The Ultimate Fighting Championship remained at UFC Apex in Las Vegas, Nevada tonight for UFC on ESPN 27: “Sandhagen vs Dillashaw.” The event featured a bantamweight contender’s matchup between Cory “Sandman” Sandhagen and ex-champ T.J. Dillashaw, who returned from suspension.
In the bantamweight co-main event, Kyler “Matrix” Phillips looked to extend his winning streak when he took on Raulian Paiva. Elsewhere on the main card, Darren “The Damage” Elkins squared off against Darrick Minner at featherweight. MMARising.com has live play-by-play for tonight’s card.
T.J. Dillashaw vs Cory “Sandman” Sandhagen
Round 1:
Dillashaw opened the action with a leg kick and a one-two. Sandhagen replied with two right hands and a flying knee that allowed him to trap Dillashaw in a flying inverted triangle choke. Dillashaw escaped and took top position before Sandhagen scrambled up. Dillashaw landed two knees to the body and a right hand on the break. Dillashaw stepped forward with a left-right combo and he caught a leg kick from Sandhagen. Dillashaw took his back and pulled him down to the mat. Dillashaw landed an elbow and avoided a triangle choke attempt from Sandhagen, who tehn switched to a heel hook. Dillashaw punched from the top and Sandhagen stood up before the bell. 10-9 Dillashaw.
Round 2:
Dillashaw favoured his left knee in round two and his movement was significantly impacted. Sandhagen cracked him with a hard one-two and followed with a leg kick. He dropped Dillashaw with a lead left hook and then wobbled him again with a right hand after Dillashaw returned to his feet. Time was called to check on a bad cut above Dillashaw’s right eye, but the fight was allowed to continue and Sandhagen landed a flying knee. Blood continued to pour into Dillashaw’s right eye, but he pressed forward with three right hands. Sandhagen planted his feet and landed a head kick before Dillashaw clinched with him against the cage. He took Sandhagen’s back and tried unsuccessfully for a suplex. 10-9 Sandhagen.
Round 3:
Sandhagen turned his back and Dillashaw landed two hooks to the side of his head in the third round. Sandhagen landed a lead left hook and a straight right before Dillashaw secured a clinch. Sandhagen defended with a standing elbow and two jabs to Dillashaw’s eye, which bled heavily once again. Dillashaw landed two hard leg kicks and ate a right hand in return. Sandhagen attempted a spinning wheel kick and fell to the mat, allowing Dillashaw to take top position. He scrambled up and broke away from Dillashaw’s grasp. Dillashaw landed another leg kick and Sandhagen targeted his cut with jabs and a right hand. More quick punches scored for Dillashaw, who easily stuffed a Sandhagen takedown attempt. Dillashaw landed three right hands in a late clinch and Sandhagen drilled him with a left hook that landed just after the bell. 10-9 Dillashaw.
Round 4:
Dillashaw landed kick after kick to Sandhagen’s lead leg and then took his back against the cage. When Sandhagen broke free, he landed a straight left hand to Dillashaw’s huge cut above his eye. Jabs and a left hook to the liver also landed for Sandhagen before Dillashaw initiated another clinch. Sandhagen connected with a short right hook after the break and then two more right hands as Dillashaw closed in and clinched once more. The fighters soon separated and Dillashaw landed three leg kicks. He ate a hard spinning backfist to the jaw before time expired. 10-9 Sandhagen.
Round 5:
Sandhagen kept his distance and threw jabs and right hands as Dillashaw moved forward. Dillashaw connected with a one-two and took Sandhagen’s back. Sandhagen quickly escaped from the clinch, but Dillashaw tied him up again. Once more, Sandhagen pushed him away and he targeted Dillashaw’s eye with jabs. He snapped Dillashaw’s head back with two more jabs, but Dillashaw scored with an overhand right and clinched against the cage. He landed an elbow and a left cross as the fighters separated. In the final minute, Dillashaw landed a leg kick and a jab. Sandhagen returned fire with a combination and he jabbed while circling to his right. Sandhagen landed a hard right hand just before the final bell. Very close round. 10-9 Sandhagen due to damage. Decision could go either way.
Winner: T.J. Dillashaw by Split Decision (48-47, 48-47, 47-48) after five rounds. He improves to 17-4-0.
Raulian Paiva vs Kyler “Matrix” Phillips
Round 1:
Phillips dropped Paiva with a left hook during an exchange in the opening minute, but Paiva got back to his feet and he avoided a wild spinning backfist from Phillips. Paiva caught a body kick and tripped Phillips, then tried to take his back as Phillips rose to his feet. Phillips broke free with a modified cartwheel and he hurt Paiva with a right hook soon after. Paiva dropped to his knees and tried unsuccessfully for a takedown. He still appeared to be unsteady on his feet when he stood up, but Phillips missing with an ill-conceived spinning wheel kick and fell to the mat. Paiva took top position and struck until Phillips swept and wound up in Paiva’s half-guard. The fighters stood and Phillips landed an elbow and a right hand. He landed two more rights that dropped Paiva and tried to finish him with elbows, but Paiva narrowly made it to the bell. 10-8 Phillips.
