Category: Featured

Callout Collection: Who UFC Sao Paulo winners want next – and how likely they’ll get them

Charles Oliveira, Francisco Trinaldo and Randy Brown were among those with specific names in mind for their next fight after UFC Sao Paulo.

Earning wins in the UFC is certainly no easy task, but what comes next is often even more important: the post-fight callout.

So after Saturday’s UFC on ESPN+ 22 event in Sao Paulo, who took advantage of their time on the mic? See below for this week’s Callout Collection – and just how realistic each one is.

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First up, let’s take a look at the night’s prelim winners.

Randy Brown

Wants to fight: [autotag]Michael Chiesa[/autotag]

Michael Chiesa

The callout: “I got somebody I want to talk to: Michael Chiesa, I’ve always wanted a fight with you, my brother, and I don’t want to have to talk about your momma in order to get this fight, so let’s make it happen, my brother.”

The reality: To be honest, I really don’t hate the idea of this fight, and I like the way [autotag]Randy Brown[/autotag] (12-3 MMA, 6-3 UFC) approached the request. It was respectful, but it had a little humor in it, as well, bringing up the infamous Chiesa-Kevin Lee press conference exchange ahead of their 2017 clash. The two rangy fighters would likely provide an entertaining contest, and Brown’s obviously improved submission skills mean that he’s becoming a more well-rounded challenge.

If I’m being honest, though, I can’t see where Chiesa (16-4 MMA, 9-4 UFC) agrees to this. Yes, the former lightweight is relatively new in the welterweight division, but he came in with wins over true legendary names in Carlos Condit and Diego Sanchez. Sure, you can argue that neither of those men are at their peak right now, but you can’t deny the starpower they carry. For that reason, I see Chiesa looking for an opponent with a number next to his name, and I’m guessing the UFC will oblige.

[opinary poll=”how-interested-are-you-in-seeing-randy-b” customer=”mmajunkie”]

Francisco Trinaldo

Wants to fight: [autotag]Edson Barboza[/autotag]

Edson Barboza

The callout: “I would like to face Edson Barboza next. He is the best muay Thai athlete in Brazil. I think it would be a great match.”

The reality: For years, it seemed Brazilian fighters not only weren’t all that interested in facing their countrymen but actually went out of their way to avoid clashing, regardless of the circumstances. But Saturday’s card had a number of Brazil vs. Brazil matchups, and those days seem to be changing, a welcome development. Now, you’ve got a Brazilian folk hero in [autotag]Francisco Trinaldo[/autotag] (24-7 MMA, 14-6 UFC) outwardly asking for a fight with another standout from his home nation in Barboza (20-6 MMA, 14-6 UFC).

In truth, Barboza isn’t really one to be calling the shots right ow. He faces only the absolute best fighters in the division, but he’s at 1-4 in his past five appearances and is going to have to take whatever is offered. That might be good news for Trinaldo, who has had mixed results in his UFC run but in seven years has had only brief exposure to the top-tier talents at 155 pounds.

Both guys probably see this as a winnable fight, and I can’t see more pressing needs for either of them. Let’s tee it up for that rumored Brasilia event in March.

[opinary poll=”how-interested-are-you-in-seeing-francis” customer=”mmajunkie”]

Charles Oliveira

Wants to fight: [autotag]Conor McGregor[/autotag] or [autotag]Paul Felder[/autotag]

Conor McGregor and Paul Felder

The callout: “I’ve been here for 10 years. I always say I want a ranked opponent. I’ll call it by the name: Conor McGregor, come on, or else Paul Felder, the last one to beat me. Come on. I’ll meet you again.”

The reality: [autotag]Charles Oliveira[/autotag](28-8 MMA, 16-8 UFC) has been in the UFC for more than nine years, and we’ve watched him grow up in front of us, in both the physical sense and as a fighter, in general. Along the way, he’s turned in some incredibly memorable performances – well, memorable except for the fact that he has always taken the “whatever is next” approach to his career. Now, at 30, Oliveira is finally speaking out.

In truth, he deserves it. Finally admitting he’s not a featherweight, Oliveira has embraced his move to 155 pounds is now riding a six-fight winning streak – a run that includes five “Performance of the Night” awards. That’s incredibly impressive.

The McGregor call-out, well, that’s a little disappointing, but it’s understandable. McGregor is still a huge name, and I’m sure to a submission ace like Oliveira, the Irishman looks like an easy paycheck. But let’s be honest. It ain’t happening.

Felder? Well, “The Irish Dragon” was the last man to beat Oliveira, and I’m sure he’d appreciate a shot at revenge. Of course, Felder is in the midst of a 5-1 run right now, as well, with the lone loss in that span coming in a welterweight fight, and he’s hoping for a No. 1 contender fight – or something close to it – as he manages the final stages of his in-cage career before jumping full-time into the broadcast booth.

For those reasons, I don’t know that I see either of these coming together. The good news for Oliveira, though, is the top of the division is all unbooked right now. Islam Makachev isn’t a big name, but his reputation is strong among fighters. Or perhaps Kevin Lee?

What makes sense to you?

[opinary poll=”who-would-you-like-to-see-charles-olivei” customer=”mmajunkie”]

UFC on ESPN+ 22 rookie report: Grading the newcomers in Sao Paulo

Fighters from around the globe dream of the day they’ll step into the octagon the first time – so how did the newcomers perform on Saturday?

Fighters from around the globe dream of the day they’ll step into the UFC octagon for the first time. For four athletes, Saturday’s UFC on ESPN+ 22 event marked that special moment in their career.

Check out this week’s rookie report to see what kind of first impression those fighters made on the sport’s biggest stage from Ginasio do Ibirapuera in Sao Paulo.

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Tracy Cortez

Tracy Cortez and Vanessa Melo

Division: Women’s bantamweight
Result: Tracy Cortez def. Vanessa Melo via unanimous decision (30-27, 30-27, 29-28)
Record: (7-1 MMA, 1-0 UFC)
Grade: B+

When it comes to heartbreaking backstories and a fighting spirit forged through struggle, [autotag]Tracy Cortez[/autotag] can’t be ignored. As she proved on her entry into the UFC through Dana White’s Contender Series, she’s willing to scrap under any circumstances, traveling to Brazil to compete on foreign soil in her UFC debut and even moving up 10 pounds so she could get on the card.

On the feet, Cortez shows real promise with her striking, flashing impressive power and accuracy with her boxing against Vanessa Melo. The downside in that range was that she was available to be countered in those exchanges, in the old “take one to give one” approach doesn’t generally lead to long UFC tenures, so she’ll want to dial the in a bit. Still, her willingness to engage was certainly entertaining.

Cortez also shows a willingness to turn to the grappling when needed, spending nearly the entirety of a round of this fight in a controlling position in the clinch. While that doesn’t entertain as much as the striking, I see promise in a fighter willing to be disciplined to a gameplan when it’s effective.

Overall, I think a move back down to 125 pounds may be the right move for Cortez, and there are some defensive tactics that need to be tweaked, but it seems some promising days are ahead for this newcomer.

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Twitter reacts to Jan Blachowicz’s lackluster win over ‘Jacare’ Souza at UFC on ESPN+ 22

See the top Twitter reactions to Jan Blachowicz’s win over Ronaldo Souza in the UFC on ESPN+ 22 main event.

