postured up with some big shots. Right hand after right hand scored for Elkins in the final 30 seconds. 10-9 Elkins. Close to a 10-8.

Round 3:
Elkins caught a knee and dumped Brandao to the mat in the final round. He moved to half-guard and landed a series of chopping elbow strikes. Elkins postured up with more punches and Brandao appeared to slow down. Elkins moved to mount and punished Brandao with punches and elbows. Elkins worked for a guillotine choke from the top and Brandao finally managed to fight back to his feet. He stuffed a takedown and wound up on top. Brandao threw a diving right hand and closed out the round on top. 10-9 Elkins.

Winner: Darren Elkins by Unanimous Decision (29-28, 29-28, 29-28) after three rounds. He improves to 14-2-0.

 

Jamie “C-4” Varner vs Edson Barboza

Round 1:
Barboza landed a series of leg kicks in the opening minute, but Varner caught a head kick and took him down. He landed elbows and short punches from the top in half-guard. Barboza was able to battle back to his feet, but Varner landed a pair of right hooks and also began to target the body. He ate more leg kicks, however, and Barboza remained aggressive. Varner hurt Barboza with a flurry of punches and backed him up to the cage. Another combination dropped Barboza and Varner finished the fight with hammerfists for an incredible upset win.

Winner: Jamie Varner by TKO (Punches) at 3:23 of round one. He improves to 20-6-1, 2 NC.

 

C.B. “The Doberman” Dollaway vs Jason “Mayhem” Miller

Round 1:
Miller rocked Dollaway with a right hook early on and pulled guard with a guillotine choke. Dollaway escaped and took Miller’s back in a scramble. Miller stood, but Dollaway tripped him again. He took Miller’s back as Miller got to his feet. Punches were exchanged and both landed. Miller fell awkwardly after a left hook from Dollaway and Dollaway kept him pinned down with punches.

Dollaway prevented Miller from standing and landed more short punches. Miller looked to turn into the clinch and tried to use the cage to work back to his feet. He could not and Dollaway held him down. Dollaway used a hammerlock to force Miller to roll over and he took mount. Miller gave up his back, but managed to scramble to his feet before the bell. 10-9 Dollaway.

Round 2:
Miller appeared to be favouring his bandaged left knee in round two, but he landed left and right hooks and continued to press forward. Miller hurt Dollaway with punches and Dollaway staggered backwards. He fell down, but recovered enough to clinch and trip Miller to the mat. Miller stood and landed a knee to the body, then tried for a guillotine choke.

Dollaway got Miller back down to the ground and landed elbows from the top in half-guard. Miller could not get back to his feet and Dollaway kept busy with short punches and elbows from Miller’s guard. He remained there until the bell, but did little damage in the final 20 seconds. 10-9 Dollaway.

Round 3:
Dollaway was able to drag Miller back down in the final round. He took Miller’s back and tried to sink in both hooks. Miller managed to get up, but was promptly slammed down again. Dollaway flattened Miller out and landed some solid punches from back control. The crowd booed as Miller took punch after punch and offered nothing in return. Dollaway held mount briefly before the bell. 10-8 Dollaway.

Winner: C.B. Dollaway by Unanimous Decision (30-26, 29-28, 29-28) after three rounds. He improves to 12-4-0.

 

Dan “The Outlaw” Hardy vs Duane “Bang” Ludwig

Round 1:
The fighters were cautious for the opening minute until Ludwig landed a hard right hook and a follow-up combination. Hardy clinched and pressed him up against the cage. Hardy landed two big elbows and backed away. A head kick from Ludwig grazed Hardy’s chin and more punches were exchanged. Ludwig scored with a pair of knees and Hardy clinched once more. Ludwig fought free with a one-two, but Hardy floored him with a left hook. He dove in with elbows on the ground that briefly rendered Ludwig unconscious.

Winner: Dan Hardy by KO (Punch & Elbows) at 3:51 of round one. He improves to 24-10-0, 1 NC.

 

Paul “Sassangle” Sass vs Jacob “Christmas” Volkmann

Round 1:
Winging overhands were exchanged early on and Volkmann clinched. Sass tried to pull guard and Volkmann wound up on top where he worked for a guillotine choke. Volkmann postured up with punches as Sass employed butterfly guard to keep him at bay. In a split second, Sass locked on a triangle choke from the bottom. He pulled back on Volkmann’s arm and Volkmann immediately tapped out.

Winner: Paul Sass by Submission (Triangle Armbar) at 1:54 of round one. He improves to 13-0-0.

 

Glover Teixeira vs Kyle “Kingsbu” Kingsbury

Round 1:
Teixeira landed a series of big one-twos early on and dropped Kingsbury with an uppercut. He took mount on the ground and blasted Kingsbury with punches and elbows. Teixeira locked on an arm-triangle choke and passed to the side, and Kingsbury quickly tapped out.

Winner: Glover Teixeira by Submission (Arm-Triangle Choke) at 1:53 of round one. He improves to 18-2-0.

 

Mike Brown vs Daniel “The Pit” Pineda

Round 1:
Brown landed overhand rights early in the fight and ducked under Pineda’s counterpunches. Pineda managed to land a combination that briefly wobbled Brown, but Brown recovered and took him down. He moved to a top-side crucifix and landed short elbows, but Pineda scrambled out and wound up on top. He struck from Brown’s butterfly guard.

The fighters stood and Brown clinched. Punches were exchanged and Pineda landed a nice leg kick. Brown kicked to the body and Pineda responded with punches. Pineda attempted a takedown and Brown reversed it on the way down. From the top in half-guard, Brown landed short, peppering punches until the bell. 10-9 Brown.

Round 2:
Brown landed big punches early in round two, but Pineda was unfazed and he answered right back with a flurry of his own. Pineda shot in for a takedown and escaped a loose guillotine choke. The fighters stood and Brown slammed Pineda down. He landed in North-South position and Pineda used an impressive sweep to escape to the top. Back on the feet, Brown clinched against the cage.

Brown landed uppercuts and knees to the head and body. Pineda responded with a flurry of punches and broke away from the clinch. Brown slipped while throwing a kick, but locked on a front choke as the fighters stood. He used it to put Pineda on his back and scored with some solid punches from the top. Brown remained active until the bell, but Pineda cut him with an elbow from the bottom. 10-9 Brown.

Round 3:
Brown dropped Pineda with a knee to the body early in the final round and followed with punches on the ground. Brown punched and elbowed from the top as Pineda tried to set up submissions. Pineda scrambled and took Brown’s back. He secured a body triangle and tried for a rear-naked choke. Pineda landed punches and continued to hunt for the choke. Close final round. 10-9 Pineda due to the late rally.

Winner: Mike Brown by Unanimous Decision (29-28, 29-28, 29-28) after three rounds. He improves to 26-8-0.