Tag: UFC Fight Night 242

Sean Shelby’s Shoes: What’s next for Sean Brady after UFC Fight Night 242 win?

See who Sean Brady should fight next after his victory over Gilbert Burns in the UFC Fight Night 242 headliner.

(ALSO SEE: Sean Shelby’s Shoes: What’s next for Gilbert Burns after UFC Fight Night 242 loss?)

[autotag]Sean Brady[/autotag] continues to prove his lone loss to Belal Muhammad won’t define him by climbing further up the rankings in the UFC Fight Night 242 main event.

Brady (17-1 MMA, 7-1 UFC) took his value as a welterweight contender to the next level Saturday with a unanimous decision win over former title challenger Burns (22-8 MMA, 15-8 UFC) at the UFC Apex in Las Vegas.

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Since losing to Muhammad in October 2022, Brady has now rebounded with back-to-back winning performances against Burns and Kelvin Gastelum. He’s now going big-game hunting, and called for Ian Machado Garry or Colby Covington next in the aftermath of his effort.

Will Brady get either of those matchups, though, or is he best suited in another direction? Watch the video above for thoughts and analysis on his future after the UFC Fight Night 242 main event.

For more on the card, visit MMA Junkie’s event hub for UFC Fight Night 242.

Steve Garcia ready for a break – unless he gets the call for UFC 309 at Madison Square Garden

Steve Garcia is not looking to fight again in 2024, unless offered a specific fight.

LAS VEGAS – [autotag]Steve Garcia[/autotag] is not looking to get in the cage anytime soon.

After competing twice in 2024, with his most recent bout being at Saturday’s UFC Fight Night 242, Garcia (17-5 MMA, 6-2 UFC) wants to take off the remaining of the year and come back strong in 2025. However, there is one event in particular that could entice him to fight again this year, which is the UFC’s expected November pay-per-view event in Madison Square Garden in New York City.

“Right now, I’m kind of leaning toward a no,” Garcia told reporters at the UFC Fight Night 242 press conference. “The only one I’d probably consider would be MSG.

“I’d love to fight there, but I’m sure they’ll go there again. So if it doesn’t happen this time, I’m sure I can make my way to another card hopefully that’s over there. But right now, I don’t have any plans to do something anytime soon.”

Garcia got an impressive TKO win over veteran Kyle Nelson (16-6-1 MMA, 4-5-1 UFC) on the main card of Saturday’s UFC event at the Apex. Although it was a quick job, the training camp for the fight was not – which is why he’s looking to take some time off.

“Mentally, I just needed some rest,” Garcia said. “I put myself through the grinder, especially in training camp. I tried to go above and beyond, and I almost try to torture myself in a sense outside. Just going to classes and stuff, it’s never enough. So it’s all the extra stuff, and it definitely catches up to you. You can’t do that for very long.

“I was trying to pick and choose what I was trying to do and there were a couple of times when Greg (Jackson) was kind of like, ‘Oh, you need to relax. You don’t need to go as hard today.’ We were deliberately more fine-tuned, and it was kind of nice change of pace as far as that goes because I normally just go balls to the wall every single class. There’s a couple of moments I talked to Greg, and he was like, ‘You don’t need to grapple these last couple of rounds that hard.’ It’s just pushing through that barrier so you can come out on top and with the victory. I came here to kill. I don’t come out here to pitter-patter. That’s not me – you guys know already. I come here violently.”

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For more on the card, visit MMA Junkie’s event hub for UFC Fight Night 242.

Natalia Silva ready for UFC title shot after beating Jessica Andrade: ‘Send that belt over’

Natalia Silva got her biggest win yet at UFC Fight Night 242 despite personal tragedy, and now she’s ready to level up.

LAS VEGAS – [autotag]Natalia Silva[/autotag] thinks she proved herself worthy of the next level in her division at UFC Fight Night 242.

Silva (18-5-1 MMA, 6-0 UFC) remained unbeaten inside the octagon Saturday with a unanimous decision victory over former UFC champ Jessica Andrade (26-13 MMA, 17-11 UFC) in a women’s flyweight bout at the UFC Apex. It was a strong striking display from Silva, especially because she entered with a heavy heart after the death of her sister four months ago.

Andrade’s pressure for all 15 minutes was trademark to her style, but Silva had all the answers and got the clear-cut decision.

“Nothing that Jessica did in the octagon impressed me,” Silva told MMA Junkie and other reporters through an interpreter post-fight at UFC Fight Night 242. “I think our team put out a good strategy to prepare. We did everything that she did in the fight. Nothing that she did surprised me because we were able to do what she does.”

With the relief of a successful performance, Silva explained why she opted to go through with the fight despite such difficult personal circumstances.

“When I accepted this fight, it was a leap of faith,” Silva said. “I didn’t know what was going to happen, and the reason I accepted this fight was to prove the Lord is with me in very good times but is also my Lord in very bad times. There were times where I woke up in the morning to train, and I said, ‘It hurts do this fight, but come with me and train with me and let’s get through this.’ If I’m here today, it’s because of God, Jesus, and I hope to see that too.”

Silva, 27, is now tied for the second-longest active winning streak in the women’s 125-pound division behind Manon Fiorot. Her win comes just days before Alexa Grasso and Valentina Shevchenko will have a trilogy bout for the title at UFC 306, marking a significant time for the weight class.

