Tag: UFC on ESPN 61

Chepe Mariscal embarrassed by weight miss for UFC on ESPN 61: ‘I didn’t even want to come to the arena’

Chepe Mariscal is not happy with his weight miss for UFC on ESPN 61.

LAS VEGAS – [autotag]Chepe Mariscal[/autotag]’s fourth fight in the UFC was almost flawless.

Mariscal (17-6 MMA, 4-0 UFC) got his hand raised, dominated a tough veteran in Damon Jackson, and competed in his first UFC co-main event slot. However, despite all the good that went down at Saturday’s UFC on ESPN 61 which took place at the UFC Apex, Mariscal missed weight for the fight, coming in 3.5 pounds over the featherweight limit.

Mariscal was not happy to come in heavy for the biggest fight of his MMA career thus far.

“We kind of calculated the weight cut wrong, especially with the Vegas heat, and kind of shot my body,” Mariscal told reporters at the UFC on ESPN 61 post-fight interview. “Honestly, I was so embarrassed that I was going to probably through the fight because I have so much respect for the people that lose the weight, do the time, and do everything else. That’s why I felt bummed and didn’t want to embarrass myself.

“I didn’t even want to come to the arena, but my corner kept me in line. They were like, ‘Man, we have to do what we can. If they don’t want to fight, that’s fine, but we have to try to do what we can,’ and we did. They got a little extra percentage off that, and I was willing to give up the pay and whatever, they were down to fight. We just said yes, and we went out there and performed.”

With the win over Jackson (23-7-1 MMA, 6-5-1 UFC), Marsical is now on a seven-fight winning streak, with four of those losses coming in the UFC’s octagon. Mariscal would be happy to get a ranked opponent next, but he’s not really sweating it. He’s open to whoever comes next.

“There’s no specific opponent,” Mariscal said about his next step. “I just want to fight everyone. I’m not scared of anyone in the featherweight division, the lightweight division. I’m just ready to come out here and own whoever is in my way. It’s part of the journey. I’m 4-0 in the UFC, and I just want to keep that up.”

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For more on the card, visit MMA Junkie’s event hub for UFC on ESPN 61.

Serghei Spivac explains why he refused callout after UFC on ESPN 61 win

Michael Bisping and Charly Arnolt tried to get a UFC callout from Serghei Spivac… and failed.

LAS VEGAS – You can ask him a million times, but you’re unlikely to get an answer.

Simply put, [autotag]Serghei Spivac[/autotag] has no interest in calling anyone out – even after what was widely regarded as one of his biggest wins to date Saturday, when he submitted Marcin Tybura in the UFC on ESPN 61 main event.

“When people ask me what’s next, it’s very hard to say because a lot of things can change in the heavyweight division really quickly,” Spivac said through an interpreter at the post-fight news conference. “So it’s really good for me when the UFC says who is next, as opposed to having to choose. I understand the (events) happen every single Saturday, every single week, so I’ll wait and I’ll see. We’ll see what’s next.”

While no name-drops surfaced from Spivac’s lips, a potential next opponent, Jailton Almeida, called for him Saturday. Spivac elected not to engage in-depth with Almeida, but issued a simple demand.

“Let him train,” Spivac said.

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Spivac revealed that he suffered an injury in training camp for the fight and nearly pulled out, though he declined to detail what exactly that injury was. Between whatever residual healing remains and the impending birth of a new addition to his family, Spivac said he’s not totally sure about his timeline, though the end of 2024 does sound appealing.

“End of the year would be great,” Spivac said. “I would come out at the end of the year. As long as I stay healthy, I will fight at the end of the year.”

For more on the card, visit MMA Junkie’s event hub for UFC on ESPN 61.

Jailton Almeida calls out Serghei Spivac after quick UFC on ESPN 61 finish: ‘We can fight soon!’

Serghei Spivac didn’t want to call out anyone after UFC on ESPN 61, but that didn’t stop one of his peers from calling his name.

Although he was repeatedly asked to call out his next opponent after UFC on ESPN 61, Serghei Spivac did not want to mention anyone by name. Jailton Almeida did it for him, though.

In the main event of UFC on ESPN 61 at the UFC Apex in Las Vegas, Spivac (17-4 MMA, 8-4 UFC) made quick work of Marcin Tybura, submitting him in under two minutes to avenge a prior loss.

During his post-fight interview, Spivac left his next pairing up to the matchmakers. Entering the fight at No. 9 in the promotion’s heavyweight rankings, Spivac refused to call out anyone specifically but did mention he wanted someone ranked above him.

That’s when No. 7 Almeida (21-3 MMA, 7-1 UFC) made it known he wanted to share the cage with Spivac next.

