The Ultimate Fighting Championship made its way to Capital One Arena in Washington, D.C. tonight for UFC on ESPN 7: “Overeem vs Rozenstruik.” The card was headlined by a heavyweight bout between Alistair “Demolition Man” Overeem and undefeated rising star Jairzinho “Bigi Boy” Rozenstruik.
In the co-feature, Marina Rodriguez faced Cynthia Calvillo in a 120-pound catchweight bout after Calvillo failed to make the strawweight limit. Stefan “Skyscraper” Struve met “Big” Ben Rothwell in heavyweight action. MMARising.com has live play-by-play for the UFC on ESPN 7 card.
Jairzinho “Bigi Boy” Rozenstruik vs Alistair “Demolition Man” Overeem
Round 1:
Rozenstruik struck first with leg kicks and he followed with punches after avoiding an Overeem clinch attempt. Overseem secured a clinch on his third try and immediately slammed Rozenstruik down to the mat. Overeem threw knees to the body and short elbows to Rozenstruik’s face while working from the top in half-guard. He prevented Rozenstruik from scrambling up to his feet and landed more short elbows from side control until the end of the round. 10-9 Overeem.
Round 2:
Overeem closed the distance early in round two and both men landed knees to the body in a clinch. Overeem tried to trip Rozenstruik, but Rozenstruik stayed on his feet and the clinch battle continued. The fighters were eventually separated and both landed side kicks. Rozenstruik fired off a hard right hand that was partially blocked and Overeem responded with an overhand left. Rozenstruik flurried to the body and Overeem landed two jard body kicks before the bell. Close round. 10-9 Overeem.
Round 3:
After a brief exchange of punches, Overeem dropped levels and tried for a takedown in round three. Rozenstruik shrugged him off and Overeem landed a lunging one-two. A lead left hook landed for Rozenstruik and both fighters threw leg kicks. Overeem scored with a big overhand left, but Rozenstruik was unfazed and the fighters clinched again. Overeem tripped Rozenstruik into half-guard and struck from the top with punches and elbows. 10-9 Overeem.
Round 4:
Overeem continued to pick his shots with single kicks and punches in the fourth round until Rozenstruik backed him up with a lengthy flurry of punches that were mostly blocked. Overeem landed an overhand left and a jab as he pressed forward again. Overeem missed with a looping left hook and ate a short uppercut in return. Rozenstruik closed in and landed overhand punches as Overeem covered up once more. Two left hands landed for Overeem and he missed with a third. Rozenstruik landed a knee and a left hook to the body before the end of the close round. 10-9 Rozenstruik.
Round 5:
Overeem landed a combination in the final round and briefly moved forward, but the action remained sparse and the crowd began to boo. Overeem tried to pull Rozenstruik down to the ground, but he wound up on the bottom and quickly returned to his feet. A hard leg kick landed for Overeem and Rozenstruik responded with a combination. He jumped in with a knee that Overeem blocked. He tried unsuccessfully to take Rozenstruik down and the fighters separated. With mere seconds remaining in the fight, Rozenstruik landed a one-two that dropped Overeem and the fight was waved off. Crazy finish.
Winner: Jairzinho Rozenstruik by TKO (Punches) at 4:56 of round five. He improves to 10-0-0.
Marina Rodriguez vs Cynthia Calvillo
Round 1:
Rodriguez landed left-right combos in the opening minute and she followed with two overhand rights. Calvillo ate a knee to the body and countered with a takedown into Rodriguez’s half-guard. Rodriguez scrambled up and backed Calvillo up with punches, elbows and a knee to the body. Rodriguez scored with a nice right hook and Calvillo responded by clinching. Rodriguez broke free with a head kick and she chased after Calvillo with knees to the body and head. Calvillo secured a takedown into mount late in the round, but time expired before she could land anything damaging. 10-9 Rodriguez.
Round 2:
Calvillo opened round two with a front kick and Rodriguez immediately countered with a three-punch flurry. Both women landed right hands and Rodriguez followed with a knee to the body. She fought off a clinch attempt with another knee and followed with a quick combination and a body kick. Rodriguez landed a spinning back kick to the body and blocked a spinning backfist from Calvillo. She backed Calvillo up with punches and kicks to the body and landed a jumping switch knee to the face before the bell. 10-9 Rodriguez.
Round 3:
Rodriguez landed punches early in the final round until Calvillo took her down. Calvillo first worked for a kimura from the top and then took Rodriguez’s back. She landed punches and elbows to Rodriguez’s face while looking to set up a rear-naked choke. Rodriguez scrambled, but Calvillo stayed on top and landed punches and elbows. Rodriguez managed to fight her way back to her feet against the cage and the fighters separated. Rodriguez landed knees to the body and a head kick before the end of the fight. 10-9 Calvillo, if not a 10-8.
Result: Majority Draw (29-28, 28-28, 28-28) after three rounds. Rodriguez moves to 12-0-2, while Calvillo is now 8-1-1.
“Big” Ben Rothwell vs Stefan “Skyscraper” Struve
Round 1:
Struve landed kicks to Rothwell’s body and lead leg throughout the first 90 seconds of the fight. Rothwell closed the distance and tried for a takedown, but Struve stayed on his feet. He fought off another takedown and hurt Rothwell with a head kick. Rothwell recovered and landed a kick to Struve’s groin, which resulted in Struve immediately collapsing in pain. Struve stayed down for quite some time, but the fight continued after the five-minute allotment and Struve landed head kicks. Rothwell responded with punches over the top and the fighters traded knees in close. Struve pressed forward with leg kicks and another head kick that was narrowly blocked. 10-9 Struve.
