mma / Reports

411’s UFC 283 Report: Hill Claims Gold

January 22, 2023 | Posted by Robert Winfree
UFC 283 Image Credit: UFC

MAIN CARD (Pay-per-view, 10 p.m. ET)
#2 Glover Teixeira (205 lbs.) vs. #7 Jamahal Hill (204.5 lbs.) – for vacant light heavyweight title
(c) Deiveson Figueiredo (125 lbs.) vs. (ic) Brandon Moreno (125 lbs.) – for flyweight title
#5 Gilbert Burns (170 lbs.) vs. #12 Neil Magny (171 lbs.)
#6 Jessica Andrade (125 lbs.) vs. #4 Lauren Murphy (125.5 lbs.)
#9 Paul Craig (205 lbs.) vs. #12 Johnny Walker (205 lbs.)

PRELIMINARY CARD (ABC, 8 p.m. ET)
Ihor Potieria (205 lbs.) vs. Mauricio Rua (205 lbs.)
Brunno Ferreira (185 lbs.) vs. Gregory Rodrigues (186 lbs.)
Melquizael Costa (155 lbs.) vs. Thiago Moises (155.5 lbs.)
Gabriel Bonfim (171 lbs.) vs. Mounir Lazzez (170.5 lbs.)

PRELIMINARY CARD (ESPN+, 5:30 p.m. ET)
#15 Shamil Abdurakhimov (263 lbs.) vs. Jailton Almeida (232 lbs.)
Luan Lacerda (136 lbs.) vs. Cody Stamann (135 lbs.)
Ismael Bonfim (156 lbs.) vs. Terrance McKinney (156 lbs.)
Warlley Alves (171 lbs.) vs. Nicolas Dalby (170 lbs.)
Zarah Fairn (146 lbs.) vs. Josiane Nunes (145.5 lbs.)
Daniel Marcos (136 lbs.) vs. Saimon Oliveira (136 lbs.)

Hello everyone and welcome to 411mania’s LIVE coverage of UFC 283, I’m Robert Winfree and I’ll be your host. Tonight marks the UFC’s first PPV of 2023, and their first trip to Brazil since the crowdless show in 2020 right before the pandemic shut everything down. They’ve brought a big card of 15 fights and crammed it with Brazilian talent. The main event might turn into another comedy of errors as we’ve got a fight for the still vacant light heavyweight title. Last month Jan Blachowicz and Magomed Ankalaev fought to a split draw for the vacant title, leaving it still vacant and the UFC quickly put together former champion Glover Teixeira vs. the closest available light heavyweight in the rankings Jamahal Hill. For those of us who don’t mind laughing at the world burning, more shenanigans around this title would be hilarious. The co-main event is a bit of history, the first quadrilogy in UFC history when flyweight champion Deiveson Figueiredo fights interim champion Brandon Moreno. These two are 1-1-1 through three fights, a draw in the first fight followed with them splitting the next two fights leading to this one, and they’ve only turned in quality fights so let’s hope this one is no different. The rest of the card is a little odd on paper, but you’ve got a potentially relevant flyweight fight between Jessica Andrade and Lauren Murphy that might position a future challenger to the title, and Neil Magny going for a career best win against Gilbert Burns might be fun. On the prelims we’ve got the alleged final fight in the legendary career of former light heavyweight champion and PRIDE Grand Prix winner Mauricio “Shogun” Rua, and getting one final win in your home country at this stage is about as good an exit as he’s likely to get. Gregor Rodrigues is back in action, Jailton Almeida looks to continue to impress with another heavyweight win, and Nicolas Dalby taking on Warlley Alves has some decent potential. Hopefully we get some decent fights here, there’s 15 of them so the odds are somewhat in our favor.

UFC 283 comes to the world from the Jeunesse Arena in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. Jon Anik, Daniel Cormier, and Paul Felder will be on commentary. Not a bad team, though I’ve soured a lot on Cormier’s general commentary lately. Megan Olivi will be doing the roving reporter bit. As for the rules, it’s been way too long since they’ve been in Brazil but I think they use most of the newer rules though I’m not sure at all about the rules on Instant Replay, though I’ll update this if the issue is addressed on the broadcast. Do keep in mind that we’re in the bigger 30 foot Octagon tonight.

Saimon Oliveira dropped his UFC debut about a year ago which snapped a five fight winning streak, now he’s back in action and looking to secure that all important first UFC win. Daniel Marcos is undefeated coming into his UFC debut, he was last seen winning a few months back on the Contender Series, now he’s looking to make a good first impression in his UFC debut. The odds lean towards Oliveira at -145 to +125 for Marcos.

Bantamweight Bout: Daniel Marcos (13-0, 136 lbs.) vs. Saimon Oliveira (18-4, 136 lbs.)

ROUND ONE: Marcos is three inches taller but Oliveira has three inches of reach advantage. They touch gloves to get us going. Oliveira misses a left hook. Front kick from Marcos partially lands to the face. Oliveira lands a leg kick. Marcos defends a poor takedown attempt and they wind up clinched on the fence. After a bit Marcos gets Oliveira on the fence and lands some knees. More positional jockeying then Marcos lands a knee and gets free. Body kick from Marcos, then a calf kick behind it. Oliveira reaches for a single leg, easily defended by Marcos. Now Oliveira forces a clinch, but Marcos gets free. Oliveira lands a leg kick. Marcos lands a right hand, he’s pressuring forward. Body shot from Marcos then a jab. Oliveira with a flying knee attempt into another clinch. Marcos lands a knee then an elbow. Some more knees go back and forth but Marcos seems to be landing better. They break then Marcos has a kick blocked. Glancing right from Marcos. Oliveira spins but doesn’t do anything, he’s getting desperate. Marcos lands a few punches along the fence then they clinch again. Oliveira tries a takedown, but Marcos lands a knee then an elbow and they stand off to close the round.

SCORECARD: 10-9 Marcos

ROUND TWO: Oliveira comes out with some leg kicks, then slips while spinning and Marcos crushes him with a body kick. Marcos keeps coming forward, he checks a leg kick. They trade leg kicks. Body shot from Marcos, Oliveira is still hurt to the body. Left hook then a head kick from Marcos, he looks to unload and Oliveira tries to clinch. Knee from Marcos then he breaks free. Marcos lands a left to the body. Bit of a right from Marcos. Front kick from Marcos, he’s just killing Oliveira with body work. Hard body kick from Marcos, then another body shot crumples Oliveira and we’re done here as the ref steps in.

OFFICIAL RESULT: †WINNER – Daniel Marcos via TKO, knee to the body and punches, at 2:18 of Round 2

Really good debut for Marcos, he looked pretty sharp everywhere. Marcos and the translator get an interview, he says this is a lot of hard work but he’s here to represent the people of Latin America. He talks us through the finish and calls this the culmination of his work, then asks for a post fight bonus.

Here’s the finish. Some really well placed and timed knees from Marcos, once again body work pays off but it requires investment and commitment. Again though, Marcos looked darn good.