“Spivak, do you want someone above you in the rankings?” Almeida wrote on X, the social media platform formerly known as Twitter. “Im here!! #7 vs #8. I want to fight Bro! Happy you get the finish early, so, we can fight soon!”

Speaking with reporters during a post-fight news conference, Spivac offered a short and simple reply to the callout.

“Let him train,” Spivac said.

Almeida is coming off a first-round submission victory as well. At UFC 302 in June, he quickly finished Alexandr Romanov with a rear-naked choke just 2:27 into their preliminary card bout.

Spivac and Almeida responded well in their last outings, bouncing back from losses to Ciryl Gane and Curtis Blaydes, respectively. The closely ranked fighters could find themselves sharing the cage with each other next.

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For more on the card, visit MMA Junkie’s event hub for UFC on ESPN 61.

UFC on ESPN 61 Promotional Guidelines Compliance pay: Event yields second-lowest total of 2024

UFC on ESPN 61 fighters took home UFC Promotional Guidelines Compliance pay, a program that continued after the UFC’s deal with Venum.

LAS VEGAS – Fighters from Saturday’s UFC on ESPN 61 event took home UFC Promotional Guidelines Compliance pay totaling $128,000.

The program, a comprehensive plan that includes outfitting requirements, media obligations and other items under the fighter code of conduct, replaces the previous payments made under the UFC Athlete Outfitting Policy.

UFC on ESPN 61 took place at the UFC Apex. The card aired on ESPN and streamed on ESPN+.

The full UFC on ESPN 61 UFC Promotional Guidelines Compliance payouts included:

* * * *

[autotag]Serghei Spivac[/autotag]: $11,000
def. [autotag]Marcin Tybura[/autotag]: $16,000

[autotag]Chepe Mariscal[/autotag]: $4,500
def. [autotag]Damon Jackson[/autotag]: $11,000

[autotag]Danny Barlow[/autotag]: $4,000
def. [autotag]Nikolay Veretennikov[/autotag]: $4,000

[autotag]Chris Gutierrez[/autotag]: $11,000
def. [autotag]Quang Le[/autotag]: $4,000

[autotag]Yana Santos[/autotag]: $6,000
def. [autotag]Chelsea Chandler[/autotag]: $4,500

[autotag]Toshiomi Kazama[/autotag]: $4,000
def. [autotag]Charalampos Grigoriou[/autotag]: $4,000

[autotag]Karol Rosa[/autotag]: $6,000
def. [autotag]Pannie Kianzad[/autotag]: $11,000

[autotag]Jhonata Diniz[/autotag]: $4,000
def. [autotag]Karl Williams[/autotag]: $4,500

[autotag]Youssef Zalal[/autotag]: $6,000
def. [autotag]Jarno Errens[/autotag]: $4,500

[autotag]Stephanie Luciano[/autotag]: $4,000
def. [autotag]Talita Alencar[/autotag]: $4,000

Under the UFC Promotional Guidelines Compliance program’s payout tiers, which appropriate the money generated by Venum’s multi-year sponsorship with the UFC, fighters are paid based on their total number of UFC bouts, as well as Zuffa-era WEC fights (January 2007 and later) and Zuffa-era Strikeforce bouts (April 2011 and later). Fighters with 1-3 bouts receive $4,000 per appearance; 4-5 bouts get $4,610; 6-10 bouts get $6,000; 11-15 bouts earn $11,000; 16-20 bouts pocket $16,000; and 21 bouts and more get $21,000. Additionally, champions earn $32,000 while title challengers get $42,000.

In addition to experience-based pay, UFC fighters will receive in perpetuity royalty payments amounting to 20-61 percent of any UFC merchandise sold that bears their likeness, according to officials.

Full 2024 UFC Promotional Guidelines Compliance payouts:

Year-to-date total: $4,914,500
2023 total: $8,188,000
2022 total: $8,351,500
2021 total: $6,167,500
Program-to-date total: $27,651,500

For more on the card, visit MMA Junkie’s event hub for UFC on ESPN 61.

UFC on ESPN 61 video: Hear from each winner, guest fighters backstage

Check out what the UFC on ESPN 61 winners and guest fighters had to say backstage at Saturday’s event in Las Vegas.

LAS VEGAS – UFC on ESPN 61 took place Saturday with 10 bouts on the lineup. We’ve got you covered with backstage winner interviews from the UFC Apex in Las Vegas.

You can hear from all the UFC on ESPN 61 winners by checking out their post-fight news conferences below.

For more on the card, visit MMA Junkie’s event hub for UFC on ESPN 61.

UFC on ESPN 61 live updates: Results, round-by-round coverage of every fight

Check out live round-by-round updates and official results from UFC on ESPN 61 in Las Vegas.

