The Ultimate Fighting Championship came to Singapore Indoor Stadium in Kallang, Singapore tonight for UFC Fight Night 162: “Maia vs Askren.” The card was headlined by a welterweight contender’s matchup between jiu-jitsu specialist Demian Maia and standout wrestler “Funky” Ben Askren.
In the lightweight co-main event, Michael “The Menace” Johnson took on Stevie “Braveheart” Ray. Also at lightweight, Frank “The Crank” Camacho battled Beneil Dariush. Ciryl “Bon Gamin” Gane faced Don’Tale “Lord Kong” Mayes at heavyweight. MMARising.com has live play-by-play for the card.
Demian Maia vs “Funky” Ben Askren
Round 1:
Maia opened the fight with straight left hands and he avoided Askren’s clinch attempts. Askren landed leg kicks and Maia countered with a knee. Askren secured a brief front headlock that allowed him to land knees before Maia broke free. He landed left and right hooks as Askren looked to close the distance. Maia landed knees to the body and Askren finally got him down. Maia looked to counter with a straight armbar and a heel hook from the bottom. Close round. 10-9 Maia.
Round 2:
After an exchange of jabs in the opening minute, both men landed hard punches at the same time in round two and Askren clinched. A bloodied Maia separated and landed two left hands. Askren backed Maia up with a flurry and he followed with two overhand rights. Askren got Maia down and Maia quickly countered with a triangle choke and an omoplata, which he used to sweep into top position. Maia mounted Askren and he attempted a kimura, but Askren scrambled free and wound up on top before the bell. Another close round. 10-9 Maia.
Round 3:
Askren punched his way into a clinch in the third round and he was able to trip Maia to the mat. Maia scrambled free and got back to his feet, where he ate a body kick from Askren. Maia jabbed and stuffed a takedown while landing knees to Askren’s body. Askren got Maia down, but Maia immediately countered with a heel hook and swept into mount. He took Askren’s back and trapped him in a body triangle while working for a rear-naked choke. Maia locked on the choke and Askren tapped out just before losing consciousness.
Winner: Demian Maia by Submission (Rear-Naked Choke) at 3:54 of round three. He improves to 28-9-0.
Stevie “Braveheart” Ray vs Michael “The Menace” Johnson
Round 1:
The fighters traded leg kicks early on and Johnson landed quick left hands. Ray responded with a left cross of his own and he mixed things up with jabs and a leg kick. More punches and kicks were exchanged until Ray landed a hard one-two. Both men landed leg kicks and Johnson established his jab. Both men landed leg kicks late in the round and Johnson followed with more jabs. Close opening round. 10-9 Johnson.
Round 2:
Johnson picked up the pace in round two and he began quickly with punches and a leg kick. Johnson continued to strike first and he kept Ray at range with jabs. Ray eventually landed a left cross and a leg kick that prompted Johnson to fire back with a kick of his own. He countered a Ray leg kick with a one-two that briefly knocked Ray off-balance. Johnson easily stuffed a takedown and both men landed hard left hands. Johnson bloodied Ray’s nose and he kept the pressure on with jabs and straight left hands. Two more hooks landed for Johnson before the bell. 10-9 Johnson.
Round 3:
Johnson set up left hands with jabs in the final round and he snapped Ray’s head back with a powerful left cross. Ray tried unsuccessfully to clinch and Johnson easily sidestepped. Ray finally got Johnson down and he landed punches to the side of his head while pinning him down against the base of the cage. Ray took Johnson’s back and trapped him in a body triangle. In the final minute, Ray flattened Johnson out and teed off with left hands. He landed hammerfists and a hard elbow to Johnson’s face before the bell. 10-8 Ray.
Winner: Stevie Ray by Majority Decision (29-28, 29-28, 28-28) after three rounds. He improves to 23-9-0.
Beneil Dariush vs Frank “The Crank” Camacho
Round 1:
Dariush opened the fight with a body kick and a knee, and he followed with two more hard kicks to the liver. Straight left hands also landed for Dariush, who slammed Camacho down to the mat. Dariush took Camacho’s back and locked on a rear-naked choke. Camacho tried to fight it, but he was forced to submit.
