UFC Fight Night 223: "Dern vs Hill" Live Play-By-Play & ResultsThe Ultimate Fighting Championship headed back to the UFC Apex in Las Vegas, Nevada tonight for UFC Fight Night 223: “Dern vs Hill.” The card was headlined by a featured women’s strawweight clash between standout grappler Mackenzie Dern and long-time UFC veteran Angela “Overkill” Hill.

In the middleweight co-main event, Edmen “The Golden Boy” Shahbazyan took on Anthony “Fluffy” Hernandez. Elsewhere on the main card tonight, former Invicta FC champion Emily “Gordinha” Ducote battled “Loopy” Lupita Godinez at 120 pounds. MMARising.com has live play-by-play for the card.

 

Mackenzie Dern vs Angela “Overkill” Hill

Round 1:
The fighters clinched early in the fight and battled for position against the cage. Both women threw knees to the body and Dern landed a hard punching combination after breaking free. She took Hill down, but Hill quickly returned to her feet. Dern dropped Hill with a right cross and took top position in side control. Hill scrambled back to full guard and Dern stood up. She latched on to Hill’s left leg and looked for an ankle lock before transitioning back to side control. With 40 seconds to go, Dern mounted Hill and she rained down elbows. Dern spun into an armbar, but Hill kept her hands clasped together and defended until the bell. 10-8 Dern.

Round 2:
Dern landed two right hands and then charged at Hill with a flurry of punches. Hill took Dern’s back and she landed a knee to Dern’s face. Dern turned into the clinch and she tried unsuccessfully to throw Hill to the ground. Hill landed an elbow and the fighters separated. Dern scored with a hard leg kick and Hill clinched again. She kneed Dern in the body and the fighters eventually separated late in the round. Hill landed a right hook and Dern answered with a knee before clinching. 10-9 Hill.

Round 3:
Dern opened the third round with two front kicks and a right hand, but Hill knocked her down with a counter right. Dern postured for a triangle choke from the bottom and Hill escaped. Back on the feet, Dern hurt Hill with a knee. Hill rolled through to reverse one takedown, but Dern took her down a second time and passed to mount. Hill kicked off of the fence as Dern punched from the top. She retook mount and landed more punches, then took Hill’s back and flattened her out. Dern landed elbows and Hill gave up mount once more. Dern dropped more punches and elbows, then switched to an armbar attempt and Hill made it to the bell again. 10-8 Dern.

Round 4:
Hill’s left eye was almost completely shut as the fourth round began. Dern was aggressive with punches again, but Hill held her against the fence. Dern broke free 90 seconds into the round and she landed jabs and lead left hooks. Dern followed with two leg kicks and then backed Hill up against the fence. She kneed Hill’s leg and body while pinning her in place. Dern landed an elbow and a one-two as the fighters separated. Hill. avoided a spinning backfist and dragged Dern down, but Dern turned over into Hill’s guard. Hill attempted an arm-triangle choke from the bottom and held on to it until the bell. 10-9 Dern.

Round 5:
Dern used a headlock throw to get Hill down against the cage. She postured up with punches as Hill looked to set up an armbar from the bottom. Dern passed to side control and landed hammerfists and elbows. She took Hill’s back and then mounted her. Elbow after elbow landed for Dern as Hill covered up. Dern rained down punches and one final elbow as the final bell sounded. 10-8 Dern.

Winner: Mackenzie Dern by Unanimous Decision (49-43, 49-44, 49-44) after five rounds. She improves to 13-3-0.

 

Anthony “Fluffy” Hernandez vs Edmen “The Golden Boy” Shahbazyan

Round 1:
Shahbazyan started strong on the feet and he used his jab to set up a nice right hand. Hernandez clinched and he pulled guard with a guillotine choke. Shahbazyan escaped and landed an uppercut as he returned to his feet. Hernandez cracked him with a right hook and secured a body lock. He could not get Shahbazyan down and Shahbazyan landed a knee before locking on a standing guillotine choke. Hernandez was in trouble, but he managed to free his neck as the fight hit the ground. A scramble ensued and Shahbazyan attempted a triangle choke. Hernandez countered with a guillotine choke in another scramble and he landed punches as the fighters stood. Back-and-forth action continued and Hernandez landed right hands in close, then held Shahbazyan in a front headlock. 10-9 Shahbazyan.