UFC on ESPN 61 took place Saturday, and MMA Junkie provided live round-by-round coverage and official results. UFC on ESPN 61 (ESPN/ESPN+) takes place at the UFC Apex in Las Vegas.

Marcin Tybura (25-9 MMA, 12-8 UFC) took on Serghei Spivac (17-4 MMA, 8-4 UFC) in the heavyweight main event. In the co-feature, Damon Jackson (23-7-1 MMA, 6-5-1 UFC) took on Chepe Mariscal (17-6 MMA, 4-0 UFC) at featherweight.

Below, you can find our round-by-round updates and official results for the prelims on ESPN/ESPN+ and for the main card on ESPN/ESPN+.

UFC on ESPN 61 full fight card

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

  • Serghei Spivac def. Marcin Tybura via submission (armbar) – Round 1, 1:44
  • Chepe Mariscal def. Damon Jackson via unanimous decision (30-25, 30-26, 30-25)
  • Danny Barlow def. Nikolay Veretennikov via split decision (29-28, 27-30, 29-28)
  • Chris Gutierrez def. Quang Le via unanimous decision (29-28, 29-28, 29-28)
  • Yana Santos def. Chelsea Chandler via unanimous decision (30-27, 29-28, 29-28)
  • Toshiomi Kazama def. Charalampos Grigoriou via submission (triangle choke) – Round 2, 1:55

PRELIMINARY CARD (ESPN/ESPN+, 5 p.m. ET)

  • Karol Rosa def. Pannie Kianzad via unanimous decision (30-27, 30-27, 30-27)
  • Jhonata Diniz def. Karl Williams via unanimous decision (30-27, 29-28, 29-28)
  • Youssef Zalal def. Jarno Errens via submission (rear-naked choke) – Round 1, 3:52
  • Stephanie Luciano def. Talita Alencar via unanimous decision (30-27, 30-27, 30-27)

Marcin Tybura vs. Serghei Spivac

Round 1 – Nice right hand by Spivac. Leg kicks by Spivac. Spivac takes down Tybura and is trying to move to his back. Tybura reverses him and ends in Spivac’s guard. Spivac with an armbar! There’s the tap!

Result: Serghei Spivac def. Marcin Tybura via submission (armbar) – Round 1, 1:44
Recap: Serghei Spivac surprises Marcin Tybura with first heavyweight armbar in four years
Photos: UFC on ESPN 61: Best photos from Las Vegas
Records: Spivac (17-4 MMA, 8-4 UFC), Tybura (25-9 MMA, 12-8 UFC)
Division: Heavyweight
Broadcast: ESPN/ESPN+
Referee: Herb Dean

Damon Jackson vs. Chepe Mariscal

Round 1 – Big swings from both. They clinch. Big knees to the body by Jackson. Mariscal with a throw, but Jackson gets immediately back up. Mariscal presses Jackson against the cage. They keep reversing each other against the cage. Jackson now controls Mariscal against the cage. Mariscal reverses the position. We’re halfway through the round. Big lefts from Mariscal. Uppercut by Mariscal. They break from tha clinch. Mariscal gets a throw on Jackson. Mariscal is cut open below his left eye. They scramble against the cage. Jackson is bleeding from his head. Crazy pace here. Knee to the body by Jackson. Oh! Mariscal wobbles Jackson! Crazy pace. Jackson shoots and presses Mariscal agaisnt the cage. The bell rings.

MMA Junkie scores the round 10-9, Mariscal.

Round 2 – They go right back in the clinch. Mariscal presses Jackson against the cage. A low blow from Jackson pauses the action. It resumes a few seconds later in the same position. Jackson reverses. Knee to the body by Jackson. Now Mariscal reverses. Jackson revreses and is now controlling Marscal, but with little damage. Knee to the body by Jackson. We’re halfway through the round. Mariscal gets a takedown. Jackson scrambles out. Good shots from Mariscal as he’s on top of Jackson while in defending takedown position. Crazy scrambles here. Mariscal ends ton top. Big shots from Mariscal! Jackson looks tired. heavy hammer fists by Mariscal from turtle position. Jackson looking for a takedown, grabbing on to Mariscal’s legs as he eats shots. The bell rings.

MMA Junkie scores the round 10-9, Mariscal.

Round 3 – It looks like Mariscal is the fresher fighter here. Mariscal presses Jackson against the cage. Jackson proving to be a tough adversary. A couple of land for Marsical. Mariscal changes levels, lifts Jackson and takes him down. Insane scrambles here. Jackson gets top position now. We’re halfway through the round. Jackson working from guard. Mariscal pushes him away with his legs and then goes for the takedown from his knees. He gets it. Mariscal in on top. Non-stop scrambles. Jackson looks exhausted. Crazy pace. Mariscal relentless here with his pressure. The bell rings.

