UFC Fight Night 112 Prelims: Clay Guida Bullies Erik Koch to Clear-Cut Decision in Oklahoma City
Clay
Guida tapped into the fountain of youth in his return to the
Ultimate Fighting Championship’s lightweight division.
The Team Alpha Male rep paired takedowns with heavy ground-and-pound and sublime positional grappling, as he was awarded a unanimous decision over the talented but oft-injured Erik Koch in their featured UFC Fight Night 112 “Chiesa vs. Lee” prelim on Sunday at Chesapeake Energy Arena in Oklahoma City. Guida (33-17) swept the scorecard with 29-28, 29-26 and 30-27 marks from the judges.
Koch (15-5) was surprisingly ineffective. Guida took down the
Roufusport export on multiple occasions and achieved full mount in
the second and third rounds. Upon securing a dominant position, he
fed Koch shoulder strikes, short elbows and punches, chewing
valuable time off the clock while piling up points.
Kings MMA prospect Marvin Vettori leaned on superior output on the feet and well-timed takedowns in claiming a unanimous verdict over “The Ultimate Fighter Brazil” Season 3 finalist Vitor Miranda in a three-round undercard encounter at 185 pounds. Scores were 29-28, 30-27 and 30-27, all for Vettori (12-3).
Vettori has won seven of his past eight fights.
Repeated takedowns and suffocating top control carried Team Oyama standout Carla Esparza to a unanimous decision over Maryna Moroz in a preliminary women’s strawweight clash. Esparza (12-4) swept the scorecards with 30-27, 29-28 and 29-28 nods from the judges.
Moroz (8-2) troubled “Cookie Monster” while standing, as she operated effectively behind a six-inch height and four-inch reach advantage. However, Esparza landed takedowns in all three rounds and kept the Ukrainian pinned to the mat, shedding an attempted guillotine along the way. Her relentlessness took an obvious toll on Moroz, who yielded three takedowns across the final five minutes and seemed powerless to stop the former strawweight champion’s advances.
The setback snapped a two-fight winning streak for Moroz.
Former Cage Fury Fighting Championships titleholder Darrell Horcher rebounded from a career-threatening knee injury to eke out a split decision against Devin Powell in a three-round undercard scrap at 155 pounds. All three judges scored it 29-28, two of them siding with Horcher (13-2).
Powell (8-3) struggled in all phases. Horcher, who had not fought since April 2016, controlled the standup exchanges with whistling left hands and assumed top position in the first and second rounds, applying his ground-and-pound while navigating scrambles. Powell made his move in the third, where he threatened with a series of chokes. However, the finish he needed did not materialize.
Horcher, 29, has won six times in his last seven starts.
Former Cage Fury Fighting Championships titleholder Jared Gordon put away Michel Quinones with second-round punches in a preliminary featherweight pairing. Quinones (8-2) succumbed to blows 4:24 into Round 2, his five-fight winning streak having run its course.
Gordon (13-1) shined in his organizational debut, pressuring the Bellator MMA alum to the breaking point. He swarmed Quinones with punches early in the middle stanza, drove into top position and uncorked his ground-and-pound in half guard. Gordon increased the intensity of his punches and hammerfists during a sustained barrage that prompted referee Keith Peterson to act.
Tony Martin posted his third win in as many appearances, as he captured a unanimous decision over Johnny Case in a three-round undercard battle at 155 pounds. All three cageside judges scored it the same: 29-28 for Martin (11-4).
In his first fight since March 2016, Case (22-6) started strong but faded late. Martin turned the corner in the second round, where he staggered his counterpart with a thudding right hand, got his jab in gear and countered effectively. He did more of the same in the third, as he mixed in a close-quarters knee strike to the head and executed a late takedown. Martin unleashed his ground-and-pound in the waning moments and had a kimura framed when the horn sounded.
MMA Lab rep Jeremy Kimball wiped out Josh Stansbury with first-round punches in a preliminary light heavyweight affair. Stansbury (8-4) bowed out 1:21 into Round 1.
Kimball (15-6) absorbed a few overhand rights and shrugged off an attempted clinch from “The Ultimate Fighter 23” alum before creating the space necessary to do serious damage. A chopping right hand behind the ear sent Stansbury crashing to the canvas and left him susceptible to follow-up ground-and-pound. After a sustained burst of punches from Kimball, referee Mario Yamasaki stepped in to stop it.
The 26-year-old Kimball has won five of his past six bouts.
