UFC Fight Night 20 Live Play-By-Play & ResultsThe Ultimate Fighting Championship comes to Fairfax, Virginia tonight for UFC Fight Night 20, which was headlined by a lightweight rematch between top contender Gray “The Bully” Maynard and submission specialist Nate Diaz. The co-main event saw TUF 8 Winner Efrain Escudero suffer his first career defeat at the hands of Evan Dunham.

Elsewhere on the card, the always colourful “Filthy” Tom Lawlor dropped a razor-thin decision in a middleweight bout with still undefeated Aaron “A-Train” Simpson. MMARising.com has live play-by-play of the event.

 

Gray “The Bully” Maynard vs Nate Diaz

Round 1:
The fighters looked to find their range early on and Diaz cut Maynard beside the eye with a left cross. Single punches landed for both and Maynard missed with a pair of wild haymakers. Two hooks and a leg kick found the mark for Diaz, but Maynard answered with winging punches in close. Another exchange followed and both landed, as Maynard continued to look for a knockout punch.

Maynard finally connected with a big right hand and he followed with a knee and a one-two. A combination of punches and a leg kick landed for Diaz, but Maynard answered with a powerful right hand. The fighters began to taunt each other, but neither was able to score with anything damaging until the final five seconds. Extremely even round that could go either way. 10-10.

Round 2:
Quick punches landed for both fighters in the opening minute of round two and Diaz looked to punch his way into a clinch. Maynard cracked him with a right hook and Diaz backed up. Diaz answered with a one-two, but Maynard was unfazed. Overhand rights and lefts landed for Maynard and he rocked Diaz with a knee. Diaz fell, but quickly got up.

Maynard sent Diaz off-balance again with a counter hook and Diaz’s punches seemed to have little effect. The fighters continued to trade punches and Diaz added in a handful of leg kicks. He began taunting and the crowd booed. Maynard picked his shots, but neither fighter could land cleanly. The crowd was not amused. 10-9 Maynard.

Round 3:
Diaz landed a kick and short punches in the final round and both fighters connected with punching flurries. Diaz opened more cuts on Maynard’s nose and cheek and he stunned Maynard with a one-two. Another lead hook landed for Diaz, but the crowd was not impressed with the extremely sloppy fight. Diaz clinched and Maynard fought free with winging hooks.

Short uppercuts landed for both in close and the crowd booed the action. The fighters traded hooks and Diaz sent Maynard off-balance once again with another combination. Maynard clinched, but Diaz drilled him with a knee and punches. Maynard rocked Diaz with a right hook and Diaz shot for a takedown. Maynard stuffed it and landed knees and punches. The round was all Diaz until the final seconds. 10-10. Close, but lacklustre fight.

Winner: Gray Maynard by Split Decision (30-27, 29-28, 28-29) after three rounds. He improves to 9-0-0, 1 NC.

 

Evan Dunham vs Efrain Escudero

Round 1:
After a quick exchange, Escudero scored with a body kick and a one-two, then clinched against the cage. Dunham defended and Escudero backed away. A looping right hook landed for Escudero and he took Dunham’s back while standing. Escudero landed knees and an elbow, but separated from the clinch. He landed an uppercut that backed Dunham up.

A flying knee and a succession of huge right hands rocked Dunham and Escudero dropped him with an overhand right. Dunham survived and trapped Escudero in his guard, then looked for an armbar. Escudero punched free and immediately secured a guillotine choke as Dunham tried to stand up. Escudero let go of the choke and stood up. Both fighters threw flying knees at the same time and Escudero fell down. 10-9 Escudero.

Round 2:
Both fighters landed combinations of kicks and punches in the opening minute and Dunham began to find his range. He scored with a quick flurry and a pair of lead right hooks. Dunham cracked Escudero with a left cross and he narrowly missed with a flying knee. Escudero answered with a right hook and began to dance around. He teed off with punches in close, but Dunham fired back with strikes of his own.

Dunham scored a takedown and landed in Escudero’s half-guard. Escudero regained guard, but Dunham blasted him with hard punches from the top. Dunham stood up and landed two more punches, then dove back into Escudero’s guard. He took Escudero’s back and secured a body triangle, but was unable to lock on a choke. Dunham punched the sides of Escudero’s head until the bell. 10-9 Dunham.

Round 3:
Escudero scored with a body kick to begin the final round and he pulled guard with a guillotine choke. Escudero let go of the choke and tried to work from the top, but Dunham scrambled back to his feet and took Escudero down. Dunham moved from side-control to mount and then took Escudero’s back. He transitioned into a beautiful triangle armbar, then bent Escudero’s arm back even further. Escudero tried to hold on, but eventually tapped out and was in great pain afterwards. Big win for Dunham.

Winner: Evan Dunham by Submission (Armbar) at 1:59 of round three. He improves to 10-0-0.

 

Aaron “A-Train” Simpson vs “Filthy” Tom Lawlor

Round 1:
Lawlor opened the fight with a quick flurry and he backed Simpson up with more punches. He continued to get the better of Simpson in the exchanges and dropped Simpson briefly against the cage. More punches followed for Lawlor and he teed off in close. Lawlor rocked Simpson with a looping right hook and swarmed him with more punches against the cage. Simpson held on, but was badly hurt with over a dozen punches and a knee.

Lawlor did not let up with his punishment of Simpson as Simpson stumbled all over the cage. The referee allowed the fight to continue and Simpson began to recover somewhat. Simpson landed a body kick and was cracked by three more punches. A one-two staggered Simpson momentarily and Lawlor landed two more punches at the bell. 10-9 Lawlor. Could easily be a 10-8.

