The Ultimate Fighting Championship came to Toyota Center in Houston, Texas tonight for UFC Fight Night 104: “Bermudez vs Korean Zombie.” The event was headlined by a featherweight bout between Dennis “The Menace” Bermudez and popular contender “The Korean Zombie” Chan Sung Jung.
In tonight’s strawweight co-main event, Mexican standout Alexa Grasso put her undefeated record on the line against veteran Felice “Lil’ Bulldog” Herrig. Abel “Killa” Trujillo battled James “The Texecutioner” Vick at 155 pounds. MMARising.com has live play-by-play for tonight’s UFC card.
“The Korean Zombie” Chan Sung Jung vs Dennis “The Menace” Bermudez
Round 1:
Jung fought off an early takedown attempt and landed a combination that led to a clinch against the cage. Bermudez broke free and rocked Jung with a big right hand. Jung recovered and he stuffed another takedown. Bermudez pressured him with more punches, but Jung landed some solid shots of his own and he continued to fend off takedowns. He walked forward and floored Bermudez with a massive uppercut. Referee Herb Dean jumped in to rescue a barely conscious Bermudez, who was face-down on the canvas.
Winner: Chan Sung Jung by KO (Punch) at 2:49 of round one. He improves to 14-4-0.
Felice “Lil’ Bulldog” Herrig vs Alexa Grasso
Round 1:
The fight began with Herrig throwing right hands and Grasso countering with leg kicks. Grasso jumped into a flying switch kick that landed on Herrig’s jaw, but Grasso fell in the process. She attacked with a heel hook on the ground and the fighters scrambled back to their feet. Herrig landed more right hands and the fighters traded power punches in a brief exchange. Grasso landed a leg kick and a right hand, but Herrig fired right back with punches and the round ended with both women landing knees. 10-9 Herrig by a slim margin.
Round 2:
Herrig landed a nice right hand to begin round two and she followed with a jab-cross combo. Both fighters landed one-twos, but Herrig got the better of the exchanges by snapping Grasso’s head back with powerful right hands. Grasso scored with leg kicks and one to the body, but Herrig remained effective with jabs and straight rights. Grasso continued to land kicks, but she struggled to find her range with punches and Herrig scored with a quick combination. She took Grasso down very briefly in the final 30 seconds and landed knees on the way up. The round ended with another Herrig takedown. 10-9 Herrig.
Round 3:
Round three began with both fighters throwing kicks to the body and Grasso targeted Herrig’s lead leg. Herrig responded with jabs and a straight right hand. She took Grasso down and mounted her after fighting off a kimura attempt, but Grasso kicked her off and the fighters returned to their feet. Both women landed one-twos and Herrig countered Grasso’s leg kicks with straight rights. She landed jab after jab that snapped Grasso’s head back. Grasso scored with a kick to the upper body and stuffed a takedown. She bloodied Herrig’s mouth with a combination and rocked her just before the bell. 10-9 Grasso.
Winner: Felice Herrig by Unanimous Decision (30-27, 29-28, 29-28) after three rounds. She improves to 12-6-0.
James “The Texecutioner” Vick vs Abel “Killa” Trujillo
Round 1:
Vick kept Trujillo at bay with jabs and front kicks throughout the first two minutes of the fight until Trujillo shot in and scored a slam takedown. Vick tried for a guillotine choke, but Trujillo managed to pull his head out. The fighters stood and Vick threw more kicks. He avoided a lunging combination from Trujillo and cracked him with a right hand. Trujillo looked for a takedown and Vick countered with a guillotine choke. 10-9 Vick.
Round 2:
Both men landed left hooks simultaneously in round two and Vick resumed throwing kicks from a distance. Trujillo connected with a hard right hand, but Vick was unfazed. Trujillo clinched in search of a takedown, but Vick shrugged him off. Trujillo jumped in with lunging left hands, but Vick countered with knees and he took Trujillo down. Within seconds, Vick locked on a Brabo choke and Trujillo appeared to be in all sorts of danger. He refused to submit and Vick adjusted his grip. Trujillo finally escaped and Vick worked from the top in side control. He took Trujillo’s back as the fighters stood. 10-9 Vick.
Round 3:
Vick hurt Trujillo with a knee right away in the final round, but Trujillo fired off wild hooks until Vick took him down. Vick locked on another Brabo choke and this time Trujillo was forced to submit.
