Sam Sicilia vs Yaotzin Meza

Round 1:
Sicilia just missed with an early uppercut and he clinched with Meza against the cage. Sicilia took him down and passed to half-guard. He tried for a guillotine choke and Meza scrambled free. Meza then attempted a guillotine of his own, but he quickly lost the position and Sicilia wound up on top in half-guard again. He chained together choke attempts and took Meza’s back. Meza defended against a rear-naked choke and he swept into top position. Duelling guillotine chokes ensued and Sicilia switched to a Brabo choke. 10-9 Sicilia.

Round 2:
Both men landed leg kicks in round two and Meza scored with a quick one-two. Sicilia latched on to a guillotine choke and used it to force Meza down to the mat. Meza stood and ducked under a left hook. Looping right hands were exchanged and Meza kicked at Sicilia’s lead leg. He took Sicilia down and landed short punches before the bell. 10-10.

Round 3:
Sicilia secured a takedown in the final round and he locked on a tight guillotine choke as Meza fought back to his feet. Meza escaped once, but Sicilia trapped him in another guillotine and Meza was in all sorts of trouble. He fell to the mat and spun free from the choke, but Sicilia blasted him with punches and transitioned from a guillotine to a Brabo choke. Back on the feet, Sicilia shot in for a sloppy takedown and Meza countered with a guillotine choke and an armbar. Sicilia pulled his arm free and Meza finished the round on top. 10-9 Sicilia.

Winner: Sam Sicilia by Unanimous Decision (30-27, 29-28, 29-28) after three rounds. He improves to 15-5-0.

Jéssica “Bate Estaca” Andrade vs Sarah “Cheesecake” Moras

Round 1:
Moras scored a very brief takedown early in the fight, but Andrade regained her footing and threw Moras to the mat. She stood and allowed Moras to follow. Moras landed a nice right hook in an exchange, but Andrade stuffed a takedown and connected with a hard one-two. Moras tried to pull her down to the canvas, but Andrade stayed up. Moras pulled guard and threw elbows from her back.

Moras attacked with an armbar and landed an upkick as Andrade stood up. Moras tried to pull guard again, but Andrade punished her with short punches. The process repeated itself once more and Andrade landed punches and elbows from side control. Moras trapped Andrade’s leg, but Andrade landed more elbows. The fighters stood and Andrade knocked Moras down with a knee to the body. 10-9 Andrade.

Round 2:
Andrade kicked to the body in round two and Moras answered with a combination over the top. Andrade took her down into half-guard and landed hammerfists. She passed to side control and landed more elbows, but Moras scrambled back to full guard. Andrade stood and Moras followed. Andrade slammed her down and she resumed her assault with elbows from the top. More punches scored for Andrade and she looked to set up a guillotine choke. She finished the round with punches. 10-9 Andrade.

Round 3:
Moras lost her balance and fell off of a right hand from Andrade in the final round. She stood and Andrade landed a body kick. Moras tried to lock up a standing guillotine choke and Andrade countered with a takedown into side control. She punched from the top until Moras got back to her knees. Andrade eyed another guillotine and she rained down punches that bloodied Moras’s face.

The fight briefly returned to the feet and Andrade took Moras down after tagging her with a combination. Moras stood and secured a standing guillotine choke. Andrade countered by taking her down, but Moras immediately hopped on Andrade’s back and trapped her in a tight rear-naked choke. Andrade stood with Moras on her back and made it to the final bell. 10-9 Andrade.

Winner: Jéssica Andrade by Unanimous Decision (30-27, 30-27, 30-27) after three rounds. She improves to 13-4-0.

Rani Yahya vs Masanori Kanehara

Round 1:
Yahya jumped in and took Kanehara down right away, but Kanehara used the cage to get back to a knee. Yahya dragged him down again and he moved from side control to Kanehara’s back. Kanehara stood and Yahya promptly took him down for a third time. Kanehara countered with elbows, but Yahya took his back and looked for a rear-naked choke. Kanehara scrambled free and the fighters traded punches on the feet. Yahya caught a body kick and took Kanehara down. Uneventful round. 10-9 Yahya.

Round 2:
Kanehara walked forward with jabs and body kicks in round two until Yahya jumped into a flying guillotine choke that he used to pull guard. He adjusted his grip and tried to tighten the choke as Kanehara threw elbows to the body. He nearly passed to mount, but Yahya defended and tied him up from the bottom. The fighters were stood up and time was called after Kanehara was kicked in the groin. Action resumed and Yahya flurried with punches. He took Kanehara down and Kanehara tried for a late guillotine choke. 10-9 Yahya.

Round 3:
The final round began with an exchange of body kicks and Yahya mixed in leg kicks. Kanehara sprawled out of a takedown attempt and he landed elbows and hammerfists to the side of Yahya’s head. He rolled into a crucifix and nearly locked on a rear-naked choke, but Yahya escaped into top position. The fighters were stood up and an exhausted Yahya got Kanehara down very briefly. Kanehara stood and landed punches to the head and body. He finished the round on the feet with a body kick and a left hook to the liver. 10-9 Kanehara.

Winner: Rani Yahya by Split Decision (29-28, 29-28, 28-29) after three rounds. He improves to 21-8-0, 1 NC.

Sean “Tarzan” Strickland vs Igor Araujo

Round 1:
Kicks were exchanged in the opening minute and Strickland hurt Araujo with a combination. He caught a kick and took Araujo down, then postured up with punches from the top. Araujo battled back to his feet and Strickland rocked him with an elbow. He followed with punches to the head and body that dropped Araujo and forced him to turtle. Araujo weathered the storm and eventually returned to his feet. Both fighters landed hard punches in the final 40 seconds. 10-9 Strickland.

Round 2:
Araujo became more wild with his strikes in round two as he pressed forward aggressively with punches. Strickland countered with jabs and he caught a body kick. He took Araujo down and landed short shots from the top. Araujo tried to set up submissions from his back, but Strickland easily avoided them and he landed more ground and pound before the bell. 10-9 Strickland.

Round 3:
Strickland took Araujo back down early in the final round and struck from the top, but Araujo scrambled up and the fighters traded strikes on the feet. Strickland backed Araujo up with a combination and he followed with more punches. Araujo picked up the pace and pressed forward with a flurry of his own, but Strickland countered with stiff jabs and right hooks. He continued to outstrike Araujo on the feet until the end of the fight. 10-9 Strickland.

Winner: Sean Strickland by Unanimous Decision (30-26, 30-26, 30-27) after three rounds. He improves to 16-1-0.

Undercard Fights:

– “King” Kevin Casey defeated Ildemar “Marajo” Alcantara by Unanimous Decision (30-27, 30-27, 30-27) after three rounds. He improves to 9-3-0, 1 NC with the win.

– Lyman “Cyborg” Good defeated Andrew “Highlight” Craig by KO (Punches) at 3:37 of round two. He improves to 19-3-0, 1 NC with the win.