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

Result: Chepe Mariscal def. Damon Jackson via unanimous decision (30-25, 30-26, 30-25)
Photos: UFC on ESPN 61: Best photos from Las Vegas
Records: Mariscal (17-6 MMA, 4-0 UFC), Jackson (23-7-1 MMA, 6-5-1 UFC)
Division: Featherweight
Broadcast: ESPN/ESPN+
Referee: Jazon Herzog
Judging: Mike Bell 30-26, Sal D’Amato, Junichiro Kamijo 30-25.

Danny Barlow vs. Nikolay Veretennikov

Round 1 – Both fighters very tentative here. They’re timing each other. Front kick to the body lands for Veretennikov. Straight left connects for Barlow. Leg kick by Barlow. Barlow pressing Veretennikov. Veretennikov closes the distance and tries to takedown Barlow, but ends up pressed against the cage. Barlow lets Veretennikov go. Back to striking. Leg kick by Barlow.  Body kick by Barlow. They briefly clinch. They clinch again and Barlow presses Veretennikov against the cage. The bell rings.

MMA Junkie scores the round 10-9, Barlow.

Round 2 – Head-kick partially lands for Barlow. Both fighters with low output here. Leg kick by Barlow. Nice jab from Barlow. Oh! Big left hand connects fluch for Barlow. Veretennikov clinches him and presses him against the cage. Barlow reverses the position. Two minutes left. Knees to the legs by Barlow Accidental knee to the groin from Veretennikov pauses the action. After a minute pause, the fight resumes with Bralow pressing Veretennikov against the cage. Barlow tries the takedown, but comes up short. Back to striking. Final minute. Double jab by Barlow. Leg kick by Veretennikov. The bell rings.

MMA Junkie scores the round 10-9, Barlow.

Round 3 – It looks like Veretennikov needs a finish here. Jab by Barlow. Barlow presses Veretennikov against the cage. They break free. Both guys being very cautious. Jab by Barlow. Veretennikov connetcs with a right hook. Another one for Veretennikov! Jab by Veretennikov. Jab by Barlow. Veretennikov now connects witha left hook. Good stretch for Veretennikov. Two minutes left. Satright left connects for Barlow. They trade jabs. A clean left lands for Veretennikov. Veretennikov is picking it up, while Barlow looks to be fading. Jab by Veretennikov. Barlow now lands a left. Very little combinations here, both just attacking with single shots. The bell rings.

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

Result: Danny Barlow def. Nikolay Veretennikov via split decision (29-28, 27-30, 29-28)
Photos: UFC on ESPN 61: Best photos from Las Vegas
Records: Barlow (9-0 MMA, 2-0 UFC), Veretennikov (12-5 MMA, 0-1 UFC)
Division: Welterweight
Broadcast: ESPN/ESPN+
Referee: Mike Beltran
Judging: Ron McCarthy, Bryan Miner 29-28. Jerin Valel 27-30.

Chris Gutierrez vs. Quang Le

Round 1 – Big leg kick by Gutierrez. Staright right lands for Le. Body kick by Gutierrez. Body kick by Gutierrez, but gets caught and Le takes him down. Le on top in half guard. Gutierrez gets back up. Leg kick by Gutierrez. We’re halfway through the round. Another one. Leg kick by Le. Huge leg kick by Gutierrez. Another one. And again. Wow. Le’s leg is bruised up already. Three more leg kicks by Gutierrez. He’s chewing up Le with those attacks. Jab then leg kick by Gutierrez. Lee having a tough time connecting. Le gets a takedown in the final seconds.

MMA Junkie scores the round 10-9, Gutierrez.

Round 2 – Immediately, Gutierrez going for the leg kicks. Le looking to pressure and cut that distance and range from Gutierrez. More leg kicks from Gutierrez. Le’s leg is a mess. Massive leg kick by Gutierrez. Le presses Gutierrez against the cage. Le has a body lock from behind Gutierrez. Le jumps on the back of Gutierrez and sinks in a body triangle. Two minutes left. Le landing some elbows. They’re on the ground now with Le controlling the back. Gutierrez scrambles out of back position, but now has Le on top in guard. Short shots by Le. Final minute. Le passes Gutierrez’s guard, but gets brought back in it a few seconds after. Le ends the round on top.

MMA Junkie scores the round 10-9, Le.

Round 3 – It looks like it’s a one-round fight now. A couple of leg kicks land for Gutierrez. Jab by Gutierrez. Counter left lands for Gutierrez. Le tries to takedown Gutierrez, but Gutierrez defends well. Body shot by Gutierrez. Jab by Gutierrez. Leg kick by Gutierrez buckles Le. We’re halfway through the round. Le presses Gutierrez against the cage. Gutierrez revreses him and then breaks free. Nasty leg kicks by Gutierrez. Gutierrez catches Le with a counter right. Le is bakcing up, his leg is a mess. Spinning wheel kick partially lands for Gutierrez! Jab by Gutierrez and then a leg kicks. Le tries to get a takedown, and ends in the clinch with Gutierrez. The bell rings.

