UFC on ESPN 37 ‘Kattar vs. Emmett’ Play-by-Play, Results & Round Scoring

Kyle Daukaus (185.5) vs. Roman Dolidze (185.5)

BETTING PREVIEW | SCOUTING REPORT | ODDS: Daukaus (-240), Dolidze (+195)

Round 1

A 14-fight card – and admittedly a solid one for the ESPN airwaves, relative to recent offers on that flagship network – has dwindled to 13 with the co-main event scratched. We still begin the day’s festivities in the Texas capital city of Austin, with a middleweight matchup of power vs. technique starting things off. The massive Georgian Dolidze (9-1, 3-1 UFC) will battle it out against sneaky submission specialist Daukaus (11-2, 1 NC; 2-2, 1 NC UFC) in a matchup that could put one within spitting distance of the rankings, and referee Mike Beltran has the honors of the first fight of the card. There is a side glove touch to start the night, and Daukaus leads off with a slapping low kick. Dolidze walks through another as he stares down in opponent with bad intentions, and he ducks forward to throw a left hook only to bang into Daukaus’ head. There is no cut on either man, and Beltran lets him recover for a moment. When they reset, a short left hook from Dolidze shakes Daukaus up, and Daukaus falls to his back. As he recovers, Daukaus shoots in for a takedown while his legs simultaneously abandon him. Dolidze’s takedown defense holds up well as he jams Daukaus up against the wall, and Daukaus powers his way back up to his feet and may have grabbed the fence on the way. After a clinch exchange, the Georgian lifts up a high knee that blasts into Daukaus’ chin, crashing into it with a sickening thud. Daukaus crumbles to the mat on his back, totally annihilated from the blow, and he instinctively covers his face with his arms even if he might not be with it. Dolidze seals the deal with a short barrage of punches, leading Beltran to step in and stop the fight. That’s one heck of a way to start things off tonight.

The Official Result

Roman Dolidze def. Kyle Daukaus R1 1:13 via KO (Knee and Punches)

Phil Hawes (185) vs. Deron Winn (186)

BETTING PREVIEW | SCOUTING REPORT | ODDS: Hawes (-260), Winn (+210)

Round 1

The size difference may be comical for this next battle also in the middleweight division, but both men did officially weigh in at 186 pounds or below. Officially with six inches in height and seven in the wingspan in his favor, “No Hype” Hawes (11-3, 3-1 UFC) will try to put the screws to his diminutive yet powerful foe Winn (7-2, 1-2 UFC), and he will do so accompanied by the theme music of pro wrestling star The Rock. The gloves do not get touched as referee Herb Dean watches on, as Hawes would prefer to instead find his range early. He sticks several jabs out to keep Winn at bay, and he strings together a solid one-two. Hawes mixes in an elbow in a short combination, and he knocks Winn off his feet. Hawes sprints past his man instead of diving on top of him, and Winn scrambles back up. “No Hype” pierces the guard with a few more jabs, and he takes one heavy leg kick but puts together several punches up top. Winn loads up on a power punch, and Hawes counters him with an elbow. Winn swings for the fences, and a few punches land, but Hawes rolls with the majority of them and connects with his own salvo. Hawes marks his man up with punches to the head and body, and a one-two knocks Winn to the mat again. Winn climbs back up as Hawes does not wish to follow him and initiate any grappling, and he measures an overhand right that slams square into the side of Winn’s dome. Winn eats it and takes a few more punches, and his balance his shot after eating these blows. He falls over after absorbing clean strikes, and Hawes lets him up so that he can bust Winn up with an elbow. The standing elbow slashes a cut open above Winn’s eye, and Hawes admires his work and does not get reckless. Winn wings haymakers to back Hawes off, and Hawes blocks the heavier blows and rips an elbow on the inside. He doubles up on the elbow, and Winn’s legs buckle but he does not go down. Hawes tattoos his foe’s face with jabs, and he chains them into elbows as Winn is struggling to stay upright and afloat. Winn whiffs on home run punches to change the momentum in his favor, with Hawes far more composed and doing serious damage with his distance strikes. Hawes jabs to the body, and he splits the guard with a one-two. Winn fakes for a takedown, and Hawes is well out of the way before it could possibly come his way. “No Hype” rings Winn’s bell with three punches, and Winn throws back but gets rocked with a left hook counter. Winn makes it to the horn, but he might be partly out on his feet.

Sherdog Scores

Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-8 Hawes
Ben Duffy scores the round: 10-8 Hawes
Tristen Critchfield scores the round: 10-8 Hawes

Round 2

The cutman seals the cut with a plethora of Vaseline around Winn’s right eye, and Dean calls in the doctor to examine Winn. Winn is cleared to continue, and they meet in the middle to throw hands. Hawes pokes out with a jab, and he follows with a head kick that catches Winn standing still. He spams that head kick a few more times, and Winn can do little but try to catch them and hope for a takedown, but Hawes is too fast to grab. It does not take long for Hawes to make Winn start bleeding again, as he strings combinations together. Winn strides forward, and he lets loose with a series of blistering punches that shake Hawes up. Hawes replies in kind, and an elbow rocks Winn once more. Winn tries to gather himself and take the fight down, but Hawes turns the tables and takes the vaunted wrestler down. Winn looks to crawl to the wall and stand up, but Hawes traps his hand and pounds on him with right hands. An explosion from the AKA fighter allows him to stand, and Hawes does not let him off the hook when they stand up. Range strikes from Hawes bust Winn up, and a short elbow cuts Winn even worse and puts him on rubber legs. The elbows are vicious from Hawes, and Winn tries to respond with winging punches. Hawes takes Winn down after Winn gets a little successful with punches on the inside, and Winn falls to his back and then springs back up. Winn lets go with his hands, and he tags Hawes a few times to get his attention. Hawes is the fresher man, the more accurate man, and the more dangerous as he hurts Winn with basically every fifth strike he throws. Hawes walks Winn down and boots him in the head, and Winn’s durability is the only thing keeping him going. Dean is paying close attention, and Winn is a weeble-wobble that won’t fall down, while getting butchered with punches, elbows and kicks. Winn tries to escape but he cannot get away, and Hawes cracks him with two clean elbows that knock Winn back to the wall. One last devastating elbow connects cleanly on the side of Winn’s head, and Winn is barely conscious after the blows. Dean sees that Winn is only taking punishment and not fighting back at this point and stops the fight, awarding Hawes the standing TKO. This was a spectacular performance for Hawes, who becomes the first fighter to ever stop the ultra-durable Winn with strikes.

