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Join 411’s LIVE UFC Fight Night 141 Coverage

November 24, 2018 | Posted by Robert Winfree
Vicente Luque Curtis Millender UFC on FOX 27 UFC Logo - UFC Shanghai - UFC Fight Night 115, Tom Aspinall Image Credit: UFC

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Main card (UFC Fight Pass at 6:30 a.m. ET)
#3 Curtis Blaydes (260 lbs.) vs. #4 Francis Ngannou (254 lbs.)
#6 Alistair Overeem (247 lbs.) vs. Sergey Pavlovich (257 lbs.)
Li Jingliang (171 lbs.) vs. David Zawada (170 lbs.)
Vince Morales (136 lbs.) vs. Song Yadong (136 lbs.)

Prelims (UFC Fight Pass at 3:15 a.m. ET)
Alex Morono (170.5 lbs.) vs. Kenan Song (170 lbs.)
Lauren Mueller (126 lbs.) vs. Wu Yanan (126 lbs.)
Rashad Coulter (208 lbs.)* vs. Hu Yaozong (205 lbs.)
Jessica Aguilar (115 lbs.) vs. Weili Zhang (116 lbs.)
Martin Day (136 lbs.) vs. Pingyuan Liu (135 lbs.)
Syuri Kondo (115.5 lbs.) vs. Yan Xiaonan (116 lbs.)
Kevin Holland (186 lbs.) vs. John Phillips (186 lbs.)
Louis Smolka (135.5 lbs.) vs. Su Mudaerji (134.5 lbs.)

Hello everyone and welcome to 411mania’s LIVE coverage of UFC Fight Night 141. I’m Robert Winfree and I’ll be relaying all of the action to you good people just as I see it. I’m awake at these awful hours tonight/this morning because the UFC is back in China for Fight Night 141. The UFC has run Hong Kong and Shanghai but tonight they’re in the capital Beijing. They’ve brought with them a fairly standard fight card for when they head to east Asia/Oceania.

The main event could be a title eliminator bout, depending on what happens with current heavyweight champion Daniel Cormier in the immediate future, as Curtis Blaydes looks to avenge his only professional defeat against former title challenger Francis Ngannou. The co-main event is another heavyweight bout (because the UFC seems to be in feast or famine mode with this card) as Alistair Overeem tries to rebound from his two fight skid against the debuting undefeated Russian Sergey Pavlovich. Beyond that, well, it’s entirely up to you if there’s anything on this card you’re really excited about.

UFC Fight Night 141 comes to the world from Cadillac Arena in Beijing, China. On commentary we have John Gooden and Dan Hardy. As for the rules the UFC is basically self regulating and so we’ll be under the new rules, which means you need both palms or fists flat on the mat to be considered downed, extending fingers towards your opponent is a foul regardless of contact being made, and the scoring criteria is both clearer and more encouraging of 10-8 scores.

Louis Smolka was released from the UFC in December of last year following a four fight losing streak, now he’s back up at bantamweight and has won his last three fights. Smolka is hoping for a successful return to the UFC. Su Mudaerji is making his UFC debut here, he’s 3-1 in his last four bouts in addition to having finished all of his professional wins and he’s hoping for a successful UFC debut. The returning Smolka is a slight -175 favorite against +145 for Mudaerji.

Bantamweight Bout: Louis Smolka (14-5, 135.5 lbs.) vs. Su Mudaerji (11-3, 134.5 lbs.)

ROUND ONE: Smolka is an inch taller but Mudaerji has three and a half inches of reach advantage. Mudaerji fighting southpaw, Smolka shoots a double leg immediately but they stall out on the fence though Smolka has a body lock. They trade some knees then Mudaerji lands an elbow as they break. Left lands for Mudaerji but Smolka is in on a single leg against the fence. Elbows from Mudaerji, he’s defending well so far and Smolka tries to leg drag under and they roll back up to another single leg attempt from Smolka. Smolka finally runs the pipe and gets the single leg in the middle of the cage and starts looking to pass. Mudaerji is fighting for wrist control and looking at a triangle attempt, they wind up rolling and scrambling a bit but Smolka remains on top in the guard of Mudaerji. Elbow from the bottom from Mudaerji. More elbows from Mudaerji, Smolka responds with a few rights and he’s looking to stack Mudaerji now. Mudaerji inverts looking to attack the legs but Smolka reads the motion and instead passes to half guard. Now Smolka has the back, just one hook in though and Mudaerji is on a hip. Smolka can’t quite get both hooks in and Mudaerji hip escapes to half guard. A few punches from Smolka and he’s after the back again, this time he’s got both hooks in. Punches from Smolka, he flattens Mudaerji out and lands punches but Mudaerji is covering up and defending well enough so far. More offense from Smolka trying to force the finish but he can’t before the round ends.

SCORECARD: 10-8 Smolka

ROUND TWO: On the feet it’s been mostly even, ditto the clinch but once they hit the mat Smolka’s scrambling game is superior in every way. They touch gloves for the second round and Smolka starts pressing forward. Jumping knee from Mudaerji lands, then a right and Smolka shoots immediately for a single leg. Again Smolka pulls Mudaerji away from the fence and spins him down to get on top. Mudaerji lands elbows from his back, he tries for an arm but that’s ill advised as his hips are wrong and Smolka simply moves to full mount on him. Smolka lands punches, Mudaerji rolls under for a knee bar to avoid getting his back taken and Smolka gets back on top. Mudaerji kicks Solka off, Smolka dives back into a triangle but gets his head free and Mudaerji then sweeps him with an omoplata attempt. Smolka tries an omoplata of his own, switches to an armbar and then rolls to spider web position to stretch out the arm and force the tap.