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

Result: Chris Gutierrez def. Quang Le via unanimous decision (29-28, 29-28, 29-28)
Photos: UFC on ESPN 61: Best photos from Las Vegas
Records: Gutierrez (21-5-2 MMA, 9-3-1 UFC), Le (8-1 MMA, 0-1 UFC)
Division: Bantamweight
Broadcast: ESPN/ESPN+
Referee: Chris Tognoni
Judging: Mike Bell, Adalaide Byrd, Junichiro Kamijo 29-28.

Chelsea Chandler vs. Yana Santos

Round 1 – Remember, Chandler missed weight by five pounds for this fight. Santos utilizes the push kick to the lead leg of Chandler, then chops with a regular low kick. She runs in and cracks Chandler’s lead leg again – and again. There’s clearly a target here early. Chandler tries to tie Santos up, but Santos pushes off. Santos rushes in and lands a combination. Chandler lands a counter left. Lots of feints from both women. Santos cracks a body kick. Chandler moves forward and Santos cracks her in the face with a front kick. What timing. Chandler ties up Santos but they separate. They’re getting a little wild and nearly clunked heads. Santos reverts back to the leg. They clinch and both land. Chandler again ties Santos up against the fence. Again, Santos shoves her away. Santos lands a head kick and then a spinning back kick to the head. Santos lands a punch. She’s on point right now. 10-9 Santos.

Round 2 – Santos lands a right hand that drops Chandler. After a few leg kicks from the standing position to a grounded opponent, Santos lets Chandler up. Santos walks in and cracks another vicious leg kick on Chandler. They clinch and separate multiple times. Lots of air punching. Santos lands a kick. Chandler lands a punch. They tie up again – and separate again. Santos lands a push kick. Chandler returns. 20-18 Santos.

Round 3 – Santos is still light on the feet. She’s using a lot of movement and Chandler just doesn’t appear fleet-of-foot enough to find consistent success. Chandler’s game plan has largely revolved around the clinch, but she hasn’t been able to muster up and significant offense. Right on cue, Chandler clinches Santos. They separate and trade punches. Chandler clinches again. Santos reverses against the cage. They break. Santos lands a front kick, then a leg kick. Chandler moves forward. It appears Santos is a little tired. Chandler ties up Santos again. Chandler lands a big left hand. That might’ve been her best punch of the fight. She’s leaning on Santos against the cage. Chandler lands an elbow on the break. Santos lands a front kick. At the 10-second clacker, Chandler lands a bonanza of body shots. The round ends. MMA Junkie scores it 29-28 Santos.

Result: Yana Santos def. Chelsea Chandler via unanimous decision (30-27, 29-28, 29-28)
Photos: UFC on ESPN 61: Best photos from Las Vegas
Records: Chandler (6-3 MMA, 2-2 UFC), Santos (15-8 MMA, 5-5 UFC)
Division: Women’s bantamweight
Broadcast: ESPN/ESPN+
Referee: Herb Dean
Judging: Sal D’Amato 30-27. Ron McCarthy, Bryan Miner 29-28.

Charalampos Grigoriou vs. Toshiomi Kazama

Round 1 – Right away, Kazama shoots and presses Grigoriou against the cage. Kazama working hard for the takedown. He almost gets it, but Grigoriou right back up. Knees to theleg by Kazama. Referee Jason Herzog halts the bout from an accidetal illegal knee from Kazama. On the replay it appears to be legal, Grigoriou lifted his hand from the ground in the final second before it landed. The doctor now checking on Grigoriou. The position gets taken away for Kazama and the fight resumes. Three minutes left. Kazama shoots and presses Grigoriou against the cage. Kazama gets the takedown and immediately gets the back of Grigoriou. Kazama goes for a triangle choke and Grigoriou gets out. Final minute. Grigoriou looking to pass guard and he gets swept! Kazama on top from turtle position. Kazama looking for an armabar. The bell rings.

MMA Junkie scores the round 10-9, Kazama.

Round 2 – Big left connects for Grigoriou! Kazama is wobbly! Grigoriou jumps on him! Big elbows! Kazama taking huge shots! Grigoriou really going for the finish while on top. Grigoriou attacking from the top in guard. Kazama doinga good jab at tying up Grigoriou and not taking damage. Grigoriou has eased on the attack. Oh! Kazama gets a triangle choke and there’s the tap! It’s over.

