The Ultimate Fighting Championship remained at UFC Apex in Las Vegas, Nevada tonight for UFC on ESPN 30: “Barboza vs Chikadze.” The card was headlined by a featherweight matchup between long-time UFC contender Edson Barboza and Giga “Ninja” Chikadze, who had won eight straight.
In the co-main event, Bryan “Pooh Bear” Battle faced Gilbert Urbina in the TUF 29 Middleweight Final. Also on the main card tonight, “Pretty” Ricky Turcios took on Brady “Bam Bam” Hiestand in the TUF 29 Bantamweight Final. MMARising.com has live play-by-play for UFC on ESPN 30 tonight.
Giga “Ninja” Chikadze vs Edson Barboza
Round 1:
As expected, both fighters landed leg kicks during the opening minute and Chikadze went high with a head kick that was blocked. Barboza landed a leg kick and checked one from Chikadze. After throwing a spinning back kick to the body, Chikadze landed another leg kick and then walked into a counter right hook from Barboza. In the final minute, Chikadze landed two head kicks and he kept Barboza on the defensive with one-twos before the bell. 10-9 Chikadze.
Round 2:
Chikadze kicked at Barboza’s leg from a distance and then lunged forward with a left cross. Barboza tried to cut off the cage and Chikadze kicked to the body. Barboza landed a hard kick to Chikadze’s calf that caused him to switch stances momentarily. Chikadze ate a right hand from Barboza and responded with straight lefts and jabs. Another calf kick scored for Barboza, who backed Chikadze up with a jab. Barboza landed two body kicks and did a better job of cutting off the cage in the final 30 seconds. Very close round. 10-9 Barboza.
Round 3:
Chikadze landed a knee to the body and an overhand right early in round three. He backed Barboza up with more right hands and then dropped him with a big right hook. Barboza survived follow-up punches from Chikadze on the ground and escaped from an Anaconda Choke attempt. As the fighters stood, Chikadze dropped Barboza again with a one-two combination and the fight was waved off.
Winner: Giga Chikadze by TKO (Punches) at 1:44 of round three. He improves to 14-2-0.
TUF 29 Middleweight Final
Bryan “Pooh Bear” Battle vs Gilbert Urbina
Round 1:
Urbina rocked Battle with an early combination that finished with a right hook to the temple. He took Battle down and landed an elbow and short right hands. Battle fought off a guillotine choke attempt, but Urbina mounted him and landed punches. Battle escaped to his feet against the cage and Urbina landed a knee on the way up. Punches were exchanged and Battle landed a combination to the body. Urbina countered knees from Battle by clinching with him and taking his back. Battle turned into the clinch and both men landed knees in the final 30 seconds. 10-9 Urbina.
Round 2:
Battle opened the second round with a combination and Urbina took his back in a clinch against the cage. He gave up on back control and traded elbows with Battle, but Battle secured a takedown and he locked on a rear-naked choke. A fatigued Urbina held on momentarily before tapping out.
Winner: Bryan Battle by Submission (Rear-Naked Choke) at 2:15 of round two. He improves to 6-1-0 and becomes the TUF 29 Middleweight Winner.
TUF 29 Bantamweight Final
“Pretty” Ricky Turcios vs Brady “Bam Bam” Hiestand
Round 1:
Turcios landed early right hooks and clinched, but it was Hiestand who scored a takedown into side control. Turcios got back to full guard and tried to kick Hiestand off. He opened a cut above Hiestand’s right eye with an upkick, but Hiestand kept him down and landed hammerfists from the top. Turcios attempted a triangle choke and Hiestand escaped by keeping both arms in. After the fighters stood, Turcios reversed a takedown into back control, but he got too high on Hiestand’s back and Hiestand shook him off. Turcios transitioned to a triangle choke from the bottom and attacked Hiestand’s forehead with hammerfists. The fight returned to the feet and Turcios landed a nice right hand. He ducked under a hook from Hiestand and both men threw power punches until time expired. 10-9 Turcios.
Round 2:
Following a clinch battle against the cage, Hiestand got Turcios down. He was unable to do anything with it, however, and the fighters stood up and traded punches. Hiestand landed two lead left hooks and Turcios took him down into back control. Hiestand shook him off and stood, then emphatically slammed Turcios down to the ground. Turcios used butterfly hooks to elevate Hiestand off. The fighters stood again and Turcios tried to jump guard with a guillotine choke. Hiestand freed his head and passed to side control. Turcios scrambled up and the round ended with an exchange of punches. 10-9 Hiestand.
Round 3:
Turcios crakced Hiestand with an overhand right in the opening minute of round three, then dropped him with a left-right combo. Hiestand recovered and dragged him down, but Turcios stood against the cage and landed elbows to the side of Hiestand’s head. Hiestand got him down momentarily and Turcios stood up again. He landed a nice knee and stayed busy in the clinch with more knees and an elbow. Hiestand landed a head kick after the fighters separated, but Turcios tied him up again and more punches were exchanged in close. Hiestand could not get Turcios down and Turcios attacked the body with punches and knees. The fight ended with a final exchange of punches and Turcios landed the better strikes. 10-9 Turcios.