It remains to be seen where matchmakers place Silva among the division’s best going forward, but she expressed hope there is a fight of major consequence on the horizon.

“If the UFC comes to me and says, ‘Do you want? Are you ready to fight for a belt at the end of the year?’ I will be ready,” Silva said. “I trained to be a champion. I came here to be a champion. If you give me the opportunity to get that belt, just send that belt over.”

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For more on the card, visit MMA Junkie’s event hub for UFC Fight Night 242.

Gilbert Burns says ‘nothing was good’ about UFC Fight Night 242 loss to Sean Brady, unsure what’s next

Gilbert Burns was left having to cope with the reality of a dreaded three-fight skid after losing to Sean Brady at UFC Vegas 97.

[autotag]Gilbert Burns[/autotag] entered UFC Fight Night 242 with aspirations of jumpstarting one last run at the welterweight title, but he left having to cope with a harsh reality thanks to Sean Brady.

In a main event that was never really close, Brady (17-1 MMA, 7-1 UFC) dominated Burns (22-8 MMA, 15-8 UFC) over the course of 25 minutes to earn a lopsided unanimous decision by scores of 50-45, 49-46, 50-45 on Saturday night at the UFC Apex in Las Vegas. It was Burns’ third consecutive loss and all but assures that the 38-year-old Brazilian will never get a second chance at the 170-pound title.

Afterward, Burns was understandably dejected about his performance and the outcome of the fight.

“I’m a little bit disappointed,” Burns said in an ESPN post-fight interview with Charly Arnolt. “I know I have the grit, I know I can fight hard, but I didn’t let go.”

Burns, who came up short in his only title fight against then-champion Kamaru Usman in February 2021, believed a win over Brady could get him on the right path toward the top. He said he felt good all week, which is why the loss especially hurts.

“I just feel like – I felt great this whole freaking week,” Burns said. “I felt good in training camp. This morning was great. But when I got (to the cage), it didn’t flow. It just didn’t flow. Nothing was good. … I didn’t let it go. Props to Sean. Sean is a tough one. I hit him with some good shots, I tried to finish. I think I forced the finish too much.”

Burns isn’t sure what happens next in his career as the downward trajectory continues. He’d only thought about getting back on track before UFC Fight Night 242.

“I don’t know. That’s a good question. I didn’t think about that, so I’ve got to rethink,” Burns said. “I’ve got to go back, talk to my coaches, see what’s next. At the same time, give a little time to my family. They give up so much when I’m in a camp for a fight. I’m gonna go back, spend time with the family, go back to train. I don’t have any injuries, thank God. I lost, but at least the body is feeling good.”

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For more on the card, visit MMA Junkie’s event hub for UFC Fight Night 242.

Fight Tracks: The walkout songs of UFC Fight Night 242, from Michael Buble to Tupac

Check out all the fighter walkout songs from Saturday’s UFC Fight Night 242 event in Las Vegas.

While it takes intense training, world-class skills and maybe even a bit of luck to register a UFC win, picking the right song to accompany you to the cage is a key talent, as well.

See what the fighters from UFC Fight Night 242 went with as their backing tracks in Las Vegas (fighters listed alphabetically).

Sean Brady calls out Ian Machado Garry or ‘easiest matchup in the division’ Colby Covington after UFC Fight Night 242 win

Coming off a dominant win over Gilbert Burns, Sean Brady wants to fight Ian Machado Garry or Colby Covington next.

LAS VEGAS – [autotag]Ian Machado Garry[/autotag] or [autotag]Colby Covington[/autotag]. Those are the two names [autotag]Sean Brady[/autotag] wants following his latest win in the octagon.

This past Saturday, Brady (17-1 MMA, 7-1 UFC) defeated former UFC title challenger Gilbert Burns (22-8 MMA, 15-8 UFC) in a dominant unanimous decision win. The welterweight bout headlined UFC Fight Night 242 at the UFC Apex.

In his in-cage post-fight interview, Brady called out Garry, but then in the post-fight press conference, he added one more name to the request.

“I just think Ian thinks he’s God’s gift to earth, and he’s not, and I feel like everyone in this sport feel the same way,” Brady told reporters backstage. “I’ll fight him. I’ll fight Colby (Covington). I think Colby is the easiest matchup in the division. I’ll piece him up on the feet. I’ll rag doll him.

“I’d like to fight Ian – he’s an up and comer. I’m a little bit older than him, but I want to be here for a long time. He’s undefeated and he’s got some hype. Before, he said that he won’t fight guys ranked behind him, but I’ll be ranked ahead of him on Tuesday with that No. 6 spot. So yeah, maybe I’ll let him fight me. We’ll see how that goes.”

Brady is expecting a child with his wife in February, and he’d like to log in one more fight before then. When asked if he thinks Garry or Covington would take fights with him, Brady felt good about his chances.

“You can’t really turn down too many opportunities,” Brady said. “I’m going to go home, asses my bumps and bruises, and we’ll see where we’re at. But Colby or Ian Garry sounds like a fun one. Maybe December or early January. Like I said, before February 13th.”

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For more on the card, visit MMA Junkie’s event hub for UFC Fight Night 242.

UFC Fight Night 242 bonuses: Silva-Andrade banger is a $50,000 winner

The UFC handed out four bonuses after Saturday’s card, including a Fight of the Night featuring a former champion.

