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411’s UFC 304 Report: Muhammed Wins

July 28, 2024 | Posted by Robert Winfree
UFC 304 Image Credit: UFC

MAIN CARD (Pay-per-view, 10 p.m. ET)
(c) Leon Edwards (170 lbs.) vs. #2 Belal Muhammad (169 lbs.) – for welterweight title
(ic) Tom Aspinall (251 lbs.) vs. #4 Curtis Blaydes (256 lbs.) – for interim heavyweight title
#15 King Green (154.5 lbs.) vs. Paddy Pimblett (156 lbs.)
Christian Leroy Duncan (185 lbs.) vs. Gregory Rodrigues (185 lbs.)
#6 Arnold Allen (145 lbs.) vs. #10 Giga Chikadze (146 lbs.)

PRELIMINARY CARD (ESPN2/ESPN+, 8 p.m. ET)
Daniel Pineda (146 lbs.) vs. Nathaniel Wood (145 lbs.)
Bruna Brasil (116 lbs.) vs. Molly McCann (116 lbs.)
Jake Hadley (137 lbs.)* vs. Caolan Loughran (136 lbs.)
#8 Manel Kape (125.5 lbs.) vs. #6 Muhammad Mokaev (126 lbs.)

PRELIMINARY CARD (ESPN+, 6 p.m. ET)
Oban Elliott (170 lbs.) vs. Preston Parsons (169 lbs.)
Modestas Bukauskas (204 lbs.) vs. Marcin Prachnio (205 lbs.)
Kiefer Crosbie (171 lbs.) vs. Sam Patterson (170 lbs.)
Lukasz Brzeski (235 lbs.) vs. Mick Parkin (264 lbs.)
Alice Ardelean (116 lbs.) vs. Shauna Bannon (115 lbs.)

Hello everyone and welcome to 411mania’s LIVE coverage of UFC 304, I’m Robert Winfree and I’ll be your host for the event. We’re back on PPV after several weeks of lackluster Fight Night cards we’ve finally got something that’s pretty solid on paper. The main event is a necessary welterweight title fight even if it’s not jumping off the page at people Leon Edwards vs. Belal Muhammad is the champion and most deserving contender squaring up. The co-main event is a rematch of a fight that only went 15 seconds and ended via freak knee injury, but now Tom Aspinall is the interim champion and arguably the best heavyweight in the world and he’s working to avenge his only career loss against Curtis Blaydes. Blaydes doesn’t have a ton of hype but he’s a stiff test for any heavyweight and the winner will either get a date for the full title or be promoted to full champion pending the theoretical fight between Jon Jones and Stipe Miocic. There’s a few other good fights on the main card, King Green will try to end the hype around Paddy Pimblett, Gregor Rodrigues is usually good for a watchable fight, and Arnold Allen vs. Giga Chikadze should be good. The prelims have some solid stuff, Daniel Pineda and Nathaniel Wood, and Manel Kape vs. Muhammad Mokaev in particular stand out. There’s some slumps in there too but on the whole it’s a solid event. Let’s hope it lives up to the obvious potential.

UFC 304 comes to the world from Co-op Live in Manchester, England. Jon Anik, Daniel Cormier, and Michael Bisping will be calling the action for us. Because we’re out of the UFC warehouse we’re in the larger 30 foot cage set up, and I’m not aware of any quirks of the governing commission but will keep that in mind if anything comes up. On a related note, we might soon see the legalization of 12-6 elbows and the changing of what constitutes a downed fighter to require a knee be down since the ABC voted to approve those changes though now each relevant governing body will have to decide if they want to adopt them.

Shauna Bannon dropped her UFC debut about a year ago and now she’s looking to get that all important first UFC win. Alice Ardelean brings a seven fight winning streak into her UFC debut and she’s looking to make a good first impression on the UFC fans. The odds have flipped a lot on this one but closed at -185 for Bannon to +155 for Ardelean.

Strawweight Bout: Alice Ardelean (9-5, 116 lbs.) vs. Shauna Bannon (5-1, 115 lbs.)