Winner: Ricky Turcios by Split Decision (29-28, 29-28, 28-29) after three rounds. He improves to 11-2-0 and becomes the TUF 29 Bantamweight Winner.
Daniel “D-Rod” Rodriguez vs Kevin “The Motown Phenom” Lee
Round 1:
The fight began with a body kick from Lee and Rodriguez scored with a quick one-two soon after. Rodriguez blocked a head kick and landed a kick to Lee’s lead leg. Lee followed up on a body kick with one to Rodriguez’s head, and he initiated a clinch. Rodriguez fought him off and the fighters traded punches after separating. Lee shot in for a takedown and got Rodriguez down into half-guard. He threw short hammerfists to Rodriguez’s face and stayed on top until the bell. 10-9 Lee.
Round 2:
Rodriguez landed a body kick and a left cross to open the second round. Lee shot in for a takedown and he muscled Rodriguez down to the mat. Lee took Rodriguez’s back, but Rodriguez turned over and wound up in Lee’s guard. The fighters returned to their feet and Lee landed a nice right cross. Rodriguez used leg kicks to set up left and right hooks, which drew a reaction from Lee. An overhand left landed for Rodriguez and he snapped Lee’s head back with a counter cross. In the final 20 seconds, Rodriguez badly rocked Lee with a left hand and Lee dove at his ankles. Rodriguez threw punches to the side of his head until the end of the round. 10-9 Rodriguez.
Round 3:
Rodriguez had more success with straight left hands in the final round and he stuffed a Lee takedown attempt. Lee landed a powerful leg kick in return and he got Rodriguez down against the cage. Rodriguez scrambled up and he escaped from Lee’s grasp. Two left hands landed for Rodriguez, who followed with jab after jab until Lee dropped down for a takedown. Rodriguez stayed on his feet and he landed kicks to Lee’s leg. A head kick opened a cut beside Lee’s right eye and both fighters landed punches in a late exchange. 10-9 Rodriguez.
Winner: Daniel Rodriguez by Unanimous Decision (29-28, 29-28, 29-28) after three rounds. He improves to 16-2-0.
Andre Petroski vs Micheal “The Gentleman” Gillmore
Round 1:
After an exchange of kicks during the opening minute, Petroski landed a big right hook and he took Gillmore down into side control. He landed punches from the top until Gillmore stood up against the cage. Petroski suplexed him back down to the mat and threatened with a neck crank from back control. Gillmore defended and Petroski threw punches to the right side of his face. 10-9 Petroski.
Round 2:
Gillmore countered a one-two from Petroski with a hard leg kick in the second round. Petroski landed a head kick, but Gillmore was unfazed and fired right back with a left-right combo. Gillmore countered a body kick with another right hand and he landed two more punches after a failed takedown from Petroski. Gillmore landed two more leg kicks and cracked Petroski with two punches. As Petroski rushed forward, Gillmore countered with a big right hook. Petroski managed to get Gillmore down into side control and both men landed elbows on the ground. Petroski postured up with two left hands before the bell. Still 10-9 Gillmore.
Round 3:
Petroski was able to get the fight to the ground early in round three and he passed to mount. Gillmore held on from the bottom and Petroski peppered him with punches. He prevented Gillmore from kicking off of the cage and postured up with more damaging strikes. Petroski trapped Gillmore’s left hand behind his back and teed off with punches and elbows as Gillmore tried to block with his one free hand. Petroski continued to land strikes until the bout was stopped.
Winner: Andre Petroski by TKO (Punches & Elbows) at 3:12 of round three. He improves to 6-2-0.
Gerald “GM3” Meerschaert vs Makhmud “Mach” Muradov
Round 1:
Meerschaert closed the distance right away and he landed a body kick, but time was called when Muradov was poked in the eye. The fight continued and Muradov hurt Meerschaert with a counter right hook. Meerschaert tried unsuccessfully for a takedown and Muradov attacked with more punches and a head kick. He grazed with another head kick soon after and followed with two hooks over the top. Muradov landed a hard right hand and Meerschaert flopped to his back after failing with a takedown attempt. He was forced to stand back up and landed two left hands. Time was called again when Muradov was kicked in the groin. Meerschaert was warned, but a point was not taken. Action resumed and both men landed left hooks. Meerschaert followed with a head kick and Muradov tripped him with a leg kick. Meerschaert stood and landed a left hook, then took Muradov down into back control. Close round. 10-9 Muradov due to the early damage.
Round 2:
Muradov slowed down in the second round and Meerschaert secured a very brief takedown after landing an early left hand. The fighters stood and Meerschaert landed two huge left hooks. He took Muradov down into back control and locked on a tight rear-naked choke. Muradov had nowhere to go and tapped out.
Winner: Gerald Meerschaert by Submission (Rear-Naked Choke) at 1:49 of round two. He improves to 33-14-0.
(Undercard results and play-by-play on Page Two.)