Winner: James Vick by Submission (Brabo Choke) at 0:49 of round three. He improves to 10-1-0.
Volkan “Cousin” Oezdemir vs Ovince “OSP” St. Preux
Round 1:
Oezdemir pressured St. Preux with kicks and right hooks early in the opening round, and he backed St. Preux up against the cage. St. Preux countered with a takedown attempt, but Oezdemir remained on his feet and he scored with a left hand. Two head kicks and a three-punch combo landed for Oezdemir, but St. Preux answered back with another left hook. He followed with a front kick to the body and fought off an Oezdemir takedown attempt. A punch-kick combo landed for St. Preux and he stunned Oezdemir with two hooks in close. Oezdemir flurried to the head and body late in the close round. 10-9 Oezdemir.
Round 2:
More hooks were exchanged in round two until St. Preux secured a takedown from a clinch. Oezdemir stood and he chopped away at St. Preux’s lead leg with kicks. St. Preux slowed way down, but he wobbled Oezdemir with a combination. Oezdemir recovered quickly and he continued to throw leg kicks. St. Preux responded with a liver kick and the fatigued fighters traded single punches. St. Preux jabbed and the relatively uneventful round ended with an exchange of kicks. 10-9 St. Preux, barely.
Round 3:
The fighters clinched after an early exchange of punches in round three and St. Preux scored with a knee to the body. Oezdemir replied with lead left hands and he easily stuffed a takedown. Oezdemir’s pace slowed down again and St. Preux picked him apart with jabs. Hard left hooks and straight right hands landed for St. Preux, who mixed in strikes to the body. He rocked Oezdemir with punches in the final 20 seconds, but Oezdemir survived and made it to the bell. 10-9 St. Preux.
Winner: Volkan Oezdemir by Split Decision (29-28, 29-28, 28-29) after three rounds. He improves to 13-1-0.
Marcel “Mãozinha” Fortuna vs Anthony “Freight Train” Hamilton
Round 1:
Power punches were exchanged fight away and Fortuna was cut above the right eye by an accidental clash of heads. Hamilton kept Fortuna on the defensive with punches until referee Herb Dean halted the fight to check on Fortuna’s cut. Action resumed and Hamilton landed punches and a body kick. Fortuna rocked him with a right hand, but Hamilton recovered and threw another combination. He walked forward and ate a vicious right hook from Fortuna that sent him crashing face-first to the canvas.
Winner: Marcel Fortuna by KO (Punch) at 3:10 of round one. He improves to 9-1-0.
Jéssica “Bate Estaca” Andrade vs Angela “Overkill” Hill
Round 1:
Hill landed quick kicks to the upper body in the opening minute and Andrade countered with a nice flurry that forced Hill to backpedal. Huge punches were exchanged and both women landed. Hill followed with a knee and Andrade fired back with punches. She backed Hill up against the fence and unloaded with left and right hooks. Andrade mixed up her punches to the head and body, and Hill tried to counter with knees. Another lengthy flurry landed for Andrade and she continued to chase Hill down with looping hooks. Hill landed a knee late in the round and Andrade finished with another flurry. 10-9 Andrade.
Round 2:
The second round began with Hill landing leg kicks and a jab, but Andrade rushed at her and swarmed on Hill with punches. Hill maintained her composure and fired back with hooks and a knee, which opened a cut below Andrade’s right eye. Andrade landed a big knee of her own and she backed Hill up again with another hard flurry. Big right hands scored for Andrade to the head and body, but Hill cracked her with two right hooks in return. Andrade tripped Hill to the mat and took her back. Hill stood, but Andrade picked her up and slammed her down again. 10-9 Andrade.
Round 3:
Both women teed off with power punches in a frenetic exchange in round three and Andrade stunned Hill with a left hook. Hill recovered and circled away, but she ate another left hook and more punches from the advancing Andrade. She hurt Hill with a right hook and followed with a barrage of punches, but Hill knocked Andrade down with a counter jab as Andrade stepped forward. A left hook rocked Hill and Andrade kept the pressure on. She backed Hill up against the cage with punches once again and mixed in knees. The fight ended with Andrade swarming on Hill with punches. 10-9 Andrade.
Winner: Jéssica Andrade by Unanimous Decision (30-27, 30-27, 30-27) after three rounds. She improves to 16-5-0.
(Undercard results and play-by-play on Page Two.)