Josiane Nunes is on an eight fight winning streak that includes two wins in the UFC, now she’s looking to get another one here and start setting her sights on ranked opposition going forward. Zarah Fairn has gone 0-2 in the UFC but she’s also had three fights fall out since her last outing almost three years ago, now she’s in pretty desperate need of that first UFC win. Nunes is a heavy -560 favorite against a +430 comeback on Fairn.

Women’s Featherweight Bout: Zarah Fairn (6-4, 146 lbs.) vs. Josiane Nunes (9-1, 145.5 lbs.)

ROUND ONE: Fairn is a significant six inches taller with five of reach advantage. Southpaw for Nunes, and they touch gloves. Fairn lands an inside leg kick and a flurry behind it. They trade power hand punches but the range of Fairn is troubling Nunes early. Body kick from Fairn then a couple of uppercuts. Knee from Fairn connects. Nunes starts coming forward but she’s struggling to find the target. Fairn lands an inside leg kick then an uppercut. Another inside leg kick from Fairn. Nunes tries to flurry but Fairn backs her off with knees then a body kick. One twos from Fairn then some uppercuts and an elbow. Nunes tries to bull forward but she can’t corral Fairn. Bit of a head kick form Fairn. Nunes tires a clinch, Fairn gets free and lands a knee to the body then a couple of uppercuts. They trade in close, Fairn is landing more and better thus far. Cormier has now thoroughly confused which fighter is which, cream of the crop that guy. Nunes lands a left hand, but eats a couple of counters. The right eye of Nunes is a mess. Fairn lands an inside leg kick then a knee. Nunes misses some punches. Fairn might have punched herself out now as Nunes keeps stalking forward. They clinch up on the fence and things seem to stall out. Bit of a right hook from Nunes on the break. Inside leg kick from Fairn. A few jabs from Fairn then a body kick. Nunes misses a left hand. They just stare away the final seconds.

SCORECARD: 10-9 Fairn

ROUND TWO: Nunes tries to come forward again, Fairn lands a jab. Some more jabs from Fairn. Nunes tries to bull forward, she lands a left to the body. Nunes keeps dipping her head to her own left, if Fairn times a high kick with that attack she’ll end Nunes. Bit of a leg kick from Fairn. Neither woman is good at throwing with their opponent, so the high kicks from Fairn aren’t going to be timed properly. Bit of a flurry from Nunes. One two from Fairn but she’s visibly fatigued. Fairn lands a right hand. Nunes lands a left to the body and forces a clinch. They break and Fairn lands a couple of punches. Fairn might have found her second wind, she fires a few punches, then Nunes forces a clinch. They fight for position on the fence, bit of an elbow from Nunes. They break and Fairn lands a bit of a right hand. One two from Fairn then an uppercut. Knee from Fairn, Nunes then fires back with a flurry of punches as the round ends.

SCORECARD: 10-9 Nunes, 19-19 overall

ROUND THREE: Nunes eats a few punches and tries a clinch. Fairn quickly gets free and lands a few punches. Some more jabs from Fairn, she’s started to keep things longer now again. Nunes misses a few lefts. Some more jabs from Fairn then an inside leg kick. Long range punches from Fairn. Nunes with a bit of a left but she can’t get close for any length of time. Bit of a body shot from Nunes. Fairn lands a right hand. Knee from Fairn. Nunes lands a left hand, and looks to unload with a flurry against the fence. Fairn blocks a few punches and lands a body shot but she’s on the back foot now. Nunes has punches blocked for a while. Lunging left from Nunes. Fairn has punches blocked. Bit of a jab from Fairn. Nunes tries a flurry, mostly blocked. Fairn lands a knee to the head but doesn’t follow up. Nunes blocks some punches. Fairn lands a few long punches. Nunes lands a left hook in close and forces a clinch. They break as Nunes misses a right. Fairn lands a front kick. A final right hand from Fairn closes the round.

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

OFFICIAL RESULT: †WINNER – Josiane Nunes via unanimous decision (29-28 x3)

Not sure why the UFC keeps pretending women’s featherweight is a division for them, it’s not.

Warlley Alves has been with the UFC since 2014 but he’s been trading wins and losses for his last six fights and he’s been out of action since June of 2021, Alves is coming off of a loss and is now trying to avoid his first losing streak since 2016. Nicolas Dalby has gone 2-1 with 1 No Contest since returning to the UFC in 2019, he’s coming off of a win though and is trying to build another winning streak. This one is close but the odds tilt towards Alves at -130 to +110 for Dalby.

Welterweight Bout: Warlley Alves (14-5, 171 lbs.) vs. Nicolas Dalby (20-4-1 2 NC, 170 lbs.)

ROUND ONE: These two are the same height while Dalby has two and a half inches of reach advantage. No touch of gloves. Both men probe with leg kicks to get us going. Alves with a few punches. Dalby lands a body kick then Alves slips and they wind up clinched on the fence. Some knees from Dalby as they fight for position. Dalby with a few more knees as he gets Alves on the fence, he’s going to the body and leg pretty consistently. Elbows are traded then they break. Alves lands a body kick. Bit of a right from Dalby. Dalby lands a left to the body. Alves fires a leg kick. Leg kick from Dalby. Alves has already started getting flat on his feet. Dalby lands a right hand. Bit of a combination from Dalby then he blocks a body kick. There’s a small cut on the right eyebrow of Dalby. Some stance switching from Dalby now as he’s getting more and more comfortable. They clinch up and hit the fence, Dalby immediately goes to landing knees to the body again. Bit of an elbow, then a few rights from Dalby as they break. Dalby lands a body kick. One two from Dalby then a body kick, that’ll basically close the round.

SCORECARD: 10-9 Dalby

ROUND TWO: Alves lands a front kick to start the second round. Dalby lands a leg kick. Both men land punches in close. Alves was complaining about his right eye between rounds, he’s guarding it visibly here. They clinch, Alves tries a takedown but Dalby counters, Alves then manages to sweep into top position. Dalby looks for a kimura, not much going on there. Some elbows and punches from Dalby off of his back. Dalby forces a scramble and resets on the feet. Some punches from Dalby then a body kick. Alves is looking a little unsteady on his feet, the fatigue factor is real. Dalby lands an elbow then forces a clinch to the fence. Some more knees from Dalby before they break. Alves misses a right hook. Leg kick from Dalby. They trade rights in close. Both men land rights again. Alves lands an inside leg kick, but Dalby fires back with a couple of body kicks. Knee from Dalby then he avoids a spinning back fist. Leg kick from Dalby. Dalby lands a side kick to the body. Some jabs from Dalby land, then a leg kick. Alves avoids a head kick but he’s falling behind on the activity. We get a time out as Dalby took a finger to the eye. Replay confirms the eye poke, but Dalby is back to action after about 30 seconds, though nothing happens before the round ends.

