UFC Fight Night 176: "Overeem vs Sakai" Live Play-By-Play & ResultsThe Ultimate Fighting Championship staged its latest event tonight at the UFC Apex in Las Vegas, Nevada. UFC Fight Night 176: “Overeem vs Sakai” was headlined by a heavyweight matchup between veteran contender Alistair “Demolition Man” Overeem and Brazilian rising star Augusto Sakai.

In the light heavyweight co-main event, Ovince “OSP” St. Preux squared off against Alonzo Menifield. Elsewhere on the main card, Michel “Demolidor” Pereira faced off against Zelim Imadaev in a featured welterweight matchup. MMARising.com has live play-by-play for tonight’s abbreviated UFC card.

 

Alistair “Demolition Man” Overeem vs Augusto Sakai

Round 1:
After a cautious opening minute, Sakai landed a counter right uppercut as Overeem moved forward and the fighters traded punches in a subsequent exchange. Sakai landed a knee to the body and a flurry of punches as Overeem backed up to the cage. He trapped Sakai in a Thai clinch and attacked with knees of his own. Sakai broke free from the clinch with a knee up the middle and Overeem landed a leg kick. He followed with an overhand right that appeared to stun Sakai momentarily. Soon after, Sakai landed a hard uppercut and he pressed forward with another uppercut and more punches over the top. Time was briefly called when Sakai was kneed in the groin and he landed one more right hand after the restart. 10-9 Sakai.

Round 2:
Both men landed combinations early in the second round and some swelling began to form on Overeem’s left temple. Overeem blocked a head kick and he responded with a left hook to the body. Sakai swarmed on him with hooks to the body and head while pinning Overeem against the cage. Overeem reversed and he landed short elbows over the top, but Sakai put Overeem’s back against the cage once more. The fighters separated with 45 seconds remaining in the round and Sakai landed a body kick. He closed out the round with two lunging hooks and clinched before the bell. Close round. 10-9 Sakai.

Round 3:
Sakai closed the distance and landed a quick flurry before circling away early in round three. He followed with two punches to the body and a leg kick. As Overeem moved forward with a left hook, Sakai countered with a hard uppercut. The fighters separated and Sakai backed Overeem up with punches and a knee as Overeem covered up. A brief clinch followed and Sakai backed away. Overeem landed a switch kick to the body and Sakai began to slow down, but he still landed a punch-kick combo and clinched. Overeem tripped him and stood over Sakai while dropping punches. Sakai countered with an upkick, but Overeem continued to stand over him and tried to pass Sakai’s guard. Sakai kept him in full guard, but Overeem scored with elbows to the body and head, which opened a cut above Sakai’s right eye. 10-9 Overeem.

Round 4:
Sakai flurried with punches in the opening minute of round four and Overeem covered up while retreating to the cage. This happened a second time soon after and Overeem landed a knee in return. Sakai landed more punches and an elbow that opened a cut on Overeem’s forehead. Time was called when Sakai was kicked in the groin. The fight continued and Sakai landed a flurry, but Overeem took him down. He once again dropped punches to Sakai’s face and body while standing over him. Overeem mixed in elbows as well and he passed to side control. Sakai rolled to his side as Overeem blasted him with hammerfists. After Sakai rolled over to his back again, Overeem dropped a big right hand from the top. He passed to half-guard and landed short elbows until the bell. 10-9 Overeem.

Round 5:
Overeem took Sakai down almost immediately in the final round and Sakai rolled to his side, seemingly uninterested in taking any further punishment. Overeem dropped two elbows to Sakai’s cheek and a series of hammerfists until referee Herb Dean stopped the fight.

Winner: Alistair Overeem by TKO (Elbows & Punches) at 0:26 of round five. He improves to 47-18-0, 1 NC.

 

Ovince “OSP” St. Preux vs “Atomic” Alonzo Menifield

Round 1:
Menifield opened the fight with lunging punches and St. Preux responded with a nice left cross. Menifield punched his way into a clinch, but little transpired and St. Preux pushed him away. Two body kicks landed for St. Preux and he followed up with a three-punch combo that forced Menifield to circle to the side. The pace slowed down considerably and St. Preux threw occasional left hands and leg kicks as Menifield circled on the outside. A straight left hand and a body kick landed for St. Preux late in the round and the fighters traded power hooks at the bell. Close round. 10-9 St. Preux.