The Official Result

Phil Hawes def. Deron Winn R2 4:25 via TKO (Elbows)

Cody Stamann (135.5) vs. Eddie Wineland (135)

BETTING PREVIEW | SCOUTING REPORT | ODDS: Stamann (-550), Wineland (+400)

Round 1

When it’s all said and done, one of these bantamweights will put a losing streak to bed. Whether it is former WEC champ Wineland (24-15-1, 6-9 UFC) or gritty wrestler Stamann (19-5-1, 5-4-1 UFC), that will be up to them. Referee Jacob Montalvo is on call for a fight that could end in an instant, or drag all the way to the judges, and he observes a glove touch to open the melee. Wineland paws out with several jabs, and Stamann stays back and hops out of the way. Wineland has a kick caught, and he spins all the way around before he gets caught. Stamann starts slugging with everything he has, and he rocks the longtime vet with a punch behind the ear and knocks Wineland down to his knees. Wineland takes punches upside the head and leans his way back to the wall while Stamann is blasting him. Smelling blood, “The Spartan” lets loose with a long barrage of punches. Wineland tries with all his might to throw back with anything he can muster, but Spartan is fast and far more accurate, targeting Wineland with both fists on the sides of his head and battering him back and forth. Montalvo watches over as Wineland is getting pummeled, but Wineland is still keeping his guard up well enough to keep him in the fight. Wineland turtles up with his back to the wall, and Stamann lays into him with a seemingly unending combination. Eventually, Montalvo decides that Wineland is no longer offering any legitimate defense or offense to come back, and he calls it. Wineland is disappointed but not protesting, with another standing TKO awarded and probably justly so. When the official result is read for the knockout that came in about a minute, Wineland takes his gloves off and seems to signal his retirement. If this is it, it’s been a fun ride for a career in Wineland that started in 2003, and included a wild run in WEC and the UFC that culminated with a championship belt from the former on his mantle.

The Official Result

Cody Stamann def. Eddie Wineland R1 0:59 via TKO (Punches)

Gloria de Paula (115) vs. Maria Oliveira (115)

BETTING PREVIEW | SCOUTING REPORT | ODDS: de Paula (-265), Oliveira (+215)

Round 1

One of these two ladies will sport a .500 UFC win record after this match, barring something strange arising. Former Rizin fighter and unsuccessful DWCS Brazil combatant Oliveira (12-5, 0-1 UFC) will try to make good on her sophomore appearance with the UFC, while de Paula (6-4, 1-2 UFC) aims to put herself on a win streak. The strawweights and fellow countrywomen touch gloves in front of cage commander and referee Kerry Hatley, and the ladies are ready to attack early. Oliveira leaps forward with a flying knee, forcing de Paula to back off, and Oliveira lands and swings for the bleachers. Oliveira motions for de Paula to brawl with her, and the strawweights begin to brawl recklessly. Oliveira goes up high with a kick as de Paula smiles at her, and Oliveira slows down a little from her wildness. When she resets, Oliveira blitzes forward with a long combination of reaching punches, landing upwards of a dozen or pounding into the guard. De Paula gets her attention with a responsive combination, and she strings a few punches together and knocks Oliveira’s mouthpiece out. Oliveira signals that her gumshield has been dislodged, and she retreats until Hatley lets her retrieve it. When they start up again, Oliveira’s long combos continue, with lefts and rights alternating in a sort of a pattern like the Don Flamenco match from “Punch Out.” De Paula guards against the strikes and throws punches to the body, and she blocks a high kick that comes her way. They trade low kicks, and Oliveira runs forward with punches outstretched. “Spider Girl” catches a body kick that aims at her, and she dumps de Paula down to the mat but does not chase her down. Oliveira scores a few more punches, and she motions with her arms wide to have de Paula come get some. De Paula obliges her, nailing her with punches and surprising her with a few kicks to mix in for good measure. Oliveira pursues a takedown, but de Paula stuffs her and elbows her upside the head repeatedly. Oliveira appears to be slowing after her frenetic pace for the first several minutes, and de Paula finds her range and smacks Oliveira with two punches. Oliveira leaps in the air with a knee that gets blocked, and the horn sounds to end what could be a tough one to score.

Sherdog Scores

Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-9 de Paula
Ben Duffy scores the round: 10-9 de Paula
Tristen Critchfield scores the round: 10-9 de Paula

Round 2

Oliveira leads off the round with swiping punches with more arc on them than the last round, and she gets off a solid leg kick. De Paula meets her with one of her own, and she plants the ball of her foot on Oliveira’s midsection. Oliveira takes a pair of punches on the chin and blitzes forward, and de Paula sees this coming and blocks them well. “Spider Girl” slips a punch and aims a counter, and they trade it out briefly. De Paula gets off a punch, and Oliveira catches her with a short hook. Oliveira circles on the outside, a far cry from her straight-forward movement from the last round, and de Paula gives chase and lines up big punches. Oliveira intercepts her with a left, but de Paula still manages to get her own strikes off. De Paula counters effectively, and she blocks a swarm of punches that come at her. Oliveira leaps in the air with a tomahawk elbow, and de Paula blocks it and plants her fist in Oliveira’s face a few times. De Paula appears to get her foe’s attention with a pair of right hands, and Oliveira backs down from this brawl and escapes on the outside. De Paula scores a low kick, and Oliveira throws out anything she can to back de Paula off of her. De Paula plods forward, and they trade punches down the pipe. De Paula connects at the end of a right hand on the temple, and Oliveira aims a low kick after de Paula kicks her a few more times. Oliveira’s charges are telegraphed at this point, and de Paula is easily able to play the matador to Oliveira’s bull. De Paula stands right in front of Oliveira, and Oliveira connects cleanly with four punches. “Glorinha” absorbs them all so that she can pursue a takedown, and she plants Oliveira on her back. She cannot do anything with the position before the bell rings.

Sherdog Scores

Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-9 de Paula
Ben Duffy scores the round: 10-9 de Paula
Tristen Critchfield scores the round: 10-9 de Paula

Round 3

The crowd gets amped up to start off the last round, and the ladies touch both hands to open it up. They then start trading heavy leather, and their chins hold up without issue as they are landing fairly flush. Oliveira pulls back on a jump knee so de Paula slings a head kick at her, and Oliveira answers with one of her own – they are both blocked. Oliveira has a punch combo guarded, but her low kick is not. Oliveira stops still, reaches to her nose and looks at the blood on her fingers, and she licks it. Hands get traded again, as Oliveira is fired up and trying to showboat with her hands fairly low. Oliveira throws caution to the wind as she unloads with punches high and low, and when a few are blocked, she rips a knee to the body. De Paula remains composed and does not fall into a trap or reckless exchange, and instead shoots in for a takedown. Oliveira stuffs it and manages to hook her own leg around de Paula’s, turning things around and landing her own takedown. De Paula hangs on from guard with her feet on Oliveira’s hips, and Oliveira backs off and invites de Paula to stand and bang. De Paula obliges, and they lay into each other with long strings of unblocked punches. Both women are bloodied and swelling, but they continue to trade it out. De Paula gets the better of an exchange and backs Oliveira up, and she drops for a takedown and decides to simply use her own weight to drag de Paula to the mat. As they scramble, Oliveira climbs over on top, but she does not keep the position and tells de Paula to stand. There is no defense in this next slugfest, with both women tagging the other in lengthy punch chains. Oliveira appears to get hurt when they throw violently, and she goes after a takedown. De Paula muscles her over, and she lands on top and scores a few punches right before the bell. Judges could see this fight going either way, but we have gone to the scorecards for the first time today.