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

ROUND THREE: The right eye of Alves is swelling up, and he blew his nose between rounds which is a big no no in that situation. Alves rushes forward and lands a right hand. Dalby fires back and both men swing in close. Alves has some energy at the moment, we’ll see how long that lasts. Some rights from Alves in close but Dalby gets a clinch and forces Alves on the fence. Knees from Dalby in the clinch. They break without incident. Dalby lands a left to the body then a body kick. Alves has gone back to being flat now. Dalby with a head kick that’s partially blocked. Alves lands a right hand in close and forces a clinch. Dalby spins Alves into the cage and works some knees. More knees from Dalby then he lands a right hand as they break. Alves lands a right but he eats a series of counters. One two from Dalby. Dalby lands a body shot. Body kick from Alves then a right hand. Alves blocks a high kick. Dalby avoids a flurry of strikes. Both men land punches in close, Dalby’s activity is still a problem for Alves. Alves lands a right hand. Body kick from Dalby, then Alves misses a flying attack. One two from Dalby again. Another one two from Dalby. Stiff jab from Dalby lands. Alves falls short on a few punches then they clinch again. Credit to the cardio of Alves, he’s holding up well this round. Dalby slips to the back briefly, then Alves gets chest to chest again. They break, Dalby lands a right hand and they trade one final time to end the round.

SCORECARD: 10-9 Alves but probably the closest round, 29-28 Dalby overall

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

No issues with the split, the second round was relatively close while one and three were pretty clear. No interview for the winner.

Terrance McKinney has gone 3-1 in the UFC, he’s coming off of a win and is trying to build another UFC winning streak and get his year off on the right foot. Ismael Bonfim is on a 12 fight winning streak and was last bested by Renato Moicano way back in 2014, now he’s making his UFC debut and will be looking to make a good first impression on the audience. Another close one here but McKinney closed as the -115 to -105 on Bonfim.

Lightweight Bout: Ismael Bonfim (18-3, 156 lbs.) vs. Terrance McKinney (13-4, 156 lbs.)

ROUND ONE: McKinney has two inches of height and reach over Bonfim. They touch gloves to get us going. Southpaw for McKinney, he fires some body kicks early. Knee from McKinney. Both men have punches deflected. Bit of a front kick from McKinney. Bonfim avoids a punch and lands a left hand. Bonfim tries a takedown, they scramble to the fence and McKinney has Bonfim on the fence. They fight for position, with a few knees going back and forth along the way. They break without incident. Bonfim off balances McKinney with a right hand, but they wind up clinched again. Some positional jockeying, then McKinney slips to the back and pulls things to the mat. Bonfim fires a few elbows, then spins into top position as McKinney tries a guillotine then bails on it to wall walk. They’re still clinched and Bonfim trips McKinney down but McKinney hits a switch to restart the scramble. Bit of a head kick from Bonfim but he slips and McKinney gets on top. They’ll end the round in that position.

SCORECARD: 10-9 Bonfim

ROUND TWO: Bit of a right from Bonfim to start the round. Bonfim with some punches in close, then a knee and McKinney tries a takedown but Bonfim defends. McKinney lands a left hook, he’s gone orthodox now. Back to southpaw for McKinney but Bonfim is keeping him against the fence and is looking to unload when McKinney gives him a shot. Bonfim lands a left to the body then a right hand. McKinney lands a jab. Bonfim slips a right hand and lands a left to the body. Stiff jab from Bonfim. Hard couple of punches from Bonfim, then a flying knee that ENDS McKinney.

OFFICIAL RESULT: †WINNER – Ismael Bonfim via KO, flying knee, at 2:17 of Round 2

Heck of a debut there for Bonfim. Mic time for the winner and the translator, he knew he’d get the win and says he’s here. He talks us through the finish, and puts over his coaches for getting him ready. To close he wants a post fight bonus. I’d say he’s got a good chance for getting one with that finish.

Here’s the finish. Incredibly well timed and well placed shot from Bonfim, McKinney ducks his head expecting the right knee but Bonfim switches it up and drives that left knee right behind the jaw of McKinney and shuts him off.

Luan Lacerda is on a 10 fight winning streak coming into his UFC debut, he’s looking to extend that streak here and make an immediate impact with a win over a proven UFC caliber fighter. Cody Stamann has been a bit up and down in the UFC, going 6-4-1 in the promotion but he’s coming off of maybe his best physical performance when he knocked out Eddie Wineland in the first round. Stamann is trying to build his first UFC winning streak since 2018 and make a move back towards ranked opposition. The odds are pretty firmly with Stamann at -360 to a slightly tempting value payout of +295 on Lacerda.

Bantamweight Bout: Luan Lacerda (12-1, 136 lbs.) vs. Cody Stamann (20-5-1, 135 lbs.)

ROUND ONE: Lacerda is half an inch taller but has a whopping seven inches of reach advantage. Some long range kicks from Lacerda, both men just taking their time right now. Stamann lands a left hand. A lot of stance switching from Stamann as he looks to counter. Lacerda lands a body kick. Another body kick from Lacerda. Stamann lands a leg kick. Some jabs from Stamann then a right hand is blocked. Bit of a combination from Stamann. Both men have some punches deflected. Lacerda lands a body kick. Some jabs from Stamann get through the guard of Lacerda, but those body kicks are making Stamann’s life difficult. Stamann avoids a single leg with ease. More jabs from Stamann. In general Stamann is struggling to navitage the kicks of Lacerda. A lot of forward pressure from Lacerda, he lands a body kick. Stamann lands a couple of punches in close. Body shots from Stamann in close, when he does get into the pocket he’s quite effective. Lacerda lands a body kick. Body jab then a right hand from Stamann. Stamann hits the body again, he seems to have figured some things out now and avoids some kicks as the round ends.

SCORECARD: 10-9 Lacerda

ROUND TWO: Stamann lands an inside leg kick, he’s still very mobile as the round gets going. Lacerda has a kick blocked. Double jab then a calf kick and a body kick from Stamann, his counter game is starting to work. Bit of a right from Stamann. Body shot from Lacerda but Stamann lands a couple of counters. They trade in close, Stamann still working body to head punches. They trade body shots in close. Hard right from Stamann. Stamann slips a punch and lands a counter. Stamann catches a kick, he off balances Lacerda but lets him up. A couple of more body shots from Stamann. Inside leg kick from Stamann. More lead hand work from Stamann. Lacerda misses a few kicks, then eats a counter left hand. More body shots from Stamann in close, he’s moving and slipping well thus far. Stamann catches a kick and lands a punch. Lacerda misses a one two. Body to head jabs from Stamann. Stamann hits the body again, then lands a left hook. Bit of a left hook from Stamann, then a right to the body. Lacerda comes forward and lands a right to the body. Stamann avoids some punches against the fence, then lands an uppercut. A few more body shots from Stamann. Both men land punches in close as the round ends.