OFFICIAL RESULT: †WINNER – Louis Smolka via Submission, armbar, at 2:07 of Round 2

Again, Smolka’s striking and clinch game is still suspect but on the mat he can scramble with just about anyone. Even someone like Tim Elliott couldn’t completely overwhelm him there. Mic time for Smolka who says he needed to change a lot in his personal life to get back to the UFC referencing his alcoholism and thanks his new team before dedicating the win to his daughter. He talks us through the finish, knowing that he’d have an edge on the mat and looking for the snatch single leg against an opposite stance fighter.

Here’s the finish. It doesn’t show the sweep from guard Smolka hit to get to spider web position, but once he’s there it’s basically text book attacking of the arm and Mudaerji seems out of his depth in the position until his arm is fully extended.

Kevin Holland just had a six fight winning streak snapped in his UFC debut when he was unable to do much against Thiago Santos, now Holland is trying to avoid a UFC losing streak. John Phillips is in a similar position as he lost a four fight winning streak when he debuted in the UFC with a loss, now he’s also looking to avoid a losing streak. Holland is the biggest favorite on the card at -600 while the +425 payout for Phillips has to tempt a few gamblers out there.

Middleweight Bout: Kevin Holland (13-4, 186 lbs.) vs. John Phillips (21-7, 186 lbs.)

ROUND ONE: Holland is four inches taller and has a whopping six inches of reach advantage. They touch gloves, Phillips fighting southpaw. Side kick to the body from Holland, he definitely wants to keep this fight long. Phillips is pressing forward trying to corral Holland against the fence and take away his range advantage. They trade in close then Phillips lands a couple of punches as Holland employs the rarely seen open hand slaps to the ear. Holland lands a body kick and Phillips lands a counter that drops Holland but he declines to follow him down to the mat. Front kicks to the body from Holland hurt Phillips, he’s crouched on the fence looking to brawl but Holland is out of range hurting him with kicks and long punches. More body shots from Holland, Phillips seems to be back and starts coming forward. Sharp elbow from Holland inc lose then he lands knees before eating a punch on the break. I’m surprised Holland isn’t going back to the body, and now he lands a front kick to the body. Phillips lands a left to the body but misses the head trying to follow up. Holland jabs the body then lands a front kick but Phillips complains about a low blow and he gets time to recover. Vocal apologies from Holland as the replay confirms the accidental groin strike but Phillips is good to continue. Phillips lands a looping left that off balances Holland, Holland kicks him in the body and gets him to back off. Now Holland is using side kicks to the lead leg to keep Phillips at the range he wants him. Bit of a high kick from Holland, then a jumping knee that off balances Phillips and Holland stands over him landing punches as the round ends.

SCORECARD: 10-8 Holland

ROUND TWO: They touch gloves for the second round. Phillips walking forward again, Holland working side kicks to the thigh/knee. Phillips lands a left that drops Holland to a knee, Holland back up and we get a bit of a fire fight. More hooks from Phillips to the body and head, Holland is blocking with his elbows and looking to counter. A couple more hooks land for Phillips, Holland lands a right elbow and circles off of the fence. Holland is defending surprisingly well, he’s taking a lot of blows to the arm and shoulders and letting Phillips punch himself out a bit. Jabs from Holland now, Phillips has slowed visibly. Body kick from Holland then an inside leg kick. The lack of body work from Holland this round is a little disturbing considering how baldy he had Phillips hurt in the first. Holland lands some jabs and an inside leg kick. Phillips bulls closer and lands some hooks, Holland doesn’t have the same pop on his strikes that he did in the first. Leg kicks from Phillips and he looks to land hooks in the pocket as Holland has his back on the fence. They clinch up, Holland is bleeding from above one of his eyes, Phillips has found the target enough this round it seems. Knees from Holland and Phillips lands a few punches. Holland lands a front kick to the body, and another one. If Holland has a question mark kick in his repertoire now would be a good time to break it out. Phillips puts his back on the fence as the round ends.

SCORECARD: 10-9 Phillips, 19-18 Holland overall

ROUND THREE: They touch gloves for the last round. Phillips is coming forward again, Holland times a loose double leg but does get Phillips down. Lefts from Holland as Phillips tries to get up against the fence, one hook in for Holland but he can’t get the back as Phillips is back up and Holland settles for a rear waist lock and hits a mat return. Phillips looking to wall walk again, Holland working short punches trying to find a positional opening. Holland lands a couple of elbows then pulls Phillips back to the mat and gets both hooks in. For some reason Holland gives up one of his hooks, he lands a few heel shots to the thigh but if Phillips knows what he’s doing he can turn into Holland and get on top. Holland goes for the choke but lacks the hooks and Phillips gets up, Holland hits a double leg into side control. Full mount for Holland now but he’s not postured up yet. Phillips muscles a reversal, Holland could have gone for an armbar but he’s kind of tired. Punches from Phillips but Holland throws up an armbar attempt, Phillips disengages but Holland hits an ankle pick and is back on top. Back mount again for Holland, this time he puts both hooks in and that control lets him get the finish.

OFFICIAL RESULT: †WINNER – Kevin Holland via Submission, rear naked choke, at 4:05 Round 3

The Final Round Finish Club thanks Mr. Holland for his work this evening. The finish is mistakenly announced as an armbar, Holland on the mic says he wanted to bang but Phillips is the hardest hitting guy he’s ever fought and after getting cut in the second he figured he’d better start shooting. Asked about the front kick to the body being used to negate the pressure he says he was hoping to slow him down but Phillips came out hard in the second so he shot in the third like his depended on it. Asked what’s next for him he wants some water and hopes he wont throw up back stage and hopes for a Fight of the Night bonus.