Sherdog Scores

Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-9 Oliveira (29-28 de Paula)
Ben Duffy scores the round: 10-9 Oliveira (29-28 de Paula)
Tristen Critchfield scores the round: 10-9 Oliveira (29-28 de Paula)

The Official Result

Maria Oliveira def. Gloria de Paula via Split Decision (28-29, 29-28, 29-28)

Danny Chavez (145) vs. Ricardo Ramos (146)

BETTING PREVIEW | SCOUTING REPORT | ODDS: Ramos (-300), Chavez (+235)

Round 1

Featherweights continue the prelims when relative UFC vet Ramos (15-4, 6-3 UFC) squares off with “The Colombian Warrior” Chavez (11-4-1, 1-1-1 UFC). Both men have been out of action since 2021, with the latter returning from a layoff dating back to that July. Drawing the assignment is referee Mike Beltran, and the fighters do not feel like touching gloves before getting after it. Ramos tosses out a body kick, and Chavez catches it and smacks him upside the head with a right hand. Ramos spins with a wheel kick that is a foot off the mark, and “The Colombian Warrior” moves quickly and evades the strikes. The Brazilian kicks high, and Chavez evades it and steps in with a right hand. Ramos continues to spam spinning strikes, but Chavez does not fall for them and stays far more composed, with straight shots to back Ramos off. Ramos fakes for a takedown, and Chavez dips and drops his hands. This allows Ramos to spin with a perfect elbow, one that clanks into Chavez’ temple and sends him crashing lifelessly to the wall. Before Beltran can reach them, Ramos belts Chavez with a couple clean punches, but they are purely academic as Chavez collapses to the mat. Seconds after Beltran steps in, Chavez snaps back to consciousness, and he protests to Beltran and very well may not know what just happened to him. Ramos did it again. This is not the first time he has crushed someone with a spinning back elbow, as he thumped Aiemann Zahabi with one in 2017. There have only been five spinning elbow knockouts in UFC history, and of those five, Ramos celebrates two. Unbelievable.

The Official Result

Ricardo Ramos def. Danny Chavez R1 1:12 via KO (Spinning Back Elbow)

Court McGee (170) vs. Jeremiah Wells (171)

BETTING PREVIEW | SCOUTING REPORT | ODDS: McGee (-120), Wells (+100)

Round 1

Even though UFC experience and fight mileage both weigh heavily on “The Crusher” McGee (21-10, 10-9 UFC), he will come into this matchup on his first UFC win streak since 2013. The Utah native will clock in only two years the elder of Wells (10-2-1, 2-0 UFC), who surges into this contest on the heels of four finishes in two rounds or less. Referee Herb Dean might have his hands full for this one, as Wells is darting back and forth and does not engage to touch gloves. Instead, Wells shifts laterally back and forth, and McGee reaches out towards him with a jab to the chest. Wells keeps his range and switches stances constantly, lulling McGee into a rhythm. “The Crusher” simply remains calm and lands a heavy leg kick, and he blocks high when Wells crashes towards him with punches. Wells throws himself off-balance when swinging at him, and McGee blocks the blows and splits the guard with a one-two in response. Wells jumps forward to attack, and he pushes out a jab and a right that comes up short. The Pennsylvania follows up with a left hook that connects right on the button, and McGee is out cold as he falls with his limbs frozen in rigor mortis down to the canvas. The back of McGee’s head collides with the mat, and when it does, Wells follows him down with two brutal punches, which are all that land until Dean can sprint across the cage to break them up and pull Wells off. There’s something in the water here today in Austin, as Wells practically did the unthinkable by cleanly knocking McGee all the way out.

The Official Result

Jeremiah Wells def. Court McGee R1 1:34 via KO (Punch)

Jasmine Jasudavicius (124.75) vs. Natalia Cristina da Silva (125.5)

BETTING PREVIEW | SCOUTING REPORT | ODDS: Jasudavicius (-240), Silva (+195)

Round 1

Representatives of Canada in Jasudavicius (7-1, 1-0 UFC) and Brazil in Silva (12-5-1, 0-0 UFC) will battle it out for international supremacy at the flyweight division next. While Jasudavicius made a splash by handling Kay Hansen in her UFC debut, Silva will be making her first Octagon appearance. The preliminary headliner will receive oversight from referee Jacob Montalvo, and the ladies do not touch gloves in front of him. Jasudavicius claims the center of the cage, and Silva is happy to allow this as she picks and pokes at Jasudavicius with low kicks and long jabs. Silva just misses a head kick, and she scores three punches that knock Jasudavicius off-balance. The Brazilian gets clinched up after delivering the blows, with Jasudavicius stung from the strikes, and Jasudavicius starts going after a body lock takedown. The Canadian gets her wits about her as she hangs on in the clinch, ands he hooks the legs and hunts for an inside trip, but she cannot land it. Silva breaks the grip and escapes, but she absorbs a quick elbow on the way out. Silva kicks the side, and when Jasudavicius advances towards her, she pushes off with the ball of her foot on her foe’s solar plexus. Silva scores two punches and just comes up short with a head kick, and she takes a flush one-two on the way back. Silva sneaks a high kick up that slaps Jasudavicius in the face, and she kicks low and high in rapid succession as Jasudavicius is forced to defend. Silva leans back when Jasudavicius bears down on her, and she scores an effective kick and slips the punch counters. Jasudavicius dives forward for takedown, and she wraps her arms around Silva’s waist but cannot wrench her down. They jockey for position when tied up, and Jasudavicius’ efforts to ground her opponent are unsuccessful. The horn sounds when Jasudavicius gets off a pair of knees on the inside.