SCORECARD: 10-9 Stamann, 19-19 overall

ROUND THREE: Stamann gets right back to moving and hitting. Lacerda misses a kick. Stamann avoids some punches but doesn’t fire a counter. Stamann lands a leg kick. It occurs to me that Stamann might think he won the first round, and I’m not saying there’s no case for him but that’s not an assumption I’d make, I’d make sure to win this round. Leg kick from Stamann, Lacerda gets a takedown but Stamann bounces right back up. Another double leg from Lacerda, this time into half guard. Stamann off balances Lacerda, he looks to wall walk and Lacerda grabs a front headlock for control. There might be a guillotine attack from Lacerda but he’s not selling out for it. Stamann fights to his feet, he then slips free and lands a couple of body shots. Left hook from Stamann. Someone’s about to be very disappointed in the decision if they keep this inactivity. A few jabs from Stamann. Lacerda fires a few body kicks, those didn’t look fun. Stamann lands a left hook. Yeah, I’d bet Stamann thinks he’s up 2-0 going into this round because he’s not fighting to win the round. Stamann lands a left to the body. Lacerda fires a few front kicks as the round ends.

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

OFFICIAL RESULT: †WINNER – Cody Stamann via unanimous decision (29-28 x3)

I’m a little surprised that was unanimous, but again there’s a real case for him in the first so I’m hardly up in arms. No interview for Stamann.

Shamil Abdurakhimov has been with the UFC since 2015 and has been a decent addition to the division for most of that time, but he’s currently on a three fight losing streak and needs a win here just for a little job security. Jailton Almeida is on a 12 fight winning streak including three wins in the UFC which have seen him grow in stature as a prospect of note, now he takes on a ranked opponent and looks to further solidify himself as the next big thing in the division. Almeida is the biggest favorite on the card at a whopping -975 while Abdurakhimov’s underdog status sits at +675.

Heavyweight Bout: #15 Shamil Abdurakhimov (20-7, 263 lbs.) vs. Jailton Almeida (17-2, 232 lbs.)

ROUND ONE: These two are the same height while Almeida has three inches of reach advantage, he’s also a full decade younger while Abdurakhimov is 30 pounds heavier. Abdurakhimov lands a right hand but Almeida responds with an elevated double leg slam. Abdurakhimov wall walks into the clinch, Almeida is nearly on his back. Outside trip from Almeida into half guard and he gets back to work. Abdurakhimov is trying to start a get up but Almeida is able to ride him and improve position to full mount. Abdurakhimov pushes him off and moves to his knees but Almeida gets his back with both hooks in and starts looking for the choke. Almeida looks to come up on full mount as Abdurakhimov defends, yeah Almeida is on top again. Some wrist control from Almeida now and he lands a right hand. Abdurakhimov is looking for a wall walk, but Almeida moves back to full mount and lands an elbow. Almeida wont be dislodged this time, but he’s not mounting much offense yet, he’s happy to flow and wear down Abdurakhimov. Another elbow from Almeida. Almeida to the ride position, then back to full mount, he’s just riding incredibly well. Almeida postures up and lands some punches and hammer fists. Arm triangle attempt from Almeida but Abdurakhimov defends though he’s still mounted. Almeida lands an elbow, then another one. More elbows from Almeida, but Abdurakhimov is going to defend himself just enough to see the end of the round.

SCORECARD: 10-8 Almeida

ROUND TWO: Almeida lands a hard calf kick, Abdurakhimov didn’t like that one. Double leg from Almeida, and he gets it against the fence. Almeida mounts the legs right away and moves to full mount. Abdurakhimov tries to roll, Almeida moves to the back and lands some short punches from the ride position. A hard series of lefts from Almeida, then rights and Abdurakhimov isn’t doing much defensively. Abdurakhimov tries to wall walk but Almeida forces him back down and keeps landing punches. Leg drag from Almeida and he lands an elbow. Abdurakhimov tries to scoot to the fence, then to his knees and he’s up to his base but Almeida is on his back in the clinch and forces him back down. Back mount for Almeida again, and he lands more punches while getting his hooks in. There’s no defense from Abdurakhimov, and Almeida just lands some punches until the ref stops it.

OFFICIAL RESULT: †WINNER – Jailton Almeida via TKO, punches, at 2:56 of Round 2

About as one sided as expected. Mic time for Almeida and the translator, he plays with the crowd and thanks all of his friends and family here to attend the fight. He talks us through the finish and notes he trained a ton of grappling for this one. Asked about the future he wants anyone who wants to come get it.

Well that’s it for the early prelims, the rest of the prelim card will be on ESPN and/or ABC if you don’t want to keep watching on ESPN+.

Mounir Lazzez has gone 2-1 in the UFC but he is coming off of a win and now looks to build his first UFC winning streak. Gabriel Bonfim is undefeated coming into his UFC debut with most of those coming by way of finish from what I could find, now he’s looking to impress in his UFC debut and remain perfect with another win. Bonfim is your favorite here at -165 to a +140 comeback on Lazzez.

Welterweight Bout: Gabriel Bonfim (13-0, 171 lbs.) vs. Mounir Lazzez (11-2, 170.5 lbs.)

ROUND ONE: These two are the same height while Lazzez has three and a half inches of reach advantage. Lazzez lands a body kick to start, then another one as Bonfim swings some wild punches. Bonfim is swinging hard but he’s not landing yet. Knee from Lazzez. They trade in close. Bonfim grabs a guillotine, rolls to mount with it and Lazzez has to tap.

OFFICIAL RESULT: †WINNER – Gabriel Bonfim via Submission, guillotine choke, at :49 of Round 1

The First Round Finish Club thanks Mr. Bonfim for his work this evening. Mic time for Bonfim and the translator, he gives glory to God and says he and his brother will become champions and make history as the first brother champions in UFC history. He talks us through the finish, then plays with the crowd to close.

This doesn’t show the quick catch on the takedown, but Bonfim has a good grip and quickly prioritizes rolling through with the choke so even if he loses it he doesn’t get stuck on his back.

Thiago Moises has been with the UFC since 2018 and has done pretty well for himself, only losing to upper level talent during that time. Moises is coming off of a win though and looks to build his second UFC winning streak tonight. Melquizael Costa took this fight on somewhat short notice, replacing Guram Kutateladze but he’s on a two fight winning streak and will be looking to spring an upset here and announce his arrival with an impressive win. The odds are solidly with Moises at -365 to a +300 payout on Costa.

Lightweight Bout: Melquizael Costa (19-5, 155 lbs.) vs. Thiago Moises (16-6, 155.5 lbs.)

ROUND ONE: Costa is an inch taller with half an inch of reach advantage. Southpaw for Costa. Both men probe with some kicks early. Bit of a head kick from Moises. Moises tries a single leg, but Costa is able to defend. Now Moises tries a takedown, Costa defends but they hit the fence in the clinch. A few knees from Moises. Foot sweep from Moises he and he gets on top in full guard. Quick pass to half guard, Costa is trying to get him back into guard and eats a left hand. Moises moves to leg drag, then passes to side control but Costa hip escapes to guard once again. Some short punches from Moises as Costa gets full guard. Costa is able to scramble up but eats a knee before they separate. A few body kicks from Moises. Costa has a head kick blocked. Right hand from Moises lands. Bit of a side kick from Costa, then Moises cracks him with a combination of punches to close the round.