Result: Toshiomi Kazama def. Charalampos Grigoriou via submission (triangle choke) – Round 2, 1:55
Recap: Toshiomi Kazama stages wild comeback for triangle choke finish
Photos: UFC on ESPN 61: Best photos from Las Vegas
Records: Kazama (11-4 MMA, 1-2 UFC), Grigoriou (8-5 MMA, 0-2 UFC)
Division: Bantamweight
Broadcast: ESPN/ESPN+
Referee: Jason Herzog

Pannie Kianzad vs. Karol Rosa

Round 1 – Jab to the body by Kianzad. Both trading leg kicks. Nice one, two by Rosa. Hard leg kick by Rosa. Another one. Double jab by Kianzad. Rosa doing most of the pressing here. Oh! A leg kick from Rosa buckles Kianzad. That leg is bruised up already. We’re halfway through the round. Leg kick by Kianzad. Jab to the body, then head by Kianzad. Oh, man! Another leg kick from Rosa buckles Kianzad. Jab by Kianzad. They trade hooks. Clean one, two connects for Kianzad. Kianzad falls briefly after a leg kick. She’s in trouble. Jab by Rosa. The bell rings.

MMA Junkie scores the round 10-9, Rosa.

Round 2 – Man, Rosa’s striking is looking so clean. Kianzad has had her moments, but she’s clearly losing the standup battle. Nasty, nasty leg kick connects for Rosa. Another one. Nice elbow by Rosa. Leg kick by Rosa. Kianzad is tough as hell. Oh! Kianzad is limping! She’s also bleeding from her forehead. We’re halfway through the round. One, two lands for Kianzad. Rosa presses Kianzad against the cage. Elbow by Rosa. These two are throwing down! Oh! Nice hook by Kianzad. Rosa, again, presses Kianzad against the cage. Kianzad breaks free. Kianzad’s leg is extremely swollen. Oh! Big straight right by Kianzad! Nasty leg kick by Rosa. Again. They trade jabs. The bell rings.

MMA Junkie scores the round 10-9, Rosa.

Round 3 – Rosa closes the distance and presses Kianzad against the cage. Short shots by Rosa. They break free. Nice combo by Kianzad. Rosa shoots and gets the takedown. She’s working from half guard. Short shots from the bottom by Kianzad. Kianzad scrambles back to her feet, but is being pressed against the cage. Nasty elbow in the short break by Rosa. Rosa still controlling and battering Kianzad against the cage. Oh! Nasty spinning elbow by Rosa. She goes back to pressing Kianzad against the cage. Final minute. Kianzad is still fighting, she’s so tough. Short shots by Rosa. They brawl it out in the final seconds. What a fight!

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

Result: Karol Rosa def. Pannie Kianzad via unanimous decision (30-27, 30-27, 30-27)
Photos: UFC on ESPN 61: Best photos from Las Vegas
Records: Rosa (18-6 MMA, 7-3 UFC), Kianzad (17-9 MMA, 5-6 UFC)
Division: Women’s bantamweight
Broadcast: ESPN/ESPN+
Referee: Mike Beltran
Judging: Mike Bell, Sal D’Amato, Ron McCarthy 30-27.

Jhonata Diniz vs. Karl Williams

Round 1 – Lg kick by Diniz. Both fighters very tentative. Another leg kick by Diniz. Leg kick by Diniz. Oh! Solid shot stuns Diniz. And Diniz stuns Williams with a counter! Diniz pressing. Leg kick by Diniz. Another one. Diniz connects on Williams! Two minutes left. Leg kick by Diniz. He’s having a ton of success with those. Williams tries to take down Diniz and fails. Diniz cautiously pressing Williams here. The bell rings.

MMA Junkie scores the round 10-9, Diniz.

Round 2 – Big swings from both. Leg kick by Diniz. More leg kicks from Diniz. Another leg kick by Diniz. He’s very effective with those. Jab by Williams. Leg kick connects for Diniz. We’re halfway through the round. Left hook lands for Diniz. Diniz is bleeding from his nose. More leg kicks from Diniz. Oh! Big right from Diniz. Anothet one! He’s upping his offense. Williams connects! Leg kick from Diniz. Huge leg kick by Diniz. They trade jabs. Jab by Williams. Diniz with a leg kick. The bell rings.

MMA Junkie scores the round 10-9, Diniz.

Round 3 – It looks like Williams needs a finish. Diniz walking down Williams here, connecting with leg kicks and looking to set up that right hand. Body kick by Diniz. Big leg kick by Diniz. Oh! Diniz wobbles Williams! Williams shoots and presses Diniz against the cage. He gets the takedown, but Diniz gets back up just to get dragged down by Williams. Two minutes left. Williams working from half-guard. Some shots here and there by Williams, but nothing major. Not much offense from Williams. Thirty seconds left. The bell rings.