The UFC handed out four bonuses after Saturday’s card, including a Fight of the Night featuring a former champion.

After UFC Fight Night 242, four fighters picked up an extra $50,000 for their performances in Las Vegas. Check out the winners below.

Performance of the Night: Cody Durden

Cody Durden def. Matt Schnell, UFC Fight Night 242

Cody Durden def. Matt Schnell via submission (anaconda choke) – Round 2, 0:29
Cody Durden (17-6-1 MMA, 6-4-1 UFC) took his fight against Matt Schnell (16-9 MMA, 6-7 UFC) on just four days’ notice. They fought at bantamweight because of that, but Durden turned some heads at flyweight, no doubt, with the win – which apparently sent Schnell into retirement with four losses in his most recent five fights.

Performance of the Night: Steve Garcia

LAS VEGAS, NEVADA – SEPTEMBER 07: (L-R) Steve Garcia punches Kyle Nelson of Canada in a featherweight fight during the UFC Fight Night event at UFC APEX on September 07, 2024 in Las Vegas, Nevada. (Photo by Chris Unger/Zuffa LLC via Getty Images)

Steve Garcia def. Kyle Nelson via TKO (punches) – Round 1, 3:59
Steve Garcia (17-5 MMA, 6-2 UFC) was devastating with a brutal first-round finish of Kyle Nelson (16-6-1 MMA, 4-5-1 UFC). Garcia likely asserted himself as a new contender at featherweight.

Fight of the Night: Natalia Silva def. Jessica Andrade

Natalia Silva def. Jessica Andrade, UFC Fight Night 242

Natalia Silva def. Jessica Andrade via unanimous decision (30-27, 30-27, 30-27)
In the co-main event, Natalia Silva (18-5-1 MMA, 6-0 UFC) kept rolling in the women’s flyweight division with arguably her biggest win yet – against ex-strawweight champ Jessica Andrade (26-13 MMA, 17-11 UFC).

UFC Fight Night 242 results: Sean Brady dominates Gilbert Burns over five rounds

Sean Brady dominated Gilbert Burns in a highly entertaining UFC main event.

[autotag]Sean Brady[/autotag] proved he’s among the elite of the UFC welterweight elite Saturday as he dominated a former title challenger from bell to bell.

In the UFC Fight Night 242 main event, Brady (17-1 MMA, 7-1 UFC) defeated [autotag]Gilbert Burns[/autotag] (22-8 MMA, 15-8 UFC) by unanimous decision (50-45, 49-46, 50-45) at the UFC Apex in Las Vegas.

Brady’s game plan from the start was the make getting a hold of Burns a priority. He pushed the pace and shoved Burns against the fence. Burns largely fended off the takedown attempts.

Burns tagged Brady numerous times in the fight, in particular during Round 3. In the seconds afterward, Brady finally got the takedown he was seeking.

Round 4 was choppy, divided by timeouts due to illegal groin shots by both men. Brady went back to his grinding game plan and pushed Burns against the fence. Burns, as he did earlier in the fight, did an excellent job of utilizing muay Thai strikes to break the grasp, even if the escape only lasted a few seconds. The final two minutes were grapple-heavy with some momentum-shifting sweeps and scrambles.

Both men dug deep in the final round. Burns half-landed a big flying knee, but Brady caught hold of him and eventually got him down to the canvas. Brady finished the fight on top – and ultimately earned 14 of the 15 round scorecards from the three judges scoring.

After the fight, Brady called for his next matchup to be vs. a top-five opponent, or Ian Machado Garry.

https://twitter.com/UFCEurope/status/1832597192860701110

With the victory, Brady picks up his biggest victory to date over a former UFC title challenger. Brady has now won back-to-back fights since his lone career loss, a TKO defeat to now-champion Belal Muhammad.

In defeat, Burns has lost three fights in a row. Defeats to Belal Muhammad and Jack Della Maddalena accompany the loss to Brady. At 38, it’s his longest skid of his professional career.

Up-to-the-minute UFC Fight Night 242 results include:

For more on the card, visit MMA Junkie’s event hub for UFC Fight Night 242.

UFC Fight Night 242 live updates: Results, round-by-round coverage of every fight

Check out live round-by-round updates and official results from UFC Fight Night 242 in Las Vegas.

UFC Fight Night 242 took place Saturday, and MMA Junkie provided live round-by-round coverage and official results. UFC Fight Night 242 (ESPN+) took place at the UFC Apex in Las Vegas.

Former welterweight title challenger Gilbert Burns (22-8 MMA, 15-8 UFC) took on Sean Brady (17-1 MMA, 7-1 UFC) in the main event. In the co-feature, former women’s strawweight champion Jessica Andrade (26-13 MMA, 17-11 UFC) met Natalia Silva (17-6-1 MMA, 5-1 UFC) at flyweight.

Below, you can find our round-by-round commentary and official results.

