The Ultimate Fighting Championship’s doubleheader of events continued tonight with UFC Fight Night 54: “MacDonald vs Saffiedine” at Scotiabank Centre in Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada. The card featured a welterweight bout between Rory “Ares” MacDonald and Tarec “Sponge” Saffiedine.
In other action tonight, Raphael Assuncao battled Bryan “Kid Lightning” Caraway in a featherweight contender’s bout. Chad “The Disciple” Laprise clashed with Yosdenis “The Pink Panther” Cedeno at 155 pounds and TUF Nations winner Elias “The Spartan” Theodorou met Bruno “Carioca” Santos.
Rory “Ares” MacDonald vs Tarec “Sponge” Saffiedine
Round 1:
Saffiedine pawed out with punches early in round one and MacDonald kept his distance. He landed a nice body kick and the fighters traded jabs. MacDonald landed a nice right hand and took Saffiedine down, but Saffiedine quickly returned to his feet. MacDonald landed more jabs and right hands and he got Saffiedine down again. Saffiedine defended well from his back and scrambled up. The round ended with an exchange of leg kicks. 10-9 MacDonald.
Round 2:
More jabs were exchanged in round two and MacDonald put together a five-punch combination, but Saffiedine defended well. MacDonald landed a body kick and a right hook, and Saffiedine narrowly missed with a head kick. MacDonald backed him up with a jab and an overhand right, but Saffiedine answered back with a right hand of his own. Saffiedine threw more leg kicks late in the round and a cautious MacDonald responded with jabs and right hands. 10-9 MacDonald.
Round 3:
Saffiedine landed two hard right hands and a leg kick in the final round. MacDonald replied with a front kick to the body and pressed forward. He fired off a combination that included a rising left hook that floored Saffiedine. MacDonald teed off with punches as a dazed Saffiedine covered up on the ground and the fight was stopped.
Winner: Rory MacDonald by TKO (Punches) at 1:28 of round three. He improves to 18-2-0.
Raphael Assuncao vs Bryan “Kid Lightning” Caraway
Round 1:
Assuncao opened the fight with a series of leg kicks and he followed with a right hook that caused Caraway’s left eye to swell up. Caraway landed two uppercuts, but Assuncao easily stuffed his takedown attempts. Assuncao scored with more leg kicks and just missed with an uppercut as Caraway rushed in. He took Caraway down and Caraway used the cage to get back to his feet. More hard leg kicks connected for Assuncao and he took Caraway down once more before the end of the round. 10-9 Assuncao.
Round 2:
Assuncao resumed kicking at Caraway’s lead leg in round two and the fighters briefly clinched. Assuncao countered a head kick by taking Caraway down. Caraway returned to his feet and both men landed right hands. Caraway faked a punch and shot in for a takedown. He finally got Assuncao down, but Assuncao scrambled up and landed a vicious leg kick. Caraway secured another brief takedown and the fighters traded head kicks after returning to their feet. Assuncao landed a spinning wheel kick and the round ended with both men throwing wild punches. 10-9 Assuncao.
Round 3:
Assuncao countered a one-two from Caraway with a left hook in the final round and he stuffed a takedown. A leg kick and a one-two landed for Assuncao and he tried for a takedown, but Caraway sprawled and worked for a guillotine choke. Assuncao escaped and stood up. He landed a knee in close and countered a takedown with an Anaconda choke. Caraway escaped to his feet, but Assuncao took him down soon after. The fighters stood and Assuncao dropped Caraway with a left hook late in the fight. 10-9 Assuncao.
Winner: Raphael Assuncao by Unanimous Decision (30-27, 30-27, 30-27) after three rounds. He improves to 23-4-0.
Chad “The Disciple” Laprise vs Yosdenis “The Pink Panther” Cedeno
Round 1:
Big leg kicks were exchanged right away and Laprise stunned Cedeno with a short right hand. He took Cedeno down and moved to half-guard. Laprise mounted Cedeno and Cedeno was forced to give up his back. Laprise secured a body triangle and worked for a rear-naked choke. Cedeno defended and eventually spun into Laprise’s guard. Laprise eyed an armbar and got back to his feet before the bell. 10-9 Laprise.
Round 2:
Cedeno missed with a haymaker right hand and fell on his face in round two, but he quickly returned to his feet and the fighters clinched. Cedeno stuffed a takedown and both men landed hard leg kicks. Laprise got Cedeno down and took his back once again. He tried for another rear-naked choke and Cedeno, just as in round one, reversed into Laprise’s guard. Little transpired in the final minute and the crowd began to boo the lack of action. 10-9 Laprise.
Round 3:
After an early clinch in round three, the fighters traded leg kicks and Cedeno missed with a flying front kick. Laprise scored with two powerful leg kicks, but the disinterested crowd continued to boo as the action was sparse. Laprise countered Cedeno’s clinch attempts with leg kicks and he took Cedeno down moments later. In the final minute, Laprise took Cedeno’s back and he suplexed him to the mat after Cedeno briefly stood up. 10-9 Laprise.