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

Result: Jhonata Diniz def. Karl Williams via unanimous decision (30-27, 29-28, 29-28)
Photos: UFC on ESPN 61: Best photos from Las Vegas
Records: Diniz (7-0 MMA, 1-0 UFC), Williams (10-1 MMA, 3-0 UFC)
Division: Heavyweight
Broadcast: ESPN/ESPN+
Referee: Chris Tognoni
Judging: Adalaide Byrd, Ron McCarthy 29-28. Eric Colon 30-27.

Jarno Errens vs. Youssef Zalal

Round 1 – Leg kick by Zalal. Another one. Hard leg kick by Zalal. Errens has thrown a few shots, but has yet to land clean. Leg kick by Zalal. Low output so far. Oh, an eye poke from Errens stops the fight. Zalal takes a few seconds to recover, the fight resumes. We’re halfway through the round. Zalal shoots and presses Errens against the cage. Zalal gets the takedown with two minutes left. He now takes the back of Errens. Errens stands up, but Zalal still has his back with a body triangle. Zalal gets the rear-naked choke! There’s the tap! Another impressive submission win for Zalal.

Result: Youssef Zalal def. Jarno Errens via submission (rear-naked choke) – Round 1, 3:52
Recap: Youssef Zalal snatches another neck, taps Jarno Errens standing
Photos: UFC on ESPN 61: Best photos from Las Vegas
Records: Zalal (15-5-1 MMA, 5-3-1 UFC), Errens (14-6-1 MMA, 1-3 UFC)
Division: Featherweight
Broadcast: ESPN/ESPN+
Referee: Mike Beltran

Talita Alencar vs. Stephanie Luciano

Round 1 – Headkick by Alencar early, Luciano eats it well, and shakes her head. Alencar pressing here, much like their first fight. Low kick by Alencar. Jab by Luciano. Alencar not throwing much. Luciano walking down Alencar. We’re halfway through the round. Good counter by Luciano. Big misses by Alencar. Alencar has yet to attempt a takedown. And as I type, Alencar closes the distance and presses Luciano, but she escapes immediately. Knee to the body by Luciano. A spinning elbow partly connects by Luciano followed by a leg kick and a knee to the body. The bell rings.

MMA Junkie scores the round 10-9, Luciano.

Round 2 – Leg kick by Alencar. Alencar catches a kick and takes down Luciano. Luciano gets immediately back up, preses Alencar against the cage and then breaks away. Same dynamic here, Luciano walking down Alencar. Alencar attempts a takedown and then pulls guard. Luciano gets up and lets Alencar back up as well. Jab by Luciano. Right hand connects by Luciano. Alencar gets her takedown stuffed. Head kick by Luciano! Alencar now pressing. Alencar presses Luciano against the cage. After a few seconds of control, Luciano breaks free. Alencar ties up Luciano, the bell rings.

MMA Junkie scores the round 10-9, Luciano.

Round 3 – Alencar needs a finish here. So far, Luciano has been in control. Alencar, with a sense of urgency, pressing Luciano. Nice combo by Luciano. Good right by Alencar. One, two lands for Luciano is now pressing. Again, another combo lands for Luciano. Luciano presses Alencar against the cage, they break. We’re halfway through the round. Oh! Flying knee drops Alencar! Alencar! Alencar now scooting towards her. Alencar back up. Alencar ties up Luciano. They keep reversing each other by the cage. They break. Alencar’s right eye is swollen. Nice combo by Alencar! The bell rings.

MMA Junkie scores the fight 10-9, Luciano. Overall 30-27, Luciano.

Result: Stephanie Luciano def. Talita Alencar via unanimous decision (30-27, 30-27, 30-27)
Photos: UFC on ESPN 61: Best photos from Las Vegas
Records: Luciano (6-1-1 MMA, 1-0 UFC), Alencar (5-1-1 MMA, 1-1 UFC)
Division: Women’s strawweight
Broadcast: ESPN/ESPN+
Referee: Jerin Valel
Judging: Mike Bell, Sal D’Amato, Junichiro Kamijo 30-27.

What time does UFC on ESPN 61 start?

UFC on ESPN 61 kicks off with prelims at 5 p.m. ET on ESPN/ESPN+, followed by the main card at 7 p.m. ET on ESPN/ESPN+.