Here’s the finish. If you saw the attempt earlier in the round you can see the difference here, Holland gets both hooks in this time to control the hips of Phillips, his arm basically falls into proper position and forces the tap.

Yan Xiaonan has gone 2-0 in the UFC and is riding an eight fight unbeaten streak, if she can move to 3-0 here she’ll be well positioned to challenge the top fifteen of the division going forward. Syuri Kondo has gone 1-1 in the UFC but is coming off of her first professional loss, now she’s trying to rebound and avoid her first ever losing streak. Xiaonan is your favorite at -400 to a +300 comeback on Kondo.

Strawweight Bout: Syuri Kondo (6-1, 115.5 lbs.) vs. Yan Xiaonan (9-1 1 NC, 116 lbs.)

ROUND ONE: Xiaonan is an inch taller but Kondo has three and a half inches of reach on her. Forward pressure from Xiaonan, she lands a leg kick and they trade punches after that. Leg kicks go back and forth, both women have fast hands so far. Kondo eats a hard right but lands an elbow. Stiff combination from Xiaonan then a few side kicks to the body at distance. Leg kick from Kondo then they trade rights. Uppercut from Xiaonan lands. Counter right lands for Kondo. Both women land rights, Xiaonan is throwing longer combinations though and that seems to be getting to Kondo. Kondo lands a counter right but she ate several punches for that. Xiaonan lands a four punch combination mostly to the head. Body kick from Kondo but Xiaonan lands several punches. Xiaonan lands a jab, and another one behind it. Pull back right lands for Xiaonan, that one landed flush. Xiaonan misses a spinning back fist. Kondo has started coming forward, lands a leg kick but hasn’t landed much. Xiaonan keeps going for spinning back fists that are missing badly, and they stare away the finale few seconds.

SCORECARD: 10-9 Xiaonan

ROUND TWO: Xiaonan working with her lead leg to start the round, and lands a jab. They split a few jabs but the overall work rate of Xiaonan is wearing on Kondo. Xiaonan lands a combination in close including a left elbow that seemed to off balance Kondo for a moment. Jabs from Xiaonan land, they clinch and trade knees then break as Xiaonan misses a right. Another jab from Xiaonan lands. Xiaonan is head hunting a bit too much for my taste, she’s got the work rate and the power but she’s predictable with her target selection. Kondo lands a knee to the body from a brief clinch. Xiaonan lands a right, she’s looking to counter more than be proactive this round. Kondo lands a right in close, there’s swelling under the left eye of Xiaonan. Leg kick from Kondo. Counter right from Xiaonan backs Kondo off for a moment but she’s back to forward pressure almost immediately. Right and left from Xiaonan in close. Kondo lands a right but she eats three or four counters. Xiaonan lands a body kick and Kondo lands a right. Nothing lands over the last ten seconds or so.

SCORECARD: 10-9 Xiaonan but closer, 20-18 Xiaonan overall

ROUND THREE: There’s a touch of gloves for the last round. Xiaonan is back to getting her lead leg involved as Kondo pressures forward. Right lands for Xiaonan, and a counter right to a leg kick. Kondo lands a right but eats a glancing spinning back fist. They try to spin at the same time and execute more of a dance maneuver than anything else. Kondo wont be deterred, she’s still coming forward and they trade from a brief collar tie up then break apart. Now they’re trading leg kicks, then get close and trade punches. Xiaonan is still getting the better of these with volume and variety but she really should be working up and down the body rather than just head hunting the entire time. Left from Xiaonan lands then a body kick. Both women land rights in close, Xiaonan is moving well and just out working Kondo overall. Kondo lands a knee from a brief Thai clinch. Xiaonan lands a side kick to the face and they trade punches. Right over the shoulder of Kondo lands for Xiaonan, she throws a barrage of spinning back fists that miss or are blocked to run out the clock.

SCORECARD: 10-9 Xiaonan, 30-27 Xiaonan overall

OFFICIAL RESULT: †WINNER – Yan Xiaonan via unanimous decision (30-27 x3)

Somewhat generic strawweight fight, but contested at a high pace. Mic time for Xiaonan, who wanted to get a second round knockout but obviously couldn’t get it. She thanks the crowd for their support and felt she had endless energy thanks to them.

Liu Pingyuan is riding a nine fight winning streak that includes a successful UFC debut when he bested Damian Stasiak, he’s trying to keep that streak alive and get his first UFC winning streak up and running. Martin Day brings a three fight winning streak into his UFC debut, he’s looking to make a good first impression to the UFC audience. Pingyuan is a slight -190 favorite against +155 for Day.

Bantamweight Bout: Martin Day (9-2, 136 lbs.) vs. Liu Pingyuan (14-4, 135 lbs.)

ROUND ONE: Day is four inches taller but only has an inch and a half of reach on Pingyuan. Pingyuan coming forward, walks into a strong side kick to the body. Day looking to kick early, Pingyuan catches a kick and lands a right then pushes Day into the fence. More punches from Pingyuan and he’s after a single leg against the cage. Pingyuan lands punches trying to open up the takedown, Day defending so far and lands a few elbows. Day limp legs out of the attempt and we’re back at distance. Left hook lands for Day then a jab. Pingyuan lands a right hand lead then Day hits a side kick to the body. Leg kick from Day is caught and Pingyuan pushes him into the fence where they start fighting for position. Pingyuan goes for a standing guillotine then jumps to full guard for it, he’s selling out for that and looking to adjust but he’s up against the fence and can’t stretch him out enough given the break in his posture. Now Pingyuan bails on the attempt and throws up an armbar that gets Day to back off and reset on the feet. Day lands a left to the body. Jabs to the body from Day, they trade in close. Spinning back kick from Day lands then a front kick to the body. Day working more body kicks then a right but he eats a counter uppercut. Pingyuan shoots a sintle leg from too far out and Day defends then looks for a d’arce to counter the position. Full guard for Pingyuan, Day pulls back and stands over him. Pingyuan is back up, Day misses a tornado kick as the round ends.