Round 2:
Paiva dropped down for a scissor heel hook in round two, but Phillips scrambled up to his feet and he landed a right hook. Both men landed right hands at the same time and Phillips lost his balance. Paiva chased after him with more punches and Phillips appeared to be slowing down. He managed to get Paiva down, but he could not keep him there. Paiva rose to his feet and took Phillips’s back. Phillips turned into the clinch and both men landed punches. Phillips jumped on Paiva’s back and sunk in one hook. He lost the position and Paiva got back to his feet. Phillips landed a right hook and Paiva answered with one of his own. Back-and-forth round. 10-9 Paiva.
Round 3:
The final round began with an exchange of one-twos and Paiva fought off a takedown attempt. He landed a right hook and Phillips just missed with a spinning backfist. Right hooks were exchanged and Paiva backed Phillips up with a flurry to the head and body. Phillips got Paiva down very briefly, but Paiva worked back to his feet against the cage. He got Phillips down into side control and landed a handful of strikes from the top. Phillips got back to his feet just before the bell and landed two right hooks and an elbow. Another close round. 10-9 Paiva.
Winner: Raulian Paiva by Majority Decision (29-28, 29-28, 28-28) after three rounds. He improves to 21-3-0.
Darren “The Damage” Elkins vs Darrick Minner
Round 1:
Minner looked for a guillotine choke in a clinch during the opening minute and he used it to pull Elkins down to the mat. Elkins escaped and took top position, but Minner scrambled up to his knees and took Elkins’s back. When Elkins rolled over, Minner moved to mount and struck from the top before transitioning to a belly-down armbar. Elkins refused to submit and he fought his way free from the hold. A back-and-forth scramble ensued on the ground and Minner attempted two more guillotine chokes. Elkins rolled for a kneebar and Minner punished him with punches to the side of his head. Elkins rolled to his back and Minner struck with short elbows from Elkins’s guard. 10-9 Minner, if not a 10-8.
Round 2:
Early in the second round, Minner took Elkins down and Elkins countered with a tight guillotine choke. Minner spun free and landed a right hand from the top before attempting a guillotine choke of his own. He gave up top position to Elkins, who threatened with an arm-triangle choke and then trapped Minner in a top-side crucifix. He landed numerous left hands to the side of Minner’s head as an exhausted Minner tried to hold on from the bottom. Elkins continued to strike until Minner rolled over and turtled. Elkins continued to throw punches until referee Mark Smith rescued Minner from any further punishment.
Winner: Darren Elkins by TKO (Punches) at 3:48 of round two. He improves to 26-9-0.
Maycee “The Future” Barber vs Miranda “Fear The” Maverick
Round 1:
Barber circled to her left and kept her distance in the opening minute as Maverick threw occasional high kicks and tried to cut off the cage. Maverick landed three quick punches and Barber answered with a head kick that partially landed. Maverick kept the pressure on with an overhand left and an uppercut. She stepped forward with an elbow and two kicks to Barber’s upper body. Both women landed three-punch combos and Barber scored with a nice overhand right. Maverick landed a leg kick and followed with one to the body. She landed two more kicks and a left hand before the end of the round. 10-9 Maverick.
Round 2:
Maverick opened with a combination and two leg kicks in the second round. Barber backed up and countered with a right hook over the top. Maverick clinched and threw knees to the body. Barber almost scored a trip takedown, but Maverick defended on the way down and got back to her feet. Barber clinched with her and landed short knees to the body until Maverick broke free. Maverick landed a combination and two jabs, then took Barber down into back control. She closed out the round with punches to the sides of Barber’s head. 10-9 Maverick.
Round 3:
The fighters clinched briefly in the final round and both landed short uppercuts before separating. Maverick jabbed and threw a head kick that grazed as Barber moved forward. After exchanging quick punches, Barber landed an overhand left and she got Maverick down into back control. Maverick stood and Barber tripped her again. Maverick got back to her feet and Barber landed a solid left hand on the break. Maverick landed a left hook, but Barber cracked her with two lefts of her own and she clinched with Maverick against the fence. Barber landed a spinning back elbow on the break and she tried unsuccessfully for a takedown before the bell. 10-9 Barber.
Winner: Maycee Barber by Split Decision (29-28, 29-28, 28-29) after three rounds. She improves to 9-2-0.
Adrian Yanez vs Randy “The Zohan” Costa
Round 1:
Costa switched stances frequently and landed kicks to Yanez’s body, then followed with a head kick that partially landed. He backed Yanez up with an overhand right and a series of stiff jabs. Yanez had no answer for the jabs and Costa mixed in kicks to Yanez’s leg. He followed with an overhand right and blood began to pour from Yanez’s nose. Costa landed jab after jab until Yanez finally connected with two quick punches. Costa began to bleed from his nose as well and Yanez landed overhand rights and a jab. He blocked a head kick and the round ended with Costa landing ajab. 10-9 Costa.
Round 2:
Punches were exchanged in the second round and Yanez began to counter Costa’s jabs with some of his own and he became the aggressor as Costa backed up. Yanez dropped Costa with two hooks to the body and an uppercut to the jaw. Costa kneeled down and covered up as Yanez continued to throw punches until the fight was stopped.
Winner: Adrian Yanez by TKO (Punches) at 2:11 of round two. He improves to 14-3-0.
(Undercard results and play-by-play on Page Two.)