MAIN CARD (ESPN+, 7 p.m. ET)

  • Sean Brady def. Gilbert Burns via unanimous decision (50-45, 49-46, 50-45)
  • Natalia Silva def. Jessica Andrade via unanimous decision (30-27, 30-27, 30-27)
  • Steve Garcia def. Kyle Nelson via TKO (punches) – Round 1, 3:59
  • Cody Durden def. Matt Schnell via submission (anaconda choke) – Round 2, 0:29
  • Yanal Ashmoz def. Trevor Peek via unanimous decision (30-27, 29-28, 29-28

PRELIMINARY CARD (ESPN+, 4 p.m. ET)

  • Chris Padilla def. Rong Zhu via TKO (doctor’s stoppage) – Round 2, 4:14
  • Isaac Dulgarian def. Brendon Marotte via submission (arm triangle) – Round 2, 4:19
  •  Andre Lima def. Felipe dos Santos via unanimous decision (30-27, 29-28, 29-28)
  • Gabriel Santos def. Yi Zha via unanimous decision (30-26, 30-26, 30-27)
  • Jaqueline Amorim def. Vanessa Demopoulos via submission (armbar) – Round 1, 3:28
  • Andre Petroski def. Dylan Budka via unanimous decision (30-27, 30-27, 30-27)
  • Nathan Fletcher def. Zygimantas Ramaska via submission (arm triangle) – Round 2, 1:14

 

Gilbert Burns vs. Sean Brady

Round 1 – Hard leg kick by Brady. Again. Another one. Big right hook by Brady. Burns smiles. Brady attacking the leg again. Jab by Brady. So far, Brady showing very good technical striking. Burns shoots and gets the takedown, but Brady immediately gets back up! Brady now presses Burns against the cage. Knee to the body by Burns. Two minutes left. Good control by Brady. Burns reverses just to get reversed again a few seconds later. Back to striking. Nice combo by Brady, which backs Burns against the cage. Brady now controlling Burns gainst the cage. Good control by Brady. Burns reverses the position. The bell rings.

MMA Junkie scores the round 10-9, Brady.

Round 2 – Big kick by Brady! Oh! Burns stuns Brady! Brady immediately presses him against the cage. Brady working hard for the takedown. Burns breaks free. Good right hook lands for Brady, who’s on the attack. Big right lands for Burns. They clinch again with Brady pressing Brady. Burns breaks free. We’re halfway through the round. Brady shoots and mid takedown, Burns reverses and they’re back on the feet with Burns pressing Brady against the cage. They break free. Good combos by Brady. Jabs by Brady. The round comes to an end.

MMA Junkie scores the round 10-9, Brady.

Round 3 – They clinch. Brady presses Burns against the cage. Good dirty boxing by Brady. Burns having a tough time in the clinch right now. Nice reversal and then a knee by Burns! Back to striking. A right hook connects for Burns. We’re halfway through the round. Brady presses Burns against the cage. Burns reverses. Now Brady reverses. And now Burns reverses! They break free for a second and Brady shoots and presses Burns against the cage. Brady controlling agaisnst the cage. They break free. Oh! Nasty right hook by Burns! One minute left. Burns shoots, Brady immediately back up, but eats a nice right hook. Brady shoots and gets the takedown! Fun fight. Brady ends on top.

MMA Junkie scores the round 10-9, Brady.

Round 4 – Welp, a low blow lands for Brady. The fightis paused. Burns taking his time to recover. The fight resumes and now a low blow lands for Burns. The fight is paused. Brady recovering. Odd sequence of events. The right resumes after a minute. Hard leg kick by Brady. Body kick thena left by Brady. Leg kick by Brady. Burns is waiting for his shot in the middle of the octagon, as Brady circles. Three minutes left. Big right by Burns. Brady presses Burns against the cage. Body shots by Brady. Burns breaks free with a minute and a half left. Brady shoots and takes down Burns.  Wild scramble! Burns back on his feet and he’s not tying up Brady from the back. Good lift and slam by Burns. Brady gets back up. The bell rings.

MMA Junkie scores the round 10-9, Brady.

Round 5 – Burns needs a finish here. The fight has been competitive, but Brady has done just enough to win every round in my book. Leg kick by Brady. Burns walking down Brady here. Right hand lands for Burns. An accidental low blow landed by Burns halts the action. Big hooks by Brady, as the fight resumes, but Burns defends well. A couple of hard leg kicks by Brady. Three minutes left. Burns with a big leg kick. Flying knee by Burns! Brady presses him against the cage. Brady gets the takedown! Two minutes left. Burns working the guard. He gets back to his feet. byt Brady still has him tied up. Brady with the takedown. Burns going for all kind of submissions, and Brady defending well. The bell rings. Great fight.

MMA Junkie scores the round 10-9, Brady. Overall 50-45, Brady.

Result: Sean Brady def. Gilbert Burns via unanimous decision (50-45, 49-46, 50-45)
Recap: Sean Brady dominates Gilbert Burns over five rounds
Photos: UFC Fight Night 242: Best photos from Las Vegas
Records: Brady (17-1 MMA, 7-1 UFC), Burns (22-8 MMA, 15-8 UFC)
Division: Welterweight
Broadcast: ESPN+
Referee: Herb Dean
Judging: Chris Lee, Bryan Miner 50-45. David Lethaby 49-46. 

Jessica Andrade vs. Natalia Silva

Round 1 – Straight right connetcts for Silva. Andrade pressing the action here, walking back Silva. Leg kick by Silva. Hard one, two connetcs for Silva. Hard jab by Silva. Andrade has yet to connect clean. Thre eminutes left. Jab by Silva. We’re halfway through the round. Good right hook by Andrade! Leg kick by Silva. Huge shot connects for Andrade! Silva answers back. Wild combinations here! Andrade connects with a few hard shots. Big leg kick and then a hook connetcs for Andrade! Wild exchange right at the buzzer! Fun fight.