Round 2:
Lawlor scored with punches early in the second round and Simpson answered with a knee. He tried briefly for a takedown and Lawlor easily stuffed it. Lawlor continued to get the better of the striking exchanges, but Simpson punched his way into a clinch. He defended a guillotine choke and took Lawlor down. Simpson punched from side-control and took Lawlor’s back, but Lawlor worked his way up. Lawlor landed an elbow and Simpson backed away.

A lunging right hook staggered Simpson and Lawlor clinched against the cage. The fighters traded elbows over the top and Simpson landed shots to the body. Lawlor backed away and drilled Simpson with a flurry, but Simpson clinched. Lawlor secured a standing guillotine choke and landed knees, but Simpson connected with some hard punches. Lawlor pulled guard with another guillotine just before the bell. Razor-thin round. 10-9 Lawlor.

Round 3:
Simpson came out aggressively in the final round and was stopped in his tracks by a trio of counter hooks. Simpson landed a body kick and clinched briefly, then backed away. He landed a knee and tried for a takedown, but Lawlor defended. Simpson slammed Lawlor to the mat and Lawlor immediately stood up. Lawlor scored a takedown and Simpson got up. Lawlor countered a takedown from Simpson with a rolling Kimura. Simpson escaped and moved to mount.

Lawlor gave up his back and Simpson tried to secure a choke. An exhausted Lawlor scrambled, but Simpson maintained back control. He once again tried for a rear naked choke, but Lawlor defended well. Lawlor spun and dove for Simpson’s leg, but Simpson sprawled out. Simpson took Lawlor’s back, then stood up and scored with a combination. Lawlor clinched and the fighters traded big punches. Lawlor staggered Simpson with three seconds left. 10-9 Simpson. Very, very close fight.

Winner: Aaron Simpson by Split Decision (29-28, 29-28, 28-29) after three rounds. He improves to 7-0-0.

 

Amir Sadollah vs “Bad” Brad Blackburn

Round 1:
Inside leg kicks landed for both fighters in the opening minute and a wild punching exchange followed. Blackburn targeted the body with a right hand and was cracked by a right hook in return. More kicks and a lead left hook found the mark for Sadollah and both landed punches. Sadollah jabbed and followed with a stiff leg kick. More big punches were exchanged and Sadollah clinched.

Blackburn punched free and the crowd got behind Sadollah as the fighters continued to throw hard punches. Blackburn cut Sadollah on the bridge of the nose and clinched briefly against the cage. Sadollah badly rocked Blackburn with a hook and an uppercut, then slammed Blackburn to the ground. Blackburn recovered and stood up, but ate a front kick to the face. Good round. 10-9 Sadollah.

Round 2:
Quick strikes opened the second round and Blackburn began to mix up his striking with kicks to the body. Sadollah answered with one of his own and Blackburn muscled him up against the cage. Blackburn landed a one-two and backed away, then clinched and tried for a takedown. Knees were exchanged in close and Sadollah sent Blackburn off-balance with a leg kick. Blackburn returned the favour with a counter right hook.

Blackburn scored with a combination in close and another clinch followed soon after. Sadollah powered free and Blackburn connected with a looping right hook. Left hands and kicks all landed for Sadollah and Blackburn looked to counter with punches in close. Both fighters landed strikes in the final seconds and Sadollah staggered Blackburn with a hook and a head kick. Very even round. 10-9 Blackburn by a slim margin.

Round 3:
Sadollah badly rocked Blackburn with a flying knee and follow-up punches early in the final round, then slammed him to the mat. Blackburn recovered and looked for submissions from his back, but Sadollah postured up and rained down two punches. Sadollah moved to side-control and tried to pass to mount, but Blackburn regained guard. Sadollah stood and blasted Blackburn with more big punches.

Back in side-control, Sadollah looked to set up a choke, but Blackburn regained half-guard. Sadollah used elbows to try to free his leg as a bloodied Blackburn held on. Short punches found the mark for Sadollah and he tried briefly for another choke. Sadollah momentarily moved to mount, then punished Blackburn with strikes in the final seconds. 10-8 Sadollah.

Winner: Amir Sadollah by Unanimous Decision (30-27, 30-27, 30-27) after three rounds. He improves to 3-1-0.

 

Undercard Fights:

Chris “The Crippler” Leben defeated Jay Silva by Unanimous Decision (30-27, 30-27, 30-27) after three rounds. He improves to 19-6-0 with the win.

Ricky “The Horror” Story defeated Jesse Lennox by Unanimous Decision (30-27, 30-27, 29-28) after three rounds. He improves to 9-3-0 with the win.

Nik “The Carnie” Lentz and Thiago Tavares battled to a Majority Draw (29-27 [Lentz], 28-28, 28-28) after three rounds. Tavares was deducted one point in the final round due to a brutal low blow. Lentz moves to 17-3-2 and Tavares moves to 14-3-1.

Rory “The Waterboy” MacDonald defeated Mike “Joker” Guymon by Submission (Armbar) at 4:27 of round one. He improves to 10-0-0 with the win.

Rafael dos Anjos defeated Kyle Bradley by Unanimous Decision (30-27, 30-27, 30-27) after three rounds. He improves to 13-4-0 with the win.

Gerald Harris defeated John Salter by TKO (Punches & Elbows) at 3:24 of round three. He improves to 14-2-0 with the win.

Nick “The Jersey Devil” Catone defeated Jesse “Kid Hercules” Forbes by Split Decision (29-28, 29-28, 28-29) after three rounds. He improves to 8-2-0 with the win.

 

In a night filled with decisions, UFC Fight Night 20 was largely a solid event, but a sloppy and lacklustre main event between Gray Maynard and Nate Diaz only furthered thoughts that no true challenges remain in the UFC for reigning UFC Lightweight Champion BJ Penn.