The Team Alpha Male rep paired takedowns with heavy ground-and-pound and sublime positional grappling, as he was awarded a unanimous decision over the talented but oft-injured Erik Koch in their featured UFC Fight Night 112 “Chiesa vs. Lee” prelim on Sunday at Chesapeake Energy Arena in Oklahoma City. Guida (33-17) swept the scorecard with 29-28, 29-26 and 30-27 marks from the judges.
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Prospect Vettori Downs Miranda
Kings MMA prospect Marvin Vettori leaned on superior output on the feet and well-timed takedowns in claiming a unanimous verdict over “The Ultimate Fighter Brazil” Season 3 finalist Vitor Miranda in a three-round undercard encounter at 185 pounds. Scores were 29-28, 30-27 and 30-27, all for Vettori (12-3).
Miranda (12-6) enjoyed significant success with leg kicks but spent
much of the match fighting off his back foot. Vettori was the
aggressor throughout, pushing the Brazilian to the fence with
punches, often firing off two, three and four at a time. The
23-year-old former Venator Fighting Championship titleholder also
struck for strategic takedowns in all three rounds, cutting off
whatever advances Miranda had made.
Vettori has won seven of his past eight fights.
Esparza Takedowns Undermine Moroz
Repeated takedowns and suffocating top control carried Team Oyama standout Carla Esparza to a unanimous decision over Maryna Moroz in a preliminary women’s strawweight clash. Esparza (12-4) swept the scorecards with 30-27, 29-28 and 29-28 nods from the judges.
Moroz (8-2) troubled “Cookie Monster” while standing, as she operated effectively behind a six-inch height and four-inch reach advantage. However, Esparza landed takedowns in all three rounds and kept the Ukrainian pinned to the mat, shedding an attempted guillotine along the way. Her relentlessness took an obvious toll on Moroz, who yielded three takedowns across the final five minutes and seemed powerless to stop the former strawweight champion’s advances.
The setback snapped a two-fight winning streak for Moroz.
Horcher Rebounds to Outduel Powell
Former Cage Fury Fighting Championships titleholder Darrell Horcher rebounded from a career-threatening knee injury to eke out a split decision against Devin Powell in a three-round undercard scrap at 155 pounds. All three judges scored it 29-28, two of them siding with Horcher (13-2).
Powell (8-3) struggled in all phases. Horcher, who had not fought since April 2016, controlled the standup exchanges with whistling left hands and assumed top position in the first and second rounds, applying his ground-and-pound while navigating scrambles. Powell made his move in the third, where he threatened with a series of chokes. However, the finish he needed did not materialize.
Horcher, 29, has won six times in his last seven starts.
Debuting Gordon Smashes Quinones
Former Cage Fury Fighting Championships titleholder Jared Gordon put away Michel Quinones with second-round punches in a preliminary featherweight pairing. Quinones (8-2) succumbed to blows 4:24 into Round 2, his five-fight winning streak having run its course.
Gordon (13-1) shined in his organizational debut, pressuring the Bellator MMA alum to the breaking point. He swarmed Quinones with punches early in the middle stanza, drove into top position and uncorked his ground-and-pound in half guard. Gordon increased the intensity of his punches and hammerfists during a sustained barrage that prompted referee Keith Peterson to act.
Martin Handles Returning Case
Tony Martin posted his third win in as many appearances, as he captured a unanimous decision over Johnny Case in a three-round undercard battle at 155 pounds. All three cageside judges scored it the same: 29-28 for Martin (11-4).
In his first fight since March 2016, Case (22-6) started strong but faded late. Martin turned the corner in the second round, where he staggered his counterpart with a thudding right hand, got his jab in gear and countered effectively. He did more of the same in the third, as he mixed in a close-quarters knee strike to the head and executed a late takedown. Martin unleashed his ground-and-pound in the waning moments and had a kimura framed when the horn sounded.
Kimball Chops Down Stansbury
MMA Lab rep Jeremy Kimball wiped out Josh Stansbury with first-round punches in a preliminary light heavyweight affair. Stansbury (8-4) bowed out 1:21 into Round 1.
Kimball (15-6) absorbed a few overhand rights and shrugged off an attempted clinch from “The Ultimate Fighter 23” alum before creating the space necessary to do serious damage. A chopping right hand behind the ear sent Stansbury crashing to the canvas and left him susceptible to follow-up ground-and-pound. After a sustained burst of punches from Kimball, referee Mario Yamasaki stepped in to stop it.
The 26-year-old Kimball has won five of his past six bouts.
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