Mike “Quicksand” Pyle vs Rick “The Horror” Story

Round 1:
Story countered knees from Pyle by taking him down in the opening 30 seconds. Pyle looked for an inverted armbar and a triangle choke. He elevated Story and transitioned to an armbar, but Story scrambled free and retook top position in Pyle’s guard. He landed short elbows and flurried with punches as Pyle rose to his feet against the fence. Story swung more punches to the body and head. A right-left combo floored Pyle and Story swarmed with punches. Pyle somehow survived until the bell. 10-9 Story, if not a 10-8.

Round 2:
Story took Pyle down again in round two, but Pyle countered with an inverted armbar. He switched to a Kimura and Story had to act quickly to defend. Pyle threw short elbows from the bottom and he postured for a triangle choke. Story escaped and he landed short elbows of his own. The pace slowed in the final 30 seconds. 10-9 Pyle.

Round 3:
Pyle tried to land knees from a Thai clinch in the final round and Story punched free. Pyle landed front kicks and followed with more knees. A standing elbow backed Story up, but he recovered and clinched against the fence. Another elbow connected for Pyle and he narrowly missed with a knee. Story took Pyle’s back, but Pyle turned into the clinch. He landed knees that opened up Story’s face. Punches and knees scored for Pyle, but Story took him down. Pyle used an armbar attempt to transition to back control near the end of the round. 10-9 Pyle.

Winner: Mike Pyle by Split Decision (29-28, 29-28, 28-29) after three rounds. He improves to 25-8-1.

 

Dennis “The Menace” Bermudez vs Max “Blessed” Holloway

Round 1:
Holloway jabbed and used fakes and feints to keep Bermudez guessing in the opening round. Bermudez scored with a nice one-two and a leg kick. Holloway jabbed again and he fought off a takedown attempt. A spinning back kick to the face hurt Bermudez and he fell to his knees. Bermudez stood and Holloway landed a big knee. Holloway landed another spinning back kick, this time to the body, and he threw two more before the bell. 10-9 Holloway.

Round 2:
Holloway stuffed a takedown and took Bermudez’s back in round two. Bermudez stood and Holloway kicked him in the face. Bermudez attempted a Superman Punch. He landed a leg kick and a left hook. Both fighters landed jabs and Holloway followed with a right hand over the top. He put together one-twos, but Bermudez sent him off-balance with a leg kick. Holloway broke free of a clinch and both men landed kicks. Holloway went high with a switch kick, but Bermudez elevated him into the air and took him down. Holloway tried for an armbar and Bermudez punched free. Close round. 10-9 Holloway.

Round 3:
Bermudez took Holloway down early in the final round. Holloway quickly returned to his feet, but Bermudez scored another takedown soon after. Again, Holloway got right back to his feet. He briefly tripped Bermudez and the fighters began to exchange kicks to the legs and body. Bermudez took Holloway down again and he landed elbows and punches from the top. A big hematoma developed on Holloway’s forehead and Bermudez battered him with elbows until the end of the fight. 10-9 Bermudez.

Winner: Dennis Bermudez by Split Decision (29-28, 29-28, 28-29) after three rounds. He improves to 11-3-0.

 

Robert Whittaker vs Colton Smith

Round 1:
Whittaker scored with a nice combination and an uppercut in the early goings, but Smith cracked him with a big right hand counter. Whittaker jabbed and Smith landed a leg kick. He followed with an overhand right. Whittaker flurried with punches and Smith attempted a head kick. Three stiff jabs scored for Whittaker and he stuffed a takedown with a trio of uppercuts. Smith landed leg kicks and dropped Whittaker with a lunging right hand. Whittaker escaped a Kimura attempt and scrambled back to his feet. Close round. 10-9 Whittaker.

Round 2:
Whittaker rocked Smith with a left hook in round two and hurt him again with uppercuts. Smith tried to rush forward to clinch, but Whittaker stayed out of range. Both fighters landed hooks and Whittaker scored with a right-left combo. He stepped free of a takedown attempt and the fighters exchanged right hands again. Time was called after Whittaker was kneed in the groin and both men landed more hard punches after the restart. A left hook wobbled Smith, who began to bleed from below his left eye from a follow-up right. Whittaker swarmed with uppercuts late in the round. 10-9 Whittaker.

Round 3:
Whittaker dropped Smith with a counter left hook early in the final round. A dazed Smith fell to his back and Whittaker moved in with more punches that forced referee Chris Tognoni to stop the fight.

Winner: Robert Whittaker by TKO (Punches) at 0:41 of round three. He improves to 11-2-0.

 

Khabib “The Eagle” Nurmagomedov vs Abel “Killa” Trujillo

Round 1:
After an early exchange of strikes, Trujillot ook Nurmagomedov down. Nurmagomedov immediately transitioned to a straight armbar, but Trujillo scrambled. The fighters stood and Nurmagomedov dragged Trujillo down. Trujillo repeatedly got back to his feet and was promptly taken down again. Trujillo eventually rolled forward and wound up on top. Nurmagomedov locked on a triangle choke and rolled into mount. He secured the triangle again just before the bell, but time expired. 10-9 Nurmagomedov.