ROUND ONE: Bannon is two inches taller with three inches of reach advantage. Bannon comes out with a side kick. Ardelean lands a leg kick. Jab from Ardelean. They trade a few punches in close, Bannon is doing a lot of lead leg kicks. Stiff jab from Ardelean. They trade rights. Bannon’s nose is reddening up. Southpaw now for Ardelean and she lands a right hook then goes back orthodox. They punch into a clinch and Ardelean pushes things into the fence. A few short lefts from Ardelean then Bannon grabs the fence but gets taken down anyway, fence grabs might as well be legal given how infrequently the refs penalize it. Bannon looks to work a high guard, Ardelean postures through it. Now Bannon tries for an armbar, that doesn’t develop though and Ardelean lands a couple of short punches. A couple of rights from Ardelean. Bannon thinks about another armbar, she’s able to roll through into spiderweb but loses that and just keeps guard. A few punches from Ardelean, Bannon with a couple of punches off of her back. Ardelean lands a bit of an elbow to close out the round.

SCORECARD: 10-9 Ardelean but a fairly close one

ROUND TWO: Bannon gets back to lead leg kicks. Ardelean with a right hand. Bit of an inside leg kick from Ardelean. They trade rights, defense is not a priority for either woman it seems. Some sloppy striking in close that doesn’t land. They trade a couple of arm punches. Ardelean clinches up, Bannon fails on a couple of throw attempts and they just kind of disengage. Jab from Ardelean. Ardelean lands a right hand. Blitz from Bannon lands. Ardelean gets the back standing but doesn’t seem to know any takedowns from there so they get chest to chest along the fence. A few knees go back and forth. Some more punches from Ardelean then she counters a bad throw attempt to get on top in side control. Ardelean lands a couple of short elbows. Bannon looks to come up on the back, Ardelean is just using a headlock to try and dissuade that, this is borderline amateur stuff from both women. Some punches from Ardelean and she tries to get to the mount but loses it and they just kid of bumble around through the last seconds.

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

ROUND THREE: Bannon tries a few kicks to start the round. Leg kick from Ardelean then Bannon lands a right hand. Side kick from Bannon. Ardelean lands a right hand. Bannon lands a right hand. They trade rights in close. Bit of a body kick from Bannon. Bannon misses a right hand and eats a right. Bannon with a bit of a blitz attack, she’s circling and trying to snipe or blitz without really engaging in anything prolonged and that strategy is working this round. A few punches go back and forth in close. They trade left hooks. Bannon lands a side kick to face. Combination from Bannon. They clinch and trade a few knees before breaking. Bannon misses a wheel kick then Ardelean lands a hard left hook and sort of hits a headlock throw as the round ends.

SCORECARD: 10-9 Bannon, 29-28 Ardelean overall

OFFICIAL RESULT: †WINNER – Shanna Bannon via split decision (28-29, 29-28, 30-27)

Honestly all those scores are defensible, though giving Bannon the second is a bit generous I think. Not a good fight, and with 14 fights tonight you better get a finish or have a good fight to get an interview so Bannon goes without mic time.

Mick Parkin is undefeated including three wins in the UFC, though you’d be forgiven for forgetting those bouts, but if he can extend that success here it might signify he’s ready to start moving from prospect towards contender status. Lukasz Brzeski snapped a three fight losing streak his last time out which also got him his first UFC win, he’s hoping to get his first UFC winning streak here. Parkin is a big favorite at -535 to +400 for Brzeski.

Heavyweight Bout: Lukasz Brzeski (9-4-1, 235 lbs.) vs. Mick Parkin (9-0, 264 lbs.)

ROUND ONE: These two are the same height but Parkin has an inch of reach advantage and is 30 or so pounds heavier. Brzeski with an inside leg kick as he’s circling. Parkin checks a leg kick. Both of them show the lead hand work. They tie up and trade some punches before breaking. A few leg kicks go back and forth. Parkin lands a right hand. Brzeski misses a right hand then eats a counter. Parkin checks a leg kick then lands a left hook. Left hook then a right from Parkin. Brzeski lands a left high kick but eats a couple of hard counter punches. Bit of a left hook from Parkin. A few punches go back and forth. Brzeski lands a right hand. A right from Parkin wobbles Brzeski, he follows up and eventually drops him to get the stoppage.

OFFICIAL RESULT: †WINNER – Mick Parkin via KO, punches, at 3:23 of Round 1

The First Round Finish Club thanks Mr. Parkin for his work this evening. Mic time for Parkin after his first UFC finish, he loves this experience fighting in the UK again. He talks us through the finish and says this is a dream come true, and he’d like a bonus. Again he says this is a dream come true to fight just 2.5 hours away from home.

If you’ve got a read on the other guy timing a right hand over their jab is a devastating technique as Parkin demonstrates here.