SCORECARD: 10-9 Day

ROUND TWO: Day working his lead leg to start the round, he lands a left to the body as well. Body kick from Pingyuan. Pingyuan catches a kick and lands a right. Right from Pingyuan lands, he’s getting Day to the fence then looks for a single leg. Day lands a few elbows to the head, Pingyuan bails on his takedown but keeps the clinch , tries a takedown but winds up rolling under for a leg lock. Pingyuan can’t get control over Day and they wind up back on the feet. Body shots in close from Day, his hands are more fluid so far and Pingyuan is slowing down. Pingyuan lands a right uppercut. Body kick from Pingyuan lands. More body work from Day, those are starting to get to Pingyuan. Day lands a right, Pingyuan is really struggling with his range management. More body shots from Day in close, Pingyuan lands a spinning back fist then he pulls guard but eats elbows and Day gets free to force the stand up. Day lands a front kick to the body then punches to the body, Pingyuan is a little hurt to the body. Body kick from Pingyuan and Day lands a left to the body. Day drops Pingyuan with a right but he wont be able to capitalize before the round ends.

SCORECARD: 10-9 Day, might be 10-8, 20-18 Day overall

ROUND THREE: Pingyuan says he broke a hand in that round, Urijah Faber is one of his corner men and has no sympathy then tells him to use knees and elbows instead. Both men working front kicks to start the round, Day also jabs the body then they trade hooks. Day misses a wheel kick. Pingyuan tries to pull guard off of a body kick but can’t control Day’s posture and Day stands back up. Pingyuan catches a body kick and drops Day with a right, he follows him down and is looking for a choke variant but I can’t see the specifics of it. That’s a d’arce from Pingyuan but he loses the arm and Day scrambles to top position and is after a d’arce of his own. Pingyuan is on top now as Day sells out for the choke but Pingyuan rolls through into the ride position and lands some punches then looks for the back. Now Pingyuan has the back with both hooks in, looking for a body triangle while trying to set up an armbar. Pingyuan lands some short punches but he doesn’t have much on them. Pingyuan is trying to set up a switch to an arm triangle as Day moves to defend himself. Lefts from Pingyuan land but he’s losing his chance to finish and he needs the finish. There’s an armbar attack available from Pingyuan but he doesn’t take it and the round ends with Pingyuan moving to mount.

SCORECARD: 10-9 Pingyuan, 29-28 Pingyuan overall

OFFICIAL RESULT: †WINNER – Liu Pingyuan via split decision (28-29, 29-28 x2)

Well I disagree with that one, but there is an argument for Pingyuan taking the first and therefore the fight.

Zhang Weili is riding a ridiculous seventeen fight winning streak and is coming off of a win in her UFC debut. This bout marks a significant step up in competition for her, but a win would help make the difficult transition from prospect into legitimate contender. Jessica Aguilar just broke a two fight losing streak with a win over Jodie Esquibel, Aguilar was once one of the top strawweights in the world and if she wants to reclaim that distinction she needs a win here. Weili is a significant -500 favorite to a +375 comeback for the veteran Aguilar.

Strawweight Bout: Jessica Aguilar (20-6, 115 lbs.) vs. Zhang Weili (17-1, 116 lbs.)

ROUND ONE: Weili is an inch taller but the reach is identical. They touch gloves to get us going. Aguilar is coming forward early, Weili working the lead leg side kicks before Aguilar gets a clinch. They trade knees as they jockey for position, Aguilar is already cut around the left eyebrow and Weili gets an outside trip takedown into side control. Short elbows from Weili as she fights to keep position. Now a knee to the body from Weili, and more short elbows. Aguilar is trying to shrimp but Weili is blocking that and landing elbows. Weili lands more short elbows, some impressive top control from Weili so far. Knees to the body as well from Weili. More elbows, Aguilar tries a sweep from a mount take but Weili is after a triangle choke. Full on triangle from Weili, Aguilar is holding on as Weili starts landing elbows from her back. Weili switches to an armbar and the suddenness of it stops Aguilar from defending properly and she has to tap. Massive win for Weili.

OFFICIAL RESULT: †WINNER – Zhang Weili via Submission, armbar, at 3:41 of Round 1

The First Round Finish Club thanks Ms. Weili for her work this evening. That’s a huge win for Weili, who puts over her team for getting her prepared for this moment. She says there’s a lot of good fighters in the division and looks forward to fighting all of them, then thanks the crowd for being awesome as she’s from Beijing. To close she says this is the real version of herself and there’s more to come.

Here’s the finish. Weili is landing elbows from the locked up triangle, tries to increase the pressure by pulling Aguilar’s head then when Aguilar tries to adjust and get herself room Weili switches to the armbar with serious speed and forces Aguilar to tap.

Hu Yaozong is making his light heavyweight debut here after suffering his first career loss in his UFC debut, he’s hoping a change in scenery will give him some more competitive life. Rashad Coulter has also never tasted victory inside the UFC but he went 0-3 up at heavyweight and is also hoping the cut to light heavyweight will give him a new lease on life. The fact that Coulter missed weight doesn’t help his case much, but it almost guarantees that if he loses he’ll be cut as well. As for the odds they’re a -115 pick ’em.

Light Heavyweight Bout: Rashad Coulter (8-4, 208 lbs.)* vs. Hu Yaozong (3-1, 205 lbs.)