Sherdog Scores

Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-9 Silva
Ben Duffy scores the round: 10-9 Silva
Tristen Critchfield scores the round: 10-9 Silva

Round 2

Silva strikes first to start off the second round with a push kick, and she marks Jasudavicius’ face up with three clean left hands. When Jasudavicius tries to reply, Silva cracks her with a left hand. Jasudavicius continues moving towards her, but Silva is teeing off on her and she cannot land anything back. Jasudavicius leans in to clinch, and she goes to set up a body lock. Silva deftly reverses Jasudavicius with a high-amplitude throw, and she stacks Jasudavicius up when Jasudavicius hunts for a leg lock upon landing on her back. Silva uses the fence behind her to keep on her feet, even when Jasudavicius powers into a double-leg entry. Silva splits off and fires off a pair of punches, and she misses a spinning wheel kick. Silva slaps her shin on Jasudavicius’ calf, and she remains light on her feet when tossing out a few punches. Silva flusters her adversary with punch bursts and kicks to mix them up, and Jasudavicius cannot reach her with anything of note. Jasudavicius dives low for a single, and Silva stands her all the way back up. Jasudavicius lifts Silva’s leg in the air, and Silva reverses her and tosses her to the mat. The Brazilian slams Jasudavicius with several brutal elbows, and Montalvo takes a hard look at this barrage of unanswered blows. Jasudavicius scrambles well enough to get to her knees, and Silva slams her down again. Silva lets her back up so that she can spin with a wheel kick, and it rebounds off Jasudavicius’ arm. Silva works her foe over with punches high and kicks low, and she slaps Jasudavicius in the face with two speedy kicks. Jasudavicius blitzes in to get off a single right hand, but it is one-and-done as Silva escapes out. Jasudavicius gives chase, and Silva is on her bike and out of harm’s way. Silva spins with a kick to the ribcage, and she dodges a flying knee to respond. Silva rings Jasudavicius’ bell with two hooks, and the horn sounds while Jasudavicius tries to recover.

Sherdog Scores

Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-9 Silva
Ben Duffy scores the round: 10-9 Silva
Tristen Critchfield scores the round: 10-9 Silva

Round 3

The flyweights rush out of their corners, with Jasudavicius advancing again as Silva coolly slides away laterally. Silva pushes out a few jabs, and Jasudavicius walks through them to trap Silva against the fence. Silva does not get slowed or absorb any noteworthy strikes, all while she pieces Jasudavicius up with punches and kicks. The kicks go to the calf or the high guard, and she is able to lean back with her hands down as Jasudavicius marches her down. Jasudavicius keeps chasing straight after Silva, but Silva is not there when Jasudavicius swings at her. Silva chips away at the lead leg, and one kick gets caught by the Canadian. Silva stands her back up after stumbling briefly, and Jasudavicius pushes her into the wire. Silva splits off and tosses out a high kick, and Jasudavicius barely blocks it in the nick of time. Silva dances out of the way when not peppering Jasudavicius with low kicks, and Jasudavicius is not fazed but slowing down to a degree. Silva is easily able to scamper away when Jasudavicius reaches her, and she sticks Jasudavicius with a few punches only to dart away. Silva sinks her shin into the side of her opponent, and she smoothly dodges the counter. Jasudavicius tries hard to grab Silva and glom on to her, and she decides to sprint forward and jump in the air so that she can close the distance and get her hands on the Brazilian. Silva fights off the single, and she breaks away before an elbow can crack her. The newcomer scores a clean push kick on the jaw, and Jasudavicius is wearing it. Silva slows Jasudavicius down more with her own tie-up, and when there is no takedown for her there, she gives up on it and backs away to loose a spinning back fist. With a couple seconds left, Jasudavicius leaps in the air with a strike, but Silva is able to somehow counter her midair with a jumping hammerfist to drop Jasudavicius to her knees in a furious collision. The final bell sounds right after they crash together.

Sherdog Scores

Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-9 Silva (30-27 Silva)
Ben Duffy scores the round: 10-9 Silva (30-27 Silva)
Tristen Critchfield scores the round: 10-9 Silva (30-27 Silva)

The Official Result

Natalia Cristina da Silva def. Jasmine Jasudavicius via Unanimous Decision (30-26, 30-27, 30-27)

Tony Kelley (137.5: Missed Weight) vs. Adrian Yanez (135.5)

BETTING PREVIEW | SCOUTING REPORT | ODDS: Yanez (-320), Kelley (+250)

Round 1

A rivalry as old as time immemorial will kick off the main card, when proud Texan Yanez (15-3, 4-0 UFC) throws down with Louisiana’s own Kelley (8-2, 2-1 UFC) – and the latter has been in the headlines again not for his fight but for his words as of late. Yanez will hope to punch him in it repeatedly, and look to add another knockout to his already eight-fight win streak with six stoppages due to strikes along he way. Kelley, however, has never been finishes, so something’s gotta give here in this catchweight contest – a contest now taking place at 138 pounds due to Kelley missing weight. There is ample bad blood ahead of this one, and there is no interest at all in a glove touch. Referee Kerry Hatley will have to be on his A game here. Kelley strikes first with a kick to the body, and he goes high with one to the head. Both are blocked, so Kelley leaps in the air with a flying knee. Yanez nearly intercepts him like Fedor Emelianenko against Andrei Arlovski, and Kelley falls to the ground. Kelley scrambles back up, unhurt from the strike, and he finds himself moving back when Yanez comes towards him calmly. Yanez times a body kick when Kelley throws a punch, with the kick reaching while the punch comes up short. The Texan swats away a low kick and a punch or two, and he comes out swinging with an overhand right. Kelley has a body kick left out too long, allowing Yanez to come over the top with a pair of hooks. Kelley stabs his toes in the midsection with a kick, and Yanez is there to target the body with a stiff punch. Yanez freezes Kelley with one punch, and Kelley gathers himself and starts working the body with kicks from both legs and a step-in elbow. Kelley stays busy with front kicks down the middle, and Yanez pushes through one to score three punches. Yanez times a front kick so that he can smash Kelley with a left hook, and Kelley is stunned. Yanez unleashes a quick flurry of punches to knock Kelley back to the fence, and Kelley takes them well but still absorbs several of them flush. Yanez gets rocked with a counter elbow, cutting open a spot near his nose. Yanez gathers himself and throws back to counter a kick, and Kelley is stung again. The Texan releases a lengthy barrage of punches that knock Kelley around, and he clubs Kelley behind the guard and sends the Louisiana native down to the mat on his knees. Kelley, barely conscious, tries to sit up, but his hands are down. This allows Yanez to unload bombs on an unguarded head, and a few more put Kelley out. Hatley steps in mid-combination, and Yanez still manages to connect with one more blow that puts Kelley on his back, down for good. Kelley tries to get up, and he trips Hatley up. Hatley is able to catch himself, and he turns himself around to then catch Kelley, who is about to fall towards his stool, clearly still hurt badly. Yanez wants to keep going, clearly incensed by Kelley’s behavior, and Hatley has to back him off several times. Yanez, who is now on a five-fight UFC win streak, cools down and takes a bow in front of the crowd, which showers him in the loudest cheers in the building thus far tonight.