Sam Patterson has gone 1-1 in the UFC but he is coming off of a win and looks to prove he’s found his footing in the promotion by getting his first winning streak in the UFC up and running. Kiefer Crosbie dropped his UFC debut his last time out but he’s hoping to get back on the winning side of things tonight. The odds are rather heavily with Patterson at -485 while +370 on Crosbie might tempt a few long shot gamblers out there.

Welterweight Bout: Kiefer Crosbie (10-4, 171 lbs.) vs. Sam Patterson (11-2-1, 170 lbs.)

ROUND ONE: Patterson is four inches taller with a big eight inches of reach advantage. Some feinting from Patterson early. Crosbie pushes forward and looks for kicks early, he’s just range finding. A couple of leg kicks do land for Crosbie. Patterson with a front kick. A few jabs go back and forth, Patterson lands a combination but then Crosbie lands a right hook. We get a time out as Patterson took a groin shot. Patterson only wants a few seconds then we’re back to fighting. Uppercut from Patterson, Crosbie fires back with punches and they clinch up. They jockey for position then Patterson gets a takedown right into full mount. Quick arm triangle from Patterson, he’s keeping mount with it for now then he gets to the side but doesn’t like it and mounts again. Now Patterson goes back to the arm triangle again, this time he gets the tap.

OFFICIAL RESULT: †WINNER – Sam Patterson via Submission, arm triangle choke, at 2:50 of Round 1

The First Round Finish Club thanks Mr. Patterson for his work this evening. Mic time for Patterson, he puts over his grappling and then plays with the crowd for a bit. He talks us through the finish and talks about working very hard on his striking ever since his last fight.

A textbook arm triangle here from Patterson.

Modestas Bukauskas (15-6) had a four fight winning streak snapped his last time out when he ran into Vitor Petrino, now he’s trying to bounce back and avoid another UFC losing streak. Marcin Prachnio (17-7) has traded wins and losses while going 3-2 in his last five fights but he is coming off of a win and is looking to get his first winning streak since 2021 up and running here. Fairly close one but Bukauskas is the -155 favorite to a +130 payout for a Prachnio win.

Light Heavyweight Bout: Modestas Bukauskas (15-6, 204 lbs.) vs. Marcin Prachnio (17-7, 205 lbs.)

ROUND ONE: Bukauskas has four inches of reach advantage but these two are the same height. Southpaw for Bukauskas. Prachnio shows leg kicks as Bukauskas is showing stance switches. Both men are now switching stances as they move around. Inside leg kick from Parchnio. Left hand from Bukauskas. Prachnio keeps chipping away with leg kicks, both inside and outside and mostly aimed towards the calf. Both men miss punches in close. Bukauskas with a calf kick. Prachnio misses a wheel kick. They trade left hooks but both men just kind of eat it. Prachnio tries a side kick, Bukauskas bulls through it and lands a couple of punches. They clinch and hit the fence. A few knees go back and forth as Bukauskas has Prachnio on the fence. Spinning elbow from Bukauskas lands as they break the clinch. A left hand from Bukauskas wobbles Prachnio, Bukauskas looks to follow up but Prachnio is able to survive and reset. Prachnio might be fading already. Bit of a right from Bukauskas then he avoids a few kicks. Leg kick from Prachnio. Bit of a high kick from Bukauskas, he’s look to land punches to follow up but Prachnio backs him off with a right hand as the round ends.

SCORECARD: 10-9 Bukauskas

ROUND TWO: Both men miss hooks to start. Bukauskas lands a left hand in close. Prachnio lands a body shot. A few kicks from Prachnio are blocked then he does sneak in a side kick. They trade rights. Those leg kicks from Prachnio have messed up the left leg of Bukauskas. Bit of a left from Bukauskas. A right hand from Bukauskas in close drops Prachio, Bukauskas looks to follow up but Prachnio lands a high kick and now Bukauskas is wobbled. They trade in a clinch as both men work to recover. Prachnio with some knees in the clinch but he’s stuck on the fence. Bukauskas thinks about a level change but can’t find it and Prachnio spins free. A couple more body shots from Prachnio land. Bukauskas hits a takedown into half guard. Bukauskas lands an elbow. Another elbow from Bukauskas then a right hand. Kimura attempt from Bukauskas, but he loses the grip. Bukauskas lands an elbow. Prachnio is able to shrimp to get half guard. Eventually Prachnio wall walks and they trade knees in the clinch as the round ends.