ROUND ONE: Yaozong is four inches taller while Coulter has four inches of reach on him. They touch gloves to get us going. Yaozong misses a spinning back kick. A few leg kicks from Yaozong land. Yaozong pushes into the clinch and gets Coulter to the cage. They fight for position and Yaozong gets a body lock for a moment. Coulter pummels in to break the body lock and they trade knees to the body. More knees from Coulter then a left hand. Yaozong lands a knee to the body. There’s a missed elbow from Yaozong as they break, then he lands a leg kick. Left to the body then a leg kick from Yaozong and they clinch again. Knee from Yaozong, Coulter lands an elbow as they break and Yaozong is bleeding around the right eyebrow. They push in close and trade punches. Coulter lands a right that drops Yaozong and he looks to finish him from his knees. Yaozong fights back up and lands a body kick then a left of his own. Hard one two from Coulter but Yaozong stays upright. Leg kick from Yaozong then they trade rights. More rights from Coulter but Yaozong is just eating them and then pushes Coulter back then lands punches before clinching up again. Yaozong can’t get a body lock takedown, Coulter lands a knee and we get a brawl in close before clinching up again. At this rate the first guy to gas out is going to lose and they end the round in the clinch.

SCORECARD: 10-9 Coulter

ROUND TWO: They touch gloves again. Coulter lands a jab, then another but eats a right on the second. Yaozong lands a couple of leg kicks, Coulter didn’t like that second one. Another leg kick from Yaozong then a right and he clinches up on the fence. Foot stomps from Yaozong, who’s also got a hold of the fence but the ref doesn’t see it. Rights from Yaozong, Coulter lands a hard left elbow. Yaozong lands elbows then they swing wild in the pocket. Coulter lands a one two. Coulter is sucking some wind but he’s getting his jab working now. More jabs from Coulter then he eats a leg kick. Another leg kick from Yaozong, he’s aiming at the calf with these now and Coulter is limping a bit. There’s a small cut under the left eye of Coulter, Yaozong lands another leg kick, and another. Coulter is doing some stance switching to protect his left leg. Jabs from Coulter. Yaozong lands a right of his own and gets Coulter to the fence. Jumping knee from a clinch and Yaozong lands an elbow then they kill the last few seconds with a clinch.

SCORECARD: 10-9 Yaozong, 19-19 overall

ROUND THREE: Both guys are sucking a lot of wind as they start the last round. Leg kick from Yaozong. Coulter lands a right, Yaozong lands a jab and then a leg kick that takes the lead leg out from under Coulter. Body shots to right from Yaozong and he gets another clinch on the fence. Elbow from Yaozong, Coulter returns it. Knees and elbows from Yaozong, Coulter gets free and lands a jab. Leg kick from Yaozong lands. Yaozong digs as left to the body, Coulter lands an uppercut as they clinch again. Knees go back and forth then Coulter lands a couple of elbows. More sneaky cage grabs from Yaozong then he lands body shots as they break. They split some jabs then Yaozong lands a right. Body kick from Yaozong who’s trying out the southpaw stance. More jabs go back and forth then Yaozong lands a leg kick. Left to the body from Yaozong, Coulter lands a body kick. Yaozong digs the body again then lands a right. Another left to the body from Yaozong. Yaozong lands a couple more leg kicks then avoids a right from Coulter as the clock winds down.

SCORECARD: 10-9 Yaozong, 29-28 Yaozong overall

OFFICIAL RESULT: †WINNER – Rashad Coulter via unanimous decision (30-27, 29-28 x2)

I don’t agree with Coulter getting all three rounds but he could have taken the third I guess. No interview for Coulter, which is for the best given how winded he looks.

Wu Yanan lost her UFC debut almost exactly one year ago, she’s trying to bounce back from that loss by dropping to flyweight and get her first UFC win here. Lauren Mueller is undefeated as a professional including a successful UFC debut, she’s trying to remain perfect here and establish herself as one of the top flyweight prospects in the world. Mueller is your -380 favorite to a +290 comeback on Yanan.

Women’s Flyweight Bout: Lauren Mueller (5-0, 126 lbs.) vs. Wu Yanan (8-2, 126 lbs.)

ROUND ONE: Yanan is three inches taller but Mueller has an inch of reach on her. Mueller coming forward showing the jab, and lands a right to counter an inside leg kick. Yanan lands a left hook but Mueller is pushing forward. Another left hook lands for Yanan. Both women miss punches. Mueller lands a couple of punches then a right uppercut as she blocked a takedown attempt. They clinch up again and jockey for position along the cage. Mueller lands a few knees to the body and thigh. Yanan lands a knee to the thigh. Mueller has a body lock but isn’t getting a lot off of it so far. They keep trading knees while they fight for position. They break and trade lefts. Calf kick from Mueller then a right. Left hook from Mueller drops Yanan then she follows her down to the mat and lands in guard. Yanan throws up an armbar and Mueller can’t get her arm free then has to tap. Shocking lapse of judgement in the guard there from Mueller.

OFFICIAL RESULT: †WINNER – Wu Yanan via Submission, armbar, at 4:00 of Round 1

The First Round Finish Club thanks Ms. Yanan for her work this evening. Yanan gets her jiu-jitsu blue belt in the cage for that, I think that was Marlon Sandro who I’m shocked isn’t in jail if it’s him. Mic time for Yanan who’s really happy, she tells the UFC she’s coming and is a bit over come at receiving her blue belt because she’s been working for it for a long time. To close she thanks the fans for their support and plans to keep on improving and showing that improvement.

Here’s the finish. Mueller gets over zealous following Yanan to the ground, lets Yanan get wrist control then doesn’t follow the hips as she throws up the armbar attempt and by the time she thinks about defending it’s too late.