Round 2:
St. Preux landed a hard body kick to begin round two and Menifield cracked him with a right hook in return. St. Preux used another leg kick to set up a straight left hand that snapped Menifield’s head back. The pace slowed again and St. Preux landed a spinning back kick to the body. He threw more single kicks from a distance as Menifield offered little offence in return. More body kicks scored for St. Preux and he followed with a lead right hook. Menifield finally threw a one-two and that led to a brief clinch, but St. Preux pushed Menifield away. As Menifield moved forward, St. Preux slept him with a counter left hook. A unconscious Menifield fell face-first to the mat and the fight was stopped.

Winner: Ovince St. Preux by KO (Punch) at 4:07 of round two. He improves to 25-14-0.

 

Michel “Demolidor” Pereira vs Zelim Imadaev

Round 1:
Pereira struck first with a lead left hook and he followed with an overhand right that backed Imadaev up momentarily. The fighters traded cautious strikes until Imadaev jumped in with a left hook that missed and Pereira stunned him with a knee. A hard right hand landed for Pereira and he began to taunt Imadaev by putting his hands behind his back. Imadaev struggled to land anything and Pereira connected with a two-punch combo. He dropped Imadaev with a right hook to the temple and allowed him to stand. Another right hand backed Imadaev up, and Pereira landed two more right hooks and a knee before the bell. 10-9 Pereira, if not a 10-8.

Round 2:
The second round began with an exchange of single kicks and punches. Pereira remained the more effective striker and he landed front kicks to the body. A cartwheel kick attempt from Pereira missed and Imadaev countered with two punches. Pereira began to taunt and throw palm strikes until Imadaev clinched and landed a nice uppercut in close. Power punches were exchanged and Pereira landed an overhand right. He just missed with a jumping knee and wobbled Imadaev with a right cross soon after. Imadaev recovered, but Pereira landed more leg kicks and punches late in the round. 10-9 Pereira.

Round 3:
Pereira backed Imadaev up with jabs in the final round and he followed with a Superman Punch and a series of knees. The fighters separated and Pereira landed an open-hand slap to the side of Imadaev’s head. The fighters traded punches and Pereira landed a hard one-two and a body kick. In the final 90 seconds, Pereira landed overhand rights at will and Imadaev was unable to answer with anything besides a single leg kick. Pereira took his back and slammed him to the mat, then locked on a rear-naked choke. Referee Chris Tognoni intervened and stopped the fight, but replaus showed that Imadaev did not tap out.

Winner: Michel Pereira by Technical Submission (Rear-Naked Choke) at 4:39 of round three. He improves to 24-11-0, 2 NC.

 

André “Sergipano” Muniz vs Bartosz “The Butcher” Fabiński

Round 1:
Fabiński closed the distance early on, but he ate a three-punch combo from Muniz on the way in. Fabiński held Muniz against the cage and worked for a takedown, but Muniz defended well and he eventually jumped into a guillotine choke. Muniz pulled guard with the choke, which appeared to be tight, but Fabiński managed to escape. Muniz quickly transitioned to a tight armbar from the bottom and Fabiński tapped out immediately.

Winner: André Muniz by Submission (Armbar) at 2:42 of round one. He improves to 20-4-0.

 

Brian “Boom” Kelleher vs Ray “The Judge” Rodriguez

Round 1:
Rodriguez secured an early takedown, but he put himself in a tight guillotine choke in the process. Kelleher trapped Rodriguez in full guard and torqued on the choke until Rodriguez quickly tapped out.

Winner: Brian Kelleher by Submission (Guillotine Choke) at 0:39 of round one. He improves to 22-11-0.