The Official Result

Adrian Yanez def. Tony Kelley R1 3:49 via TKO (Punches)

Julian Marquez (185.5) vs. Gregory Rodrigues (185.5)

BETTING PREVIEW | SCOUTING REPORT | ODDS: Rodrigues (-170), Marquez (+150)

Round 1

Middleweights with an eye for a brutal finish will take center stage, and referee Mike Beltran is gearing up to step in at any moment. With a solid nickname and a 100% finish rate, “The Cuban Missile Crisis” Marquez (9-2, 3-1 UFC) may still be known best as the guy that blew it with Miley Cyrus. In this dangerous matchup, he will be put to the test by “Robocop” Rodrigues (11-4, 2-1 UFC), who may be thinking, “dead or alive, you’re coming with me.” The gloves get touched before the violence starts flowing, and the first strike presents itself as a low kick from the American. Marquez pumps out several jabs well away from the mark so that he can hope to find his range, and he kicks the calf again. “Robocop” swings with a solid left hand, and Marquez has the hair of his beard blown back by how hard Rodrigues threw it. Rodrigues clips Marquez with another left, and he splits the guard with a straight right that knocks Marquez back. The hand speed is well in the favor of Rodrigues, who is beating Marquez to the punch and getting his attention fast. Marquez tries for a leg kick, and Rodrigues knocks him down to the ground with a right down the pipe. Marquez turns to his knees as Rodrigues slowly and methodically clobbers him, and Marquez stands up. As he does, the Brazilian leaps on to his back, but he cannot get a body lock standing and elects to let go and back up a couple feet. The two middleweights slug it out, and Marquez finds himself with enough success to back Rodrigues off of him, but he takes a clean punch to the liver. Robocop cracks Marquez with a pair of punches, and Marquez staggers back to the wall and down to his knees. Marquez stands up and blocks a knee, and Rodrigues hacks at him with several standing elbows. Marquez wobbles back, and he bites down on his mouthpiece and wings leather. Rodrigues welcomes this and they go at it with punches, one after the other, to hilariously violent effect. Marquez takes the worse of a strike, and he looks to back off. When he does, his legs give out beneath him, and he falls back to the ground. Marquez fights his way back up and gets back his balance, and “Robocop” authoritatively strides forward, releasing a quartet of devastating punches that seek and destroy Marquez’ chin once and for all. “The Cuban Missile Crisis” explodes down to the ground with his arms and legs splayed out, and Rodrigues sees that his work here is done. Just in case, Beltran steps between Rodrigues and the fallen Marquez, but the Brazilian has no interest in hammering the nail any further. Knockout is certainly the word of the night tonight, with Austin fans getting treated to finish after brutal but spectacular finish.

The Official Result

Gregory Rodrigues def. Julian Marquez R1 3:18 via KO (Punches)

Damir Ismagulov (155) vs. Guram Kutateladze (155.5)

BETTING PREVIEW | SCOUTING REPORT | ODDS: Ismagulov (-155), Kutateladze (+135)

Round 1

A place among the top 15 in the lightweight division may be at stake in this important matchup. Russian Ismagulov (23-1, 4-0 UFC) will come to blow with “Georgian Viking” Kutateladze (12-2, 1-0 UFC), and a win streak of 18 or nine, respectively is about to end. The third man in the Octagon for this dark horse thriller is referee Herb Dean, and the competitors touch ‘em up to begin. Leg kicks from both men come quickly, and they trade punches at the exact same time. Kutateladze kicks low and punches high, and he walks through punches from the Russian to blitz forward. They clash shins when kicking with opposing legs, and Ismagulov sticks out a crisp jab. Kutateladze responds in kind, and they go jab for jab for a time. Kutateladze comes up short with a high kick, and he runs forward and scores a kick when he misses with punches. Ismagulov sits down on a right hand, and Kutateladze answers him right back. Kutateladze digs a left to the body, and the jabs from Ismagulov have opened a cut on the bridge of the nose of his opponent. The lightweights slide out of the way from their respective strikes, and Kutateladze punctuates his combinations with low kicks. Ismagulov looks to trip his foe down, and the Georgian keeps his feet beneath him and pushes away to break. Ismagulov peppers his man with jab after jab, and he follows one with a swatting right hand that bounces off the Georgian’s shaved dome. Kutateladze shoots in low for a takedown, and Ismagulov stands him up and knees him to the chest. Kutateladze rips an elbow up topo and hurts Ismagulov, and he releases several elbows to stun Ismagulov and force him to back up against the wall. Ismagulov aims for a takedown, and Kutateladze trips him back to counter. Ismagulov looks for a single, but he cannot hang on to the leg, so he retreats. Ismagulov turns his hips into a left hand, and he throws caution to the wind with several big punches. Kutateladze greets him with a left and a jump knee, and Ismagulov catches him and turns him to the wall. They split up, and Kutateladze just misses with a head kick. Before Kutateladze’s leg lands back on the mat, Ismagulov scores two punches. Ismagulov uses his jab to back off, and he gets bent over from a left to the liver. The Russian steels himself, and they slug it out until the bell sounds and Dean has to get between them.

Sherdog Scores

Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-9 Kutateladze
Ben Duffy scores the round: 10-9 Kutateladze
Tristen Critchfield scores the round: 10-9 Kutateladze

Round 2

The second round kicks off with Ismagulov piercing out several jabs, and he chains one into a head kick that brushes past the guard. Kutateladze returns fire with a left hook, and Ismagulov steps through to slap his shin on Kutateladze’s side. Kutateladze replies with a similar blow, and they trade two punches equally as they appear in a sort of a mirror match. Ismagulov whiffs on a punch, and he blinks his right eye heavily, as he might be struggling to see out of it clearly. Ismagulov leans back when a kick soars at his face, and he keeps patient so that he can keep clearing his eye. Jabs from the Russian get through, and Kutateladze continues to miss on high kicks. Ismagulov leans back from a left hook, and he catches Kutateladze coming in with sharper punches. Ismagulov checks a kick, and Kutateladze shoots in on him. The Russian stands him right up, and he absorbs a flush knee to the breadbasket when they are tied up. Ismagulov breaks free, and Kutateladze connects right on the money with a one-two. Ismagulov keeps blinking his right eye, and it is held shut for seconds at a time. When he opens it, he jabs out and keeps the blood flowing on the face and right eye of Kutateladze, who is mostly relying on high kicks. Ismagulov slips a one-two so that he can drill Kutateladze with an uppercut, and he ducks down from another head kick. Kutateladze changes his trajectory of his lead leg with one on the body, and he then spins with a hook kick that pounds into the side of Ismagulov’s head. The Russian wears it well and puts forth a one-two, and he continues to work the jab effectively. Kutateladze loads up on several kicks, and Ismagulov defends them all well enough and tries to counter with an overhand right, only to hit air. Once more, Dean has to put himself in harm’s way when the horn blares, as they are ready to keep on swinging.