SCORECARD: 10-9 Moises

ROUND TWO: Moises with a pretty quick takedown, but Costa wall walks and separates. Both men get back to kicking at distance. A right hand from Moises stuns Costa for a second. Double leg from Moises and he’s got Costa down into full guard. Some short elbows from Moises land as he’s got Costa stuffed against the fence. An elbow from Moises gets Costa bleeding above the left eyebrow, doesn’t look too bad but it’s definitely bleeding. Costa tries a kimura sweep, but Moises defends and retains top position then lands another few elbows. Those elbows from Moises are a real problem for Costa. Moises moves to the ride position and unloads with punches as Costa forces his way to his feet. Nice takedown from Moises, he just grapevined the base leg and pulled it back to off balance Costa then jumped on the back with a body triangle. Choke attempt from Moises, he can’t get under the chin but he’s got enough of a crank and leverage to force the tap anyway.

OFFICIAL RESULT: †WINNER – Thiago Moises via Submission, rear naked choke, at 4:05 of Round 2

Mic time for Moises and the translator, he plays with the crowd then thanks God for everything and expresses love and gratitude to his wife. He switches to English to put over Costa and thanks him for taking the fight on short notice. Asked about the future he calls out Paddy Pimblett.

Gregory Rodrigues has gone 4-1 in the UFC only dropping a controversial split decision to Armen Petrosyan, he’s on a two fight winning streak and is coming off of a wild fight in September of last year, now he’s looking to get his third win in a row and take aim at some higher ranked opposition. Brunno Ferreira is undefeated, he’s replacing Brad Tavares here but could get the best win of his career if he takes out the burgeoning hype around Rodrigues. Not surprisingly the odds are with Rodrigues pretty heavily at -315 to a +260 comeback for Ferreira.

Middleweight Bout: Brunno Ferreira (9-0, 185 lbs.) vs. Gregory Rodrigues (13-4, 186 lbs.)

ROUND ONE: Rodrigues is five inches taller with three inches of reach advantage. Southpaw for Ferreira, though he’s allegedly a switch stance fighter. Some feinting from both men, nothing much happening yet. Rodrigues lands a right to the body, then a right hand. They trade in close then Rodrigues lands an uppercut and a right to the body. Ferreira is game but at the moment he’s a little behind Rodrigues. Leg kick from Ferreira. Bit of a left hook from Rodrigues in close, then he checks a calf kick. Right hand from Rodrigues. Ferreira tries a single leg, Rodrigues easily shoves him off though. Rodrigues lands a right to the body. Hard calf kick from Ferreira but when he tries to follow up Rodrigues slams him down to the mat and gets the ride position but Ferreira scrambles up quickly and they reset. Ferreira misses a spinning back fist. Rodrigues lands a body shot then a right hand in close. Ferreira lands a jab, he’s doing a lot of stance switching right now. A few punches from Rodrigues. One two from Rodrigues, but he stays still right in front of Ferreira and Ferreira lands a left hook that drops him stiff as a board.

OFFICIAL RESULT: †WINNER – Brunno Ferreira via KO, punch, at 4:13 of Round 1

The First Round Finish Club thanks Mr. Ferreira for his work this evening. Mic time for Ferreira and the translator, he notes he took this fight on about 8 days notice and this means a lot for him and his team to be here and get the win. He talks us through the finish, puts over his team and feels he showed everyone who he is.

Here’s the finish. Rodrigues gets a little flat and stops moving his feet, which sets this up for Ferreira. Also note the step from Ferreira, if the punch is just an arm punch it probably doesn’t do this but with his weight behind it the blow becomes a lot more powerful.

Mauricio Rua is a certified legend of the sport, he’s got a list of accolades that I could spend a long time recounting but at the age of 41 with 41 fights before this one and having made his professional debut 2002 he’s announced that this will be his last fight. Rua is on a two fight losing streak, but could write something of a fairy tale ending if he’s able to get one final win in his native Brazil. Ihor Potieria just had a 15 fight winning streak snapped in his UFC debut when he was stopped by Nicolae Negumereanu, now he’s got a chance to play the villain and notch a win over a legend and send him off into the sunset with a loss. Given their respective ages and general career trends it shouldn’t be surprising that Potieria is the favorite at -200 while that +170 payout on Rua might be a tempting value bet.

Light Heavyweight Bout: Ihor Potieria (18-3, 205 lbs.) vs. Mauricio Rua (27-13-1, 205 lbs.)

ROUND ONE: Potieria is two inches taller while Rua has an inch of reach advantage, Rua is also 15 years older. They touch gloves to get us going, Potieria fighting southpaw. Inside leg kick from Rua. Another inside leg kick from Rua. Potieria avoids a right hand. Inside leg kicks are traded. They get close and Rua lands a cracking left hook that sends Potieria a little off balance. Rua keeps working the leg kicks while looking to get close. Potieria lands a left hand and avoids the counters. Rua pushes forward, looks for a clinch but Potieria slips free. Inside leg kick from Rau. Potieria lands a right hand in close, he’s got Rua on the fence and is looking to press the offense. They clinch up and hit the fence. Some shoulder strokes from Potieria before they break. Rua lands an inside leg kick. Potieria lands a left hand, then takes another leg kick. Short right from Potieria hurts Rua, he follows up and drops Rua off of the fence then gets in the ride and unloads until the ref steps in.

OFFICIAL RESULT: †WINNER – Ihor Potieria via TKO, punches, at 4:05 of Round 1

The First Round Finish Club thanks Mr. Potieria for his work this evening. Mic time for Potieria and his translator, he calls himself the future of the UFC. He talks us through the finish then gives a message of strength to his native Ukraine.

We’ve got enough broadcast time so they give Rua an interview as well. Rua is emotional, he apologizes for not winning and confirms his retirement after 21 years of fighting and 16 in the UFC, then thanks the UFC brass.

Well on that depressing note, the prelims come to an end. On to PPV for the main card.

Paul Craig just had a six fight unbeaten streak snapped when he lost a decision to Volkan Oezdemir, now he’s trying to bounce back and avoid his first losing streak since 2017. Johnny Walker has gone 2-4 in his last six fights but he’s coming off of a win and is trying to build his first winning streak since 2019 here. Walker is your favorite at -190 to a +160 comeback on Craig.

Light Heavyweight Bout: #9 Paul Craig (16-5-1, 205 lbs.) vs. #12 Johnny Walker (19-7, 205 lbs.)

ROUND ONE: Walker is two and a half inches taller with a significant six inches of reach advantage. Some feinting from Craig to start. Walker opens orthodox but he switches all the time. Both men start feinting with kicks. Walker lands a calf kick. Body kick from Craig. Not a lot going on at the moment, just long range probing with kicks. Front kick and a right hand from Walker, Craig is hurt and Walker unloads with some hammer fists to get the stoppage.

OFFICIAL RESULT: †WINNER – Johnny Walker via TKO, punches, at 2:16 of Round 1

The First Round Finish Club thanks Mr. Walker for his work this evening. Mic time for Walker, he plays with the crowd a bit before he talks us through the finish and notes he’s got tons of power in short spaces. Asked about the future he doesn’t care who’s next, this is his division now and jokes he wants to be like Daniel Cormier and get two belts.