Song Kenan has gone 2-0 in the UFC with both of those wins being finishes, he’s trying to extend that winning streak and begin climbing the UFC ranks. Alex Morono has gone just 1-2 in his last three fights and is coming off of a loss, he’s trying to avoid his first UFC losing streak here. The odds lean towards Kenan at -130 to an even +100 for Morono.

Welterweight Bout: Alex Morono (14-5 1 NC, 170.5 lbs.) vs. Song Kenan (14-4, 170 lbs.)

ROUND ONE: Kenan is an inch taller while Morono has half an inch of reach advantage. Both men pawing with the lead hand to get us going. Morono tries a few kicks, mostly range finding so far. Bit of a right from Morono, Kenan responds with a body kick. Kenan blocks a couple of punches then tries a rush but Morono catches him with a left then they trade elbows in close. Morono has really loopy punches, I’m surprised Kenan isn’t adjusting to counter those with straight ones. Kenan lands a right and they clinch up then trade knees and start brawling in the pocket then both decide to reset at distance. Spinning back kick lands for Kenan. Right lands for Morono. Kenan lands to the body. Morono lands a leg kick. Kenan is bleeding from the nose. Leg kick from Morono, Kenan is struggling with his movement and loopy punches. Another leg kick from Morono, Kenan lands a body kick. Bit of a right from Morono will be the last blow of the round.

SCORECARD: 10-9 Morono

ROUND TWO: Touch of gloves for the second round. Leg kick from Morono, Kenan lands a glancing right. Kenan lands a body kick. Morono tries a spinning back fist, didn’t really land. Morono lands another leg kick. Kenan lands a left hook in close and we get some wild hooks in the pocket and Morono exits the pocket before it gets too crazy. The distance management from Morono is impressive, Kenan lands a body kick. They’re both missing a bit but Kenan is struggling with his nose and Morono is trying to jab it. Glancing right from Morono, Kenan lands a couple of elbows then a straight right but Morono responds with a body kick and a couple of hooks. Body kick from Kenan, Morono lands a punch and a body kick to close the round.

SCORECARD: 10-9 Morono, 20-18 Morono overall

ROUND THREE: Morono lands a right to get the round going. Kenan lands a bit of a punch, Morono is bleeding from the nose as well now. Morono lands a couple of punches then is after a double leg, he trips Kenan down but Kenan wall walks back up and we’re at distance. Elbow from Kenan in close lands and Kenan is pressing forward looking for a finish. Morono is bleeding from the nose worse now. They trade in close, Kenan lands a body kick and Morono responds with a jab. Right lands for Kenan and they clinch up then hit the fence. Kenan is on the fence, Morono lands a few knees and is looking for a takedown but he can’t finish it and they separate. things are getting sloppy, Morono lands a leg kick but he eats a left hook for it. Kenan misses a high kick, Kenan lands a right in close then a spinning back fist but they both spin a few times and Morono drops after taking an eye poke. We’ve got time, replay confirms the eye poke and that was a bad one. The doctor is in to check on Morono. The doctor will allow the fight to continue, Kenan gets a stern warning and we restart. Morono lands a leg kick, Kenan misses a wheel kick. Leg kick in combination from Morono and we get some wild punches traded as time runs down.

SCORECARD: 10-9 Kenan, 29-28 Morono overall

OFFICIAL RESULT: †WINNER – Alex Morono via unanimous decision (30-27 x3)

I can see an argument for Morono in the third, and he gets an interview after that. He says he struggles with discipline in the cage but felt he could weather the craziness and win, then mentions his vision is still blurry. He gets the crowd to applaud Kenan, then says the plan was pressure and takedowns but he lacked discipline and says he wants to fight like he’s going to die in the next moment.

That’s it for preliminary action though we’re still on Fight Pass for the main card.

Li Jingliang has gone 5-1 in his last six fights and is coming off of a win earlier this year, he’s trying to get his second UFC winning streak up and running here. David Zawada just lost a five fight winning streak when he lost his UFC debut. Zawada took this fight on short notice but if he can take out a veteran like Jingliang it will mark the biggest win of his career. The odds are with Jingliang at -190 against a +155 payout for Zawada.

Welterweight Bout: Li Jingliang (14-5, 171 lbs.) vs. David Zawada (16-4, 170 lbs.)

ROUND ONE: These two are the same height while Zawada has three and a half inches of reach on Jingliang. They touch gloves to get us going. Zawada edging forward, both men pawing with the lead hand. Jingliang avoids a right. Bit of a right from Jingliang. Jingliang lands an inside leg kick but Zawada lands a counter right that drops him, then he follows him down into half guard but Jingliang is back up and in the clinch. Zawada lands a knee to the body while they’re on the fence then Jingliang gets a trip takedown into half guard on top. A few lefts land for Jingliang, he’s getting some power behind those blows. Zawada is able to get guard and wall walk but Jingliang lands a jab as they break. One two from Zawada lands and he’s looking to land along the fence while Jingliang throws back then Jingliang blocks a takedown attempt and they separate. Zawada lands a couple of knees then a right as Jingliang is standing upright. They clinch up again and Jingliang lands a couple of punches before they break. Bit of a left from Jingliang but Zawada read it and rolled with it. Jingliang lands a knee to the body as Zawada ties up looking for a takedown, and the round ends in the clinch.

