Karolina Kowalkiewicz vs Felice “Lil’ Bulldog” Herrig
Round 1:
Kowalkiewicz struck first with a right cross and she landed another one seconds later. Herrig landed an overhand right and Kowalkiewicz tripped her very briefly. Herrig rose to her feet and right hands were exchanged. Kowalkiewicz landed two counter hooks as Herrig charged forward. Kowalkiewicz appeared to hurt her right hand landing a punch, but she continued to throw it and then took Herrig’s back against the cage. She landed a knee to Herrig’s face and two forearm strikes on the break. Herrig shot in for a takedown and Kowalkiewicz defended well. The fighters separated and traded jabs before the bell. 10-9 Kowalkiewicz.
Round 2:
Herrig landed a right cross early in the second round and she followed that up with a lead left hook. Kowalkiewicz grazed with an elbow after the fighters clinched briefly. Kowalkiewicz landed two uppercuts and then caught a kick from Herrig, but Herrig pulled her leg free. Jabs were exchanged and Kowalkiewicz reversed a takedown. She landed two punches and then locked on a tight rear-naked choke. Herrig held on and refused to submit. Kowalkiewicz moved to mount and landed two elbows before taking Herrig’s back again. She punched the side of Herrig’s head and then secured another rear-naked choke. Herrig could not break Kowalkiewicz’s grip and she tapped out.
Winner: Karolina Kowalkiewicz by Submission (Rear-Naked Choke) at 4:01 of round two. She improves to 13-7-0.
Joe Solecki vs Alex “Leko” da Silva Coelho
Round 1:
Big punches were exchanged right away and da Silva dropped Solecki with a left hook. He settled into Solecki’s guard and landed short strikes from the top. Solecki trapped da Silva’s right arm with his leg, but da Silva freed the arm and Solecki switched to a guillotine choke. It was tight, and Solecki rolled the choke over into mount, but da Silva was able to turn his head to the side and he escaped. Da Silva held top position again and that continued until the bell. 10-9 da Silva, but not by much.
Round 2:
Solecki took da Silva down early in the second round and he transitioned to da Silva’s back. Solecki worked for a rear-naked choke and da Silva was warned twice for grabbing Solecki’s glove. Solecki kept him in place using a body triangle and he punched the side of da Silva’s head. Da Silva put his toes in the cage and he was finally docked one point. The round came to an end seconds later. 10-8 Solecki.
Round 3:
Following an exchange of right hooks, da Silva landed a knee and Solecki countered with a one-two. He landed another right-left combo and a leg kick. Da Silva sprawled out of a takedown from Solecki and he stood back up. Da Silva landed two hooks and he ate a hard right cross in return. Solecki pulled guard and da Silva landed two elbows from the top. He stood up and Solecki followed. Da Silva landed two big right hooks and the fighters exchanged straight rights. 10-9 da Silva.
Winner: Joe Solecki by Majority Decision (29-27, 28-27, 28-28) after three rounds. He improves to 12-3-0.
Damon “The Leech” Jackson vs Dan “The Determined” Argueta
Round 1:
Jackson clinched and took Argueta’s back right away. Argueta grabbed the cage once, but Jackson suplexed him down on his second try. Jackson took Argueta’s back, but Argueta threw punches backward to Jackson’s face. Jackson attempted a rear-naked choke and Argueta defended. Jackson secured another choke, which had Argueta in some trouble momentarily, but Argueta pushed Jackson’s bicep up and escaped from the choke. He turned over into Jackson’s guard and then threw knees to a kneeling Jackson’s thighs in the final seconds. 10-9 Jackson.
Round 2:
As Argueta shot in for a takedown, Jackson countered with a knee and he took Argueta’s back on the ground. Jackson maintained a body triangle and Argueta threw back elbow strikes to his face. Jackson flattened him out and landed five hard elbows to Argueta’s temple. Argueta tried to roll, but Jackson kept him in a body triangle even after Argueta stood up with Jackson on his back. Argueta finally shook him off in the final minute and he chased after Jackson with punches. Each fighter landed a knee to the body in a clinch and Argueta got Jackson down just before the bell. 10-9 Jackson.
Round 3:
Argueta tried to close the distance and Jackson initially countered with three hooks, but Argueta knocked him down with a left hand. Jackson returned to his feet and Argueta kept the pressure on him. He landed an uppercut and Jackson grabbed on to him. Both men landed right hooks in close and Jackson followed up with a knee. Argueta took his back and pulled Jackson down, but Jackson turned over into top position. He looked for a shoulder choke from the top and then landed three elbows. The bell sounded and the fighters pushed each other after the bout. 10-9 Jackson.
Winner: Damon Jackson by Unanimous Decision (30-27, 30-27, 29-28) after three rounds. He improves to 21-4-1, 1 NC.
Benoit “God of War” St. Denis vs Niklas “Green Mask” Stolze
Round 1:
Stolze blocked an early head kick and he landed a couter knee as St. Denis shot in for a takedown. St. Denis got him down anyway and he tried to pass to mount. Stolze sat up against the cage and St. Denis, bleeding as a result of the knee strike, held him down. Stolze got back to his feet and time was called when St. Denis was kneed in the groin. The fight resumed and St. Denis took Stolze down into side control. St. Denis passed to mount and Stolze gave up his back. St. Denis trapped him in a body triangle and punched the side of Stolze’s face. St. Denis locked on a tight rear-naked choke, but Stolze held on until the bell. 10-9 St. Denis.
Round 2:
As St. Denis closed the distance, Stolze landed a counter knee and he trapped St. Denis in a guillotine choke. St. Denis managed to free his neck and he tripped Stolze to the mat. St. Denis secured a rear-naked choke on a seated Stolze and this time Stolze tapped out.