SCORECARD: 10-9 Bukauskas but could go either way, 20-18 Bukauskas overall

ROUND THREE: Prachnio comes out like a bat out of hell and is swinging punches, he lands a few but they clinch and Bukauskas hits a takedown into half guard. Bukauskas is sort of trying to attack an arm triangle but he keeps losing the arm. A few short punches land for Bukauskas. Bit of an elbow from Bukauskas. Prachnio keeps giving the arm triangle and Bukauskas finally takes it and gets the finish despite being in half guard on the wrong side.

OFFICIAL RESULT: †WINNER – Modestas Bukauskas via Submission, arm triangle choke, at 3:12 of Round 3

The Final Round Finish Club thanks Mr. Bukauskas for his work this evening. Mic time for Bukauskas, he knew he was in for a tough fight and puts over Prachnio. He feels like his wrestling is pretty good and he’s starting to feel comfortable showing it. He puts over the crowd then wishes happy birthday to his step mother. To close he puts over the Manchester MMA scene.

It’s rare to see this finished from half guard on the wrong side, but it can be done. Good downward pressure, a good frame under the head, a tired opponent who’s not using the half guard to defend, that will get you there.

Oban Elliott has a six fight winning streak going including his UFC debut back in February, he’s trying to extend that here and prove he’s ready to make some waves in the promotion. Preston Parsons has traded wins and losses while going 2-2 in the UFC but he’s coming off of a win and could well get his first UFC winning streak going tonight. Parsons is your favorite at -160 to +135 on Elliott.

Welterweight Bout: Oban Elliott (10-2, 170 lbs.) vs. Preston Parsons (11-4, 169 lbs.)

ROUND ONE: Elliott has an inch of height and reach advantage. They touch gloves to get us going. Parsons avoids a wheel kick and lands a leg kick. Parsons forces a clinch and they start jockeying for position along the fence. A few knees from Parsons land. Bit of an elbow from Parsons. Elliott lands a sneaky elbow of his own and they separate. Parsons with an inside leg kick. Elliott avoids a high kick. Spinning back kick from Elliott lands. Parsons lands a calf kick, then an inside leg kick, Elliott didn’t seem to like those. Elliott fires a wheel kick. Parsons with an inside leg kick that sweeps Elliott down, then they wind up scrambling into a clinch. An elbow from Parsons lands as they separate. Elliott with a left hand. Parsons lands a couple of calf kicks. They both land punches in close. Elliott lands a right hand. They clinch up and Elliott pushes things into the fence. A few elbows go back and forth in the clinch to close the round.

SCORECARD: 10-9 Elliott

ROUND TWO: Both men come out working the lead hand. Parsons with a leg kick then Elliott lands a right hand. Parsons tries a takedown, that hits the fence but Parsons lands an elbow once they clinch. They break without incident. Elliott avoids a few kicks. A few jabs go back and forth. Lefts go back and forth. Parsons avoids a few punches then tries a double leg but Elliott is able to sprawl away and come up on the back standing. Elliott starts working mat returns but Parsons gets free and they reset. Parsons lands a calf kick. Elliott grabs a clinch and gets to the back. Some mat returns from Elliott but they wind up separating. One two from Elliott. Bit of a right from Parsons. They trade left hooks. They tie up again, Parsons looks for a single leg and hits it, they just scramble back up right away though. The round ends in the clinch.

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

ROUND THREE: A lot of forward pressure from Elliott to start the round. Both men miss punches, Parsons tries a single leg and uses a crucifix to force things down but Elliott comes out on top in north-south. Parsons comes up but Elliott gets free and they reset. Bit of a combination from Elliott. Elliott punches into a clinch on the fence. Not much comes from that and they just break without incident. They split a few jabs. Short right from Parsons in close. Elliott with a left hook in close then a clinch. They break with a left elbow from Elliott. Parsons lands a left hook. Parsons tries a double leg, switches to a single leg and gets the takedown. Elliott immediately tries an armbar, he’s got the angle but Parsons gets his arm free. Parsons grabs a front headlock, but Elliott wrestles up and eats an uppercut as they clinch again. They end the round working in the clinch.

SCORECARD: 10-9 Elliott but a close one, 30-27 Elliott overall

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

Mic time for Elliott, he plays with the crowd to start then talks through how much he’s worked on takedown defense. To close he says he’s undefeated in the UFC and that’s the most important thing.