[autotag]Jan Blachowicz[/autotag] won a UFC main event for the first time on Saturday when he went into enemy territory to defeat [autotag]Ronaldo Souza[/autotag] at UFC on ESPN+ 22.

Blachowicz (25-8 MMA, 8-5 UFC) strengthened his case for a light heavyweight title shot when he ruined Souza’s (26-8 MMA, 9-5 UFC) move up to the division with a split decision victory in the headlining bout, which took place at Ginásio do Ibirapuera in Sao Paulo, and streamed on ESPN+.

Check below for the top Twitter reactions to Blachowicz’s victory over Souza at UFC on ESPN+ 22.

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UFC on ESPN+ 22 results: Jan Blachowicz edges ‘Jacare’ Souza for uneventful decision victory

It wasn’t pretty, but Jan Blachowicz got the job done in the UFC Sao Paulo main event.

It wasn’t pretty, but [autotag]Jan Blachowicz[/autotag] got the job done

On Saturday night, Blachowicz (25-8 MMA, 8-5 UFC) spoiled the light heavyweight debut of [autotag]Ronaldo Souza[/autotag]. In one of the least eventful UFC main events in recent memory, Blachowicz edged out a split decision over Souza (26-8 MMA, 9-5 UFC).

The fight was the UFC on ESPN+ 22 main event at Ginasio do Ibirapuera in Sao Paulo. The event streamed on ESPN+.

Throughout the fight, Souza attempted to push Blachowicz up against the cage and make things ugly. While he was able to control the Polish fighter at times, Souza was never able to muster up any significant offense.

Blachowicz attempted to keep the fight in the center of the cage when possible. Utilizing his point-fighting, Blachowicz stayed on the outside to avoid Souza’s attempts at pressing the action.

Midway through the fight, Blachowicz injured his left foot – which appeared to increasingly swell as the fight went on.

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A monotonous, lackluster tone didn’t slip by those in attendance in Sao Paulo. Reminiscent of the UFC 214 co-main event between then-welterweight champ Tyron Woodley and then-challenger Demian Maia, hundreds of members of the crowd took out their cell phones and waived their flashlights.

When all was said and done, Blachowicz walked away with the split decision nod and afterwards called for a title shot against Jon Jones. Why? Blachowicz cited he only has three years left in his career.

It’s not probable Blachowicz will earn a title shot out of his UFC on ESPN+ 22 victory. However, he likely earned himself another marquee matchup at 205 pounds.

While UFC light heavyweight champion Jones’ next challenge hasn’t been officially announced, all signs point towards Dominick Reyes being next in line.

Also chomping at the bit, Corey Anderson punched his ticket into the conversation when he upset surging Brazilian Johnny Walker at UFC 244 in early November.

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With the victory, Blachowicz has compiled back-to-back wins since being knocked out by Thiago Santos in February. Prior to UFC on ESPN+ 22, Blachowicz got back into the win column when he knocked out former UFC middleweight champion Luke Rockhold at UFC 239 in July. Blachowicz has now won five out of his most recent six outings.

For Souza, the loss is his second in a row. His move to 205 pounds comes after dropping three of his past five fights. In April, Souza suffered an unanimous decision loss to Norway’s Jack Hermansson.

Up-to-the-minute UFC on ESPN+ 22 results include:

Twitter reacts to ‘Shogun’ Rua vs. Paul Craig split draw at UFC on ESPN+ 22

See the top Twitter reactions to the Mauricio Rua vs. Paul Craig split draw in the UFC on ESPN+ 22 co-main event.

The judges could not decide a winner between [autotag]Mauricio Rua[/autotag] and [autotag]Paul Craig[/autotag] in the UFC on ESPN+ 22 co-main event on Saturday.

After three hard-fought rounds in the light heavyweight division, former UFC champ Rua (26-11-1 MMA, 10-9-1 UFC) and Craig (12-4-1 MMA, 4-5-1 UFC) fought to a split draw in the matchup, which took place at Ginásio do Ibirapuera in Sao Paulo, and streamed on ESPN+.

Check below for the Twitter reactions to the “Shogun” vs. Craig split draw in the UFC on ESPN+ 22 co-main event.

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UFC on ESPN+ 22 results: ‘Shogun’ Rua, Paul Craig fight to split draw

Mauricio Rua and Paul Crag fought a competitive bout at UFC on ESPN+ 22 co-main event, and the judges couldn’t decide a winner in the end.

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[autotag]Mauricio Rua[/autotag] and [autotag]Paul Craig[/autotag] fought a competitive three-round bout in the UFC on ESPN+ 22 co-main event on Saturday, and the judges couldn’t decide a winner.

Rua (26-11-1 MMA, 10-9-1 UFC), the former UFC light heavyweight champion, relied on his ground game against Craig (12-4-1 MMA, 4-4-1 UFC), who did some good work of his own on the feet.

Each of two judges thought both fighters deserved a win, but the deciding one scored it a draw, rendering no winner in the light heavyweight bout at Ginasio do Ibirapuera in Sao Paulo. It was a split draw.

Craig came out of the gate hard, attacking with spinning back kicks and throwing heavy punches. Rua weathered the early storm and forced his way inside the clinch, pushing Craig against the fence. They worked from there, reversing position until breaking into open space. Craig cornered Rua against the fence and unleashed a flurry that included some hard shots that forced Rua to cover up. He avoided the stoppage, though, and escaped the position before putting the pressure on Craig and landing some good punches in the final minute of the round.

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The second round began with some relatively even striking exchanges. Both men connected with some decent shots, but Craig had the noticeable speed advantage. About 90 seconds into the round, Rua completed a takedown. Once he got top position, the Brazilian opened up with some good ground-and-pound. Craig tried to defend and lull his opponent into a submission, but Rua was privy to all his attempts and landed some strong blows from on top. Rua couldn’t put Craig in danger of a finish, but controlled the rest of the round.

With the fight seemingly up for grabs going into the final frame, both men came out eager to impose their game. Craig used his range to land some good punches, but he made a big error with a sloppy takedown attempt that resulted with him on bottom. Rua went back to the same strategy as the second frame, working from inside the guard before standing up and diving back in big punches. Craig managed to get up to his feet and get a takedown of his own in the final 15 seconds but couldn’t do anything meaningful with it.

It came down to the wire, and the scores were 29-28 Rua, 29-28 Craig and 28-28 for the split draw result.

“I thought I had won the last few rounds,” Rua said through an interpreter during his post-fight interview. “But I left it to the judges.”

Up-to-the-minute UFC on ESPN+ 22 results include:

‘Oh sh*t,’ Ross Pearson got knocked out cold by a rolling thunder kick

His first fight since being released by the UFC ended in devastating and spectacular fashion thanks to Davy Gallon.

[autotag]Ross Pearson[/autotag]’s MMA return was one for the highlight reel – but not in the way he envisioned.

In his first fight in his native United Kingdom in over four years, Pearson (20-17) headlined “MTK MMA: Probellum” in London on Saturday night. Taking on [autotag]Davy Gallon[/autotag] (18-7-2), Pearson was brutally knocked out in the most improbable of fashions.

As the clock wound down in the final round, Gallon threw a rolling thunder kick, which landed flush on the head of Pearson. Upon impact, Pearson was knocked out cold and flew backwards, crashing to the mat. The announcer’s “oh sh*t” reaction sums up just how spectacular it was.