Sherdog Scores

Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-9 Ismagulov
Ben Duffy scores the round: 10-9 Ismagulov
Tristen Critchfield scores the round: 10-9 Ismagulov

Round 3

Kutateladze is the initial aggressor in the last round, as he releases a head kick right from the start. Ismagulov dips back and absorbs a front kick, and he takes a kick to the calf on the way out. Ismagulov strings a few punches together, and Kutateladze smiles at him. They trade punches smartly, slipping or ducking one and then responding with another. Kutateladze kicks to the head, and he leaps forward with a flying knee. Ismagulov grabs hold and hunts for a takedown, but Kutateladze is able to sprawl and regain his footing so that he can throw hands with his man. They do not disappoint one another, landing and dodging blows deftly. The combinations are such that when one fighter lands two, the other makes sure to get off two of his own in response. They slug one another right in the chops with clean left hands, and neither man budges an inch. Ismagulov jabs into a flying knee try, and he lands to drop all the way down to the knees to go after a double-leg takedown. The Georgian stuffs it and turns Ismagulov around on the cage wall, and he rings Ismagulov’s bell with an elbow on the break. Ismagulov lands, Kutateladze responds, and they keep going tit-for-tat in incredibly close fashion. Kutateladze puts together three punches, and they ricochet off the guard as the Russian retreats. Kutateladze scores with a head kick, and Ismagulov plants his fist right on Kutateladze’s bloodied nose. Kutateladze shoots for a double in the center of the cage, and Ismagulov sees it coming and pushes him away, only make Kutateladze pay with a right hand. Ismagulov attempts his own, and Kutateladze pushes him over and knees Ismagulov in the chest when Ismagulov is down. Dean calls a break, claiming it was an illegal blow that landed on the head. The replay does show that it landed cleanly to the chest, but Dean still gives Kutateladze a strong warning for it and stands them back up to a neutral position without taking a point. Eight seconds remain on the round, and Ismagulov rocks the Georgian with a right hand. The fight ends after the heavy blow, and the razor-close fight comes to a close. The scores were initially announced as 28-28 along with two scores in favor of Ismagulov at 29-28 and 30-27, but the draw tally was later corrected on the broadcast to 29-28 for Kutateladze. This changed the result from a majority decision to a split decision.

Sherdog Scores

Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-9 Ismagulov (29-28 Ismagulov)
Ben Duffy scores the round: 10-9 Kutateladze (29-28 Kutateladze)
Tristen Critchfield scores the round: 10-9 Kutateladze (29-28 Kutateladze)

The Official Result

Damir Ismagulov def. Guram Kutateladze via Split Decision (28-29, 29-28, 30-27)

Joaquin Buckley (184) vs. Albert Duraev (185.5)

BETTING PREVIEW | SCOUTING REPORT | ODDS: Duraev (-220), Buckley (+180)

Round 1

While their preferred method of victory differs drastically, these next middleweights will bring finish rates above 70% into their meeting. Buckley (14-4, 4-2 UFC) prefers the knockout, while “Machete” Duraev (15-3, 1-0 UFC) would like to hack through your guard and lock a choke up in some fashion. Who will impose their game, referee Jacob Montalvo will be the first to find out. For some reason, these two are extremely fired up, as Duraev walks to the center of the cage during the announcements to tell Buckley “Let’s go!” There is no touch of gloves to begin the match, as Buckley races out of his corner and starts letting go with low kicks. Buckley lands a pair of punches on the side, and he darts forward with a punch and goes past his target. “New Mansa” loads up with a head kick, and his shin smashes right into the side of Duraev’s head. Duraev is rocked badly but still miraculously on his feet, and he ricochets off the wall and blocks the punches that swarm at him. Buckley defends a desperation takedown, and he backs away to reset. Two punches and a head kick come from the American, who falls over when throwing the kick. Duraev does not chase him, and instead boots Buckley upside the head to open a large cut on Buckley’s left eye. Buckley tanks it well, and he rushes forward to pay Duraev back but misses. Duraev retreats as Buckley attacks with a power combination, and he slaps at the lead leg of his opponent. Buckley lunges to the body and misses, and he swings a high kick that brushes past the guard. The power punches from Buckley are beginning to get telegraphed, as Duraev can see them coming and slip out of the way. Duraev keeps moving, and he walks straight into a left hand that hurts Duraev badly and starts some quick swelling. Buckley backs away when Duraev attempts to reach out for a takedown, and the eye of “Machete” is blowing up fast. Buckley gathers his thoughts and misses with a few punches, but the kick to the liver succeeds. Duraev keeps chipping at the lead leg of the American, until Buckley bull-rushes him with a barrage of thudding punches. The horn blares as Duraev backpedals.

Sherdog Scores

Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-9 Buckley
Ben Duffy scores the round: 10-9 Buckley
Tristen Critchfield scores the round: 10-9 Buckley

Round 2

The middleweights meet in the middle of the cage, but Duraev manages to back Buckley up with his aggression. Buckley wings hooks to the body, and Duraev slithers back and drops down for a takedown. As he does, Buckley intercepts him with a left hand, stumbling the Russian. Buckley goes up high with a kick, and Duraev just manages to roll through it without it lopping his head off. The crowd begins to chant Buckley’s name, and he times a perfect kick on Duraev’s head as Duraev aims for a takedown. Swelling now grows on Duraev’s left eye, with both eyes showing serious battle damage less than 90 seconds into Round 2. Duraev somehow eats it and manages to redouble his effort for a takedown, and he gets it on the second try. The American powers his way back up, and the crowd goes wild in support of him. Duraev’s left eye is nearly closed after they reset, and Duraev fails on another takedown try. Buckley loads up on al eft hand, and he knocks Duraev clear off his feet. Duraev blocks when he expects Buckley to belt him while on his knees, and Buckley thinks better of it so he does not wing an illegal strike like a knee to a grounded opponent. A huge punch from Buckley forces Duraev to shoot in for another takedown, and he wrestles Buckley to a knee and down to his seat. Duraev holds on from this top position, but he cannot drag Buckley away from the wall to take a useful place in the guard where he can let go with strikes or attack a submission, Buckley explodes to turn Duraev over, and he works back to his feet. Buckley pounds the body with his fists until Duraev lets go, and Buckley attempts a jumping spinning kick like the one that put Impa Kasanganay away on his ultimate highlight reel. When that misses, he attempts a flying switch kick. Buckley settles on his fists, and he drills “Machete” with a left hand that sends Duraev crashing to the mat. He signals Duraev to stand back up, and the horn sounds to rescue Duraev from any further damage. The doctor is going to take a close look at the swollen left eye of the Russian, and this fight might not start the third round given its massive swelling. Before the last round starts, Montalvo does summon in the doctor. The cageside physician does not need to observe the damage for more than a couple seconds, and hold up a finger or two, to realize that Duraev cannot see out of his left eye, and therefore can no longer fight. The crowd goes crazy for Buckley, who helps this event tie the UFC record for the most knockouts in a single night with eight.

