The Ultimate Fighting Championship made its way to Moody Center in Austin, Texas tonight for UFC on ESPN 37: “Kattar vs Emmett.” The event featured a featherweight contender’s bout between Calvin “The Boston Finisher” Kattar and Josh Emmett, as both looked to secure a title shot.
In tonight’s welterweight co-main event, Tim “The Dirty Bird” Means took on Kevin “Trailblazer” Holland. Elsewhere on the main card tonight, Joaquin “New Mansa” Buckley squared off against Albert “Machete” Duraev at middleweight. MMARising.com has live play-by-play for UFC on ESPN 37.
Josh Emmett vs Calvin “The Boston Finisher” Kattar
Round 1:
After a cautious opening minute, Emmett landed a right hand and he followed with another one soon after. A leg kick and a one-two landed for Emmett, who stayed out of Kattar’s range. Kattar eventually landed a right hand that opened a small cut beside Emmett’s left eye. Emmett backed Kattar up to the cage and landed a right-left combo, but he was unable to take Kattar down. 10-9 Emmett.
Round 2:
In round two, Emmett landed an overhand right and Kattar answered with a stiff jab. Both men landed right hooks and Emmett swung wildly with one that missed. Kattar jabbed and the cut around Emmett’s eye began to bleed more heavily. Emmett landed a jab-cross combo and Kattar took a step back. Emmett flurried to the body and head, but Kattar knocked him off-balance with a knee and a long jab. Emmett regained his footing and he charged ahead with two hooks to Kattar’s body before the bell. 10-9 Kattar.
Round 3:
Emmett landed two hard right hooks in the third round and he followed up with a flurry to the body. Kattar began to mix in elbows, but Emmett landed another overhand right and he began to throw jab-cross combos repeatedly. Kattar threw a jab and Emmett cracked him with a right hand over the top. He bloodied Kattar’s nose and Kattar landed an elbow in response. Late in the round, Emmett connected with two right hands. 10-9 Emmett.
Round 4:
Kattar struggled to land anything other than jabs in the fourth round, while Emmett had success with left-right combos and leg kicks. Kattar landed an elbow just before the midway point in the round and he jabbed, but Emmett flurried to the body and head again. Kattar landed a spinning back elbow and Emmett barely flinched. A one-two from Kattar did wobble Emmett, however, and he stumbled back. In the final seconds, Emmett picked up the pace and rushed forward aggressively with punches and leg kicks, but Kattar stayed clear of most of them. 10-9 Kattar.
Round 5:
Kattar used his jab effectively in round five and he bloodied Emmett’s nose while avoiding Emmett’s counters. Kattar continued to jab and Emmett missed with a looping left hook. He landed a combination to the body, however, and Kattar blocked a head kick. He continued to jab and Emmett was unable to land anything significant. Emmett began to bleed more heavily from his nose and Kattar threw a spinning back elbow before the end of the fight. 10-9 Kattar.
Winner: Josh Emmett by Split Decision (48-47, 48-47, 47-48) after five rounds. He improves to 18-2-0.
Kevin “Trailblazer” Holland vs Tim “The Dirty Bird” Means
Round 1:
Means fought through an early right uppercut from Holland and clinched with him against the cage. Holland circled free and he landed a one-two. Means missed with a spinning back elbow attempt, but he landed a left hook as Holland threw a knee. Means took Holland down, but Holland scrambled up and he appeared to hurt Means with a barrage of left and right hooks. Means tied him up in another clinch and he held Holland against the cage. The fighters separated again and Holland landed a big three-punch combo. He ducked under hooks from Means and landed two strong uppercuts. Holland stunned Means with another uppercut and Means clinched before the bell. 10-9 Holland.
Round 2:
When Means tried to close the distance in round two, Holland backed him up with counter hooks and uppercuts. A right hook badly hurt Means and he fell to the ground. Holland locked on a Brabo choke and Means tapped out almost immediately.
Winner: Kevin Holland by Submission (Brabo Choke) at 1:28 of round two. He improves to 23-7-0, 1 NC.
Joaquin “New Mansa” Buckley vs Albert “Machete” Duraev
Round 1:
Buckley rocked Duraev with a head kick in the opening minute, but Duraev recovered quickly and Buckley did not overextend. Duraev landed a head kick of his own and it opened a cut above Buckley’s left eye. Head kick attempts were exchanged and neither fighter landed. Buckley hurt Duraev with a lunging left cross and Duraev quickly recovered again. The round ended with Buckley landing a flurry of punches to Duraev’s body and head. 10-9 Buckley.