Was it a “Knockout of the Year” contender? Watch Gallon’s finish in the video below:

These images also illustrate just how incredible it was:

The fight was Pearson’s first since being released by the UFC earlier this year. Prior to his UFC departure, Pearson had dropped six out of his final seven fights with the promotion.

As for Gallon, the 30-year-old welterweight now has won six out of his last eight fights and is is riding a three-fight winning streak.

The Blue Corner is MMA Junkie’s blog space. We don’t take it overly serious, and neither should you. If you come complaining to us that something you read here is not hard-hitting news, expect to have the previous sentence repeated in ALL CAPS.

UFC on ESPN+ 22 play-by-play and live results

Check out live play-by-play and official results from UFC on ESPN+ 22 in Sao Paulo.

UFC on ESPN+ 22 takes place Saturday, and you can join us for live play-by-play and official Moraes beginning at 5 p.m. ET (2 p.m. PT).

The event takes place at Ginasio do Ibirapuera in Sao Paulo. The card streams on ESPN+.

In the main event, Jan Blachowicz (24-8 MMA, 7-5 UFC) takes on longtime 185-pound standout Ronaldo Souza (26-7 MMA, 9-4 UFC), who is moving to light heavyweight for the first time. In the co-feature, Paul Craig (12-4 MMA, 4-4 UFC) travels into hostile territory to take on former light heavyweight champion and longtime fan favorite Mauricio Rua (26-11 MMA, 10-9 UFC).

Follow along with our round-by-round updates and official Moraes beginning at approximately 5 p.m. ET for the ESPN+ prelims and 8 p.m. ET for the main card on ESPN+.

To discuss the show, be sure to check out our UFC on ESPN+ 22 discussion thread.

Enjoy the fights, everyone.

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Tracy Cortez vs. Vanessa Melo

Round 1 – Cortez switching stances and fires a straight punch and a front kick, but Melo stays in the pocket and fires right back. Cortez moving well and firing off the kicks, but Melo is countering well over the top. Cortez going to have to decide if she wants to stick with it. Melo in the center, and both women firing big punches. Cortez slips on a high kick but is able to pop back up. Melo again take the center, but Cortez with a crisp pair of punches that score. Big right lands again. Cortez ducks in for a takedown but backs away rather quickly. Still, the punches are flowing well. Melo finds a home for a big left hook. Cortez again teases a move inside, but she’s clipped on the way in. Both fighters continue to just tee off on the feet. Cortez continues to move well and find her punches. Melo swinging back, but not quite as frequently. Round ends, and MMA Junkie gives it to Cortez, 10-9.

Round 2 – Cortez moves forward and pushes Melo against the cage. SHe’s got underhooks and looking for short striking opportunities inside. Quick punches and elbows land. Knees follow. Melo active against the cage, trying to get free, but Cortez is controlling well from the outside. She’s got the body wrapped and is looking for a chance to bring the fight to the floor. Not there. She breaks quickly, but Cortez pushes right back inside. She drags Melo to a knee. Cortez getting her hands clasped behind the back. Still, Melo finding a way to crawl back to her feet and stay upright. She plants a hand on the floor to get downed status, and that allows Cortez to slide up the back. She can’t get the neck, but she’s controlling the body. Crowd wants the fight restarted, but Cortez staying busy enough to keep it there. One minute left, and Cortez isn’t hurting her opponent, but she’s certainly controlling her. Melo is absolutely stifled. Round ends in that position, and it was all Cortez in terms of positioning, and she gets the round, 10-9.

Round 3 – Melo starts firing right away. Cortez engages to start but then pulls away to create some space. As she does, Melo pushes forward and lands with the big right. Another scores. Melo has found her range, and she’s landing clean. Cortez showing a nice chin. Melo with a kick, and Cortez able to grab it and drive the action to the floor. Half-guard from Melo, but she certainly did not want to be here. Cortez happy on top and landing a few short elbows. Crowd restless quickly, wanting their fighter back on the feet. Melo throwing some elbows from her back, but she’s not throwing much of a focus on getting back to her feet. Cortez has the right leg locked down in her opponent’s half-guard, and she’s in complete control. Melo turns a little bit to her hips, but she’s basically flat on her back and trapped. One minute left, and Melo trying to scramble a little bit, but Cortez driving in left hands. Melo grabs it and tries to slow things down, but Cortez grinding away from the top. Short punches landing. Knees to the body in. Cortez stands in the final second and kicks the legs before diving back in with big punches. Solid finish. MMA Junkie gives the round to Cortez, 10-9, and awards her the fight 30-27.

Result: Tracy Cortez def. Vanessa Melo via unanimous decision (30-27, 30-27, 29-28)
Photos: Tracy Cortez vs. Vanessa Melo photos
Records: [autotag]Tracy Cortez[/autotag] (7-1 MMA, 1-0 UFC), [autotag]Vanessa Melo[/autotag] (10-7 MMA, 0-2 UFC)
Division: Women’s bantamweight
Broadcast: ESPN+
Referee: Jerin Valel
Judging: Sal D’Amato (30-27), Marcelo Vilhena (30-27), Hallison Pontes, (29-28, giving Cortez rounds 2 and 3)

Isabella de Padua vs. Ariane Lipski

Round 1 – Lipski out quick and starts rifling off punches. Panic for de Padua, and she gets tagged with a big right hand and dropped. Quick start, and de Padua tries to tie things up underneath. She’s in guard, and Lipski trying to posture up. Lipski lands right hands and slips in an elbow or two. Underneath, de Padua tries to control the wrist and threaten from her back. She’s getting her legs up high on the body, but Lipski pulls her arm free and stands, kicking the legs a bit before de Padua jumps back to her feet. Lipski again teeing off with punches, but de Padua slips underneath them and drives forward for a takedown. Much-needed reprieve from de Padua. She’s now landing some strikes from the top. Lipski with guard underneath. She’s looking for options, but de Padua in clear control on top. She’s not doing as much damage as her opponent was, but de Padua was in trouble early. Armbar attempt from Lipski, but it’s not there, and de Padua tees off with punches to close. Tale of two halves there, but MMA Junkie leans toward Lipski, 10-9. Honestly wouldn’t hate a 10-10 there.

Round 2 – Lipski out quickly again with strikes. She’s wailing away with punches. Wisely, de Padua drops down and tries for the takedown. Lipski able to sprawl well, but de Padua drags things to the floor, happily going to her back but taking her opponent with her. Lipski looking for offense, but de Padua is controlling very well from underneath, ensuring she’s not taking a lot of damage. Lipski looking to work past the legs. She slides past the left, and de Padua fires a huge upkick to a clearly grounded Lipski. Referee Fernando Portella steps in immediately, breaking the action and deducting a point, as well. They restart on the floor, and Lipski seems to be clear-headed. Lipski probably would have liked it back on the feet, but she goes to work on top. Underneath, de Padua is trying to look for submission options, and she’s staying active, but she’s just not having any success in getting deep on the attacks. Lipski keeping busy enough with punches, and she tries to advance position, but de Padua gets her legs into an inverted triangle position. She pulls her opponent over, and this looks like it could be tight in the final seconds. Lipski’s left hand moves a bit. Is it a tap? It’s not deemed that way, and the round ends. With the deduction, MMA Junkie gives the round to Lipski, 10-8.