Sherdog Scores

Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-8 Buckley
Ben Duffy scores the round: 10-8 Buckley
Tristen Critchfield scores the round: 10-9 Buckley

The Official Result

Joaquin Buckley def. Albert Duraev R2 5:00 via TKO (Doctor Stoppage)

Kevin Holland (170) vs. Tim Means (170.5)

BETTING PREVIEW | SCOUTING REPORT | ODDS: Holland (-275), Means (+220)

Round 1

With the loss of Cerrone vs. Lauzon (again), this welterweight banger has been elevated to the co-main event slot. UFC President Dana White should keep his checkbook handy to write out a bonus for this one (and the rest of the night, to boot), if the histories of “The Dirty Bird” Means (32-12-1, 1 NC; 14-9, 1 NC UFC) and “Trailblazer” Holland (22-7, 1 NC; 9-4, 1 NC UFC) are any indication of what to expect now. Identical knockout rates of 59% are celebrated by both men, and they have both landed exactly five submissions to their credit as well. Good-spirited action and excitement is about to come, and referee Kerry Hatley practically has to keep them back in their corners before sprinting out to battle. The 170ers do touch gloves, and Means uses a push kick to the knee to back Holland away from him early. Holland paws out with a left over the head, and Means walks in to brawl. Holland steps back and rips a left to the jaw on the inside, and he lands again to force Means into a double-leg takedown attempt. The crowd starts to boo immediately, and Holland shoves him back and lets go with a left. Holland powers off the cage wall with a flurry of fists, and Means greets him with a few of his own. Means takes a few punches on the inside to land a few, and “Trailblazer” slashes with a clean elbow over the top to break them up. Holland goes to the body with a side kick and then up high with a head kick, and he charges in with a knee right down Broadway. Means is tough and does not flinch, and instead spins with a wheel kick. Means catches a knee from his opponent, and he lifts Holland up and sets him down on the mat. Holland springs up and connects with three blistering punches to sting Means. Means tries to stop the blows from scoring by tying Holland up and pressing him into the wall, and he gathers himself and works the thigh with knees. Holland pushes away to take the center of the cage back, and he sticks out several jabs and a head kick. Means blows his nose out from the kick, and Holland puts three punches on him to knock Means’ head around. They talk to one another with seemingly friendly banter about hitting each other, and Holland takes a few steps back to get off three kicks in rapid succession. Holland chains together a few punches, and Means replies and draws a huge smile out of “Trailblazer.” They slug it out recklessly and entertainingly, and Holland resets first so he can let loose with a high kick. Holland splits the guard with a left hand, and Means is hurt. Two more punches from the Texan connect cleanly, forcing a takedown effort from Means. Holland hits the mat and powers right back up, and the round ends in the clinch.

Sherdog Scores

Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-9 Holland
Ben Duffy scores the round: 10-9 Holland
Tristen Critchfield scores the round: 10-9 Holland

Round 2

Gloves get touched by the action-packed welterweights before engaging, and they both score side kicks to start off the round. Means targets the body, and Holland tags him with four or five punches before Means can react. Holland spins with a back fist that comes up short, and when he turns about, Holland goes to his lead leg. Means blocks several punches, and Holland swarms him with punches before measuring Means with punches as Means shells up against the wall ready to counter. Holland lets Means off the hook so that he can fight at his safer range, and when back in his preferred distance, he clocks Means with a right hand that strips Means legs away almost instantly. Before falling over, Means leans into a takedown try, but he leaves his neck exposed. They do not even hit the mat before Holland uses his long arms to snake around the neck, where he snatches up a smooth brabo choke. It is tight in a hurry, and when the two land on the ground, Means turns to his side but is in even worse position than before. Knowing his goose is cooked, Means does not fight it any further or risk going out from this blood choke, and he wisely surrenders. “Trailblazer” has announced himself as a force to be reckoned with in his new division, and the Texas crowd bellows its affection for its local fighter.

The Official Result

Kevin Holland def. Tim Means R2 1:28 via Submission (Brabo Choke)

Donald Cerrone (155) vs. Joe Lauzon (154.75)

BETTING PREVIEW | SCOUTING REPORT | ODDS: Cerrone (-165), Lauzon (+145)

Round 1

The fight was canceled on Saturday afternoon due to knee injury, per Lauzon on his Instagram. The news was first reported by Ariel Helwani.

Calvin Kattar (146) vs. Josh Emmett (145.5)

BETTING PREVIEW | SCOUTING REPORT | ODDS: Kattar (-235), Emmett (+190)

Round 1

For those that like technical striking, this featherweight headliner is must-see TV. The showcase match on ESPN between Kattar (23-5, 7-3 UFC) and Emmett (17-2, 8-2 UFC), both with lead in their fists, collide in search of an elusive title shot in their logjammed division. Lacing up his running shoes is referee Herb Dean, who could be in for a long night if the durability of these two heavy hitters holds up. Unlike a few fights earlier on the card, there is nothing but respect between these two contenders, who intensely touch gloves before throwing hands. Kattar claims the center of the Octagon to commence, although he is careful to close in and leave himself exposed. No strikes land in the first 30 seconds, leading to boo birds chirping in the Moody Center. Kattar eventually starts to reach out a jab, but he pulls back before connecting with anything. It takes over one full minute for an actual strike to connect, in the form of a jab for Kattar. He sticks out another, and he darts back when Emmett cocks back a right hand and charges at him. The featherweight contenders are extremely measured and concerned about the power of the other, and Emmett walks through a low kick to load up on a right hand. Emmett does this twice, and Kattar stumbles as he escapes on the outer edge of the fence. Kattar gathers himself and flashes out two lightning-quick punches, and Emmett takes them on the chin without blinking. The inactivity resumes between the two, and Kattar blocks a pair of looping hooks that soar at his head. Emmett lets go with a low kick and a pair of punches, and the latter are blocked while the former does hit solidly. Kattar reaches out with his left, but he cannot quite find the face of his foe. Emmett uses head movement and effective footwork to keep his face clear of damage, but a few jabs have started some reddening around his left eye. A one-two from Kattar opens a cut on that red area, and a trickle of blood drips down the side of Emmett’s eye. Kattar steps through with a right hand down the pipe, and he backs off to celebrate his work instead of capitalizing on his success. With 20 seconds to go, Emmett begins to blitz, and he tracks Kattar back to the wall and slings heavy leather at him. Emmett then tries for a takedown, gets rebuffed, and attempts to wing an elbow over the top. The round ends after the strike partially grazes Kattar’s forehead.

Sherdog Scores

Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-9 Emmett
Ben Duffy scores the round: 10-9 Kattar
Tristen Critchfield scores the round: 10-9 Emmett

Round 2

Kattar leads the dance to push out a jab early to start the round, and he reaches out for several more as Emmett dips and moves. Emmett bites down on his mouthpiece and throws down, and Kattar reels when he absorbs a right hand but comes back firing. Kattar uses his jab to stay in Emmett’s face, even if he does not land it, as he keeps Emmett at bay briefly. Emmett throws two punch-salvos several times to back Kattar up, and Kattar blocks them one after the other. Kattar absorbs a low kick and pokes out a jab, and he follows with a right hand. Emmett goes low to the body with a sweeping right hand, and Kattar escapes laterally to circle away and get back to the middle of the cage. The jabs from Kattar are targeting the cut on Emmett’s eye, and he starts the blood flowing again. Kattar begins pinpointing his jab, reaching Emmett well and snapping his head back several times. Emmett cannot chamber and fire his big right hand when Kattar pops him with jab after unanswered jab, and Kattar chains a few right hands for good measure. Emmett just blocks a standing elbow and aims a few punches to the waist. The jab assault splits the cut open even further for Emmett, who decides to rush forward in an attempt to throw haymakers. Kattar sees them coming and moves away from them, but Emmett traps him and plants a right hand square on his nose. Kattar blinks it out and responds with a few more jabs, and Emmett marches forward right into a right hand. Emmett unleashes a barrage with 30 seconds to spare to the head and body, and Kattar knocks him back with a knee to the chest. Kattar leads Emmett into his right hand, and Emmett gives chase and rips the body right before the horn blares.