MMA Junkie scores the round 10-9, Silva.

Round 2 – Leg kick by Silva. Again, Andrade pressing and walking down Silva. Silva staying light on her feet. Big leg kick buckles Silva! Andrade presses Silva against the cage. Silva breaks free after a few seconds. Good right hook by Andrade. Jab by Silva. Andrade presses Silva against the cage, but only for a few seconds. We’re halfway through the round. Nice hook by Andrade, who presses Silva against the cage. Oh! Hige shot from Silva hurts Andrade’s eye! Now Silva pressuring. Good kicks by Silva. Three-punch combo lands for Andrade! Andrade presses Silva against the cage. The bell rings.

MMA Junkie scores the round 10-9, Silva.

Round 3 – Fun fight here. Andrade likely needs a finish. Hard leg kick by Silva. Nice staright punches by Silva, who’s mainly picking apart Andrade. Andrade presses Silva against the cage. Silva breaks free. Nice head kick by Silva. Andrade is trying to close the distance, but no luck connecting here. Two minutes left. Andrade presses Silva against the cage. Front kick to the face by Silva. Final minute here. Oh! Huge hook for Andrade! Andrade is going for the kill! Andrade’s face is a mess. Another nice hook by Andrade. The bell rings.

MMA Junkie scores the round 10-9, Silva. Overall 30-27, Silva.

Result: Natalia Silva def. Jessica Andrade via unanimous decision (30-27, 30-27, 30-27)
Recap: Natalia Silva beats Jessica Andrade in entertaining, strike-heavy bout
Photos: UFC Fight Night 242: Best photos from Las Vegas
Records: Silva (18-5-1 MMA, 6-0 UFC), Andrade (26-13 MMA, 17-11 UFC)
Division: Women’s flyweight
Broadcast: ESPN+
Referee: Kerry Hatley
Judging: Adalaide Byrd, Junichiro Kamjo, Chris Lee 30-27.

Steve Garcia vs. Kyle Nelson

Round 1 – Leg kick by Gracis, but Nelson turns that into a takedown. He now has Garcia’s back. Short shots by Nelson. Good control here by Nelson, Garcia unable to get out. Gracia gets out! He gets caught in an armbar, but he slips out and lands several shots from top on Nelson. We’re halfway through the round. Nasty elbows by Garcia. Big shits by Garcia! He’s all over Nelson! Garcia now hovering over Nelson. He goes back to the ground. He’s on top, landing shots on Nelson. Nasty elbow! Nelson turns over! More shots! it’s over!

Result: Steve Garcia def. Kyle Nelson via TKO (punches) – Round 1, 3:59
Recap: Steve Garcia pummels Kyle Nelson for fifth straight TKO finish
Photos: UFC Fight Night 242: Best photos from Las Vegas
Records: Garcia (17-5 MMA, 6-2 UFC), Nelson (16-6-1 MMA, 4-5-1 UFC)
Division: Featherweight
Broadcast: ESPN+
Referee: Mark Smith

Cody Durden vs. Matt Schnell

Round 1 – They’re trading big shots early! Nice right hook by Durden. Oh! Schnell stuns Durden. Crazy pace here! Durden pressuring Schnell. Big hooks by Durden! Schnell returns fire! Fun fight here. A couple of big right hands connect for Durden. Leg kick by Schnell. Two minutes left. Clean combo lands for Durden. Leg kick by Schnell. Left hook connects for Durden. Schnell is bleeding from his left eye. One, two connects for Durden. The bell rings. Fun fight here.

MMA Junkie scores the round 10-9, Durden.

Round 2 – Schnell shoots and gets caught in a front head lock! Schnell turns over and taps! Nice finish by Durden!

Result: Cody Durden def. Matt Schnell via submission (anaconda choke) – Round 2, 0:29
Recap: Cody Durden sends Matt Schnell into retirement with slick finish on four days’ notice
Photos: UFC Fight Night 242: Best photos from Las Vegas
Records: Durden (17-6-1 MMA, 6-4-1 UFC), Schnell (16-9 MMA, 6-7 UFC)
Division: Flyweight
Broadcast: ESPN+
Referee: Chris Tognoni

Yanal Ashmouz vs. Trevor Peek

Round 1 – Peek putting the pressure on Ashmouz. So far, both fighters very tentative. Jab by Peek. Big leg kick by Peek. Peek swings big, Ashmouz ducks under, and gets the takedown with three minutes left. Ashmouz moves to side control. He’s not rushing anything and remains calm. Ashmouz tries to miunt, but instead ends in half guard. Shots to the body by Ashmouz. Peek gets back to his feet, but Ashmouz controlling him against the cage. Peek breaks free. Jabs by Peek. Ashmouz shoots and Peek defends well. Ashmouz now pressing Peek against the cage. Good control by Ashmouz. The bell rings.

MMA Junkie scores the round 10-9, Ashmouz.

Round 2 – Same dynamic. Peek is setting the pace by pressuring Ashmouz. Peek swining, but Ashmouz blocking most shots. Oh! Big combo pushes Ashmouz back against the cage. Big body shot by Peek. Ashmouz with a nice body shot. Ashmouz clinches Peek and moves to his back. They’re by the fence with Ashmouz tying up Peek. We’re halfway throughthe round. Good knee by Ashmouz. Ashmouz relentless in his takedown attempts. Peek doing a good job st defending them, but still can’t get Ashmouz off him. Final minute. And Ashmouz gets the takedown! Good shots from top by Ashmouz. Peek back to his feet, but being presses aginst the cage. Big takedown and some follow up shots by Ashmouz. The bell rings.