 

Viviane “Vivi” Araujo vs Montana De La Rosa

Round 1:
Both women landed right hands in the opening seconds and Araujo followed with a leg kick. More quick punches were exchanged and Araujo remained the aggressor. She landed an overhand right and another hard kick to De La Rosa’s lead leg. De La Rosa caught a kick and briefly took Araujo down, but Araujo exploded up to her feet and took De La Rosa’s back. She landed punches to De La Rosa’s nose, which began to bleed, and then circled away. Another powerful leg kick scored for Araujo and both women landed right hooks. Araujo darted in with long jabs and fought off a De La Rosa takedown attempt. Araujo landed a leg kick in the final seconds and looked for a takedown against the fence. 10-9 Araujo.

Round 2:
Araujo continued to find success with leg kicks in the second round and she followed with left and right hooks over the top. De La Rosa struck from a distance with jabs before attempting a takedown. Araujo easily thwarted her and the fighters traded punches. Swelling began to develop below both of De La Rosa’s eyes from the force of Araujo’s overhand rights and jabs. Araujo landed two hard right hooks and De La Rosa’s nose began to bleed heavily. She stayed busy with kicks from a distance as Araujo pressed forward. De La Rosa landed a combination and Araujo responded with a leg kick and a right hook. The fighters traded punches until the end of the competitive round. 10-9 Araujo.

Round 3:
Araujo remained effective with combinations of leg kicks and overhand rights, but De La Rosa tagged her with a hard one-two and clinched in the opening minute of round three. Araujo punched her way free and she landed stiff jabs, but De La Rosa countered with a quick flurry. Araujo mixed up her strikes to the body and head of De La Rosa, then snapped her head back with a stiff jab. De La Rosa fought off a clinch attempt and ate two more jabs to her nose. A hard leg kick and a looping right hook scored for Araujo, which led to an exchange of combinations as the fight entered its final minute. Araujo stuffed a takedown and broke free from a clinch. Both women landed right hands and Araujo scored with two more overhand rights before the bell. 10-9 Araujo.

Winner: Viviane Araujo by Unanimous Decision (30-27, 30-27, 29-28) after three rounds. She improves to 9-2-0.

 

Hunter Azure vs Cole “The Cole Train” Smith

Round 1:
The fight began with an exchange of leg kicks and Smith followed with one to the body. Azure caught a knee and took him down, but Smith scrambled up to his feet and escaped from a guillotine choke. Seconds later, Azure dropped Smith with a left-right combo and he tried to take Smith’s back as Smith recovered and got back to his feet. Smith turned into the clinch and looked for a takedown himself. Azure countered with a hard elbow strike and Smith replied with one of his own. Time was called to replace Azure’s mouthpiece, which had been knocked out by Smith’s elbow, and Azure took Smith down. He avoided armbar attempts from Smith and struck from the top. Smith stood late in the round and landed two kicks, which Azure countered with a hard flurry. 10-9 Azure.

Round 2:
Azure opened the second round with a leg kick and an overhand right. He pressed forward with more right hooks to the jaw of Smith, who clinched and looked for a takedown. He got Azure down into back control, but Azure stood up and he reversed the clinch by taking Smith’s back. A scramble for position followed and Azure held Smith against the cage. He got Smith down once more, but could not maintain back control as Smith stood and defended with elbows. Azure secured one more brief takedown late in the round and Smith landed two more elbows to his temple as the fighters battled against the cage until the bell. Close round. 10-9 Azure.

Round 3:
Punches were exchanged on the feet to begin round three and Azure tried for a takedown after clinching with Smith against the cage. Smith broke free and he landed a hard right hand and a knee. Azure initiated another clinch and he dragged Smith down to his knees. Azure threw knee strikes to the body and short punches, then hopped on Smith’s back. Smith shook him off almost immediately and the fighters returned to their feet. Smith landed an elbow and hopped on Azure’s back in search of a standing rear-naked choke. He trapped Azure in a body triangle and locked on a neck crank, but Azure broke free. Smith remained on his back until the end of the round, landing short punches and attempting one more rear-naked choke. 10-9 Smith.

Winner: Hunter Azure by Unanimous Decision (29-28, 29-28, 29-28) after three rounds. He improves to 9-1-0.