Winner: Chad Laprise by Unanimous Decision (30-27, 30-27, 30-27) after three rounds. He improves to 9-0-0.
Elias “The Spartan” Theodorou vs Bruno “Carioca” Santos
Round 1:
Santos opened the fight with a one-two and Theodorou answered back with a head kick. He clinched and landed short knees and punches in close. Theodorou worked for a takedown, but Santos stayed up and Theodorou snuck in a pair of uppercuts. After a lengthy clinch battle, Santos tripped Theodorou and Theodorou quickly returned to his feet. He attempted a takedown of his own and Santos thwarted it again. Theodorou threw two more head kicks after breaking away and the fighters clinched once more. Santos landed a big right hand before the bell. Close round. 10-9 Theodorou.
Round 2:
A fatigued Santos missed with wild punches in round two and Theodorou fired off a head kick and a right cross that partially landed. The fighters clinched on two occasions, but little transpired and Santos countered a head kick by taking Theodorou down. Theodorou tried to scramble back to his feet, but Santos hopped on his back and looked for a rear-naked choke. Theodorou defended well and he managed to get back to his feet shortly before the bell. Another close round. 10-9 Santos.
Round 3:
Theodorou rushed forward with punches and a head kick in the final round, but Santos took him back down and looked to secure another rear-naked choke. Theodorou got back to his feet and he slammed Santos down near the cage. Santos used the fence to get back up, but Theodorou scored two more takedowns and he mounted Santos soon after. A hard left hand from Theodorou forced Santos to give up his back and Theodorou sunk in both hooks. Santos escaped from a rear-naked choke attempt and stood up, but Theodorou landed a head kick, a knee to the body and a nice one-two before the bell. 10-9 Theodorou.
Winner: Elias Theodorou by Unanimous Decision (30-27, 30-27, 30-27) after three rounds. He improves to 10-0-0.
Nordine Taleb vs Jingliang “The Leech” Li
Round 1:
Li landed a series of hard right hands in the opening two minutes that caused Taleb’s nose to bleed, but Taleb fired back with right hooks and one-twos in return. A body kick and a stiff jab both scored for Taleb, who quickly returned to his feet after Li briefly took him down. Back on the feet, Taleb landed a short left hook and more jabs. Li landed a leg kick and tried for a takedown, but Taleb stuffed it and slammed him to the mat before the bell. 10-9 Taleb.
Round 2:
Li opened round two with a kick-punch combo and he began to establish his jab as Taleb’s eye swelled up. Taleb sidestepped many of Li’s punches, but Li connected with a one-two and the fighters traded power punches. Taleb took Li down and Li looked for an armbar. Taleb passed to side control and Li scrambled back to his feet. He took Taleb’s back and repeatedly slammed him down to the ground late in the round. 10-9 Li.
Round 3:
Li landed more leg kicks and a right cross in round three, which was answered by a left hook from Taleb. Li came up short with combinations, but he landed stiff jabs and Taleb’s nose began to bleed more heavily. Taleb stuffed a takedown and the fighters clinched against the cage. Taleb eventually reversed a takedown and got Li down into guard. He landed a handful of grazing elbows from the top, but Li defended well until the end of the close round. 10-9 Li, barely.
Winner: Nordine Taleb by Split Decision (29-28, 29-28, 28-29) after three rounds. He improves to 10-2-0.
Mitch Gagnon vs Roman “El Gallito” Salazar
Round 1:
Gagnon jabbed early on and the fighters clinched after he missed with a looping left hook. Salazar attempted a takedown, but Gagnon sprawled out and took his back soon after. He locked on a rear-naked choke and rolled to his back. Salazar had nowhere to go and was forced to submit.
Winner: Mitch Gagnon by Submission (Rear-Naked Choke) at 2:06 of round one. He improves to 12-2-0.
Undercard Fights:
– Daron “The Detroit Superstar” Cruickshank defeated Anthony “The Assassin” Njokuani by Unanimous Decision (30-27, 30-27, 30-27) after three rounds. He improves to 16-5-0 with the win.
– Olivier Aubin-Mercier defeated Jake “The Librarian” Lindsey by Submission (Inverted Triangle Kimura) at 3:22 of round two. He improves to 5-1-0 with the win.
– Paul “The Irish Dragon” Felder defeated Jason Saggo by Split Decision (29-28, 29-28, 28-29) after three rounds. He improves to 9-0-0 with the win.
– Chris “The Greek Assassin” Kelades defeated Patrick “The Hooligan” Holohan by Unanimous Decision (29-28, 29-28, 29-28) after three rounds. He improves to 8-1-0 with the win.
– Albert “Einstein” Tumenov defeated Matt Dwyer by KO (Head Kick & Punches) at 1:03 of round one. He improves to 14-2-0 with the win.
– Pedro “The Young Punisher” Munhoz defeated Jerrod “J-Reazie” Sanders by Submission (Guillotine Choke) at 0:39 of round one. He improves to 12-1-0 with the win.