Marcin Tybura vs. Serghei Spivac fight odds

  • BetMGM: Tybura +125, Spivac -150
  • DraftKings: Tybura +130, Spivac -155
  • FanDuel: Tybura +130, Spivac -154

Damon Jackson vs. Chepe Mariscal fight odds

  • BetMGM: Jackson +165, Mariscal -200
  • DraftKings: Jackson +150, Mariscal -180
  • FanDuel: Jackson +162, Mariscal -194

Danny Barlow vs. Nikolay Veretnnikov fight odds

  • BetMGM: Barlow -400, Veretnnikov +300
  • DraftKings: Barlow -425, Veretnnikov +330
  • FanDuel: Barlow -460, Veretnnikov +360

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

  • Marcin Tybura vs. Serghei Spivac
  • Damon Jackson vs. Chepe Mariscal
  • Danny Barlow vs. Nikolay Veretennikov
  • Chris Gutierrez vs. Quang Le
  • Chelsea Chandler vs. Yana Santos
  • Charalampos Grigoriou vs. Toshiomi Kazama

PRELIMINARY CARD (ESPN/ESPN+, 5 p.m. ET)

  • Pannie Kianzad vs. Karol Rosa
  • Jhonata Diniz vs. Karl Williams
  • Jarno Errens vs. Youssef Zalal
  • Talita Alencar vs. Stephanie Luciano

UFC on ESPN 61 results: Serghei Spivac surprises Marcin Tybura with first heavyweight armbar in four years

Serghei Spivac evened the score against Marcin Tybura with the first UFC heavyweight armbar in four years.

In a night filled with lackadaisical fights, [autotag]Serghei Spivac[/autotag] ended UFC on ESPN 61 with an energizing finish.

Early in Saturday’s main event at the UFC Apex in Las Vegas, Spivac (17-4 MMA, 8-4 UFC) exploded off his back to snatch an armbar and tap Marcin Tybura (25-9 MMA, 12-8 UFC) at 1:44 of Round 1.

The armbar was the first in UFC heavyweight history since July 25, 2020, when Fabricio Werdum submitted Alexander Gustafsson. Spivac was able to pull it off from off his back in a matter of seconds, surprising Tybura, who quickly tapped.

The win avenged a February 2020 result when Spivac lost a unanimous decision to Tybura. The victory bounces Spivac back into the win column after a September TKO defeat to Ciryl Gane.

Spivac, 29,  moves to 4-1 in his most recent five.

Tybura, 38, has lost two of his most recent three.

Full UFC on ESPN 61 results

For more on the card, visit MMA Junkie’s event hub for UFC on ESPN 61.

UFC on ESPN 61 video: Toshiomi Kazama stages wild comeback for triangle choke finish

Just when Toshiomi Kazama appeared to be in the most danger of a loss at UFC on ESPN 61, he turned things around in stunning fashion.

Just when [autotag]Toshiomi Kazama[/autotag] appeared to be in the most danger of a loss against [autotag]Charalampos Grigoriou[/autotag] at UFC on ESPN 61, he turned things around in stunning fashion to put himself in the winner’s circle.

After Grigoriou scored a big knockdown in the second round of the bantamweight bout at the UFC Apex in Las Vegas, he pounced on a downed Kazama (11-3 MMA, 1-2 UFC) and flurried with punches and elbow for the finish.

Referee Jason Herzog was taking a close look, but then Kazama controlled the posture of his opponent, slid his legs over the shoulders and locked in a triangle choke that forced Grigoriou (8-5 MMA, 0-2 UFC) to tap out without much struggle at the 1:55 mark of Round 2.

Check out the replay of the finish below (via X):

After the stoppage, and elevated but beaten up Kazama admitted that although things looked bad for him, he felt Grigoriou would slip up and give him the chance to secure his first UFC win.

“When I was on the bottom, I knew an opportunity would come by,” Kazama said through an interpreter during his post-fight interview with Michael Bisping. “I waited for that chance and used my BJJ skills to finish the fight.”

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Up-to-the-minute UFC on ESPN 61 results

For more on the card, visit MMA Junkie’s event hub for UFC on ESPN 61.

UFC on ESPN 61 video: Youssef Zalal snatches another neck, taps Jarno Errens standing

Youssef Zalal remains unbeaten in his second UFC stint.

The second UFC stint continues to bode well for [autotag]Youssef Zalal[/autotag].

Saturday at UFC on ESPN 61, Zalal (15-5-1 MMA, 5-3-1 UFC) moved to 2-0 since returning to the promotion, as he submitted [autotag]Jarno Errens[/autotag] with a standing rear-naked choke at the UFC Apex in Las Vegas. The stoppage came at 3:52 of Round 1.

Zalal went 3-3-1 during his first UFC stint that began in 2020. Following his departure in 2022, Zalal went 3-0 on the regional scene. He was selected as an alternate for “The Ultimate Fighter 32,” but ultimately was signed directly to the promotion for a short-notice fight vs. Billy Quarantillo in March. Zalal won by second-round rear-naked choke.

In defeat, Errens falls back into the loss column after a Fight of the Night win over Steven Nguyen in March.

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Up-to-the-minute UFC on ESPN 61 results

For more on the card, visit MMA Junkie’s event hub for UFC on ESPN 61.