Round 2:
Hernandez landed an elbow and a right hook, then initiated a clinch with Shahbazyan against the cage. Shahbazyan turned him around and landed a knee. Hernandez reversed a takedown and almost got to mount. Shahbazyan sat up against the cage and got to his feet, but Hernandez dumped him to the mat again. He took Shanbazyan’s back, then transitioned to a mounted guillotine choke and then a Brabo choke. Shahbazyan survived, but Hernandez peppered him with punches and then switched to elbows. Shahbazyan got back to full guard and Hernandez postured up with hard elbows and punches. 10-9 Hernandez. Could even be a 10-8.

Round 3:
Hernandez took Shahbazyan down against the cage and he struck with elbows and punches from the top. Shahbazyan covered up, but an elbow got through and opened a cut. Shahbazyan rolled over and Hernandez landed four more elbows and two punches until the fight was stopped.

Winner: Anthony Hernandez by TKO (Elbows & Punches) at 1:01 of round three. He improves to 11-2-0, 1 NC.

 

“Loopy” Lupita Godinez vs Emily “Gordinha” Ducote

Round 1:
Godinez had early success with jabs and right hands while keeping Ducote on the defensive. She knocked her off-balance with a leg kick and then landed a lead left hook. Ducote flurried to the body and Godinez countered with an overhand right. She landed a one-two and a counter right hook as Ducote tried to close the distance. Ducote secured a clinch in the final 45 seconds and she landed an elbow on the break. 10-9 Godinez.

Round 2:
Ducote threw a head kick to open round two and Godinez fired back with a quick combination and then a one-two. Godinez sprawled out of a Ducote takedown attempt and punished her with a knee. The fighters exchanged punching combinations and Ducote began to have more success on the feet. She countered a jab-cross combo from Godinez with one of her own and then dropped levels for a takedown. Godinez stayed on her feet and landed a knee. She finished a combination with a head kick, then secured a body lock and almost slammed Ducote down. Ducote maintained her balance and the close round ended with an exchange of punches. 10-9 Godinez by a slim margin.

Round 3:
Ducote landed a leg kick in the final round and Godinez countered with a quick one-two. Both women landed right hooks in close and the pace picked up as Godinez landed two lead left hooks. Ducote scored with a pair of leg kicks and a front kick to Godinez’s midsection. Godinez flurried with punches and Ducote tried for a takedown. Godinez stayed on her feet and she landed a knee, but Ducote responded with an overhand right. Godinez landed a jab-cross combo and she took Godinez down in the final seconds. 10-9 Godinez.

Winner: Lupita Godinez by Unanimous Decision (30-27, 29-28, 29-28) after three rounds. She improves to 10-3-0.

 

Joaquin “New Mansa” Buckley vs Andre Fialho

Round 1:
Fialho blocked two head kicks from Buckley, who charged forward with a punching combination. A lunging left landed for Buckley and Fialho countered with a right cross. Fialho partially landed with a head kick and he followed with another right cross. Buckley briefly took him down and Fialho landed a body kick after returning to his feet. Buckley took him down again, but Fialho stood and reversed a clinch against the cage. Close opening round. 10-9 Buckley by a slim margin.

Round 2:
Time was called seconds into round two when Buckley was kicked in the groin. The fight resumed and Fialho landed a hard right hand. He followed with another right cross and blocked a head kick attempt from Buckley. Fialho landed a kick to Buckley’s upper body, but Buckley backed him up with a right-left combo. Soon after, Fialho scored with a counter right hand and time was called when the fighters clashed heads. Action quickly resumed and Buckley floored Fialho with a head kick. The fight was not immediately stopped, so Buckley landed one follow-up right hand.

Winner: Joaquin Buckley by KO (Head Kick) at 4:15 of round two. He improves to 16-6-0.

 

Carlos Diego Ferreira vs Michael “The Menace” Johnson

Round 1:
Johnson countered a Ferreira body kick with two straight lefts and he followed up with a four-punch combination. Ferreira shot in for a takedown and Johnson sidestepped. He landed a lead right hook just as Ferreira scored with a right cross. A hard left hand landed for Johnson and he wobled Ferreira with another left soon after. Ferreira recovered and he landed a combination just before the bell. 10-9 Johnson.

Round 2:
The second round opened with Johnson landing a quick flurry. He blocked a head kick and shrugged off a Ferreira takedown attempt. Seconds later, Ferreira landed a massive overhand right that instantly shut Johnson’s lights out and sent him crashing to the mat.

Winner: Carlos Diego Ferreira by KO (Punch) at 1:50 of round two. He improves to 18-5-0.

 

(Undercard results and play-by-play on Page Two.)