The Ultimate Fighting Championship remained at UFC Apex in Las Vegas, Nevada today for UFC Fight Night 202: “Makhachev vs Green.” The event was headlined by a 160-pound catchweight bout between Islam Makhachev and Bobby “King” Green, who stepped into the fight on short notice.
In the middleweight co-main event, Misha Cirkunov squared off against Wellington Turman. Elsewhere on today’s main card, Ji Yeon “Firefist” Kim took on Priscila “Zombie Girl” Cachoeira in a women’s flyweight matchup. MMARising.com has live play-by-play for the UFC Fight Night 202 card.
Islam Makhachev vs Bobby “King” Green
Round 1:
After exchanging jabs in the first minute, Makhachev caught a kick from Green and clinched with him against the fence. He got Green down and almost got to mount. Green maintained half-guard, but Makhachev used a kimura setup to secure the mount pass and he immediately rained down punches. Green gave up his back and Makhachev unloaded with right hands to the side of his face until the brief fight was stopped.
Winner: Islam Makhachev by TKO (Punches) at 3:23 of round one. He improves to 22-1-0.
Wellington “The Prodigy” Turman vs Misha Cirkunov
Round 1:
Cirkunov landed an overhand left and an body kick in the opening seconds. The fighters battled in a clinch against the fence and Turman hopped on Cirkunov’s back. He got his right bicep under Cirkunov’s chin, but Cirkunov held on to Turman’s left wrist to prevent him from securing a rear-naked choke. Turman switched his grip and locked on a tight face crank across Cirkunov’s chin. Cirkunov appeared to be about to tap, but he reached down and grabbed Turman’s leg, which allowed him to spin Turman off of his back. Turman fell to the mat and Cirkunov immediately struck with punches from the top. As Turman tried to stand, Cirkunov used a front choke to pull him back down and then switched to a North-South Choke. Turman held on and eventually escaped, but Cirkunov punished him with punches from the top until time expired. 10-9 Cirkunov.
Round 2:
Wellington fought off a Cirkunov takedown attempt and he landed knees to Cirkunov’s body in a clinch. Cirkunov swept out Turman’s leg and tripped him to the mat. Turman threw up his legs for an armbar and Cirkunov instantly tapped out. Lightning-fast finish.
Winner: Wellington Turman by Submission (Armbar) at 1:29 of round two. He improves to 18-5-0.
Priscila “Zombie Girl” Cachoeira vs Ji Yeon “Firefist” Kim
Round 1:
Cachoeira missed with two wild hooks and Kim countered with an uppercut in close. Cachoeira landed a pair of leg kicks and a lead left hand. Kim jabbed and followed up with a leg kick. Both women landed big right hands and Cachoeira pressed forward with two power hooks. Kim responded with a flurry of her own and she continued to score with lead left hooks while circling to her left. She jabbed and landed two leg kicks, but Cachoeira took her down just before the end of the close round. 10-9 Cachoeira by a slim margin.
Round 2:
Kim seemed content to counter in the second round and Cachoeira remained the aggressor with looping hooks. She landed an early combination and pressed forward with hard punches while Kim jabbed and mixed in leg kicks. The fighters exchanged left hooks and Kim scored with two combinations. She followed with an uppercut and then jabbed as Cachoeira became more wild while moving forward until the bell. Another close round. 10-9 Kim.
Round 3:
Kim landed two left hooks early in round three that led to a big exchange of power punches. Cachoeira initially got the better of it and Kim backed up to the cage. She hurt Cachoeira with a counter left hook, however, and Cachoeira staggered against the cage. Kim landed more punches and both of Cachoeira’s eyes swelled up. The fighters moved to the centre of the cage and Kim landed a massive right hand. Cachoeira barely flinched, but Kim connected with a one-two and an overhand right as she continued to out-land Cachoeira by a significant margin. Cachoeira switched to standing elbow strikes and she opened a cut on Kim’s left cheek. More elbows landed for Cachoeira and a second cut opened near Kim’s left eye. Kim jabbed and landed a right hook. Cachoeira jumped in with two flying knees and another elbow. 10-9 Kim. Decision could go either way.
Winner: Priscila Cachoeira by Unanimous Decision (29-28, 29-28, 29-28) after three rounds. She improves to 11-4-0.
Arman “Ahalkalakets” Tsarukyan vs Joel “El Fenomeno” Alvarez
Round 1:
Tsarukyan swept out Alvarez’s leg with a kick in the opening minute and he took top position in Alvarez’s guard. Both men landed short hammerfists on the ground and Tsarukyan tried to pass to half-guard. Alvarez defended well and Tsarukyan attempted a top-side guillotine choke during a scramble. Alvarez freed his neck and postured for an armbar from the bottom. Tsarukyan avoided danger and he landed two elbows to Alvarez’s face. Another hard elbow scored for Tsarukyan and blood immediately poured from a cut between Alvarez’s eye. Alvarez became covered in his own blood, which also stained the canvas, but he made it to the bell. 10-9 Tsarukyan.
Round 2:
Tsarukyan took Alvarez down right away in the second round and the cut between Alvarez’s eyes opened up again, causing blood to cover his face. Tsarukyan landed elbows and punches from side control until Alvarez got to his knees and tried to stand up. Tsarukyan kept him down and he continued to land punches until the fight was finally stopped far later than it needed to be.
Winner: Arman Tsarukyan by TKO (Punches) at 1:57 of round two. He improves to 18-2-0.
Armen “Superman” Petrosyan vs Gregory “Robocop” Rodrigues
Round 1:
Rodrigues scored with a winging right hook one minute into the fight and Petrosyan jabbed while circling to his left. He mixed in leg kicks until Rodrigues landed a three-punch combo that set off an exchange of heavy punches. Neither man flinched and Rodrigues continued to move forward as Petrosyan attacked his leg with kicks. Rodrigues landed a right hook, but Petrosyan was much more active with his strikes and he continued to land lead left hands and leg kicks. Rodrigues chased with one-twos and Petrosyan chopped away with more kicks to his leg. He landed two body kicks in the final seconds. 10-9 Petrosyan.
Round 2:
Rodrigues stunned Petrosyan with a flurry of punches in the second round, but Petrosyan recovered quickly and he landed two hard right hooks. More punches were exchanged and Petrosyan landed a lead left hook. Both men connected with right hooks at the same time and Petrosyan advanced with jabs. He wobbled Rodrigues with a counter left hook, but Rodrigues recovered right away and he pawed out with jabs. A left hook scored for Rodrigues, and Petrosyan replied with a body kick. Rodrigues took Petrosyan down and briefly held mount. Petrosyan was able to stand up against the cage and Rodrigues landed a stiff jab. Close round. 10-9 Rodrigues.
Round 3:
In the third round, Rodrigues pressed the action with punches and he hurt Petrosyan with a head kick that immediately caused blood to pour from his nose. Rodrigues took Petrosyan down and attempted a unique kneebar from back control. Petrosyan escaped and a scramble ensued. Rodrigues took Petrosyan’s back again and threatened with a rear-naked choke. Petrosyan defended well and he broke Rodrigues’s body triangle. The fighters stood and Petrosyan landed a hard right hook. Rodrigues landed a counter right hook and Petrosyan tried to back him up with jabs. He landed kicks to Rodrigues’s leg and body, then opened a cut on Rodrigues’s right cheek with a left hook late in the fight. 10-9 Rodrigues despite Petrosyan’s late rally.
Winner: Armen Petrosyan by Split Decision (30-27, 29-28, 28-29) after three rounds. He improves to 7-1-0.
(Undercard results and play-by-play on Page Two.)