We get our first Hall of Fame announcement for 2023, it’s Jose Aldo. Absolute no brainer, the man is an all time great.

Jessica Andrade is a former strawweight champion and has fought for the flyweight title before, she’s been bouncing a bit between the divisions lately but she’s on a two fight winning streak and her only loss at flyweight has been to champion Valentina Shevchenko. If Andrade can get another win here it will position her well for another title shot. Lauren Murphy has been on the right end of a few split decisions that got her to a title shot in 2021, which she lost handily. Murphy got a good win in her last fight, beating Miesha Tate and now looks to take out another former champion and begin making a case for a rematch with Shevchenko. Andrade is a pretty heavy favorite at -490 to Murphy’s +390.

Women’s Flyweight Bout: #6 Jessica Andrade (23-9, 125 lbs.) vs. #4 Lauren Murphy (16-5, 125.5 lbs.)

ROUND ONE: Murphy is three and a half inches taller with five inches of reach advantage, she’s also eight years older. They touch gloves to get us going. Murphy tries to work her lead hand, Andrade lands an inside leg kick. Another few leg kicks from Andrade. Those kicks from Andrade are annoying Murphy thus far. Hard leg kick from Andrade. Leg kick then a left hook from Andrade. Murphy keeps looking to jab but those leg kicks are countering her nicely. Bit of a front kick from Andrade then a calf kick. Murphy walks forward and eats a couple of hooks that leave her a little wobbled. Very patient stuff from Andrade, she lands another leg kick then follows with a left hook. Right hand from Andrade in close then another leg kick. Andrade is just a tank who doesn’t stop coming forward. Murphy lands a right hand. Short right from Andrade in close then another leg kick. Hard calf kick from Andrade. Murphy’s face is swelling up, she’s never worn damage especially well and Andrade is starting to put the power on her. They clinch, Andrade spins away pretty quickly. Andrade lands a calf kick. Bit of a head kick from Andrade then a few punches in close. Andrade is pushing Murphy towards the fence but can’t seem to fully corral her. Left hand from Andrade then a right behind it. A couple more hooks from Andrade, she’s just having her way with Murphy this round. Calf kick then a right hand from Andrade. Murphy is tough but she’s getting chewed up. Hard right hand from Andrade. Murphy tries a takedown, she spins to the back in the clinch but again Andrade spins free and clubs her with punches. The round ends with them trading kicks.

SCORECARD: 10-8 Andrade but a borderline one

ROUND TWO: Andrade opens back up with kicks, including a body kick. Calf kick then a right hand from Andrade. Murphy looks to get her jab going again as she circles. Andrade defends a takedown and lands an uppercut. Inside leg kick then a left hook from Andrade. Murphy lands a few jabs then they trade in close. Andrade keeps showing the left hook, then goes to the body with a right hand. Murphy tries to clinch, Andrade defends. A few inside leg kicks from Andrade, then an uppercut and a left hook as she defends a takedown attempt. More lefts from Andrade, she’s really starting to bludgeon Murphy. Murphy blocks a spinning back fist. Uppercut then a flurry from Andrade, Murphy hangs tough but she’s getting tuned up. Andrade lands a left to the body. Jumping front kick from Andrade partially lands. Leg kick from Andrade. Hard right hook from Andrade lands. Andrade lands a right to counter a spinning attack. More leg kicks and body kicks from Andrade. Murphy tries another takedown, Andrade sprawls away then lands a body kick as they get up. Short rights from Andrade land. Murphy tries another takedown, again Andrade defends. Andrade lands a leg kick. A flurry of punches from Andrade mostly land to end the round. Murphy’s corner might want to stop this one.

SCORECARD: 10-8 Andrade, 20-16 Andrade overall

ROUND THREE: Murphy’s corner is content to send her back out. Andrade lands a calf kick. Bit of a left hook from Andrade then an uppercut. Murphy misses a right hand. Flurry from Andrade and they tie up and trade but Murphy wont go down. Andrade lands an inside leg kick. Bit of a head kick from Andrade, I’m surprised she hasn’t gone to the body more as that’s been successful for her in the past. Left hook from Andrade and a flurry, Murphy lands a right hand before getting away. Inside leg kick from Andrade. Andrade punches into a clinch and they hit the fence. Some knees to the leg from Andrade then she starts working for a single leg and gets it into half guard. Murphy is fishing for a kimura but Andrade pulls free and they reset on the feet. Another inside leg kick from Andrade lands. Hard counter flurry from Andrade. Andrade flurries again, she’s just unloading with hooks now but Murphy wont drop and keeps throwing enough to get the ref to not interfere I guess. Right to the body from Andrade, then a combination along the fence. Hard right hook from Andrade then a leg kick behind it. Flurry from Andrade, she’s just unloading again along the fence. The hell is this ref doing? Andrade lands another leg kick and left hook. Left hook from Andrade then a combination in close. Andrade unloads one final time but the ref is getting paid by the hour I guess and we’ll see the end of the round.

SCORECARD: 10-8 Andrade, 30-24 Andrade overall

OFFICIAL RESULT: †WINNER – Jessica Andrade via unanimous decision (30-26, 30-25 x2)

That was a beating, and an unnecessary one down the stretch. Mic time for Andrade, who has tied Amanda Nunes for most wins in women’s UFC history at 15. She wanted the finish but showed off her technique, thanks the fans and her team and everyone who’s worked with her to get to this point. She thought the fight was going to be stopped a few times, and is happy to have shown off her technique. Asked about what she wants next, she wants a rematch with Zhang Weili for the strawweight title and wants the rematch to be in Brazil since she first fought Zhang in China.

Gilbert Burns is a former title challenger at welterweight, he was in a Fight of the Year candidate in his last fight, now he’s back at it and looking to avoid his first ever losing streak. Neil Magny has been a decent member of the UFC roster dating back to 2013, in fact he’s about to celebrate 10 years in the promotion next month. Magny has been consistent during that time but he’s yet to truly break through against a higher level of opposition, now he’s looking to do so for the first time in his career here against Burns and maybe enter his name into the title picture. Burns is a pretty big favorite at -490 to the +390 of Magny.

Welterweight Bout: #5 Gilbert Burns (20-5, 170 lbs.) vs. #12 Neil Magny (27-9, 171 lbs.)

ROUND ONE: Magny is five inches taller with a whopping nine inches of reach advantage. Both men come out feinting. Some kicks from Magny, he’s range finding and maintaining for the moment. Burns lands a body kick. Some jabs from Burns land. Bit of a right from Burns then a body lock takedown into half guard. Some punches from Burns land and he’s looking to pass right away. Magny looks to set up a wall walk, he eats an elbow for his trouble though. Man the passing of Burns is so pretty, he’s moving around a lot and nearly gets to side control. Bit of a cradle position for Burns now and he lands a few short elbows. Side control for Burns fully now. Some nice shoulder pressure from Burns, he’s looking for mount and gets it. Burns is locking up the arms of Magny, then postures up and lands punches to set up an arm triangle, it’s pretty tight and he gets Magny to tap.