Round 2:
After an exchange of punches in round two, time was briefly called again when Rothwell was kicked in the groin, but the fight continued and both men landed overhand rights. Struve threw short uppercuts in close and he followed with a hard leg kick after the fighters separated. Struve landed two body kicks and Rothwell landed a kick to the groin. Struve collapsed again and time was called. After another lengthy break, the fight continued and Rothwell was docked one point. After the restart, Rothwell rushed forward with punches that hurt Struve, but Struve recovered and circled away with 30 seconds to go. Rothwell checked a leg kick, which hurt Struve’s shin and Rothwell swarmed on him with punches. Struve fell against the base of the cage and Rothwell landed punches until the fight was stopped.
Winner: Ben Rothwell by TKO (Punches) at 4:57 of round two. He improves to 37-12-0.
Aspen Ladd vs Yana “Foxy” Kunitskaya
Round 1:
Ladd jabbed her way into an early clinch, but Kunitskaya reversed against the cage and landed a knee to the body. The fighters were separated after Kunitskaya grabbed the cage and Ladd landed an elbow. She and Kunitskaya battled for position in another clinch, which Kunitskaya controlled with knees to the body and short left hands. Ladd countered with an elbow and a trip takedown into half-guard. She took Kunitskaya’s back in a subsequent scramble and unloaded with punches to the sides of Kunitskaya’s head until Kunitskaya swept into Ladd’s guard shortly before the bell. 10-9 Ladd.
Round 2:
The second round began with an exchange of lead left hands and Kunitskaya mixed in body kicks. Ladd tried to drag her down to the mat, but Kunitskaya defended and stayed on her feet, which allowed her to land knees to the body in a clinch against the cage. Kunitskaya backed away after landing punches and a body kick. Ladd got her down into full guard and Kunitskaya tied up her arms from the bottom. Ladd landed three short elbows late in the close round. 10-9 Kunitskaya despite the late takedown.
Round 3:
Ladd immediately dropped Kunitskaya with a lead left hook in the final round and she swarmed on her with punches on the ground. Kunitskaya gave up her back, but Ladd kept the pressure on with non-stop punches until the fight was waved off.
Winner: Aspen Ladd by TKO (Punches) at 0:33 of round three. She improves to 9-1-0.
Cody “The Spartan” Stamann vs Yadong “Kung Fu Monkey” Song
Round 1:
Song opened the action with a leg kick and a combination, followed by a lead left hook that briefly backed Stamann up. Punches were exchanged and Stamann took Song down against the base of the cage. Song countered with a tight guillotine choke as Stamann was kneeling. He followed with an illegal knee to the head of a downed Stamann and time was called. Song was docked one point for the foul and the action resumed with Song landing quick punches. Stamann kicked to the body and he managed to get Song down just before the bell. Close opening round. 9-9 due to the point deduction.
Round 2:
Song landed two right hooks early in the second round and he thwarted a Stamann takedown attempt. A hard leg kick and a right hand landed for Song, but Stamann fired back with a looping right. He took Song down, but almost gave up his back in the process and the fighters returned to their feet. A combination landed for Song and Stamann responded by slamming him down to the mat. Stamann worked from the top in side control until Song swept into top position. A solid elbow landed for Song and Stamann responded with punches from the bottom. 10-9 Stamann.
Round 3:
Both men landed kicks to begin round three and Stamann secured a takedown after setting it up with a combination. Song rolled and tried to take Stamann’s back as Stamann sat on his chest. Stamann scrambled and wound up in Song’s half-guard. He postured up with punches in the final 80 seconds and looked to pass to mount. Song gave up his back and Stamann landed punches. He returned to mount again and landed more punches and hammerfists to Song’s face. 10-9 Stamann.
Result: Majority Draw (29-27, 28-28, 28-28) after three rounds. Stamann moves to 18-2-1, while Song is now 15-4-1, 1 NC.
Rob Font vs Ricky Simón
Round 1:
Font landed a nice right hand early in the fight and he followed with a short elbow after taking Simón down. The fight returned to the feet against the cage and Simón landed knees. Font fired back with an uppercut and a knee before stuffing a takedown. Simón landed a leg kick and ducked under a combination, but Font was effective with his jab and he used it to set up a one-two. Simón ate an uppercut and landed two knees in return. He held Font against the cage and landed more knees, then slammed him down to the mat. Font stood up and escaped from a guillotine choke. A nice combination landed for Font and Simón began to bleed from the nose. He took Font down again, but Font stood and the round ended on the feet. 10-9 Simón.
Round 2:
Simón fought off a takedown attempt and backed Font up with a counter hook to begin round two. Font jabbed and landed a hard left hook before thwarting a Simón takedown attempt. A front kick and four lunging punches landed for Font before Simón circled away. He briefly took Font down soon after and Font countered with a guillotine choke that he used to get back to his feet. Font landed another combination, fought off a takedown and blasted Simón with a hard right hand. Two more hooks landed for Font and he followed with a knee, but Simón caught it and took him down. Font stood and landed more lunging punches before the bell. 10-9 Font.
Round 3:
Both men landed hooks early in the final round and Simón followed with a knee in close. Font remained the aggressor with combinations and single right hands, but Simón jabbed and hurt Font with a left hook to the liver. He took Font down into half-guard, but Font scrambled up and threw a knee along the way. A right hook and an uppercut scored for Fon, who followed with jabs and a knee. Simón answered with punches over the top, but Font avoided most of Simón’s punches and countered with more jabs late in the close fight. 10-9 Font by a slim margin.
Winner: Rob Font by Unanimous Decision (30-27, 29-28, 29-28) after three rounds. He improves to 17-4-0.
(Undercard results and play-by-play on Page Two.)