The Ultimate Fighting Championship came to Fort Campbell in Hopkinsville, Kentucky tonight for UFC Fight Night 31: “Fight For The Troops 3.” The card was headlined by a middleweight bout between former decorated U.S. Army Ranger Tim Kennedy and Brazilian rising star Rafael “Sapo” Natal.
In tonight’s co-main event, Liz “Girl-Rilla” Carmouche battled Alexis “Ally-Gator” Davis in a women’s bantamweight matchup. Ronny Markes took on Yoel “Soldier of God” Romero Palacio in a featured middleweight fight. MMARising.com has play-by-play and full results for UFC Fight Night 31.
Tim Kennedy vs Rafael “Sapo” Natal
Round 1:
Both fighters landed right hands in the opening minute. Kennedy threw a pair of head kicks and ate a left hook counter. An overhand right landed for Natal and Kennedy answered back with a looping left. Natal briefly took him down and landed two punches on the way up. He tripped Kennedy with a leg kick, but Kennedy stood and landed a kick to the body. Both men missed with spinning attacks and Natal landed a left hook. Kennedy fired back with a left hook of his own and Natal went crashing to the canvas. Kennedy dove in with more punches and Natal was rendered unconscious.
Winner: Tim Kennedy by KO (Punches) at 4:40 of round one. He improves to 17-4-0.
Alexis “Ally-Gator” Davis vs Liz “Girl-Rilla” Carmouche
Round 1:
The fighters traded one-twos in the opening minute and Davis landed a counter right hook. Carmouche scored with a chopping leg kick and circled on the outside. She targeted Davis’s lead leg with more kicks and Davis responded with leg kicks of her own. She hurt Carmouche with an inside leg kick and flurried with punches. Davis landed a three-punch combo and Carmouche grazed her chin with a counter right hook. She landed another right hand late in the round. 10-9 Davis.
Round 2:
More leg kicks and right hooks were exchanged in round two. Carmouche landed two hard shots and Davis began to bleed from above the left eye. She pressed forward with a combination and a leg kick. Davis kept Carmouche backing up with punches and Carmouche was forced to circle on the outside. Carmouche began to limp on her right leg as Davis punished it with kicks. Davis caught a body kick and dumped her to the mat. She moved to side control and attempted an armbar in a scramble before the bell. 10-9 Davis.
Round 3:
Davis clinched in round three and landed knees to Carmouche’s thighs. Carmouche reversed the clinch and threw knees to the body. Davis tried for a takedown and the fighters were separated. Carmouche kicked to the body and just missed with a right hook. Davis punished her with more leg kicks and clinched again. Carmouche attempted a takedown and Davis stuffed it. She landed combinations of leg kicks and right hands as Carmouche backed up. Two knees scored for Davis in the final seconds. 10-9 Davis.
Winner: Alexis Davis by Unanimous Decision (30-27, 30-27, 29-28) after three rounds. She improves to 15-5-0.
Yoel “Soldier of God” Romero Palacio vs Ronny Markes
Round 1:
Markes secured a brief takedown early in the fight, but Romero Palacio returned to his feet and scored with a nice left hand. Markes got him back down and struck from the top. Romero Palacio stood once again and landed a foot stomp, left cross combo. Markes answered back with a body kick and avoided a spinning backfist. He stuffed a takedown and the fighters traded punches late in the close round. 10-9 Markes.
Round 2:
Romero Palacio landed hard left hands in round two and Markes lost his balance. He stood up and scored with an uppercut. Romero Palacio fought off a takedown and kicked at Markes’s legs. Markes fell to the mat after Romero Palacio blasted him with a liver kick. Romero Palacio allowed him to stand and he landed another body kick. Markes answered back with a flying knee and a right hand. Romero Palacio connected with jabs and left hands until Markes tagged him with a counter right cross. 10-9 Romero Palacio.
Round 3:
Markes was aggressive in the final round and tried for a takedown, but Romero Palacio stuffed it. Time was called after Markes was poked in the eye. After the restart, Romero Palacio rocked Markes with a series of left hands. Markes recovered, but Romero Palacio floored him with a devastating left hook. Markes collapsed to the canvas and the fight was stopped after Romero Palacio landed two more punches.