Winner: Benoit St. Denis by Submission (Rear-Naked Choke) at 1:32 of round two. He improves to 9-1-0, 1 NC.
Tony Gravely vs Johnny “Kid Kvenbo” Munoz Jr.
Round 1:
Gravely landed a jab early in the fight and Munoz threw a body kick. Soon after, Gravely closed the distance near the cage and landed a short right uppercut as Munoz ducked his head. Munoz fell face-first to the mat and Gravely followd with four punches on the ground before the fight was stopped.
Winner: Tony Gravely by KO (Punches) at 1:08 of round one. He improves to 23-7-0.
Jeff “El Jefe” Molina vs Zhalgas Zhumagulov
Round 1:
Molina landed a hard right cross early in the fight, but Zhumagulov countered a leg kick with a right hook that backed Molina up. Zhumagulov took Molina’s back in a clinch against the cage and kneed him in the thigh. Zhumagulov continued to throw knees until Molina finally broke free from the clinch. Molina landed a body kick and he just missed with a high knee. He landed a right hand and Zhumagulov responded with a leg kick. 10-9 Zhumagulov.
Round 2:
In round two, Molina scored with a hard leg kick, but Zhumagulov caught a body kick and took Molina down. He hopped on Molina’s back, but Molina shook him off and Zhumagulov held him against the cage. Zhumagulov tripped Molina, but Molina reversed it on the way down and he landed two elbows before Zhumagulov scrambled up. Time was called to cut tape that had come loose around Zhumagulov’s glove. The fight resumed with Molina landing a body kick and Zhumagulov fired off two hooks to Molina’s midsection. He staggered Molina briefly with a lead left hook and shot in for a takedown. Molina countered with a knee, but Zhumagulov got him down and took his back. Close, back-and-forth round. 10-9 Zhumagulov.
Round 3:
Zhumagulov jabbed and Molina landed an overhand right in the final round. Zhumagulov blocked a head kick and he landed a left hook to the body. Molina jabbed and he connected with a right cross. Zhumagulov grabbed on to Molina’s leg, but he was not able to take him down. Late in the fight, Zhumagulov held Molina against the cage and then took his back. He briefly tripped Molina to the mat, but Molina stood and landed a right hook at the bell. Another close round. 10-9 Molina.
Winner: Jeff Molina by Split Decision (30-27, 29-28, 28-29) after three rounds. He improves to 11-2-0.
Rinat “Gladiator” Fakhretdinov vs Andreas “Spartan” Michailidis
Round 1:
Fakhretdinov jabbed and scored a takedown against the cage in the opening seconds. Michailidis stood and was warned for grabbing the cage. Fakhretdinov dragged him down again and attempted a rear-naked choke, but Michailidis broke his grip. Michailidis stood up with Fakhretdinov on his back and Fakhretdinov attacked with knees to his thigh. Michailidis grabbed the cage three more times, but no points were deducted. Michailidis stuffed a takedown and threw a spinning wheel kick, but he fell in the process and Fakhretdinov attempted a guillotine choke. A back-and-forth scramble ensued on the ground and the fighters ultimately stood up. They battled in a clinch late in the round. 10-9 Fakhretdinov.
Round 2:
The second round began with a takedown from Fakhretdinov, who worked from the top in Michailidis’s guard. He landed an elbow to Michailidis’s face and kept his head pinned against the base of the cage. Fakhretdinov maintained top position and he landed short punches until Michailidis finally got to his feet with 30 seconds to go. The fighters exchanged knees to the body in the final seconds. 10-9 Fakhretdinov.
Round 3:
Michailidis attempted a takedown in the final round, but Fakhretdinov held him in a front headlock and pushed him down to the ground. Fakhretdinov went to work from the top in Michailidis’s half-guard. A big elbow scored for Fakhretdinov, which opened a bad cut on the right side of Michailidis’s head. A bloody Michailidis got back to his feet and Fakhretdinov used a body-lock takedown to get him back down. Michailidis stood and Fakhretdinov landed punches and a knee. 10-9 Fakhretdinov. Could be a 10-8.
Winner: Rinat Fakhretdinov by Unanimous Decision (30-26, 30-26, 30-27) after three rounds. He improves to 19-1-0.
Erin “Cold Blooded” Blanchfield vs J.J. Aldrich
Round 1:
Blanchfield opened with two leg kicks and Aldrich dumped her to the mat after catching the second one. Blanchfield stood and Aldrich landed a lead right hand. Blanchfield kicked at Aldrich’s leg and body, then went high with a head kick. Aldrich ducked under it and caught Blanchfield’s leg, but she was unable to take her down and Blanchfield held Aldrich against the cage. Aldrich circled out and she landed a quick one-two. She took Blanchfield’s back and dragged her down to the mat, but Blanchfield quickly returned to her feet. A right-left combo landed for Aldrich, who shrugged off a Blanchfield takedown attempt. Two stiff jabs landed for Aldrich and Blanchfield answered with a body kick before the bell. 10-9 Aldrich.
Round 2:
In the second round, Blanchfield repeatedly stepped forward with kicks to Aldrich’s leg, but Aldrich countered with jabs and a straight left hand. Blanchfield landed a right hook, but Aldrich secured a body lock and took her down. Blanchfield stood against the cage and separated from the clinch. Blanchfield knocked her down with a body kick and then locked on a high-elbow guillotine choke as Aldrich got back to her feet. Blanchfield cranked on Aldrich’s neck and Aldrich tapped out.
Winner: Erin Blanchfield by Submission (Guillotine Choke) at 2:38 of round two. She improves to 9-1-0.