Round 3 – Big punches from Lipski to start. High kick fired, but de Padua pushes right through it and gets the fight to the floor. Lipski on her back but turns her attention to the left leg and is looking for the kneebar. It’s dangerous, but de Padua is able to turn and adjust and relieve the pressure. That forces Lipski to let go, and she has to drop to guard. Top position for de Padua. She lands a few short strikes from the dominant spot. Lipski sits out and is trying to sneak out the back door. As she moves, de Padua tries to squeeze and attack and keep things in place, but Lipski is slick with her escape. She’s out, and de Padua trying to turn and grab the neck, but it’s not there, so she lets go and settles on her back. Lipski on top, and she’s landing a couple short punches, but nothing too special. One minute left. Big right from Lipski. Legs high for de Padua, and Lipski wisely sits up to get out of the triangle. Grinding affair until the end. Lipski controlling, but de Padua as tough as they come. MMA Junkie gives the final round to de Padua, 10-9, but awards the fight to Lipski, 29-27.

Result: Ariane Lipski def. Isabella de Padua via unanimous decision (30-26, 30-26, 29-27)
Photos: Ariane Lipski vs. Isabella de Padua photos
Records: [autotag]Isabella de Padua[/autotag] (5-2 MMA, 0-1 UFC) vs. [autotag]Ariane Lipski[/autotag] (12-5 MMA, 1-2 UFC)
Division: Women’s flyweight
Broadcast: ESPN+
Referee: Fernando Portella
Judging: Chris Lee (30-26), Hallison Pontes (30-26), Guilherme Bravo (29-27, giving Lipski rounds 1 and 2)

Renan Barao vs. Douglas Silva de Andrade

Round 1 – Silva de Andrade takes the center after a touch of gloves. Barao shifting on the outside and misses a few kicks. Silva de Andrade leaps forward with heavy punches. Barao looking to move and kick, but Silva de Andrade lands a crisp right down the middle. Big right for Silva de Andrade. Barao’s right eye already reddened a bit. He lands a nice low kick. Silva de Andrade loading up on punches, but Barao moving well and answers back. The low kicks still working well for Barao, and he slips under a punch and takes the action to the canvas. Nice work there. Half-guard for Silva de Andrade. Barao locked down on the right leg, and they’re exchanging punches on the floor. Quick restart from Osiris Maia. Questionable. Ninety seconds left. Silva de Andrade rushes forward with punches and lands clean. Barao seems to buckle briefly. They clinch, and knees are traded inside. Barao slips away, and Silva de Andrade takes a deep breath. Big left for Silva de Andrade. Spinning kick lands to the body. Barao answering back and lands a left. Barao crafty, but Silva de Andrade the more powerful man. MMA Junkie leans toward Silva de Andrade, 10-9. Close.

Round 2 – Barao’s face shows the wear of the first. Still, he moves out and is looking to strike. He’s mixing in punches and kicks from range. Kick seems to land to Silva de Andrade’s groin, but we fight on. Silva de Andrade pressing forward and launching huge punches. He fires a big left to the body, but Barao walks through it and grabs the takedown early in the frame. Silva de Andrade in full guard. He’s wrapping the head from underneath. Barao rattles off short punches to the body to keep the position. Silva de Andrade trying for the restart, but Barao staying just busy enough. Or not. Another questionable stand-up from Maia. Less than two minutes remain. Silva de Andrade throwing hard, and Barao pushes through them to try again for the takedown. Silva de Andrade defending well against the cage. Barao has a big cut above the left eye, and Maia brings in the doctor to take a look. It’s on the eyelid, but we carry on. Restart with less than a minute. Silva de Andrade high kick blocked. Left hand lands. Barao throwing back. Fun finish to the round. Close again, but MMA Junkie leans toward Barao, 10-9.

Round 3 – Silva de Andrade gets to the center, and he lands two big punches right away. Uppercut scores. Straight lands. Silva de Andrade scoring big. Barao shoots for a takedown and gets Silva de Andrade off-balance but can’t get him all the way to the floor. Big right for Silva de Andrade. Barao staggers a little. Silva de Andrade spinning backfist blocked. Silva de Andrade takes a few deep breaths, but he’s throwing everything at 100 percent. Silva de Andrade with an uppercut, and he defends a takedown attempt wth ease. Barao desperate for the takedown, but it’s not there. He’s exhausted late in the round. Big elbow for Silva de Andrade. Barao stumbles but stays up. Big shot to the body for Silva de Andrade. Barao is fading. Silva de Andrade lands again to the body. Barao’s face busted up. He shoots again, but Silva de Andrade turns it aside with ease. Silva de Andrade continues to dig to the body with that menacing left hand. It’s one-way traffic in the final minute. Barao tough, but Silva de Andrade is destructive with his work. Round ends, and MMA Junkie gives it to Silva de Andrade, 10-9, awarding him the fight 29-28. Could be a 10-8 in final round.

Result: Douglas Silva de Andrade def. Renan Barao via unanimous decision (30-27, 30-27, 30-26)
Photos: Douglas Silva de Andrade vs. Renan Barao photos
Records: [autotag]Renan Barao[/autotag] (34-9 MMA, 9-8 UFC), [autotag]Douglas Silva de Andrade[/autotag] (26-3 MMA, 4-3 UFC)
Division: Featherweight
Broadcast: ESPN+
Referee: Osiris Maia
Judging: Sal D’Amato (30-27), Marcelo Vilhena (30-27), Guilherme Bravo (30-26, giving a 10-8 in round 3)

Warlley Alves vs. Randy Brown

Round 1 – Brown not interested in touching gloves. He pushes forward but can’t keep range, and Alves is able to drive through him and push him to the floor. Fight is instantly on the ground. Brown controlling the wrists underneath and looking for options. Alves battling well to pull free and maintain his top position. Brown gets the foot on the hip and creates some space but can’t quite get to his feet. He wants to scramble up and turns to his knees. Alves tries to take the back, but Brown wisely controls the wrist and spring up to the feet. They work in the clinch against the cage. Alves happy to stay there and lands another beautiful toss to the floor. Brown again alert and tries to rise. Alves gets tot he back and works the left arm around the chin. He’s torquing the head. Brown defending, but Alves switches to the right arm. Brown is in trouble, but he shows incredible defense and is able to peel the arm away and turn inside, taking top position before moving to his feet. That was impressive. Brown stays in the clinch and lands a short elbow. Brown with a surprising throw to close the round. Fun stuff. MMA Junkie gives it to Alves, 10-9.

Round 2 – Quick start for Brown. Alves complains of a low blow, but we carry on, and Brown lands a flying knee, albeit a glancing blow. Brown continues to attack and slips, and Alves happily jumps on top. Brown surprises him with a triangle choke. The long legs are around and in place. Alves calm as he tries to defend, but Brown continues to adjust and sinks it in tighter. Alves is trapped and has to tap. Big result for Brown.

