Tag: UFC on ESPN 30

UFC on ESPN 30 results: Giga Chikadze blasts Edson Barboza, finishes striking battle with TKO

A back-and-forth strikers’ battle ended with a flurry of punches from Giga Chikadze.

[autotag]Giga Chikadze[/autotag] long sought a ranked contender. When he was finally matched up with one for a fight Saturday, he made the most of it.

In the UFC on ESPN 30 main event, Chikadze (14-2 MMA, 7-0 UFC) finished longtime lightweight contender [autotag]Edson Barboza[/autotag] (22-10 MMA, 16-10 UFC) via TKO due to strikes at 1:44 of Round 3.

The event took place at the UFC Apex in Las Vegas. It aired on ESPN and streamed on ESPN+.

The first round foreshadowed the fight as a whole. It was a kicks galore. Both men landed kicks on multiple levels. Chikadze checked some of Barboza’s leg kicks. Much of his time Chikadze spent circling away from the Brazilian before he landed some big body kicks.

In Round 2, Barboza continued to stalk Chikadze but with greater efficiency. Barboza landed a series of kicks to the midsection that visibly tightened Chikadze’s core.

Shortly after the start of Round 3, Chikadze connected with a right punch that stunned Barboza. While on the retreat, Barboza absorbed strikes to the body and head. Barboza ate another right hand and stumbled backward. Eventually, his balance gave out and he toppled to the mat.

On the canvas, Barboza worked for a leg submission before Chikadze attempted a D’Arce choke. Barboza rolled out but was promptly cranked in the face again by a Chikadze punch. He fell again, which triggered referee Jason Herzog to step in and stop the fight.

After the fight, Chikadze tossed out the idea of being a backup fighter for the UFC 266 title fight between champion Alexander Volkanovski and Brian Ortega – or potentially a matchup against former titleholder Max Holloway.

With the victory, Barboza, 35, extends his winning streak to three. The 3-0 stretch marks the first since 2017 for Barboza who has produced inconsistent results in recent years against some of the promotion’s finest competition.

Chikadze’s win comes in his first promotional main event. Since he signed with the promotion in 2019, Chikadze has not lost. His overall winning streak extends to nine as Barboza becomes Chikadze’s ninth pro MMA win by knockout.

The loss snaps a two-fight winning streak for Barboza. The 35-year-old Brazilian fighter has competed on the UFC roster since UFC 123 in November 2010. Since then, he’s fought a who’s who of lightweight and featherweight talent including Khabib Nurmagomedov, Justin Gaethje, and Tony Ferguson. With the loss, Barboza drops to 3-6 in his most recent nine.

Up-to-the-minute UFC on ESPN 30 results include:

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UFC on ESPN 30 results: Bryan Battle rallies, bloodies and submits Gilbert Urbina to win ‘TUF 29’

Things looked bad for Bryan Battle early on, but he ultimately rallied to win the tournament.

[autotag]Byran Battle[/autotag] is “The Ultimate Fighter.”

It didn’t come without a weathered storm, but Battle (6-1 MMA, 1-0 UFC) defeated [autotag]Gilbert Urbina[/autotag] (6-2 MMA, 0-1 UFC) via submission at 2:15 of Round 2 to close out the “TUF 29” middleweight tournament.

The “TUF 29” middleweight final was the UFC on ESPN 30 co-main event at the UFC Apex in Las Vegas. It aired on ESPN and streamed on ESPN+.

Things went awry for Battle early in Round 1. He was met with a wild opening flurry from Urbina, who took him to the ground and worked for a submission. Battle survived and worked his way to the feet, but somewhere in the fray, his mouthpiece fell out of the cage. Referee Herb Dean did not notice, so Battle fought for over half the round without oral protection.

In Round 2, however, Battle, with his mouthpiece back in, turned the tides. He took a bloodied Urbina to the mat and sank in a rear-naked choke. After a brief struggle, Urbina tapped – and that was it.

Battle’s final tournament victory comes after exhibition wins over Kemran Lachinov and Andre Petroski on the reality series. In professional competition, Battle has now won five-straight outings all inside the distance.

As for Urbina, the loss is his second in the tournament. After he defeated Micheal Gillmore via submission in the opening tournament round, he was temporarily eliminated in the semifinal by Tresean Gore. However, Gore suffered a knee injury in preparation for the final vs. Battle, so Urbina took his place in the bracket.