MMA Junkie scores the round 10-9, Ashmouz.

Round 3 – Big left connects by Peek. Ashmouz snawers back with a hard leg kick. Peek looks to be fighting with urgency likely down on the cards. Big swings by Peek. Four minutes left. Big knee to the body by Ashmouz. Ashmouz now presses Peek against the cage. He’s looking for the takedown. Three minutes left. Ashmouz gets Peek to the ground andter multiple attempts. And Peek gets back up. Ashmouz still pressing Peek against the cage. Two minutes left. Peek breaks free. Oh! Botha are brawling! Ashmouz presses Peek against the cage. Final minute. Knee to the head by Ashmouz. Peek with foot stomps. Huge slam by Ashmouz! Some shots from Ashmouz before the bell rings.

MMA Junkie scores the round 10-9, Ashmouz. Overall 30-27, Ashmouz.

Result: Yanal Ashmoz def. Trevor Peek via unanimous decision (30-27, 29-28, 29-28
Photos: UFC Fight Night 242: Best photos from Las Vegas
Records: Ashmouz (8-1 MMA, 2-1 UFC), Peek (9-3 MMA, 2-3 UFC)
Division: Lightweight
Broadcast: ESPN+
Referee: Herb Dean
Judging: Chris Lee, David Lethaby 29-28. Junichiro Kamijo 30-27.

Chris Padilla vs. Rong Zhu

Round 1 – Big leg kick by Zhu. Padilla with his own leg kicks. The two are trading leg kicks. Both fightrers being very tentative. Zhu seems to have a little more sting to his shots than Padilla. Jab by Padilla. Both fighters being somewhat reserved. Two minutes left. Leg kick by Padilla. Another one. Zhu swining hard, but Padilla blocking most of the shots. Hard leg kick by Padilla.  Final minute. Padilla with the cleaner shots, but Zhu is the more aggressive. The bell rings.

MMA Junkie scores the round 10-9, Padilla.

Round 2 – Same dynamic here. Zhu pressuring and Padilla counter striking.  Jab by Padilla. A big leg kick briefly knocks down Padilla. Huge right hand connects for Padilla! Multiple leg kicks by Zhu. Very even fight here. Oh! Huge elbow by Padilla as Zhu was coming in! Zhu’s eye immeditely swells up! Big combo by Padilla! Zhu’s eye is a mess. The referee halts the fight and brings in the doctor. It’s over! The doctor waives the fight.

Result: Chris Padilla def. Rong Zhu via TKO (doctor’s stoppage) – Round 2, 4:14
Recap: Grotesque Rong Zhu eye injury gives Chris Padilla TKO win
Photos: UFC Fight Night 242: Best photos from Las Vegas
Records: Padilla (15-6 MMA, 2-0 UFC), Zhu (25-6 MMA, 1-3 UFC)
Division: Lightweight
Broadcast: ESPN+
Referee: Kerry Hatley

Isaac Dulgarian vs. Brendon Marotte

Round 1 – Big shots by Marotte! Dulgarian lands! Dulgarian with an immediate takedown. And Dulgarian gets mount 20 seconds in. WOW. Dulgarian now gets the back. Dulgarian all over Marotte. Big ground and pound by Dulgarian. Marotte unable to get out of mount. Big shots by Dulgarian! More shots by Dulgarian. Marotte in survival mode! Dulgarian gets the arm triangle! It looks tight! And Marotte gets out! Dulgarian is still on mount landing big shots. Two minutes left. More shots by Dulgarian. Marotte is taking a beating. Marotte recovers guard! Elbows from bottom by Marotte. The bell rings.

MMA Junkie scores the round 10-8, Dulgarian.

Round 2 – Marotte tries to land a flying knee at the start and gets taken down. Marotte with some elbows. He recovers guard. Some shots here and there by Dulgarian. Shots from bottom by Marotte. It looks like Dulgarian is bleeding. Dulgarian unable to pass guard, butin full control. Three minutes left. Dulgarian just controlling and landing busy punches from top. Marotte trying to sweep Dulgarian, but unable to. Two minutes left. Dulgarian moves to full mount. Complete control by Dulgarian. Dulgarian gets the arm triangle and there’s the tap!

Result: Isaac Dulgarian def. Brendon Marotte via submission (arm triangle) – Round 2, 4:19
Recap: Isaac Dulgarian wins as biggest favorite in company history
Photos: UFC Fight Night 242: Best photos from Las Vegas
Records: Dulgarian (7-1 MMA, 2-1 UFC), Marotte (8-3 MMA, 0-2 UFC)
Division: Featherweight
Broadcast: ESPN+
Referee: Mark Smith

Felipe dos Santos vs. Andre Lima

Round 1 – They trade leg kicks. Big left hand connects for Lima. Another one! The fight is briefly stopped as Lima suffered an accidental eye poke. The referee warns dos Santos and the fight goes on. Big body kick by dos Santos. Lima pressuring Santos here. Both fighters throwing with heat! Big leg kick from dos Santos. Dos Santos presses Lima against the cage, Lima breaks free almost immediately. We’re halfway through the round. Leg kick by Lima. Dos Santos ties up Lima from the back. He’s trying to get a takedown. Bog fence grab by Lima. dos Santos gets the takedown, jumps to the back and falls forward. Lima now on top with a minute left. Dos Santos gets back up, but is being presses against the cage by Lima. Oh, spinning elbow by dos Santos! The bell rings.