SCORECARD: 10-9 Zawada

ROUND TWO: They touch gloves again. Leg kick from Jingliang. Zawada blocks a double leg but eats a left hook for that effort. Jab from Zawada. Jingliang misses a couple of kicks then avoids a few punches from Zawada. Leg kick from Jingliang lands. Zawada is jabbing the body more this round, Jingliang lands a right over the top of one of those jabs. Left hook from Jingliang lands. Zawada lands a leg kick. Jingliang lands a leg kick of his own but neither man has found a solid blow on the feet this round. Another leg kick from Jingliang, Zawada lands a counter punch this time. Jingliang lands another leg kick. Counter right lands for Jingliang, he’s staying consistent with his offense and is winning this round so far. Jingliang lands a left hook then a leg kick. Straight right lands for Jingliang, Zawada just eats it but he’s wobbled and Jingliang tries to tee off against the fence but the round ends before he can really string anything together.

SCORECARD: 10-9 Jingliang, 19-19 overall

ROUND THREE: Jingliang stalking forward this round, he’s working inside leg kicks. Leg kick from Jingliang, Zawada returns it but Jingliang is throwing those with heat this round. More leg kicks from Jingliang then a high kick that’s blocked. Left lands for Jingliang in close, Zawada is fading a bit now. Another leg kick from Jingliang then a front kick to the body. Zawada lands a bit of a right but Jingliang lands a couple of counters. Jingliang lands another leg kick and Zawada is doing some stance switching now. Zawada is after a single leg, but Jingliang defends and they trade on the break. One two from Jingliang then he jabs the body. Hard side kick to the body from Jingliang locks Zawada up, then he lands punches as Zawada crumples and that prompts the stoppage.

OFFICIAL RESULT: †WINNER – Li Jingliang via TKO, side kick to the body and punches, at 4:07 of Round 3

The Final Round Finish Club thanks Mr. Jingliang for his work this morning. Mic time for Jingliang, he jokes that he’s a legend then puts over MMA and says anything can happen in the cage. He puts over Zawada saying anyone who steps into the cage is a superman, then declines a call out saying he’ll fight anyone since his original opponent for this fight was a top fifteen opponent who got injured.

This isn’t the best angle for the finish and I’ll keep looking. The side kick to the body can be a nasty technique, in this case Jingliang steps into it as Zawada breathes in and hits him straight in the solar plexus with the heel of his foot and the soul of Zawada takes a brief trip out of his body.

Song Yadong is riding a five fight winning streak including two wins in the UFC, now he’s looking for his third in a row in the promotion and hopefully earning a shot at bigger names in the future. Vince Morales is making his UFC debut here on short notice as he’s filling in for Frankie Saenz, but with this particular risk comes the possible reward of taking out a burgeoning prospect and announcing yourself to the UFC audience. Yadong is a -550 favorite to a +400 comeback for Morales.

Bantamweight Bout: Vince Morales (8-2, 136 lbs.) vs. Song Yadong (13-3 2 NC, 136 lbs.)

ROUND ONE: Yadong is an inch taller but the reach goes to Morales by three inches. Morales circling early, Yadong misses a spinning back kick. Yadong is slowly stalking forward, looking to back Morales to the cage. Leg kick from Yadong. Bit of a right from Yadong. Morales lands a couple of hooks, Yadong just waves them off but those landed clean. Another spinning back kick from Yadong then a leg kick. Right from Yadong then a jumping knee that’s partially blocked. Morales lands a left and they both land hooks to the body in close. Yadong lands another leg kick. Another leg kick from Yadong then a bit of a right behind it. Morales keeps showing the lead hand but he’s getting predictable with it. Another calf kick from Yadong lands. Yadong with another spinning back kick to the body then a bit of a right hook. Bit of a right clips Morales the a wheel kick to the face as the round ends.

SCORECARD: 10-9 Yadong

ROUND TWO: Yadong comes out looking to spin again but misses and settles down. Body kick from Yadong lands. They trade left hooks in close then Yadong lands a bit of a right. Both men are throwing but are being blocked so far, Yadong lands a leg kick, Morales lands an uppercut to counter. Yadong lands a leg kick. They split a few jabs. Left to the body from Yadong, Morales responds with a left hook to the head. Spinning elbow from Yadong is mostly blocked. Uppercut and a left hook from Yadong then a leg kick. Bit of a counter right from Morales lands. Another leg kick from Yadong lands. Yadong’s pressure is nice, Morales is a little out of sorts. Right from Yadong lands. Left hook from Yadong in close lands, he’s reading the offense of Morales and countering after he misses.

SCORECARD: 10-9 Yadong, 20-18 Yadong overall

ROUND THREE: Both men still moving well into the third round. A few jabs from Yadong land and he avoids the counters. Inside leg kick then a right land for Yadong, he’s coming on strong despite likely being ahead on the scores. Double leg from Yadong and he gets Morales down quickly. Morales is selling out for a kimura attempt, bad idea as Yadong is threatening to spin to his back and Morales bails to get full guard. Yadong moves to half guard, then towards full mount but he got too anxious on that last pass and Morales is able to scoot out the back door and regain his feet though Yadong still has a clinch. Knees from Yadong land to the body and he’s after a double leg. Yadong turns the corner and gets the double leg but Morales is threatening with wrist control to get a triangle position. Yadong gets his wrist back and lands an elbow as Morales settles for full guard. Morales uses butter fly hooks to elevate Yadong then tries for a knee bar but can’t scramble and Yadong elbows him and gets top position back. Morales kicks Yadong off of him and this time regains his feet. They’re trading jabs now, some quick hooks from Morales including a right. Yadong pushes forward and they’re starting to brawl a bit before a brief clinch. They trade rights, Morales is trying to get a brawl for the last seconds but he wont get a finish before the clock runs down.