Result: Randy Brown def. Warlley Alves via submission (triangle choke) – Round 2, 1:22
Photos: Randy Brown vs. Warlley Alves photos
Records: [autotag]Warlley Alves[/autotag] (13-4 MMA, 7-4 UFC), [autotag]Randy Brown[/autotag] (12-3 MMA, 6-3 UFC)
Division: Welterweight
Broadcast: ESPN+
Referee: Kevin MacDonald

Bobby Green vs. Francisco Trinaldo

Round 1 – Green throws out some feints before sticking a jab and slipping. He throws a front kick to the body. Trinaldo in the center, and Green trying to feint and draw him out. Trinaldo has the power, Green has the speed. Big punches traded, but Trinaldo gets inside after a left hand and throws his opponent to the floor. Green wants a kimura, but Trinaldo rolls through it and spins. Trinaldo locks in a guillotine and falls to his back. Green looks like he’s trapped, but he keeps enough space to breathe and then pops his head free. Tough moments for Green, but he’s survived. Trinaldo working to rise, but Green controlling well from the front. Big knee to the chest for Green. Risky, but it was legal to his kneeling opponent. Trinaldo pushed back to a seated position, but Green pulls him off the fence and to the floor. Green briefly looks for the kimura grip again. Trinaldo powers his way to the feet and lifts his opponent high in the air and slams him to the floor, but Green shows incredible awareness in scrambling immediately to top position. Round ends there. Incredibly close. MMA Junkie leans toward Green, 10-9.

Round 2 – Green comes out working the jab, but Trinaldo answering back with heavy shots. He lands a few calf kicks, but Green shakes them off. Trinaldo flashes out the high kick, but it just misses, and Green starting to taunt a little bit. Green moving well and forcing Trinaldo to stay busy. Still, Green not flashing out much offense right now. Very moderate pace to the round. Green doing well slipping and moving, but he’s not bringing much offense back in return. Trinaldo the one moving forward. High kick misses. Low kick lands, but Green says it’s nothing. Green with quick punches down the middle, but Trinaldo lands the big low kick again. Green did well there, but MMA Junkie leans toward Trinaldo, 10-9.

Round 3 – Trinaldo to the center, and Green is again feinting and teasing the moves. Trinaldo swings back with power. Trinaldo wants to trade in tight, and he throws everything hard. Still, Green moving well, slipping the strikes and trying to counter back. He’s just not doing enough in reply. Green moves so well when he slips, but it’s a dangerous game. Green with a nice right hand, and he catches a high kick and drives the action to the floor. Trinaldo looks to stand very quickly. He presses the action to the fence, but Green did grab the neck as he stood. He can’t quite secure the neck, but a beautiful scramble sees Green hit the switch and drive through for the double. Trinaldo tries to grab the neck as he moves to this feet. Green defends well and tries to separate, falling back as he does but rolling up to his feet. One minute left. Trinaldo with a nice left hand. Green with two punches and slips the reply. Green ducks in but doesn’t get it. They trade at the end. MMA Junkie gives it to Green, 10-9, awarding him the fight 29-28. Scores could be interesting, though.

Result: Francisco Trinaldo def. Bobby Green via unanimous decision (30-27, 29-28, 29-28)
Photos: Francisco Trinaldo vs. Bobby Green photos
Records: [autotag]Bobby Green[/autotag] (24-10-1 MMA, 5-5-1 UFC), [autotag]Francisco Trinaldo[/autotag] (24-7 MMA, 14-6 UFC)
Division: Lightweight
Broadcast: ESPN+
Referee: Eduardo Herdy
Judging: Sal D’Amato (30-27), Marcelo Vilhina (29-28, giving Trinaldo rounds 2 and 3), Guilherme Bravo (29-28, giving Trinaldo rounds 2 and 3)

Eduardo Garagorri vs. Ricardo Ramos

Round 1 – Ramos light on his feet to open, bouncing in and out of range with ease. Garagorri is moving well, though, and he’s staying in front of his opponent, keeping him lined up in the pocket. Low kicks traded, and Ramos fakes a takedown, then throws two straight punches. Ramos moving very well, but he needs to get the volume going. He slips a big right hand and gets inside on the takedown, moving the action to the floor. Ramos with a nice knee to the chest, but Garagorri refuses to stay on the floor, muscling his way back to his feet quickly. Ramos again slips under a punch and is able to wrap the body and bring the action to the canvas. He’s on the back and looking for the choke, but Garagorri moves up to the feet. It doesn’t matter, because Ramos is firm on the back and has the choke in place. He keeps the squeeze, and Garagorri falls to the canvas and offers up a meek tap before he goes to sleep.

Result: Ricardo Ramos def. Eduardo Garagorri via submission (rear-naked choke) – Round 1, 3:57
Photos: Ricardo Ramos vs. Eduardo Garagorri photos
Records: [autotag]Eduardo Garagorri[/autotag] (13-1 MMA, 1-1 UFC), [autotag]Ricardo Ramos[/autotag] (14-2 MMA, 5-1 UFC)
Division: Featherweight
Broadcast: ESPN+
Referee: Camila Albuquerque

James Krause vs. Sergio Moraes

Round 1 – Moraes wastes little time shooting inside, and he takes the fight to the floor immediately and is in side control. Krause keeping his arms in tight, not offering up the limbs. Moraes keeping the shoulder pressure high from side control. Referee Fernando Portella calling for action. Krause smart to stay patient. Moraes finally starts to move, and Krause spins to escape. Moraes scrambles to take the back, but Krause with a perfectly timed spin inside, and now he’s on top. Excellent work from Krause to get out of a terrible position. Moraes holding tight from underneath. Krause covers up the nose and mouth, and Moraes lets it go, allowing Krause to scramble back to his feet with 90 seconds left. Krause attacking the leg with calf kicks. Moraes looks a little shaky on it. Krause digs to the body. Nice left hand lands from Moraes. Wild punches, but they land. Moraes shoots from distance. Krause defends well against the cage, and the round ends there. MMA Junkie gives it to Krause, 10-9.

Round 2 – Krause pumping out the jab, but Moraes is firing his unorthodox shots in reply. They’re wild, but they are often effective. Moraes thinks takedown, but it’s not there. Krause walking forward and looking to strike but being very careful with his distance. Krause with straight punches landing. He digs to the body, as well. Off-balance Moraes tumbles to the floor, but Krause declines to follow. Moraes hurt, but that’s understandable. Krause with a left to the body, and Moraes falls willingly to his back. Krause passes again. Crowd doesn’t like it, but no reason to go to the floor. Krause picking his shots, including work to the body. Moraes walking away. He’s tired, and he’s turning his back. Moraes is fading badly. Krause with a clean uppercut. Moraes goes to the floor. We’re late in the round, so Krause does go there. Round ends before either man can capitalize. MMA Junkie gives it to Krause, 10-8.

Round 3 – Krause just patiently walking forward and picking Moraes apart. Low kick lands. Punches being throw with accuracy. Krause careful to avoid Moraes’ wild punches. He still has some power. It’s just methodical work for Krause. He’s finding the jab, looking for the right behind it. Moraes at least throwing a few punches in reply, but nothing there. Moraes flops to the floor on a missed takedown attempt and then lays flat, asking Krause to follow. Not happening. Moraes crawls back up. He’s exhausted. Krause very intelligent in his approach. Moraes again goes willingly to the floor. Krause doesn’t want it. Final minute, and Krause finds a home for a big right hand. Moraes crashes to the floor, and this is over on a hammerfist. Nice work from Krause.