OFFICIAL RESULT: †WINNER – Gilbert Burns via Submission, arm triangle, at 4:15 of Round 1

The First Round Finish Club thanks Mr. Burns for his work this evening. Mic time for Burns, he says this is Brazil and tells everyone running away from him that he’s coming and will become champion. He talks us through the finish, and says the rest of the division isn’t on his level and he’s about to start submitting everyone. Asked who he wants next he wants to be back quick, plans on finishing everyone, then specifically says he’s aiming at Colby Covington.

Brandon Moreno is the current interim flyweight champion and a former full champion, now he’s trying to become a two time champion in the division and finally put Deiveson Figueiredo in his rear view once and for all. Deiveson Figueiredo is the current flyweight champion, the first two time champion in the division’s history, and now looks for a successful title defense here to settle the rivalry with Moreno and continue building his legacy at flyweight. This one is real close and I wouldn’t advise betting on it, but Moreno is a slight -130 favorite to +110 on Figueiredo.

Flyweight Title Bout: (c) Deiveson Figueiredo (21-2-1, 125 lbs.) vs. (ic) Brandon Moreno (20-6-2, 125 lbs.)

ROUND ONE: Moreno has two inches of height and reach advantage. Forward pressure from Figueiredo right away, Moreno hits a double leg into half guard. Things start stalling out right away, Figueiredo is holding a guillotine that’s not that close but it’s controlling Moreno and Moreno isn’t working to do anything. They scramble back up and reset on the feet. Moreno throws an overhand right that’s blocked. Front kick from Figueiredo and he avoids a counter right. Body kick from Moreno. Moreno is the one pressuring forward now, he’s looking to bait a reaction and counter. Left hand from Figueiredo partially lands. Front kick from Figueiredo lands. Bit of a left from Moreno, Figueiredo lands a hard right to the body. They clinch up, but break without incident. Bit of a left from Moreno. Leg kick from Figueiredo. Moreno lands an inside leg kick then avoids a takedown. Body shot from Moreno lands. Double leg from Moreno into full guard. Figueiredo inverts for a leg attack, sweeps into 50/50 guard and cranks a heel hook, the leg is isolated well but Moreno is able to push his body back and get the knee safely out of the bite and the round ends.

SCORECARD: 10-9 Moreno

ROUND TWO: Figueiredo gets back to forward pressure. Moreno fires a kick but Figueiredo catches it and takes him down into full guard. Moreno is able to scramble back up after a bit. Figueiredo keeps up the pressure and they trade in close the Moreno lands a knee. Uppercut from Figueiredo. Moreno lands an inside leg kick. Right hand from Moreno lands. One two from Moreno lands flush. Figueiredo lands a calf kick. Figueiredo lands a head kick, but Moreno just powers through it and starts coming forward. Takedown from Moreno, but Figueiredo sweeps, then they fight up and Figueiredo jumps on a guillotine choke. This one’s pretty tight, but Moreno is able to fight the grip very quickly and gets his head out to wind up on top in full guard. Things are stalling out again. Some elbows to the body from Moreno, then one to the head. Figueiredo fires elbows from his back as the round ends.

SCORECARD: 10-9 Moreno but a very close one, 20-18 Moreno overall

ROUND THREE: Figueiredo gets back to pressuring forward, and lands a right to the body. Bit of a left hook from Figueiredo. Moreno lands a right hand. They clash, then break out of a clinch. Moreno misses a few wide hooks. Moreno lands a left hand, Figueiredo’s eye got hit and Moreno follows up getting on top in full guard. Replay via commentary claims that there was a punch, but there was also a scrape across the eye which probably should have warranted a break. There’s blood around the right eye of Figueiredo, and that thing is swelling up right away, that might end things. Elbow from Moreno. Figueiredo lands an elbow off of his back. Yeah that eye is pretty much shut, they might stop it between rounds. Moreno fires a few punches but can’t pass the guard. We get a replay and yeah, the punch from Moreno just caught Figueiredo in the eye. Moreno postures up and lands a left then passes to side control. Figueiredo squirms around on bottom but can’t get free as the round ends.

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

ROUND FOUR: That right eye of Figueiredo is shut completely, and the doctor comes in between rounds to check on it. Figueiredo can’t see out of that eye and the doctor waves it off, the right call given that the eye was completely shut.

OFFICIAL RESULT: †WINNER and NEW UFC Flyweight Champion – Brandon Moreno via TKO, doctor stoppage, at 5:00 of Round 3

The crowd is very not happy with this, but it was a perfectly legal punch that caused the damage and that eye was completely shut. Mic time for Moreno, he says the fight was hard and he understands the people being unhappy but hopes they understand he’s just a guy trying to feed his family. He talks us through some highlights, noting he wanted to fight smart because he got way too emotional in their last fight. He goes into some Spanish to antagonize the crowd just a bit to close.

Figueiredo gets an interview as well, he takes his gloves off and says it’s time for him to leave the flyweight division, he’s moving up to bantamweight next time. He says it was Moreno’s night, and mostly he hopes there’s no damage to his eye, but he’s really tired of making flyweight and is moving up.

Glover Teixeira is 43 years old, the former light heavyweight champion and in fact is coming off my Fight of the Year for 2022 when he lost that title, now he’s trying to claim the vacant title in a feel good moment as he gets closer towards the end of his career. Jamahal Hill has won his last three fights then was moved from fighting Anthony Smith to this fight after the results of the last vacant title fight, he’s looking for his first UFC title here and to start proving himself at the elite level. Another pretty close on here, but the odds are with the younger Hill at -140 to +120 for Teixeira.

Light Heavyweight Title Bout: #2 Glover Teixeira (33-8, 205 lbs.) vs. #7 Jamahal Hill (11-1 1 NC, 204.5 lbs.)

ROUND ONE: Hill is two inches taller, has three inches of reach advantage, and is 12 years younger. They touch gloves to get us going. Teixeira fakes a takedown. Right hand from Hill. Teixeira with a takedown, he gets to the clinch but can’t finish and Hill lands a few knees before they break. Hill avoids another takedown attempt. Leg kick from Hill, then he blocks a takedown and lands a knee before they separate. Very measured approach from Hill. Hill lands a calf kick. Some stance switching from Hill now. Teixeira lands a left hand. Hill avoids another clinch and lands a front kick to the body. Hard body kick from Hill. They trade punches, then Hill lands a stiff jab. Teixeira lands a jab. Hill lands a combination of punches. Another combination from Hill mostly lands. Bit of a right from Teixeira. Hill lands a couple of body kicks, he’s fighting very well thus far. Teixeira lands a left to the body. Some nice defense from Hill in close then he lands an uppercut. We get a time out as there was a finger to the eye of Hill. Replay confirms the poke but Hill doesn’t take long and we restart. Teixeira reaches for a single leg, but Hill defends and lands a jab. Calf kick from Teixeira, Hill returns it. Bit of a combination from Hill, he’s touching Teixeira a lot. Another leg kick from Hill. Bit of a right from Hill, then Teixeira avoids some punches to close the round.