Sherdog Scores

Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-9 Kattar
Ben Duffy scores the round: 10-9 Kattar
Tristen Critchfield scores the round: 10-9 Kattar

Round 3

Kattar picks up right where he left off with a strong series of jabs, and Emmett wings right hands that all get blocked. Kattar does not flinch when Emmett fakes for a takedown, instead keeping his jab busy enough to start the blood flow from Emmett’s eyebrow again. Emmett chomps down on his gumshield, with bad intentions in his eyes, and he launches several wide right hands that knock Kattar back and get his attention. Emmett goes to the body and head, and Kattar answers with an elbow when Emmett closes the distance on him. Emmett ducks down to swing a right hand to the ribs, and Kattar takes it without budging so that he can walk Emmett down and jab him in the face. Emmett scores a single low kick, and he intercepts Kattar advancing with a right across the bow. Emmett stuns Kattar with a one-two, and Katter answers with an elbow that makes Emmett blink repeatedly. Kattar pops his man with a clean one-two of his own, and he cannot quite get his guard up in time when Emmett goes after him with a looping right hook. Kattar mixes up several different kinds of slashing elbow strikes, and Emmett tries one of his own as he sprints forward to engage. The right hands from Emmett have started to produce some swelling on Kattar’s right eye, and Emmett targets the spot with another winging punch that would make Dan Henderson blush. Kattar tries to get jabs going, and Emmett digs punches to the body and walks into a standing elbow strike. With three punches from Emmett, the only one that lands is a left to the body. Emmett drops his hands to signal it is time to brawl, and Kattar jabs him to end the round.

Sherdog Scores

Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-9 Emmett
Ben Duffy scores the round: 10-9 Emmett
Tristen Critchfield scores the round: 10-9 Emmett

Round 4

Both men show solid shiners beneath their left eyes, but neither are remotely concerned about any battle damage. The round starts off like others before it, with piercing Kattar jabs. Kattar jumps back when Emmett leaps at him, and he continues to poke Emmett with jabs. Kattar sneaks in an uppercut that busts up the nose, and he strings three punches together down the middle. Emmett goes after a few low kicks, including one to the rear leg, and Kattar marches him down with a right to the body and left to the head. Kattar reaches out with a right hook, and he settles down with a snapping jab or two. Kattar is able to use his reach advantage to get to Emmett before Emmett can reach him back, and Emmett is flustered by this and runs forward. Kattar shoves him aside instead of falling victim to a takedown or getting stuck in a clinch, and he lines up an elbow. Kattar slips back from a huge right hand, and he calmly plants the jab on the jaw. Whether from blood from the nose or corner of the eye or somewhere else, Emmett’s face is starting to transform into a crimson mask. Emmett rushes into the fray with two left hands to the body, and Kattar tries to stop him with a big elbow. Kattar punches and then spins with an elbow, and it clicks off his foe’s head. Kattar strides forward with a right hand that hurts his opponent and opens up a huge cut over Emmett’s eye, and Emmett tries to spin with an elbow to get him back but is well short of the mark. Emmett gathers his thoughts and comes back throwing, but Katter is beating him to the punch with jabs and the occasional vertical elbow. Kattar jabs until Emmett has had enough, and the Team Alpha Male fighter unleashes a fury with several ferocious punches. Emmett cracks Kattar, Kattar cracks him back, and they start talking to one another. The round ends as they are right in each other’s face, and neither wants to move a muscle. Dean splits them up with a smile, as he is enjoying this fight as much as they are.

Sherdog Scores

Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-9 Kattar
Ben Duffy scores the round: 10-9 Kattar
Tristen Critchfield scores the round: 10-9 Kattar

Round 5

The last round commences with several accurate jabs from Kattar, and he pushes Emmett back with a one-two. Kattar has a step-in knee make Emmett retreat, and he uses the jab to keep Emmett from loading up. When Kattar lazily reaches out with a jab, Emmett springs forward with two punches. Kattar busts him up for the umpteenth time, and Emmett is bloodied, swollen and angry. Emmett throws hammers, and Kattar protects himself with a solid guard before sliding back. Emmett attempts a takedown, and Kattar pushes him away and resumes his technical gameplan of turning Emmett’s face into red Silly Putty. Emmett just comes up short with a massive right hook, and they crack one another with straight punches but do not take a step back. Emmett gets off an uppercut in the midst of a combo, and Kattar has his chin checked and fires back with an elbow. Emmett punches twice and kicks up high, and the Boston native blocks them all and pokes Emmett with his frustratingly effective jab. Kattar intercepts his man with sharp left hands, and Emmett is continuously going for power that is slowing and getting telegraphed. Kattar nails his man with an uppercut elbow, and Emmett roars and comes forward with a fire lit under his backside. Emmett rages forward with powerful hooks, and Kattar gets pushed back to the wall and circles away before taking them flush on the chin. Kattar jabs, Emmett swings for the fences, and Emmett looks at him and is ready to brawl it out. A spinning back elbow comes from both featherweights, and they furiously throw down to the final bell. As soon as it sounds, the hostilities have ceased, and all is right in the world. This bloody battle will end up in the hands of the judges, and those judges could be split tonight. No matter the victor, this five-round battle delivered as advertised, with 25 minutes of thrilling action and a likely title challenger emerging. This event will stand up as one of the best of the year, and some initial perspectives on social media even place it among the pantheon of the all-time great Fight Night-level events. With a UFC record-tying eight knockouts, terrific performances from top to bottom, and a blood-and-guts slugfest in the marquee, it might be hard to argue. The UFC will not slow down to celebrate this successful event, however, and it will be heading back to the UFC Apex for another ESPN offering. With any luck, fans watching will be treated to spectacular action and excitement next week as well. We will be here for it, and we hope you are too.

Sherdog Scores

Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-9 Kattar (48-47 Kattar)
Ben Duffy scores the round: 10-9 Kattar (49-46 Kattar)
Tristen Critchfield scores the round: 10-9 Kattar (48-47 Kattar)

The Official Result

Josh Emmett def. Calvin Kattar via Split Decision (47-48, 48-47, 48-47)