Round 2:
Nurmagomedov scored another takedown in round two, but Trujillo scrambled up to his feet and landed a nice left hook. Nurmagomedov retreated, but he regained his footing and rocked Trujillo with a right hand. The fighters teed off with punches and Nurmagomedov took Trujillo down. He secured a body triangle, but Trujillo escaped and the fight briefly returned to the feet. Nurmagomedov continued to take Trujillo down. Trujillo held mount momentarily, but he could not maintain the position. Nurmagomedov took Trujillo’s back again and stayed there until the bell. 10-9 Nurmagomedov.

Round 3:
Nurmagomedov landed a counter left hook and pulled Trujillo down to the ground again in the final round. Each time Trujillo stood up, Nurmagomedov took him right back down. Trujillo rolled to his back and Nurmagomedov landed short elbows. Trujillo stood and Nurmagomedov suplexed him down repeatedly. Nurmagomedov landed punches and secured another slam takedown in the final seconds. 10-9 Nurmagomedov.

Winner: Khabib Nurmagomedov by Unanimous Decision (30-27, 30-27, 30-27) after three rounds. He improves to 20-0-0.

 

Stephen “Wonderboy” Thompson vs Nah-Shon “The Rock-N-Rolla” Burrell

Round 1:
Burrell rushed forward with punches and Thompson held him against the cage. He tried for a takedown, but Burrell stayed on his feet. Burrell circled out and countered a kick with a combination. Thompson took him down briefly, but he could not keep him there. Both fighters landed knees to the body in the clinch and they battled for position. Burrell was more active with his knees, but Thompson stepped back and flurried. Burrell tried for a takedown, but Thompson reversed and wound up in mount. Burrell scrambled up and Thompson pinned him against the fence. He landed more short knees. Very close round. 10-9 Thompson, barely.

Round 2:
Thompson flurried with punches to the body in round two and Burrell replied with a combination of his own. Thompson remained active with his punches and he mixed in kicks to the upper body. Burrell walked forward and Thompson ducked under for a takedown. Burrell stayed on his feet, but he ate a pair of head kicks and a quick one-two. Thompson missed with a spinning hook kick and Burrell countered with two uppercuts. A spinning elbow missed for Burrell and Thompson held him against the cage. 10-9 Thompson.

Round 3:
Thompson kept his distance and landed kicks and hooks in the final round. Burrell responded by kicking in return and he landed a combination. He cracked Thompson with two left hooks, but Thompson returned fire with a round kick. Thompson landed knees and the fighters traded more punches. Thompson began to slow down and Burrell scored with knees. He attempted a flying knee and Thompson took his back. The fight ended with another exchange of knees in the clinch. Close round once again. 10-9 Burrell.

Winner: Stephen Thompson by Unanimous Decision (30-27, 29-28, 29-28) after three rounds. He improves to 7-1-0.

 

George “Money” Roop vs Brian Bowles

Round 1:
Roop kept Bowles at bay early on with a front kick and a knee. He followed with a left hook and Bowles targeted the body. Roop mixed u his strikes nicely, but Bowles rocked him with a right hook. Roop recovered and threw a head kick and a three-punch flurry. Bowles punched to the body and head, but Roop kept him backing up with more combinations of punches and kicks. Bowles dropped Roop and quickly dove on a guillotine choke. He used it to move to mount late in the round. 10-9 Bowles.

Round 2:
Roop landed more body kicks in round two and he began to establish his jab. He dropped Bowles with a step-in jab and Bowles was clearly hurt. Roop dove in with more punches and landed a series of right hands. Bowles turtled and Roop continued to unload with punches until the bout was stopped.

Winner: George Roop by TKO (Punches) at 1:43 of round two. He improves to 14-9-1.

 

Jeremy “Lil’ Heathen” Stephens vs Estevan “El Terrible” Payan

Round 1:
Payan landed leg kicks and combinations right away. Stephens replied with two kicks of his own, but one strayed low and time was called. Action resumed with another exchange of kicks and Payan stuffed a takedown. He countered another takedown from Stephens with a guillotine choke. Payan worked for a triangle choke and an armbar, but Stephens cut him on the forehead with an elbow and the fighters stood. Payan tried for another guillotine. The fighters separated and Payan landed low and high kicks. Stephens answered with leg kicks and rocked Payan with a right cross. He landed another hard right before the bell. 10-9 Stephens.

Round 2:
Stephens scored with a hard right hook in round two. Payan responded with inside and outside leg kicks. Stephens took him down against the cage. Payan stood and Stephens dragged him back down again. Stephens attacked with elbows from the top and easily escaped an armbar. He moved to side control and took Payan’s back. Stephens attempted a neck crank and a badly bloodied Payan broke his grip. Payan bled all over the place, but he made it to the bell. 10-9 Stephens.

Round 3:
The fighters traded kicks and punches in the final round and Stephens landed a head kick. He followed with a hard right cross and countered a leg kick by taking Payan down. From back control, Stephens looked to set up a rear-naked choke. Payan stood and continued to bleed all over the canvas. Stephens held him against the fence and landed knees. He took Payan down and landed elbows from half-guard as Payan’s forehead gushed blood. 10-9 Stephens.

Winner: Jeremy Stephens by Unanimous Decision (30-26, 30-26, 30-27) after three rounds. He improves to 21-9-0.