SCORECARD: 10-9 Yadong but could go either way, 30-27 Yadong overall

OFFICIAL RESULT: †WINNER – Song Yadong via unanimous decision (30-27 x3)

Decent enough bantamweight fight. Yadong gets an interview, and says he feels he’s just playing around in the cage as it’s fun for him. He puts over Morales as tough and mobile then laments his lack of finish. He wants to reduce his weakness going forward and vows to work on all the aspects of MMA before thanking his coaches.

Alistair Overeem is one of the premier heavyweight combat sports athletes being a former champion in kick boxing as well as multiple MMA promotions but his career is likely winding down now. Overeem has lost his last two fights, his first losing streak in five years, and was finished violently in both of them. Now Overeem seems to be searching more for a few feel good wins to retire on than returning to title contention. Sergei Pavlovich is undefeated and making his UFC debut here, he’s got a chance to make an immediate impact by taking out a former title challenger and recognizable heavyweight in Overeem. Pavlovich is a surprising -140 favorite against a +110 comeback on Overeem.

Heavyweight Bout: #6 Alistair Overeem (43-17 1 NC, 247 lbs.) vs. Sergei Pavlovich (12-0, 257 lbs.)

ROUND ONE: Overeem is an inch taller but Pavlovich has four inches of reach advantage and is a whopping twelve years younger than Overeem. They touch gloves to get us going. Some circling to start, Pavlovich working his lead leg offensively early. A bit of lead hand work from Pavlovich now. Left hook from Pavlovich lands then an overhand right. Overeem misses a right and tries for a Thai clinch but can’t get anything off of it. They clinch up and Overeem gets Pavlovich on the fence. They trade some knees then Pavlovich tries a takedown, Overeem blocks it and they trade more knees. More knees are traded as they jockey for position. Another double leg attempt from Pavlovich is unsuccessful but he lands a left hook as they break once Overeem defended. They trade rights, Overeem gets a trip from a Thai clinch and is on top of Pavlovich, well standing over him looking to land offense. Overeem decides to move into Pavlovich’s guard and start working from there. Bit of a right from Overeem and he stands again, looking to pass and moves to side control then lands a series of rights. Pavlovich just covers up and Overeem keeps hammering him until the ref steps in.

OFFICIAL RESULT: †WINNER – Alistair Overeem via TKO, hammer fists, at 4:31 of Round 1

The First Round Finish Club thanks Mr. Overeem for his work this morning. Mic time for Overeem who say’s he’s back thanks to the hard work of his new team then walks away from the interview. That’s the first first round finish for Overeem in about five years.

Once Overeem got around the guard Pavlovich was in serious trouble, a few accurate punches with all of his weight behind them were enough to end this one.

Francis Ngannou was looking like the next big thing at heavyweight, but a loss in his title fight with then champion Stipe Miocic followed up by a loss to Derrick Lewis in one of the worst heavyweight fights ever have cooled his stock significantly. Ngannou needs a win badly here if he’s ever going to work back into the title picture. Curtis Blaydes has only lost once, to Francis Ngannou in 2016, now he’s on a four fight winning streak and is looking for revenge. A win would also all but guarantee Blaydes a title shot going forward once the Cormier vs. Lesnar side show takes place. Blaydes is your -240 favorite to a +190 comeback on Ngannou.

Heavyweight Bout: #3 Curtis Blaydes (10-1 1 NC, 260 lbs.) vs. #4 Francis Ngannou (11-3, 254 lbs.)

ROUND ONE: These two are the same height while Ngannou has three inches of reach on Blaydes. They touch gloves to get us going. Leg kick from Ngannou lands. Blaydes tries a bad entry into a takedown and Ngannou shucks him off. Ngannou lands a right that floors Blaydes, he keeps hitting Blaydes as Blaydes gets up, keeps hitting him until Blaydes drops to his knees, keeps hitting him from there until the ref stops the fight.

OFFICIAL RESULT: †WINNER – Francis Ngannou via TKO, punches, at :45 of Round 1

The First Round Finish Club thanks Mr. Ngannou for his work this morning. Mic time for Ngannou who says this feels like finally breaking his head above water and says he’s back. He says 2018 was a hard year for him and he had to grow from the experiences but feels he’s learned more from this last year than the rest of his career. He talks us through the finish and says all he was worried about was doing stuff, references his last fight as a bad fight and says he was focused on putting on a show for the fans after he promised them one. Asked who he’d like next he says Junior dos Santos owes him a fight or Alexander Volkov, or a rematch with Miocic as he wants that one back. He puts over Beijing as a city to close the interview.

Here’s the finish. For all of his faults, and they certainly exist, Ngannou hits really hard and in this instance Blaydes doesn’t get far enough behind his shoulder (or just out of the way) and then Ngannou never lets him recover after he face planted that first time.

Blaydes wasn’t happy with that stoppage but I’m OK with it.

That wraps up UFC Fight Night 141, thankfully the top two fights ended quickly if nothing else. The rest of the card was just kind of there, a few important moments but not a whole lot that really catches your attention or imagination. At least the whole event only lasted a little over five hours instead of the usual over six hours, so let’s all be thankful for Fight Pass pacing. At least those of us in the USA who had Thanksgiving a couple of days ago, I know you Canadians had it back in October.

This Sunday we’ll be reviewing this event on the 411 Ground and Pound Radio Show plus a double preview as next Friday we have the finale of the current season of The Ultimate Fighter, I can’t say I’m looking forward to that as those TUF finale’s have the worst pacing of any UFC event, as well as a preview for Saturday’s UFC Fight Night 142 when the UFC returns to Australia for Junior dos Santos vs. Tai Tuivasa. So tune in for our preview of both of those events, and of course I’ll have coverage of both of those events so I hope you’ll be back for those.

Until then everyone thanks for reading, be that live or after the fact, stay safe out there and keep checking 411mania for all of your pop culture needs.

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