The Ultimate Fighting Championship returned to UFC Apex in Las Vegas, Nevada tonight for UFC on ESPN 36: “Blachowicz vs Rakić.” The event was headlined by a light heavyweight matchup between former 205-pound UFC champion Jan Blachowicz and top contender Aleksandar “Rocket” Rakić.
In the co-main event, also at light heavyweight, Ryan “Superman” Spann took on Ion “The Hulk” Cutelaba. Elsewhere on the main card tonight, “Dangerous” Davey Grant battled Louis “Da Last Samurai” Smolka at bantamweight. MMARising.com has live play-by-play for UFC on ESPN 36.
Jan Blachowicz vs Aleksandar “Rocket” Rakić
Round 1:
The fight began with an exchange of leg kicks and both men landed one-twos. A right hand from Rakić caused Blachowicz’s left eye to redden right away. Rakić opened a cut around the eye with another right hand, but Blachowicz scored with a body kick and a right hook. Blachowicz’s eye continued to bother him, but he landed three more leg kicks followed by a lunging flurry of punches. Rakić tried to tie him up in a clinch, but Blachowicz pushed him away. Rakić jabbed and Blachowicz landed two calf kicks. A big left hook landed for Blachowicz, but Rakić immediately answered with a right. 10-9 Blachowicz.
Round 2:
Blachowicz pressed forward aggressively with punches in the second round, but Rakić latched on to his leg and tripped him to the mat. Blachowicz countered with a triangle choke from the bottom, but Rakić was able to free his head before the hold could be tightened. He kept Blachowicz pinned down on the ground and threw short elbows and right hands to his face. Blachowicz tried to work back to his feet against the cage, but Rakić held him down and peppered him with punches late in the round. 10-9 Rakić.
Round 3:
A body kick and a right hook landed for Blachowicz in the opening seconds of round three. As Blachowicz landed a jab, Rakić took a step backward and stepped awkwardly on his right leg. His knee gave out and he collapsed to the mat, forcing referee Mark Smith to stop the fight.
Winner: Jan Blachowicz by TKO (Knee Injury) at 1:11 of round three. He improves to 29-9-0.
Ryan “Superman” Spann vs Ion “The Hulk” Cutelaba
Round 1:
Cutelaba landed an early right hand, but Spann wobbled him with a left-right combo and that forced Cutelaba to shoot in for a takedown. He got Spann down into full guard, but Spann kicked him off and stood up. When Spann attempted a guillotine choke, Cutelaba took him back down. Spann rose to his feet once more and locked on another guillotine choke. This one was much tighter, and Cutelaba tapped out immediately after Spann pulled him down to the ground with the choke.
Winner: Ryan Spann by Submission (Guillotine Choke) at 2:22 of round one. He improves to 20-7-0.
“Dangerous” Davey Grant vs Louis “Da Last Samurai” Smolka
Round 1:
Grant established his jab early in the fight and he used it to set up combinations to the body. A hard three-punch flurry scored for Grant and he hurt Smolka with a right hook. Smolka recovered quickly, but Grant cracked him with another right hand. A spinning backfist landed for Grant, but Smolka landed a hard knee to his jaw in response. Grant dropped Smolka with a jab, and Smolka appeared to be barely conscious, but the fight was not stopped and he was wobbly after getting back to his feet. 10-8 Grant.
Round 2:
Smolka immediately tried to take Grant down in round two, but Grant thwarted it. He landed right hooks to Smolka’s head and body, but Smolka landed a hard right hand in return. He followed with a lead left hook and had more success in the boxing exchanges. Grant covered up as Smolka flurried to the body and finished with an elbow. Smolka landed two more elbows and Grant threw three hooks to his ribs. Smolka cut Grant on his forehead with a step-in elbow and a right hook. Grant missed with a spinning hook kick and fell down. Smolka tried to trap him in an armbar on the ground and he took Grant’s back. Grant shook him off and the fighters stood in the final seconds. 10-9 Smolka.
Round 3:
Grant opened the final round with a calf kick and two hooks. After another calf kick from Grant, Smolka could barely stand up and he shot in for a desperation takedown. Grant pushed him down and landed four punches from the top. The third one turned Smolka’s lights out and referee Mike Beltran waved off the fight.
Winner: Davey Grant by KO (Punches) at 0:49 of round three. He improves to 14-6-0.