MMA Junkie scores the round 10-9, dos Santos.

Round 2 – Good pressure here by Lima. Oh! Flying knee by dos Santos. Lima presses dos Santos against the cage. Good body shot by Lima. dos Santos breaks free. Lima gets a takedown shortly after. Lima gets mount! Nice transition. Three minutes left. Good control by Lima, who looks to be trying to set up an arm triangle. Good defense by dos Santos, but Lima in complete control.Two minutes left. Some shots here and there by Lima, but mainly just control. Not a ton going on damage wise by Lima. He’s just controlling dos Santos in mount. Lima maintains top position until the bell.

MMA Junkie scores the round 10-9, Lima.

Round 3 – Very close fight here. It seems it’s one round each. Lima back to putting pressure on dos Santos. Lima clinches dos Santos and presses him against the cage. There’s the takedown! Lima takes the back smoothly. Lima has a body triangle on dos Santos. Three minutes left on the clock. Lima locks in a rear-naked choke! It looks extremely tight! Dos Santos fights out of it! Another rear-naked choke attempt! Again, dos Santos gets out of it. Crazy defense. One minute left. Lima keeps the back mount all the way to the bell.

MMA Junkie scores the round 10-9, Lima. Overall 29-28, Lima.

Result: Andre Lima def. Felipe dos Santos via unanimous decision (30-27, 29-28, 29-28)
Photos: UFC Fight Night 242: Best photos from Las Vegas
Records: Lima (10-0 MMA, 3-0 UFC), dos Santos (8-2 MMA, 1-2 UFC)
Division: Flyweight
Broadcast: ESPN+
Referee: Chris Tognoni
Judging: Chris Lee 30-27. Adalaide Byrd, Junichiro Kamijo 29-28.

Gabriel Santos vs. Yi Zha

Round 1 – Good combo by Santos. Oh, and a nasty leg kick, too. Santos appears to have the speed advantage early on. Big left connects for Santos, as Zha tries to rush in. leg kick by Zha. Man, Santos is swinging with bad intentions. Leg kick by Zha. Big combo by Santos! We’re halfway through the round. Big leg kick by Santos. That righthand keeps landing for Santos. Good jab by Zha. Oh! Front kick to the face and Zha goes down! Santos all over him! Zha is back on his feet! Crazy recovery by Zha. Big leg kick by Santos. Nasty knee to the head connects for Santos. The bell rings.

MMA Junkie scores the round 10-8, Santos.

Round 2 – Man, Zha is beat up. Santos is putting on the pressure immediately. Oh! Another front kick to the face by Santos. What a chin on Zha. Santos connects with a right. Zha is trying to be more aggressive, but Santos is still outstriking him. Santos shoots for a takedown and gets it. Good ground and pound by Santos. We’re halfway through the round. Santos moves to half guard. Good shots from Santos. Zha is cut on his forehead. Zha works his way back to his feet, but being pressed against the cage by Santos. The referee halts the bout briefly so the doctor and look at the cut. The cut is good and the fight resumes. Good left by Zha. Leg kick by Zha. Zha shoots, fails to takedown Santos. The bell rings.

MMA Junkie scores the round 10-9, Santos.

Round 3 – Oh! Crazy combo by Santos, but Zha screams at him! Zha is definitely in need of a finish here. Both shoot on each other and fails. Santos goes for his second attempt and gets it. Santos working from guard. Good shots by the Brazilian. Santos now takes the back of Zha. He sinks in the body triangle. Big shots by Santos. Incredible toughness by Zha. We’re halfway through the round. Shots to the body by Santos in attempt to set up the rear-naked choke. One minute left. Complete control by Santos. Santos keeps the back position all the way to the bell.

MMA Junkie scores the round 10-9, Santos. Overall 30-26, Santos.

Result: Gabriel Santos def. Yi Zha via unanimous decision (30-26, 30-26, 30-27)
Photos: UFC Fight Night 242: Best photos from Las Vegas
Records: Santos (11-2 MMA, 1-2 UFC), Zha (25-5 MMA, 0-2 UFC)
Division: Featherweight
Broadcast: ESPN+
Referee: Kerry Hatley
Judging: Adalaide Byrd, David Lethaby 30-26. Bryan Miner 30-27.

Jaqueline Amorim vs. Vanessa Demopoulos

Round 1 – Demopoulos lands a big knee on Amorim, as Amorim shoots for an early takedown. Amorim gets the takedown and is working to pass right away. Amorim moves to half guard. Good ground and pound by Amorim. Demopoulos tries to reverse, but ends up giving her back. We’re halfway through the round. Amorim with the body triangle. Demopoulos almost escapes! Demopoulos is yelling that Amorim has her fingers in her gloves. Amorim transitions to an armbar and gets it! There’s the tap. Demopoulos is complaining about a glove grab.