Muhammad Mokaev is undefeated including six UFC wins which have seen him climb the flyweight ranks, if he can get another win here could have a pretty good case for challenging for the title next. Manel Kape is on a four fight winning streak with three of those being finishes, he’s likewise trying to lay claim to a title shot if he can derail the momentum that Mokaev has built. Why this fight got buried on the early prelims is beyond me, but the odds are close though with Mokaev at -185 to +155 for Kape.

Flyweight Bout: #8 Manel Kape (19-6, 125.5 lbs.) vs. #6 Muhammad Mokaev (12-0 1 NC, 126 lbs.)

ROUND ONE: Mokaev has two inches of height and reach advantage. They get together quickly and then not much happens, Mokaev fighting southpaw early then goes orthodox. Kape avoids a few kicks as Mokaev keeps showing stance switches. For as much animosity as these two have for each other there’s very little happening. Mokaev misses a few more kicks. Bit of a left from Kape. Now Kape starts showing a few stance switches. Kape jabs the body. Mokaev with a kick that goes low but Kape just waves the ref off. Mokaev tries a wheel kick that doesn’t really land. Kape avoids a high kick. Bit of a right from Kape. Kape pushes forward with a punch, Mokaev tries to pull guard but can’t do it. Left hook from Kape lands, he’s starting to flurry a bit as the round ends.

SCORECARD: 10-9 Kape

ROUND TWO: Kape gets to a little bit of forward pressure. Mokaev is sort of showing kicks. Kape breaks a toe on a kick but fights on. Mokaev misses a right hand. Bit of a left from Kape, Mokaev then hits a takedown into half guard. A lot of shorts grabbing from Mokaev so much so that the ref takes the position away. The ref reads Mokaev the riot act before they restart, he probably should have taken a point. Bit of a left from each man. Kape avoids a takedown attempt then lands a punch. Mokaev with a jumping body kick, partially lands. Kape with a left hand, his mobility is kind of hampered by that busted toe though. Both men miss lefts. Mokaev lands a left hook. Kape punches in close and lands a body shot. Glancing left from Kape. Again Kape lands a left hand. Mokaev with a body kick, that’ll be the last blow of the round.

SCORECARD: 10-9 Mokaev but that one could go either way, 19-19 overall

ROUND THREE: Bit of a high kick from Mokaev as the first blow of the round. Kape avoids a takedown attempt. Both men land punches, Kape is pressuring forward a lot this round. Kape avoids a takedown with ease then lands a right hand. Left hand then a right from Kape. Mokaev partially lands a high kick. Glancing left from Kape. Mokaev hits a single leg, Kape grabs a guillotine on the way down though. Things look to be stalling out on the mat, eventually Mokaev gets his head out in the full guard of Kape. Kape unloads with elbows from the bottom. Mokaev’s ground and pound is still anemic. Kape inverts for a leg then scrambles up and separates. Mokaev tries to pull the Max Holloway, he doesn’t want that and everyone knows it. Kape and Mokaev both fail takedown attempts then Kape lands a couple of lefts. Mokaev grabs a clinch as the round ends.

SCORECARD: 10-9 Kape, 29-28 Kape overall but who knows

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

That performance did anything but instill confidence in Mokaev’s future. Kape is visibly upset at the loss. Mokaev gets an interview, he puts himself over then tries to get some love to Kape but the crowd doesn’t care. He says he’s still young and puts his team over then sucks up to the crowd with almost no success. Asked about the future he wants a title shot, the crowd is borderline apathetic to that.

Jake Hadley missed weight for this fight, odd since he’s moving up to bantamweight after a two fight losing streak down at flyweight, and he’s hoping for a win to smooth things over and get his career back on track. Caolan Loughran has gone 1-1 in the UFC but he’s coming off of a win and is hoping for his first UFC winning streak here. Despite the weight miss, or perhaps because of it, Loughran is the -225 favorite to Hadley’s +185.

Bantamweight Bout: Jake Hadley (10-3, 137 lbs.)* vs. Caolan Loughran (9-1, 136 lbs.)

ROUND ONE: Hadley is an inch taller with two inches of reach advantage, he also missed weight of course. Southpaw for Hadley. A few range finding kicks from Hadley go out. A left hand from Hadley stuns Loughran for a second. Both men fall short with power hand punches. Hadley lands an inside leg kick. Inside leg kick from Hadley. Hadley blocks a punch. Bit of a left from Hadley. Loughran with a right to the body. Bit of a left uppercut from Hadley. Hadley lands another left hand, he’s had that punch dialed in almost since the start of the fight. Calf kick from Hadley. Loughran has a few punches blocked, then Hadley with a counter left. Bit of a body kick from Loughran. Hadley lands a left to the body. Jab from Hadley. Bit of a left from Hadley will be the last real blow of the round.