Katlyn “Blonde Fighter” Chookagian vs Amanda Ribas
Round 1:
Chookagian landed jabs and a right cross, but Ribas used a headlock throw to get her down into side control. She tried to pin down Chookagian’s left arm with her knee while landing shoulder strikes and short right hands to her face. Chookagian locked down Ribas’s right leg between her legs, which resulted in a relative stalemate. Robas tried to improve her position and the fight returned to the feet. Chookagian jabbed and Ribas grazed with a spinning back kick. She landed a lead left hook before the end of the close round. 10-9 Ribas.
Round 2:
Ribas struggled to close the distance in the second round as Chookagian popped her in the mouth with jabs and right hands. Ribas landed a spinning back kick to the body, but her face swelled up due to Chookagian landing more jabs. Ribas secured another headlock throw into side control, but Chookagian got back to full guard and elbowed from the bottom. She battled back to her feet and escaped from the clinch. Chookagian bloodied Ribas’s nose with more jabs and she followed with a combination to the body. A big one-two scored for Chookagian, who followed with a knee. She took Ribas’s back and tried to trip her before the bell. Another close round. 10-9 Chookagian.
Round 3:
Chookagian landed a right cross and two jabs in the final round. Ribas answered with a spinning back kick to the body. Chookagian continued to jab and she stayed outside of Ribas’s range. More jab-cross combos landed for Chookagian as the fight entered its final two minutes. Ribas shot in for a takedown and she landed two right hands as Chookagian stood up against the cage. The fighters separated and Ribas began screaming while moving forward, but Chookagian’s counter jabs were more effective and she landed a front kick to Ribas’s face at the bell. 10-9 Chookagian.
Winner: Katlyn Chookagian by Split Decision (29-28, 29-28, 28-29) after three rounds. She improves to 18-4-0.
Manuel Roberto “El Loco” Torres vs Frank “The Crank” Camacho
Round 1:
Torres landed a hard left hook and Camacho fired back with two punches and a leg kick. Big punches were exchanged and both men landed, and Torres tried to trip Camacho to the mat. Camacho stayed on his feet and Torres landed a quick flurry. Camacho landed a jab and Torres backed him up with punches and a knee. He stunned Camacho momentarily with a lead left hook, then hurt him with an uppercut. Camacho retreated and Torres blasted him with right and left hooks. Camacho recovered, but Torres dropped him with a hard one-two and referee Herb Dean stepped in to stop the fight.
Winner: Manuel Roberto Torres by TKO (Punches) at 3:27 of round one. He improves to 13-2-0.
Allan “Puro Osso” Nascimento vs Jake “White Kong” Hadley
Round 1:
Nascimento landed an early right hook and he took Hadley down after catching a body kick. Hadley used an omoplata to sweep into top position, but Nascimento countered with heel hook attempts on both of Hadley’s ankles. He used one of them to retake top position in Hadley’s guard. Nascimento passed to half-guard and threw shoulder strikes to Hadley’s face until Hadley escaped to his feet just before the bell. 10-9 Nascimento.
Round 2:
In the second round, Nascimento took Hadley down and Hadley tried for a gogoplata. Nascimento freed his arm and postured up, then landed two left hands. He moved to half-guard and postured up with four elbow strikes. Hadley got back to butterfly guard, but Nascimento kept him on the defensive until Hadley finally stood up with 40 seconds remaining. The round ended with an uneventful clinch against the cage. 10-9 Nascimento.
Round 3:
Nascimento landed two body kicks and a knee in the final round, but Hadley reversed a takedown attempt into top position in Nascimento’s half-guard. He landed two elbows and some short left hands to Nascimento’s face. Hadley tried to secure an arm-triangle choke, to no avail. He took Nascimento’s back, but got too high and Nascimento shook him off. He held Hadley in an Anaconda Choke, but could not roll to tighten it and let the choke go. Hadley got to his knees and then stood up. Nascimento shot in for a very poor takedown from too far away and Hadley easily reversed it. Nascimento swept into top position, however, and he finished the round by landing punches to Hadley’s face. Close final round. 10-9 Nascimento.
Winner: Allan Nascimento by Unanimous Decision (30-27, 30-27, 30-27) after three rounds. He improves to 19-6-0.
(Undercard results and play-by-play on Page Two.)