Result: Jaqueline Amorim def. Vanessa Demopoulos via submission (armbar) – Round 1, 3:28
Recap: Jaqueline Amorim locks armbar as Vanessa Demopoulos screams foul
Photos: UFC Fight Night 242: Best photos from Las Vegas
Records: Amorim (9-1 MMA, 3-1 UFC), Demopoulos (11-6 MMA, 5-3 UFC)
Division: Women’s strawweight
Broadcast: ESPN+
Referee: Jacob Montalvo

Dylan Budka vs. Andre Petroski

Round 1 – Petroski putting on the pressure on Budka. Heavy shots by Budka, but Petroski defending well. Very low activity here. Big swings for Petroski, but doesn’t land clean. Petroski shoots and gets a takedown. He finds himself in half guard. We’re halfway through the round. Some shots here and there by Petroski. More shots by Petroski, but nothing major. Good control here by Petroski, but not a ton going on. Petroski gets mount with 15 seconds left. The bell rings.

MMA Junkie scores the round 10-9, Petroski.

Round 2 – Good uppercut by Budka. Petroski presses Budka against the cage. Good knees to the legs by Petroski. Budka breaks free. Both connect. Petroski gets tagged. He shoots and gets the takedown on Budka. Petroski moves to half guard. Short shots by Petroski. We’re halfway through the round. More shots here and there by Petroski, but nothing too damaging. Final minute. The referee telling Petroski to show more action. Ground and pound by Petroski. The bell rings.

MMA Junkie scores the round 10-9, Petroski.

Round 3 – Budka needs a finish here. Good left hand by Petroski. Big leg kick by Petroski. Budka looks very tired. One, two by Budka. Petroski still marching forward. Petroski shoots, eats a couple of elbows, but gets the takedown. We’re halfway through the round. Petroski is working from half guard. Same story as previous rounds, some shots here and there by Petroski – enough to avoid a standup, but not enough to cause major damage. Final minute. Petroski gets full mount. He rides out the rest of the round.

MMA Junkie scores the round 10-9, Petroski. Overall 30-27, Petroski.

Result: Andre Petroski def. Dylan Budka via unanimous decision (30-27, 30-27, 30-27)
Photos: UFC Fight Night 242: Best photos from Las Vegas
Records: Petroski (12-4 MMA, 7-2 UFC), Budka (7-4 MMA, 0-2 UFC)
Division: Middleweight
Broadcast: ESPN+
Referee: Mark Smith
Judging: Chris Lee, David Lethaby, Rick Winter 30-27.

Nathan Fletcher vs. Zygimantas Ramaska

Round 1 – Ramaska takes the outside of the cage. Oh! Both shot by Ramaska. Fletcher dives for a leg and gets a single leg takedown. He does eat a lot of elbows in the process. Fletcher is on top in guard, but he’s bleeding a ton. Hard to tell where he’s cut. Oh! Nice sweep by Ramaska! He moves to half guard. Fletcher reverses a get-up in to a takedown, but gets reversed by Ramaska. Fletcher finds himself on bottom. Back to a takedown position for Fletcher. Oh! Reverse triangle by Ramaska! They get back to their feet. Fletcher shoots and gets a takedown. Good ground and pound by Fletcher. Final minute. Fletcher gets mount. Good shots by Fletcher. The bell rings. Tight round.

MMA Junkie scores the round 10-9, Fletcher.

Round 2 – Fletcher shoots for a takedown here and gets it. He mounts Ramaska. He sinks in an arm triangle! It’s over! Solid win by Fletcher.

Result: Nathan Fletcher def. Zygimantas Ramaska via submission (arm triangle) – Round 2, 1:14
Photos: UFC Fight Night 242: Best photos from Las Vegas
Records: Fletcher (9-1 MMA, 1-0 UFC), Ramaska (9-3 MMA, 0-1 UFC)
Division: Featherweight
Broadcast: ESPN+
Referee: Herb Dean

UFC Fight Night 242 results: Natalia Silva beats Jessica Andrade in entertaining, strike-heavy bout

A new UFC contender has emerged and she has title fights on her mind.

If [autotag]Natalia Silva[/autotag] wasn’t a contender prior to Saturday’s UFC Fight Night 242, she is now.

In what was her most high-profile test to date, Silva (17-5-1 MMA, 5-0 UFC) defeated [autotag]Jessica Andrade[/autotag] (26-12 MMA, 17-10 UFC) by unanimous decision (30-27, 30-27, 30-27). The flyweight bout was the co-main event at the UFC Apex in Las Vegas.

For the majority of the 15-minute duration, the bout between Silva and Andrade was action-packed. Andrade was predominantly the one moving forward, but Silva found success on the backpedal. Her counters and spinning kicks were effective. In Round 2, she stunned Andrade with a big punch to the left side of her head. Andrade also had her moments, but they were fewer and farther between.

When the dust settled, Silva emerged the victor, as she swept all three rounds from all three judges on the scorecards.

“Dana, I came here to be a champion,” Silva said in the cage after her win. “I want that shot.”

With the win, Silva extends her winning streak to 12 and maintains a perfect UFC record. Her other UFC victories are against Viviane Araujo, Andrea Lee, Victoria Leonardo, Tereza Bleda, and Jasmine Jasudavicius.

In defeat, Andrade has a two-fight winning streak snapped. A former UFC strawweight champion, Andrade has lost five of her most recent seven bouts.

Up-to-the-minute UFC Fight Night 242 results include:

For more on the card, visit MMA Junkie’s event hub for UFC Fight Night 242.