Winner: Beneil Dariush by Submission (Rear-Naked Choke) at 2:02 of round one. He improves to 17-4-1.
Cyril “Bon Gamin” Gane vs Don’Tale “Lord Kong” Mayes
Round 1:
Leg kicks were exchanged early on and Gane landed a nice flurry that was answered by a combination from Mayes. Gane landed two more kicks and he tried to punch his way into a clinch, but Mayes broke free. Gane scored with a body kick and two hard right hands that forced Mayes to spin around in defence. Gane followed with a front kick to the face and a vicious liver kick, but Mayes was unfazed. Two hard right hands backed Mayes up and Gane followed with leg and body kicks. Gane flurried with punches and he hurt Mayes’s right eye. Gane continued to tee off with punches and he dropped Mayes with a flying switch knee, but he was unable to finish Mayes off with ground and pound before the bell sounded. 10-8 Gane.
Round 2:
Gane targeted the body with punches in round two and time was called after Mayes was kicked in the groin. Action resumed and both men landed body kicks. Gane fired off another body kick and Mayes countered with a spinning backfist. Mayes landed a hard leg kic,, but Gane wobbled him with a left hook soon after. Mayes recovered quickly and Gane took him down after landing a three-punch flurry. Gane moved to North-South position and then tried to take Mayes’s back. Mayes stood and Gane dragged him back down as the round ended. 10-9 Gane.
Round 3:
Gane landed left hands and a hard kick to the liver to begin round three. Mayes tried unsuccessfully to clinch and Gane broke free with an elbow. Both men landed left hands and Gane kicked to the body again. He followed with an uppercut and another body kick. Gane stepped forward with knees and an elbow as he backed Mayes up against the cage. A liver kick hurt Mayes and Gane followed with knees and punches to the body as Mayes covered up against the cage. Gane took Mayes down and he landed punches from the top. Late in the round, Gane dropped back for a heel hook and Mayes tapped out almost immediately.
Winner: Cyril Gane by Submission (Heel Hook) at 4:46 of round three. He improves to 5-0-0.
Muslim “King of Kung Fu” Salikhov vs Laureano “Pepi” Staropoli
Round 1:
Staropoli countered an early right hand with a spinning backfist, and Salikhov followed with a leg kick. He landed a body kick and a flurry of punches soon after, then an overhand right and a spinning back kick to the body. Staropoli threw a head kick and a spinning back kick of his own, which Salikhov blocked. Staropoli narrowly ducked under a spinning back kick and Salikhov followed with a hard leg kick. He landed another spinning back kick to the body before the bell. 10-9 Salikhov.
Round 2:
Salikhov threw a spinning back kick to the head in round two, but Staropoli managed to narrowly block part of the kick with his hand. Staropoli responded with a head kick and a leg kick in return. Salikhov caught a kick and dumped him to the mat, but Staropoli scrambled back up to his feet. Salikhov caught a kick and knocked Staropoli down with a counter right hand. He followed with more quick punches on the ground before Staropoli battled back to his feet. Salikhov hurt Staropoli with punches and knees, but Staropoli survived the onslaught of strikes. Salikhov landed a right hand and lead left hooks late in the round. 10-9 Salikhov.
Round 3:
Power punches were exchanged right away in round three and Salikhov clinched. Staropoli broke free and he landed a right hand to the body before shooting in for a takedown. Salikhov stuffed it and he just missed with a spinning wheel kick. Salikhov dragged Staropoli down, but Staropoli quickly stood again and he landed hooks to the body. Both men attempted spinning attacks and Staropoli scored with a switch kick to the body. He landed lead left hooks to the head and body, but Salikhov caught a kick and pushed him away. Close final round. 10-9 Staropoli.
Winner: Muslim Salikhov by Unanimous Decision (30-26, 30-26, 29-28) after three rounds. He improves to 16-2-0.
(Undercard results and play-by-play on Page Two.)