Up-to-the-minute UFC on ESPN 30 results include:

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UFC on ESPN 30 results: Ricky Turcios outpoints Brady Hiestand, becomes TUF 29 champ

Ricky Turcios becomes TUF 29 bantamweight champion with split decision win over Brady Hiestand at UFC on ESPN 30.

[autotag]Ricky Turcios[/autotag] and [autotag]Brady Hiestand[/autotag] left it all in the cage.

The two bantamweight fighters engaged in a non-stop war for 15 minutes in the finale of the 135-pound tournament of “The Ultimate Fighter 29” on Saturday night. Turcios (11-2 MMA, 1-0 UFC) outpointed Hiestand (5-2 MMA, 0-1 UFC) in a split decision that read 29-28, 28-29 and 29-28.

With the win, Turcios became a TUF champion and was awarded a UFC contract. He was also received his jiu-jitsu black belt from his coach following the win.

The “TUF 29” bantamweight final was part of the UFC on ESPN 30 main card at the UFC Apex in Las Vegas. It aired on ESPN and streamed on ESPN+.

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In the first round, Hiestand closed the distance early and took down Turcios. Hiestand maintained top control, but Turcios doing most of the attacking as he was constantly landing strikes from the bottom. At one point in the middle of the round, Turcios got the back but lost it not long after. The fight got back on the feet in the last 30 seconds with both fighters brawling it out.

The second round also had a similar story. Hiestand pressured and looked to control the action on the ground, while Turcios stayed busy with strikes from bottom. Turcios pushed more scrambled and attempted several submissions, but was unsuccessful, not achieving a tap and ending in bottom position in most scrambles.

With two very competitive rounds in the books, both fighters came out to make a statement.

Turcios dropped Hiestand with a big, straight right hand, but was immediately taken down in the opening of the round. Once again, Turcios doing most of the damage. Halfway through the round, Turcios began to be the dominant force in the grappling – something not seen in the first two rounds. The fight ended on the feet with both fighters slugging it out and Turcios getting the better of the shots.

With the win, Turcios is now 3-1 in his past four bouts. His lone loss came to UFC fighter Mana Martinez, who also fought on the same card, defeating veteran Guido Cannetti. Turcios fights out of Team Alpha Male.

Meanwhile, Hiestand suffered his second professional defeat. He trains out of Sikjitsu in Spokane, Washington.

Up-to-the-minute UFC on ESPN 30 results include:

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Twitter reacts to Daniel Rodriguez’s big win over Kevin Lee at UFC on ESPN 30

See the top Twitter reactions to Daniel Rodriguez’s win over Kevin Lee at UFC on ESPN 30.

[autotag]Daniel Rodriguez[/autotag] earned the most notable win of his career Saturday when he beat [autotag]Kevin Lee[/autotag] at UFC on ESPN 30.

Rodriguez (16-2 MMA, 6-1 UFC) stepped up on short notice to score a unanimous decision victory over Lee (18-7 MMA, 11-7 UFC) in the welterweight matchup, which took place at the UFC Apex in Las Vegas.

Check below for the top Twitter reactions to Rodriguez’s win over Lee at UFC on ESPN 30.

UFC on ESPN 30 results: Daniel Rodriguez takes advantage of short-notice opportunity, outpoints Kevin Lee

Daniel Rodriguez defeated Kevin Lee via unanimous decision – a fight he took on 17 days’ notice.

[autotag]Daniel Rodriguez[/autotag] took his highest-profile fight to date on 17 days’ notice but showed no signs of being unprepared when it came time to fight.

At UFC on ESPN 30 on Saturday, Rodriguez (16-2 MMA, 6-1 UFC) capitalized on the opportunity when he defeated [autotag]Kevin Lee[/autotag] (18-7 MMA, 11-7 UFC) via unanimous decision (29-28, 29-28, 29-28).

The welterweight bout was part of the UFC on ESPN 30 main card at the UFC Apex in Las Vegas. It aired on ESPN and streamed on ESPN+.

Lee’s most dominant offense came in Round 1. After some striking on the feet, Lee got Rodriguez on the ground and ended the round in dominant position. While Round 2 and Round 3 were competitive, Rodriguez slowly but surely pulled away. He used his crisp boxing, takedown defense, and power to get the better of Lee as the fight progressed. In Round 2, Rodriguez landed a rocking punch that stunned Lee, who was able to survive. However, Lee continued to be outpointed in Round 3.