Winner: Yoel Romero Palacio by KO (Punch) at 1:39 of round three. He improves to 6-1-0.
Rustam Khabilov vs Jorge “Gamebred” Masvidal
Round 1:
Khabilov landed a huge overhand right in the opening seconds, but Masvidal was unfazed. The fighters traded punches and Khabilov landed another right hand. Khabilov continued to find a home for his right hand on Masvidal’s jaw. Masvidal landed a flurry and stuffed a takedown attempt. He scored with a body kick on the way up and followed with a flying knee. Khabilov took him down and the fighters battled in the clinch. Masvidal picked up the pace and threw more flying knees. Very close round. 10-9 Khabilov, barely.
Round 2:
Khabilov scored with more right hands in the second round and Masvidal responded with leg kicks. The fighters clinched and Masvidal avoided a takedown attempt. He kicked to the body and kept Khabilov on the defensive with jabs. Khabilov managed to close the distance and he fired off a big combination, but Masvidal took him down and struck from the top. Khabilov stood and tried to suplex Masvidal. He briefly dragged him down, but Masvidal reversed and the round ended with an exchange of punches. Another close round. 10-9 Masvidal.
Round 3:
Khabilov dropped Masvidal with a spinning heel kick to the neck in round three and he dove in with a rear-naked choke attempt on the ground. Masvidal recovered and stood, but Khabilov dragged him back down. Masvidal escaped from an arm-triangle choke attempt and he landed a nice knee as the fight returned to the feet. Masvidal landed a flying knee and attempted a second one, but Khabilov caught it and took him down. Masvidal reversed and stood up. Khabilov stuffed a takedown and punched to the body until the final bell. 10-9 Khabilov.
Winner: Rustam Khabilov by Unanimous Decision (30-27, 30-27, 29-28) after three rounds. He improves to 17-1-0.
Michael “Maverick” Chiesa vs Colton Smith
Round 1:
Smith landed a grazing head kick early in the fight and followed with a flurry of punches. He took Chiesa’s back and slammed him down to the mat. Chiesa swet into mount and took Smith’s back. Smith fought off rear-naked chokes and neck cranks and he scrambled into back control. Chiesa stood with Smith on his back and Smith locked on a rear-naked choke. Chiesa slammed himself forward and Smith lost his grip. Smith tried for another rear-naked choke and the fighters stood before the end of the round. 10-9 Smith.
Round 2:
Chiesa pressed the action with punches in the second round and he used a judo throw to slam Smith forward onto the top of his head. Chiesa took Smith’s back and locked on a tight rear-naked choke that forced Smith to submit.
Winner: Michael Chiesa by Submission (Rear-Naked Choke) at 1:41 of round two. He improves to 10-1-0.
Undercard Fights:
Bobby “King” Green defeated “The” James Krause by TKO (Kick To The Body) at 3:50 of round one. He improves to 21-5-0 with the win.
Francisco “Cisco” Rivera defeated George “Money” Roop by TKO (Punches) at 2:20 of round two. He improves to 10-2-0, 1 NC with the win.
Dennis “The Menace” Bermudez defeated “Super” Steven Siler by Unanimous Decision (30-27, 30-27, 30-27) after three rounds. He improves to 12-3-0 with the win.
Amanda “Lioness” Nunes defeated Germaine “The Iron Lady” de Randamie by TKO (Elbows) at 3:56 of round one. She improves to 9-3-0 with the win.
Lorenz “The Monsoon” Larkin defeated Chris Camozzi by Unanimous Decision (30-27, 30-27, 29-28) after three rounds. He improves to 14-1-0, 1 NC with the win.
Yancy “Frisson” Medeiros defeated Yves “Thugjitsu Master” Edwards by KO (Punches) at 2:47 of round one. He improves to 10-1-0 with the win.
Seth “The Polish Pistola” Baczynski defeated Neil Magny by Unanimous Decision (29-28, 29-28, 29-28) after three rounds. He improves to 19-10-0 with the win.
Derek Brunson defeated Brian “B-Hue” Houston by Submission (Rear-Naked Choke) at 0:48 of round one. He improves to 11-2-0 with the win.