Patrick “The Predator” Côté vs Alessio “Legionarius” Sakara

Round 1:
Côté missed with a looping hook early on, but he countered a knee from Sakara with a barrage of punches over the top. Sakara staggered and Côté landed uppercuts and elbows. The fighters clinched against the cage and Sakara rocked Côté with two standing elbows of his own that landed to the temple. Côté fell, but quickly got back to his feet. Sakara dropped him again and landed a series of hammerfists to the side and back of the head until referee Dan Miragliotta intervened for the stoppage.

Officials deliberated the result after the fight and determined that at least four of Sakara’s hammerfists had landed to the back of Côté’s head. Côté was awarded the win by disqualification.

Winner: Patrick Côté by DQ (Illegal Strikes) at 1:26 of round one. He improves to 18-8-0.

 

Cyrille “The Snake” Diabate vs Chad “The Gravedigger” Griggs

Round 1:
Griggs rushed in with wild kicks right away and was dropped by a counter left hand. He scrambled to his feet, but Diabate took him back down. Griggs, bleeding heavily from the nose, stood up and ate a knee. He attempted a guillotine choke, but Diabate countered with another knee and dragged Griggs to the mat with a rear-naked choke. Griggs could not escape and tapped out.

Winner: Cyrille Diabate by Submission (Rear-Naked Choke) at 2:24 of round one. He improves to 19-8-1.

 

John “The Bull” Makdessi vs Sam “Hands of Stone” Stout

Round 1:
Stout looked to establish his jab early on and just missed with a right hook. Makdessi landed a counter hook and a leg kick, then followed with a stiff jab of his own. Stout began to target the body and landed a hard leg kick, but Makdessi immediately countered with a right hook. Makdessi jabbed and ducked under Stout’s punches. He shrugged off a Stout takedown attempt and landed kicks to the body. Makdessi landed more jabs and a grazing spinning back kick. He finished the round with two more stiff jabs. 10-9 Makdessi.

Round 2:
Makdessi caught a leg kick and landed a head kick in round two. He kept his distance and picked his shots with body kicks and jabs. Stout missed with overhand rights, but landed a left hook to the body. Makdessi sprawled out of a takedown attempt and Stout began to put the pressure on with a variety of kicks. Makdessi answered with one of his own.

More jabs and counter rights connected for Makdessi as Stout pressed forward with combinations and leg kicks. Makdessi ducked under a jab and landed a right hook. Stout tried to catch a front kick, but Makdessi pulled his leg free. A one-two from Stout was met by a left hook from Makdessi. Stout tried for a takedown and could not get it. 10-9 Makdessi.

Round 3:
Makdessi landed a front hook kick to the upper body in the final round and Stout answered with a quick one-two that backed him up. Stout landed a lead left hook and a leg kick, but Makdessi caught the kick and backed him up with a right hand. Counter left hooks landed for Makdessi, who followed with a head kick. Makdessi continued to outstrike Stout with jabs and leg kicks.

Stout tried to press the action with kicks of his own, but Makdessi slipped under his punches and landed stiff jabs at will. Stout attempted a takedown and Makdessi shrugged him off. Stout began to kick to the body and Makdessi stuck to jabs and left hooks. Time was briefly called after Stout was kicked in the groin, but action quickly resumed and Stout rushed in. Makdessi countered effectively until the bell. 10-9 Makdessi.

Winner: John Makdessi by Unanimous Decision (30-27, 30-27, 29-28) after three rounds. He improves to 10-2-0.

 

Antonio “Pato” Carvalho vs Rodrigo Damm

Round 1:
Damm countered leg kicks with a hard right cross in round one. Carvalho continued to kick at Damm’s lead leg and just missed with a left hook. More chopping leg kicks scored for Carvalho and Damm landed another right hand. Carvalho remained effective with his kicks throughout the round and Damm countered with occasional right hooks. A combination and a jab landed for Damm late in the round. 10-9 Carvalho.

Round 2:
Carvalho opened round two with more leg kicks and just missed with one aimed at the head. Damm landed a combination and Carvalho fell to the mat after losing his balance throwing a kick. Damm took his back on the way up, but Carvalho scrambled free. He kicked at Damm’s leg, but Damm replied with a three-punch combo. A left hook from Damm prompted Carvalho to fire off a succession of kicks to the leg and upper body. Carvalho landed two kicks and a big right hand late in the close round. 10-9 Carvalho, barely.