When the judges’ scorecards were read, all three gave two of three rounds to Rodriguez. After the fight, Rodriguez called for a spot in the UFC rankings and offered his services to promotion president Dana White should he need a short-notice fighter.

With the win, Rodriguez adds Lee to a winning streak that already includes a knockout of Preston Parsons and a unanimous decision victory over Mike Perry. The UFC on ESPN 30 bout is one Rodriguez took on short notice when Lee’s original opponent Sean Brady withdrew due to a foot infection in early August.

As for Lee, the loss is his fourth in five fights. The former interim UFC lightweight title challenger has struggled to not only win, but stay healthy in recent years. In 2020, he underwent multiple knee surgeries before he suffered a rib injury in July. Lee has tested his luck at both lightweight and welterweight and has shifted back and forth multiple times.

Up-to-the-minute UFC on ESPN 30 results include:

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UFC on ESPN 30 results: Gerald Meerschaert submits Makhmud Muradov in comeback win

Gerald Meerschaert hands Makhmud Muradov his first UFC loss at UFC on ESPN 30.

[autotag]Gerald Meerschaert[/autotag] perseverance was on full display on Saturday night.

The UFC middleweight veteran handed [autotag]Makhmud Muradov[/autotag] his first UFC loss to open up the main card of UFC on ESPN 30. Meerschaert (33-14 MMA, 8-6 UFC) forced Muradov (25-7 MMA, 3-1 UFC) to tap out with a rear-naked choke at the 1:49 mark of Round 2.

UFC on ESPN 30 took place at the UFC Apex in Las Vegas. It aired on ESPN and streamed on ESPN+.

It was a solid comeback win for Meerschaert and true veteran performance.

In the first round, Meerschaert found himself on the verge of getting stopped. Meerschaert was caught with a counter, as he was rushing in on Muradov early in round one. It was clear that Meerschaert was hurt and Muradov knew it.

The American did a good job at surviving despite Muradov’s efforts to finish the fight. Towards the end of the first round, Meerschaert showed recovery and had some offense of his own, getting the fight to the ground in the final 30 seconds of the fight.

In the second round, Meerschaert really turned the pace and poured it on Muradov. He pressed him and connected with solid shots that wobbled the 31-year-old. Shortly after that, he was able to take the fight to the ground where he quickly sank in a rear-naked choke to secure a victory.

The win turns a standalone victory into a winning streak for Meerschaert, who submitted Bartosz Fabinski in April. The back-to-back victories move him to 3-2 over the span of his most recent five fights.

For Muradov, UFC on ESPN 30 marks the first loss of his promotional tenure. The defeat is his first pro MMA loss since December 2016, which snaps a 14-fight winning streak for the Uzbekistan fighter.

Up-to-the-minute UFC on ESPN 30 results include:

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UFC on ESPN 30 Video: Abdul Razak Alhassan blasts Alessio Di Chirico with head-kick to score 17-second KO

Watch Abdul Razak Alhassan knock out Alessio Di Chirico in just 17 seconds at UFC on ESPN 30.

[autotag]Abdul Razak Alhassan[/autotag] knows how to bounce back with style.

The UFC middleweight snapped a three-fight losing streak with an incredible head-kick knockout of [autotag]Alessio Di Chirico[/autotag] in the preliminary card of Saturday’s UFC on ESPN 30. Razak Alhassan stopped Di Chirico just 17 seconds into the bout.

UFC on ESPN 30 took place at the UFC Apex in Las Vegas. The card aired on ESPN and streamed on ESPN+.

You can watch Razak Alhassan in the video below:

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Razak Alhassan entered UFC on ESPN 30 with three consecutive defeats to Mounir Lazzez, Khaos Williams, and Jacob Malkoun. This is his first win since moving back to 185 pounds in April. All five of Alhassan’s UFC wins have come by first-round stoppage.