Result: James Krause def. Sergio Moraes via knockout (punch) – Round 3, 4:19
Recap: James Krause wears down, then knocks out Sergio Moraes
Photos: James Krause vs. Sergio Moraes photos
Records: [autotag]James Krause[/autotag] (27-7 MMA, 8-3 UFC), [autotag]Sergio Moraes[/autotag] (14-6-1 MMA, 8-5-1 UFC)
Division: Welterweight
Broadcast: ESPN+
Referee: Fernando Portella

Markus Perez vs. Wellington Turman

Round 1 – Perez with a kick to the body, but Turman comes back with punches in reply. Turman continues to push forward and thinks takedown, but Perez defends well and spins off the cage. Nice elbow up top for Perez, but Turman able to absorb it and change levels, scoring a quick takedown. Perez stands quickly, but Turman slips around to his back and wraps the body and starts looking for another takedown. Not there, but Turman keeps the pressure high, wanting the back. Perez very alert in his defense, preventing the hooks from coming in and peeling the hands away. Perez with a spinning strike that lands, but Turman again seems unaffected as they move back to the center. Perez with a few wild strikes that miss. Turman lands with some more conventional blows and taunts his opponent, asking for him to stand and trade. Perez with the Anderson Silva tribute, leaning against the fence and asking his opponent to come forward. Nothing there, so they move back to the center and exchange until the close. MMA Junkie gives it to Turman, 10-9.

Round 2 – Perez starts a little quicker, firing a spinning kick and switching stances. Turman seems unimpressed. He brushes it aside and answers with the more traditional attacks. Perez the one walking forward, but he’s not really landing anything of consequence. Turman gets inside and wraps the body, dropping his opponent to the floor. Perez quickly back to his feet and lands a nice rear elbow, but Turman tucks his head and stays on the back. Another rear elbow scores. Perez sneaky with those, but Turman is tight on the back. Perez finally able to spin inside and back away. Again, neither man really doing much from range, but they clinch. Not there. Perez backs away and starts throwing with a little more power. Perez has a cut on the right eye, and blood is streaming down. Turman happy to continue engaging, even as Perez lands a few clean power shots. Wild shots from Perez miss, and he has to defend a standing guillotine before the bell. MMA Junkie gives it again to Turman, 10-9.

Round 3 – Turman lands a clean left hand early. Perez trying to turn up the heat, but Turman is matching him with the aggression to start. Turman strikes his way into a takedown attempt. It’s not there, but Turman lands a nice knee inside. Perez is comfortable here, but Turman continues to sneak around to the back. Perez defends well in the position, but it’s keeping him from launching any real offense. Turman drags the action to the canvas, and he’s able to turn Perez to his back. Perez wisely attacks the leg to try and grab some momentum, but Turman is able to stand, spin free and return to the top with quickness. Perez is fading, and Turman is just proving to be too much. Still, Perez not giving up, and he gets to his feet in the final minute. Spinning elbow for Perez seems to stun his opponent briefly. Turman shaken a little. Perez doing anything he can to swing until the end. It’s honorable, but it’s not enough. MMA Junkie gives the final round to Turman, 10-9, awarding him the fight 30-27.

Result: Wellington Turman def. Markus Perez via unanimous decision (30-27, 30-27, 30-27)
Photos: Wellington Turman vs. Markus Perez photos
Records: [autotag]Markus Perez[/autotag] (11-3 MMA, 2-3 UFC), [autotag]Wellington Turman[/autotag] (16-3 MMA, 1-1 UFC)
Division: Middleweight
Broadcast: ESPN+
Referee: Eduardo Herdy
Judging: Chris Lee (30-27), Marcelo Vilhena (30-27), Guilherme Bravo (30-27)

Antonio Arroyo vs. Andre Muniz

Round 1 – Arroyo opens with a huge kick, and it catches his opponent’s attention, as he covers agains the cage. Arroyo still attacking, and Muniz falls off-balance to the floor. Arroyo hops on top, but Muniz is able to secure the right arm and kick his own legs into position for the armbar. Arroyo postures and starts working to tank his arm free. Dangerous times with both fighters so dry, but Arroyo is able to muscle his way out after some considerable effort. Arroyo free, but Muniz immediately dives forward on a leg and is able to get the takedown. Great work. Arroyo looking to move back to his feet. As he kneels, Muniz throws a knee, and the thigh does land, even if it’s slight. Arroyo complains, and referee Camila Albuquerque steps in to call time. On replay, it’s clear that Arroyo’s knee wasn’t down. Weird position, but the knee was completely legal. Warning, and the fight is started one the feet. Muniz misses on an early takedown. He lands with a couple of nice left hands. Muniz shoots in again, but Arroyo is able to stuff it. Arroyo is the more dangerous man on the feet, but he’s not busy enough right now. That changes in the final seconds, and he lands a big shot at the bell, but MMA Junkie gives it to Muniz, 10-9.

Round 2 – Arroyo again opens with is powerful kicks. Muniz not intimidated though, and he punches his way into a takedown. Brilliant work to get the hands high and then shoot low. He gets the takedown and is on the back. Muniz gets the right arm in place to crank on the neck. Arroyo battles to pull the arm away. Muniz has the bodylock in place, and he’s punching away with short right hands while Arroyo controls the left. Arroyo doing a good job of trying to turn inside, but Muniz switches over to mount. Beautiful move, but Arroyo able to slip out and create space. He backs away, but Muniz doesn’t want to move to the feet. Arroyo obliges by going to the floor. He settles into his opponent’s guard. He’s staying safe, but there’s probably no reason for him to be here. It’s a stall, and Albuquerque calls for a standup just before the 10-second warning. They’re both slow to rise, so that’s the end of the actin. MMA Junkie gives it again to Muniz, 10-9.

Round 3 – Muniz doesn’t mess around, pushing forward and immediately getting the takedown. Arroyo stuck on his back. Muniz in his opponent’s half-guard and trying to push past it. He’s controlling the wrist well. Arroyo turns and gets to this feet. Muniz jumps the back, but he’s incredibly high. Arroyo tripods and shimmies, eventually getting Muniz to fall off. Muniz happily stays on his back. Arroyo for some reason elects to engage there and doesn’t back away and force him to stand. Arroyo standing over his opponent and throwing some punches. It’s not many, though. Muniz asking Arroyo to come down to the floor. Why won’t Arroyo back away? Finally he does, but there’s less than 30 seconds left. Arroyo doesn’t do anything before they finish. MMA Junkie gives the final round to Muniz, 10-9, and awards him the fight 30-27.

Result: Andre Muniz def. Antonio Arroyo via unanimous decision (30-27, 30-27, 30-27)
Photos: Andre Muniz vs. Antonio Arroyo photos
Records: [autotag]Antonio Arroyo[/autotag] (9-3 MMA, 0-1 UFC), [autotag]Andre Muniz[/autotag] (19-4 MMA, 1-0 UFC)
Division: Middleweight
Broadcast: ESPN+
Referee: Camila Albuquerque
Judging: Sal D’Amato (30-27), Marcelo Vilhena (30-27), Chris Lee (30-27)

Jared Gordon vs. Charles Oliveira

Round 1 – Gordon walking forward and looking to engage. He drives inside and looks for the takedown. Oliveira counters well as they hit the floor and tries to slip to the back as they hit the canvas, but Gordon able to slip free. Gordon showing no respect here, just walking forward. Oliveira makes him pay. Right hand lands, and Gordon is hurt. Oliveira sees it and lands again. Gordon hits the deck. Oliveira follows with additional punches, and this is over. Wow.