Round 3:
Carvalho kicked at Damm’s leg and midsection in the final round and Damm tried to counter with left hooks. He landed a hard leg kicks of his own and time was called to replace Carvalho’s mouthpiece. Action resumed and Damm landed a four-punch combination. He began to pick up the pace and connected with two right hooks.

Damm punched to the body, but ate a counter right over the top. A head kick partially landed for Carvalho and the fighters traded leg kicks. Damm continued to be the aggressor, but Carvalho countered with leg kicks as Damm moved forward. Damm jabbed and looked to set up a haymaker right hand late in the round. Carvalo threw a flying knee before the bell. 10-9 Damm.

Winner: Antonio Carvalho by Split Decision (29-28, 29-28, 28-29) after three rounds. He improves to 15-5-0.

 

Matt “Deep Waters” Riddle vs John “The One” Maguire

Round 1:
An exchange of leg kicks opened the fight and Riddle followed with lead right hooks. He countered kicks from Maguire with a one-two that partially landed. Maguire snuck in a nice right hook and landed another one soon after. Maguire caught a body kick, but Riddle used a flying spinning back kick with his free leg to get away. Maguire caught another kick and rushed in with punches. He landed two left hooks late in the round and Riddle answered with a front kick. Close round. 10-9 Maguire.

Round 2:
A stiff leg kick from Maguire opened the action in round two and Riddle returned fire with punches. He pressed Maguire up against the fence and landed knees to the body. Maguire circled away and repeatedly scored with his left hand while slipping Riddle’s counterpunches. Riddle tripped Maguire and stood over him, then dropped into Maguire’s guard.

Maguire kicked him off and the fighters stood. After a brief clinch, Riddle flurried and Maguire answered with a right hook and a guillotine choke attempt. Riddle escaped and tried to brawl with Maguire, but Maguire’s counter hooks landed repeatedly. Riddle landed a knee to the body before the bell. 10-9 Maguire.

Round 3:
Both fighters landed jabs in the final round and Maguire scored with a counter hook as he broke free from the clinch. The fighters traded punches and Maguire landed a quick one-two. Riddle retaliated with a combination against the cage and stuffed a takedown attempt. A knee to the body scored for Riddle and he kept the pressure on with strikes in close. Maguire attempted a guillotine choke just before the end of the round. 10-9 Riddle.

Winner: Matt Riddle by Unanimous Decision (30-27, 30-27, 29-28) after three rounds. He improves to 7-3-0, 1 NC.

 

“The Pride of El Salvador” Ivan Menjivar vs Azamat “Tough Guy” Gashimov

Round 1:
Menjivar landed kicks early in round one and Gashimov countered with an uppercut and a takedown. Menjivar attempted an armbar and a triangle choke, then landed a solid upkick. Gashimov returned to Menjivar’s guard and attempted a rarely-seen Ezekiel Choke. Menjivar quickly spun into an armbar from the bottom and forced Gashimov to go belly down. Gashimov tapped out and appeared to be in considerable pain.

Winner: Ivan Menjivar by Submission (Armbar) at 2:44 of round one. He improves to 25-9-0.

 

Darren “The Damage” Elkins vs “Super” Steven Siler

Round 1:
The fighters traded inside leg kicks and quick flurries of punches in the opening minute. Elkins backed Siler up to the cage and threw knees to the body. Elkins scored a takedown and struck from the top as he moved to half-guard and looked to set up a guillotine choke from the top. Siler battled back to full guard and stood, but Elkins immediately took him back down. Elkins locked on a tight guillotine choke, but Siler managed to scramble free before the bell. 10-9 Elkins.

Round 2:
Elkins caught a kick and quickly took Siler down in round two. He threatened with a neck crank from the top and postured up with punches. Siler landed a nice upkick, but Elkins was unfazed and continued to pepper him with punches. Elkins took Siler’s back and partially secured a rear-naked choke. Siler defended and Elkins tried to soften him up with punches. Siler threw back elbow strikes and defended against the chokes until the end of the round, but Elkins was in complete control. 10-8 Elkins.

Round 3:
Both fighters landed right hooks in round three and Elkins followed with a stiff jab. He took Siler down near the cage and landed knees as Siler stood up. A one-two scored for Elkins and he dragged Siler back down to the mat. The fighters exchanged punches on the ground and Siler tried to trap Elkins in rubber guard. The fight returned to the feet and Elkins dumped Siler to the ground again. Siler locked on a Brabo Choke in the final 15 seconds, but Elkins escaped. 10-9 Elkins.

Winner: Darren Elkins by Unanimous Decision (30-27, 30-27, 30-27) after three rounds. He improves to 15-2-0.