SCORECARD: 10-9 Hill

ROUND TWO: They touch gloves for the second round. Hill gets back to jabbing and maintaining distance. Teixeira lands a left to the body and barely avoids a right from Hill. Body kick then an inside leg kick from Hill. Hill lands a calf kick then another inside leg kick. Knee from Hill, Teixeira complains of an eye poke and we get another time out. Replay confirms the poke after the knee landed. We’re back to fighting after about 30 seconds. Teixeira lands a calf kick, Hill returns it then lands a front kick. Bit of a head kick from Hill, that wobbles Teixeira. Hill looks to finish along the fence, he lands a series of hard uppercuts but Teixeira fires back and gets him to back off. Knee from Hill then a right hand, Teixeira’s face is a mess. Teixeira lands a right hand of his own then a left hook. There’s a cut under the right eye of Hill now. Head kick from Hill is partially blocked. Hill lands a body kick. Combination from Hill, Teixeira tries a takedown and gets it into half guard. Teixeira moves to side control, Hill looks to start a wall walk but Teixeira moves to mount. Hill scrambles on the bottom and gets full guard back. Teixeira moves to half guard. Hill is able to wall walk and get free. Hill partially lands a head kick then a left hand. Teixeira keeps coming forward, but walks into a right hand. Body kick from Hill. Teixeira lands a left hook. Hill with a right hand while backing up. Both men are bleeding a fair bit now as Hill lands a right hand to close the round.

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

ROUND THREE: They touch gloves to get the round started. Teixeira starts stalking forward again. Single leg from Teixeira, they hit the fence and Hill looks to defend. Hill is able to switch to the clinch and gets Teixeira on the fence. Teixeira’s nose is leaking constantly now as they break. Jabs from Hill in rapid succession. Bit of a left from Teixeira. More jabs from Hill, from either stance. Head kick from Hill wobbles Teixeira, Hill shoves him over and gets on top unloading with hammer fists. Teixeira tries to stand, Hill with some punches while standing over Teixeira. More punches from Hill, Teixeira is in trouble but Hill can’t mount a full flurry to force the stoppage. Hill goes partially into the guard of Teixeira, lands an elbow. Teixeira looks to come up on a single leg and Hill defends then makes Teixeira stand up. Jabs from Hill now, then he defends a takedown attempt. Body kick from Hill, that had to suck. Teixeira starts coming forward, the man just wont stop. Some jabs from Teixeira land. Hill lands a couple of rights. Teixeira blocks a head kick. The left eye of Teixeira is kind of a mess. Hill avoids a few punches. One two from Hill mostly lands. Bit of a right then a left from Teixeira. Teixeira pokes out a few jabs. Body shot from Teixeira. Hill lands a counter right then a knee to the head and another right hand as the round ends.

SCORECARD: 10-8 Hill, 30-26 Hill overall

ROUND FOUR: There’s a really gnarly cut over the right eyebrow of Teixeira, good grief is the doctor not even checking that?! Teixeira’s left eye is swelling and that cut on the right brow of Teixeira is awful. Hill with some body kicks and jabs. Bit of a head kick from Hill. Knee from Hill lands but Teixeira gets a clinch on the fence. Hill pulls free. Teixeira keeps marching forward, and eats a head kick then a couple of punches. More jabs and a right from Hill, this is starting to resemble Teixeira vs. Alex Gustafsson from years ago, and that was a bad one for Teixeira. Hill keeps working jabs and front kicks. Teixeira misses a right hand. Bit of a right from Hill, that one hurt. Teixeira lands a right hand then a left hook behind it. Hill lands a right. Teixeira blocks a head kick. Teixeira’s eyes are bothering him, they might want to stop this because of those cuts. They get close and Teixeira lands a body shot. Hill lands a few jabs while circling. Left hand from Hill then he looks to unload along the fence. Combination from Hill then a knee but Teixeira hangs tough and is still throwing back. They trade hooks in close then Hill lands a knee. Hill still looks to finish, he lands another uppercut and knee but Teixeira wont fall. More knees from Hill to the body and head. Teixeira just wont go away but he can’t see anymore I think. Teixeira lands a body shot but eats a couple of knees then a left hand but the round ends before it goes further. This should be stopped.

SCORECARD: 10-8 Hill but a borderline one, 40-34 Hill overall

ROUND FIVE: Teixeira’s corner is conflicted, but at least the doctor is here to check on Teixeira now. Apparently the doctor says they can continue so we’re going. They hug to start the final round. Hill gets back to jabbing and moving. Takedown attempt from Teixeira, it takes a bit but he does finish it into half guard. Hill looks to sweep but Teixeira moves to side control. Teixeira moves to half guard for greater control I guess. Now Teixeira moves to full mount with about 3 minutes left. Hill slips free and gets on top in half guard. Some short elbows from Hill land, he’s fighting smart at this point to run some clock safely. A few body to head punches from Hill. Hill passes to side control. Teixeira scrambles and they decide to reset on the feet with one minute left. Bit of a head kick from Hill then a front kick. Teixeira misses some punches, his depth perception is all off. Teixeira tries to coax a brawl with seconds left, Hill wont oblige and the clock runs down.

SCORECARD: 10-9 Teixeira, 49-44 Hill overall

OFFICIAL RESULT: †WINNER and NEW UFC Light Heavyweight Champion – Jamahal Hill via unanimous decision (50-44 x3)

Shocked there was only one 10-8 in there officially, but Hill put on the best performance of his career. Hill drops to his knees in tears after the belt is put on him, and Cormier has to go down there with him for the interview. He says getting to this given where he came from is everything, he’s just grateful. Hard work and dedication, accountability, it all matters, all those people who said he couldn’t do it, that he had to win in one round, what do have to say now. Asked about coming from the Contender Series to UFC champion, he says he’s had to fight for everything, and you can do anything if you’re willing to fight for it. He talks us through some highlights, he says the switching and head kicks was done kind of on the fly and puts over Teixeira as being as tough as bricks and calls the fight an honor. Asked about the future he tells everyone coming to come get some, they can all see him now.

Teixeira gets an interview as well, he says Hill was fast and he felt great in the lead up and does some switching between Portuguese and English because he can. He thanks his coaches and team, then leaves his gloves in the cage as he knows he’s too tough for his own good now and has to leave fighting behind. He’s going to focus on coaching, and thinks it was an honor to put down the gloves on the same night that Shogun did. To close he asks the fans to respect Hill as the champion after seeing them throw stuff at Moreno, and he’ll be walking back with Hill. Genuinely touching moment there.

Well, on that note UFC 283 comes to a close. I’ll be breaking down all the action and fallout from this event on the 411 Ground and Pound MMA Podcast. Next week is a blank one for UFC action, but in two weeks we’ll have a very odd start time for UFC on ESPN+ 76 and I’ll be here to cover it. Until then stay safe out there, thank you for reading, and keep checking 411mania for all of your pop culture needs.

More Trending Stories

article topics :

UFC 283, Robert Winfree

More Stories

loading