The up-to-the-minute UFC on ESPN 30 results include:

  • Abdul Razak Alhassan def. Alessio Di Chirico via knockout (head kick) – Round 1, 0:17
  • Wellington Turman def. Sam Alvey via split decision (27-28, 28-27, 28-27)
  • Dustin Jacoby def. Darren Stewart via TKO (punches) – Round 1, 3:04
  • JJ Aldrich def. Vanessa Demopoulos via unanimous decision (30-27, 30-27, 30-27)
  • Pat Sabatini def. Jamall Emmers via submission (heel hook) – Round 1, 1:53
  • Mana Martinez def. Guido Cannetti via split decision (29-28, 28-29, 29-28)

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Jamall Emmers suffers nasty knee injury after entering 50-50 position with Pat Sabatini at UFC on ESPN 30

Jamall Emmers entered 50-50 guard against Pat Sabatini at UFC on ESPN 30 – and paid the price when he suffered an injury.

[autotag]Jamall Emmers[/autotag] paid the price Saturday when he engaged in 50-50 guard with [autotag]Pat Sabatini[/autotag] at UFC on ESPN 30.

After he dropped Sabatini (15-3 MMA, 2-0 UFC) with a short uppercut, Emmers (18-6 MMA, 1-2 UFC) followed his opponent to the canvas and eventually worked for a toehold. In doing so, Emmers opened himself up for a heel hook from Sabatini – and paid the price when he tapped out at 1:53 of Round 1.

UFC on ESPN 30 took place Saturday at the UFC Apex in Las Vegas. The main card aired on ESPN/ESPN+ after prelims on ESPN+.

A painful scream accompanied Emmers’ tap. As Sabatini untangled himself from his writhing opponent, it was evident Emmers’ agony extended beyond the outcome of his fight. An injury was sustained, though to what extent was unknown. Emmers remained on the mat through the official decision as on-site medical professionals tended to his leg.

In his post-fight interview, Sabatini expressed disappointment the fight ended in such a gruesome way and wished Emmers well. The win was Sabatini’s 11th by submission, but his first finish in the UFC.

As for Emmers, he lands back into the loss column after a win against Vince Cachero in August 2020.

The up-to-the-minute UFC on ESPN 30 results include:

  • Pat Sabatini def. Jamall Emmers via submission (heel hook) – Round 1, 1:53
  • Mana Martinez def. Guido Cannetti via split decision (29-28, 28-29, 29-28)

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UFC on ESPN 30 play-by-play and live results (7 p.m. ET)

Check out live play-by-play and official results from UFC on ESPN 30 in Las Vegas.

LAS VEGAS – MMA Junkie is on scene and reporting live from Saturday’s UFC on ESPN 30 event, and you can join us for live play-by-play and official results beginning at 7 p.m. ET (4 p.m. PT).

UFC on ESPN 30 takes place at the UFC Apex in Las Vegas. The card airs on ESPN and streams on ESPN+.

In the main event, Edson Barboza (22-9 MMA, 16-9 UFC) takes on Giga Chikadze (13-2 MMA, 6-0 UFC) in a battle of elite-level strikers. In the co-feature, Bryan Battle (5-1 MMA, 0-0 UFC) meets Gilbert Urbina (6-1 MMA, 0-0 UFC) in the Season 29 “Ultimate Fighter” middleweight final. In the second “TUF 29” final, Brady Hiestand (5-1 MMA, 0-0 UFC) takes on Ricky Turcios (10-2 MMA, 0-0 UFC) at bantamweight.

Follow along with our round-by-round updates and official results beginning at approximately 7 p.m. ET for the prelims on ESPN2 and ESPN+ and 10 p.m. ET for the main card on ESPN and ESPN+.

To discuss the show, be sure to check out our UFC on ESPN 30 discussion thread. You can also get behind-the-scenes coverage and other event notes from on-site reporters John Morgan (@MMAjunkieJohn) and Ken Hathaway (@kenshathaway) on Twitter.

Enjoy the fights, everyone.

UFC on ESPN 30 discussion thread

UFC on ESPN 30 takes place Saturday in Las Vegas, and you can discuss the event here.

LAS VEGAS – MMA Junkie is on scene and reporting live from Saturday’s UFC on ESPN 30 event at the UFC Apex in Las Vegas, which kicks off at 7 p.m. ET (4 p.m. PT). You can discuss the event here.

Be sure to follow along with the latest card updates in our UFC on ESPN 30 live results post, and then discuss the event in the comments section below.

Round-by-round updates and official results begin at approximately 7 p.m. ET for the preliminary card and 10 p.m. ET for the main card.

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