Result: Charles Oliveira def. Jared Gordon via knockout (punches) – Round 1, 1:26

Recap: Charles Oliveira knocks out Jared Gordon in 86 seconds
Photos: Charles Oliveira vs. Jared Gordon photos
Records: [autotag]Jared Gordon[/autotag] (15-4 MMA, 3-3 UFC), [autotag]Charles Oliveira[/autotag] (28-8 MMA, 16-8 UFC)
Division: Lightweight
Rankings: Oliveira No. 13
Broadcast: ESPN+
Referee: Osiris Maia

Paul Craig vs. Mauricio Rua

Round 1 – Craig light on his feet to start, and he kicks the leg and then throws a spinning wheel kick. Craig rushes forward and walks through a right hand, looking for the takedown. Craig holding the clinch, but Rua pushes him to the fence. They’re battling for position against the cage, taking turns spinning to the outside. Knees traded in tight. Rua able to neutralize and retreat to the center. On the restart, he rushes forward. Craig looking for the standing guillotine. Not there, but Craig backs away and starts rifling off punches. Rua covering against the fence, but Craig teeing off. Rua covering well. Craig tries to change levels, but Rua stuffs it. Tough times for Rua there, but he moves back to the center. Big left hand lands for Rua. Craig shakes it off and lands a kick to the body. Rua’s face is busted up here, but he’s not backing down. He lands a few punches late, but Craig clinches and the round ends. MMA Junkie gives it to Craig, 10-9.

Round 2 – Rua showing some head movement as he walks forward and looks to strike. He’s bouncing on his toes. Craig looks content to box right now, and his jab is crisp, but Rua throwing bombs in reply. Rua catches a kick, and Craig looks willing to go to the floor. Still, Rua is landing some big shots on top right now. Craig able to slow things down, and he ties up the wrists underneath. Rua stands quickly and the looks to dive past the legs. He does briefly, but Craig recovers quickly to guard. He stands again and seems to get tagged by an upkick but slides past it and dives down again. Craig with an active guard underneath, but Rua able to stay out of trouble. Rua stands again with 90 seconds left, and Craig not really working much to get back to his feet. He seems content to stay on his back, but he’s giving the round away. Rua dives down yet again with a punch. He’s staying on top. Craig isn’t taking a ton of damage, but he definitely is giving up the position. Round ends, and MMA Junkie gives it to Rua, 10-9.

Round 3 – Craig kicks to the body and then misses a spinning kick over the top. He still seems confident on the feet. Rua pressing forward and looking to bang. Craig with an uppercut that scores. Craig shoots, but he misses, and he settles on his back anyway. He can’t stay here. He has the legs inside and is looking to create some space. Rua stay heavy and looks to punch. He drives in a few punches and then stands and backs away. For some reason, Craig doesn’t scramble to get up. Rua happy to stay here. Time ticking down. Two minutes left, and Craig is working on his back. He’s comfortable here, but again, he’s giving away the round. Craig has the feet on the hips, but he’s trying to contain the wrist. Not there. Rua pulls away and goes to his feet. Craig stays on his back. Rua dives forward with a punch. We’re in the final moment. Craig wants the late heroics. Rua too experienced to give him that. Craig pops up with 20 seconds left, and they exchange punches. Craig with a late takedown, but it’s not enough. MMA Junkie gives the final round to Rua, 10-9, awarding him the fight 29-28.

Result: Paul Craig vs. Mauricio Rua declared a split draw (28-29, 29-28, 28-28)
Recap: ‘Shogun’ Rua, Paul Craig fight to split draw
Photos: Mauricio Rua vs. Paul Craig photos
Records: [autotag]Paul Craig[/autotag] (12-4-1 MMA, 4-4-1 UFC), [autotag]Mauricio Rua[/autotag] (26-11-1 MMA, 10-9-1 UFC)
Division: Light heavyweight
Rankings: Rua No. 13
Broadcast: ESPN+
Referee: Jerin Valel
Judging: Marcelo Vilhena (29-28, giving Craig rounds 1 and 3), Sal D’Amato (28-29, giving Rua rounds 2 and 3), Guilherme Bravo (28-28, giving Craig a 10-8 in round 1 and Rua rounds 2 and 3)

Jan Blachowicz vs. Ronaldo Souza

Round 1 – Blachowicz with an early low kick. Souza is in the center. He walks forward and shoots inside. Blachowicz defending against the fence. His stance is wide, and he’s working an over-under. Souza looks content to stay right where’s at, head in the chest and looking to potentially kick out a leg. Blachowicz continues to battle well agains the cage, and he finally finds room to slip back to the center. Souza with a few low kicks. Blachowicz throws one of his own. He’s hesitating to let his hands go, understandably. Souza able to work back inside and push the action to the fence. Blachowicz again defending well, but he’s stuck against the cage. Souza the one on the outside, but he’s not able to do anything with it. Fortunately, Blachowicz isn’t countering. Little to score, but MMA Junkie gives it to Souza, 10-9.

Round 2 – Blachowicz opens with a left hand and a kick to the body. He’s trying to get something going. Souza’s takedown skills are keeping Blachowicz from really opening up. They do trade a few nice punches. Nice kick to the leg from Souza. Blachowicz lands one of his own. More striking happening here, but still not a ton of action. Souza gets inside again and pushes the fight to the cage. Stalemate again, with Blachowicz defending well. Souza drops to his knees in hopes of dragging Blachowicz down, but it doesn’t happen. Crowd getting restless. Fighters finally move back to the center. Souza holding the center. Blachowicz trying to work the jab, but he’s very cautious. Souza with a low kick and a nice right hand. Blachowicz misses a big kick to close. MMA Junkie gives it to Souza again, 10-9.

Round 3 – Low kick to start for Blachowicz. Souza answers. Blachowicz looks like he wants to press after two very slow rounds. Souza still controlling the center, and he pushes the action to the cage once again. It’s just an absolute slog of a fight right now, and the crowd is letting them hear it. Underhooks from Blachowicz, but he can’t get off the fence. Finally, he turns and slips back to the center. Blachowicz with the calf kick. Halfway through the round. Slow-paced striking. Blachowicz with a heavy low kick, but there’s just too much hesitation on both sides. Blachowicz backs to the cage but fortunately slips out to the side before the shot. Souza shifts and drives forward anyway, but again, no takedown. Back out to the center. Souza with a nice right to close. This is not riveting stuff. MMA Junkie gives it to Souza, 10-9.

Round 4 – Blachowicz walking forward, and he throws a high kick that’s blocked. Souza works to the center and misses a big right. Blachowicz lands a few short punches, but Souza is able to push him to the fence once again. Nothing doing in the position. They move back out to the center. It’s just a very frustrating pace. Blachowicz walking forward, and he’s stuffing takedowns, but he has nothing to offer back. Blachowicz with a low kick, and Souza complains that it went low, but referee Kevin MacDonald tells them to carry on. Blachowicz a little aggressive in the closing seconds. MMA Junkie gives it to Blachowicz, 10-9, but neither fighter has really impressed so far.

Round 5 – Blachowicz’s left foot clearly has some damage, but he seems to be moving OK on it despite the swelling that’s evident. Souza pushes the action to the cage, but again he doesn’t even come close to a takedown. Blachowicz gets off the fence, but Souza shoots quickly inside. More defense from Blachowicz. The pace is just brutal. Blachowicz lands a few late punches that catch Souza’s attention. He recovers quickly. Neither man willing to go for broke. Just not a great fight at all. Both men raise their hands at the bell, and the crowd boos. MMA Junkie gives the final round to Blachowicz, 10-9, but awards the fight to Souza, 48-47.