Round 2:
Buckley circled on the outside in round two until Duraev clinched with him against the cage. He got Buckley down, but couldn’t hold him there and Buckley worked back to his feet. He stuffed a takedown and dropped Duraev with an overhand left. Duraev got back up, but his left eye rapidly swelled shut and Buckley landed another left hand. Duraev took him down and Buckley once again worked back to his feet against the cage. He missed with a spinning hook kick and knocked Duraev down with an overhand left. 10-9 Buckley.
Between rounds, the fight was stopped due to Duraev’s left eye being swollen shut.
Winner: Joaquin Buckley by TKO (Doctor Stoppage) at 5:00 of round two. He improves to 15-4-0.
Damir Ismagulov vs Guram “Georgian Viking” Kutateladze
Round 1:
Ismagulov established his jab early in the fight and Kutateladze landed a right hook to the body. Ismagulov cut the bridge of his nose with another jab, but Kutateladze defended well against a takedown attempt and the fight stayed on the feet. Kutateladze landed two hard knees and an elbow in a clinch, which forced Ismagulov to retreat to the cage. Kutateladze continued to throw elbows and Ismagulov was unable to get a takedown. Kutateladze landed a front kick and grazed with a flying switch knee. Ismagulov connected with an uppercut and a right hook late in the round. 10-9 Kutateladze.
Round 2:
Kutateladze kicked at Ismagulov’s lead leg and body in the second round while staying outside of his punching range. Ismagulov finally found some success with jabs and Kutateladze tried unsuccessfully for a takedown. Once more, Kutateladze shot in and Ismagulov easily thwarted his takedown attempt. Kutateladze landed an overhand right and a liver kick. Ismagulov’s jabs further opened the cut on Kutateladze’s nose, but that did not stop Kutateladze from throwing a spinning back kick that partially landed. Jabs were exchanged late in the close round. 10-9 Ismagulov by a slim margin.
Round 3:
Ismagulov started strong in the final round with a three-punch combination and he countered a missed knee from Kutateladze with a very brief takedown. Back on the feet, Kutateladze landed a leg kick and Ismagulov answered with a right cross and more quick punches. Kutateladze continued to attack his leg with kicks and Ismagulov shot in for a takedown. Kutateladze reversed the clinch and both men landed elbows on the break. Ismagulov landed more of his strikes than Kutateladze, and he ducked under Kutateladze’s right hands. With 30 seconds to go, Ismagulov tripped Kutateladze, but Kutateladze scrambled up and he landed a knee to Ismagulov’s upper chest. Referee Herb Dean called time and gave Kutateladze a strong warning even though the strike appeared to be legal. Ismagulov landed a right hook after the restart and time expired. 10-9 Ismagulov.
Decision was initially announced incorrectly as a Majority Decision and was corrected later.
Winner: Damir Ismagulov by Split Decision (30-27, 29-28, 28-29) after three rounds. He improves to 24-1-0.
Gregory “Robocop” Rodrigues vs Julian “The Cuban Missile Crisis” Marquez
Round 1:
Rodrigues landed an early left hook and he knocked Marquez off-balance with a straight right. A two-punch combo from Rodrigues sent Marquez to his knees and Rodrigues hopped on his back as Marquez stood up. Marquez shook Rodrigues off of his back and the fighters traded power punches. Rodrigues dropped Marquez two more times. When Marquez stood up, Rodrigues attacked with elbows. Marquez stunned him with a looping hook in return, but Rodrigues finally floored Marquez for good with an uppercut and three right hooks. Crazy fight.
Winner: Gregory Rodrigues by KO (Punches) at 3:18 of round one. He improves to 12-4-0.
Adrian Yanez vs Tony “PrimeTime” Kelley
Round 1:
Yanez had success with counter hooks in the opening two minutes and he eventually rocked Kelley with a flurry in close. A left hook wobbled him again and Yanez followed up with more punches. Kelley survived the onslaught, but Yanez landed a right hook to the body and a left hook over the top. The punch sent Kelley crashing face-first to the mat. He got to his knees, only for Yanez to turn his lights out with three left hands to the jaw.
Winner: Adrian Yanez by KO (Punches) at 3:49 of round one. He improves to 16-3-0.
(Undercard results and play-by-play on Page Two.)