Result: Jan Blachowicz def. Ronaldo Souza via split decision (47-48, 48-47, 48-47)
Recap: Jan Blachowicz edges ‘Jacare’ Souza for uneventful decision victory
Photos: Jan Blachowicz vs. Ronaldo Souza photos
Records: [autotag]Jan Blachowicz[/autotag] (25-8 MMA, 8-5 UFC), [autotag]Ronaldo Souza[/autotag] (26-8 MMA, 9-5 UFC)
Division: Light heavyweight
Rankings: Blachowicz No. 15
Broadcast: ESPN+
Referee: Kevin MacDonald
Judging: Hallison Pontes (47-48, giving Souza rounds 1, 2 and 3), Chris Lee (48-47, giving Blachowicz rounds 3, 4 and 5), Sal D’Amato (48-47, giving Blachowicz rounds 3, 4 and 5)

Anthony Smith: Dominick Reyes is an easier fight for Jon Jones than Corey Anderson

Anthony Smith believes UFC light heavyweight champion Jon Jones picked an easier fight in Dominick Reyes over Corey Anderson.

[autotag]Anthony Smith[/autotag] thinks [autotag]Jon Jones[/autotag] actually picked the easier opponent in [autotag]Dominick Reyes[/autotag].

UFC light heavyweight champion Jones tweeted that he picked Reyes over [autotag]Corey Anderson[/autotag] because he believes he’s the more dangerous fighter, but Smith said he thinks Anderson presents more problems overall.

“I honestly think Jon probably chose the easier opponent between Corey Anderson and Dominick Reyes,” Smith said on UFC Unfiltered. “I think that Reyes is absolutely more dangerous, as far as explosiveness and size and his length. I think he may give Jon some problems on his feet a little bit and Jon will have to dodge some bullets. But look at everybody Jon’s beat – they’re one-dimensional, and that’s what Jon wants.”

The undefeated Reyes (11-0 MMA, 6-0 UFC), is coming off a first-round knockout over Chris Weidman at UFC on ESPN 6 in Boston. Anderson (13-4 MMA, 10-4 UFC) is coming off a first-round finish of his own, taking out top prospect Johnny Walker at UFC 244.

Both were in the running for a title shot, but Jones ultimately chose Reyes. However, Smith said that Reyes’ split decision win over Volkan Oezdemir in March exposed some holes in his game that he can see Jones exploiting in the fight.

“Like we’ve seen in the Volkan Oezdemir fight, Dominick Reyes isn’t necessarily dominant on the ground and his takedown defense isn’t that great,” Smith said. “Even though he was able to stuff some of Weidman’s (takedowns) … he did have some improvements there, but Volkan Oezdemir took him down several times and Jon Jones is a much better wrestler than Volkan Oezdemir, that’s for sure.”

In Anderson, Smith sees a more skilled fighter overall who could present more issues to Jones, considering his wrestling ability.

“I think Corey is more well-rounded,” Smith said. “He’s got fundamental boxing. His kicking game isn’t super high level, but he keeps his hands in the right spot. He moves his head well. His wrestling is good. His takedown defense is really good. His top pressure is good. His cardio is phenomenal. Corey presents a lot more problems than Dominick Reyes does, so I do think that Jon picked the easier fight.”

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Mick Foley talks MMA’s influence on the art of pro wrestling, and ‘Peanut Butter Falcon’

Don’t think MMA influences wrestling and vice versa? Consider how an armbar looked in wrestling back in the day and how it does now.

Back in [autotag]Mick Foley[/autotag]’s day, an armbar was primarily a move used to fill time during the beginning of a pro wrestling match. 

If someone placed Foley’s alter ego Cactus Jack in an armbar back in the 1980s, Foley would slap the mat with his free hand to register the pain, kick his legs repeatedly so the people in the cheap seats could see how the move affected him, and give the camera his best agonized grimace.

He wouldn’t do much to defend against the hold, and certainly wouldn’t submit to it. Eventually, Foley and his opponent would transition to something else, ideally before the crowd started chanting “boring.”

“People really didn’t know back then,” the WWE Hall of Famer and best-selling author told MMA Junkie. “Maybe some of the more hardcore fans did, but the people weren’t educated on something like what a real armbar looked like, so we took it and used it to fit the style of the time.”

[lawrence-related id=460192,458198,452895]

These days? Due to mixed martial arts’ influence, a generation has grown up knowing what an armbar can do in a real fight. Thus, they know that if it is properly applied, a fighter has a window of a few seconds to come up with a line of defense, otherwise their options are to tap or snap. 

In that way, MMA has spilled over into pro wrestling. If you watch WWE or AEW these days, an armbar is a finishing maneuver, perhaps played up a bit more for dramatic effect than what you’d see in the UFC, but it’s made an impact on the art of wrestling performance all the same.

As Foley himself notes, [autotag]Ronda Rousey[/autotag] made millions of dollars in MMA off the strength of her real-life submission skills during her pioneering UFC run, then transitioned to headlining WrestleMania in large part on the strength of her public persona as a real-life badass.

“Look at what Ronda accomplished,” Foley said. “The people these days know what’s real in a fight, and wrestling is constantly evolving and adapting, and so now you’re seeing more of that. Just look at the way wrestlers throw kicks and elbows now compared to how they used to. There are more similarities between wrestlers and fighters, and the wrestling business and MMA, than you’d think.”

That goes for the movie business, too. While Foley still has a hand in wrestling and continues to do a successful touring one-man stage show called “Have a Nice Day,” which chronicles his life’s exploits, he’s also dabbled in the film realm.

His most recent Hollywood exploit was a part in the surprise hit “Peanut Butter Falcon.” The critically acclaimed film starring Shia LeBeouf, which was recently released on Blu-Ray, DVD, and digital, resonated with audiences. It’s became 2019’s highest grossing indie film, topping the $20 million mark, according to The Hollywood Reporter, and has an approval rating of 95 percent on the website Rotten Tomatoes.

Foley plays the role of a wrestling referee in the climactic scene in which Zak (Zack Gottsagen), a 22-year old with Down syndrome, lives out his dream of doing a backyard pro wrestling match against Sam, played by another wrestling legend in Jake “The Snake” Roberts. And Foley believes the film’s success has come about due to it’s earnest and authentic tone. 

“Zack was just so genuine,” Foley said. “His character was so well thought-out and portrayed. That really shined through, and it spilled over onto everything else, and I think it resonated with people of all ages because you can tell when you’re seeing something authentic, and that’s why audiences responded as they have.”

While the Long Island native’s first love was wrestling, he’s grown to become an MMA fan over the years. Foley noted he’ll be in attendance at the PFL’s Dec. 31 championships at the Hulu Theater at Madison Square Garden, where friend and former WWE ring announcer Lilian Garcia will serve in a similar function.

Which leads to the question: Would Foley have given MMA a chance if it was a thing back in his day?

“Nah,” Foley said with a laugh. “Look, I can take punishment, and MMA fighters can take punishment, too, but they’re world-class athletes. What we do is athletic, too, but I was a performer, and that’s what I was drawn to.” 

The Blue Corner is MMA Junkie’s blog space. We don’t take it overly serious, and neither should you. If you come complaining to us that something you read here is not hard-hitting news, expect to have the previous sentence repeated in ALL CAPS.