SCORECARD: 10-9 Hadley

ROUND TWO: Both men come out with some inside leg kicks. Hadley with a few jabs. Loughran is pushing forward and they trade power hand punches. Hadley fights off a single leg and lands knees in the clinch then spins free. Inside leg kick from Hadley. Loughran is constantly just a bit out of range on his punches. Bit of a right from Loughran. Hadley lands a left to the body. Left hand from Hadley. They trade power hand punches. Hadley is landing some counters now, then Loughran sneaks in a right hand. A couple of lefts from Hadley land. Another left from Hadley and Loughran kicks him in the groin so we’ve got a time out. Hadley takes 1:35 then we’re back to fighting. Loughran has some punches blocked then Hadley lands an inside leg kick. Jab from Hadley then Loughran hits the body. Loughran tries a double leg, Hadley defends against the fence but Loughran slips to the back in the clinch. Hadley avoids a single leg then lands an elbow as they break apart. Left to the body from Hadley. Body men miss punches, Loughran grabs a front headlock and rides Hadley down then looks for a ride position. Ultimately Loughran pushes things over to get on top in half guard. Not much time left and nothing will come of the position shift before the round ends.

SCORECARD: 10-9 Hadley but a closer one, 20-18 Hadley overall

ROUND THREE: Both men show jabs and inside leg kicks. Hadley lands a left hand. Loughran tries a takedown, Hadley defends then gets on the back standing and lands some lefts. They break as Loughran misses a hook. Hadley with an inside leg kick. A couple of jabs from Hadley land. Bit of a right from Loughran. Hadley hits the body again then lands a left to the head. Bit of a one two from Hadley. Jab then an inside leg kick from Hadley. Loughran tries a double leg, they hit the fence though and Hadley is able to defend. A stiff elbow from Hadley lands as they break. Jab from Hadley. They trade power hand punches. Bit of a left from Hadley, he’s just kind of cruising, sniping and avoiding Loughran’s offense. Left from Hadley then an inside leg kick. Loughran lands a right hand. Left hand from Hadley. Hadley lands a jab, Loughran’s head just doesn’t move and Hadley has a clear target. They trade inside leg kicks. Bit of a left from Hadley, then another one to close out the round.

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

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

No interview for Hadley but a solid win overall.

Molly McCann broke a two fight losing streak her last time out when she cut down to strawweight, she’s hoping to continue building success in that weight class here and get another home country win. Bruna Brasil has gone 1-2 in the UFC, she’s coming off of a loss and is clearly in a position where she’s expected to lose here to the more popular local fighter. The odds reflect that line of thinking, McCann is a -355 favorite to +275 on Brasil.

Strawweight Bout: Bruna Brasil (9-4-1, 116 lbs.) vs. Molly McCann (14-6, 116 lbs.)

ROUND ONE: Brasil is two inches taller with three and a half inches of reach advantage. Leg kick from Brasil. Brasil with some front kicks to keep distance as McCann tries to push forward. Knee from Brasil. Right hand from Brasil in close then a front kick. McCann throws a kick, eats a kick to the groin at the same time and we’ve got a time out. Replay confirms the accidental contact, just two kicks being thrown at the same time. McCann is good to continue after 45 seconds. Body kick from Brasil. McCann has gone southpaw for most of the time now. McCann walks into a knee. Brasil misses a wheel kick. Body kick from Brasil. Brasil lands a left hook. They both miss power hand punches. McCann blocks a high kick then a knee to the body from Brasil folds her up. Brasil with punches but then makes McCann stand back up. Another body kick from Brasil hurts McCann. Brasil is stalking McCann down and lands a head kick then knees to the body before McCann clinches and slows things. Another knee from Brasil then she avoids a takedown and jumps to the back with one hook in. McCann gives up half guard and Brasil drops some elbows. Full guard for McCann now and Brasil stands up, McCann looks for a single leg and eventually hits it. McCann holds onto Brasil for dear life, Brasil hip heists into a clinch and knees McCann in the body. Brasil pushes McCann over onto a hip as the round ends.

SCORECARD: 10-8 Brasil but a borderline one

ROUND TWO: McCann still southpaw. Brasil avoids a few punches. McCann tries a blitz, partially successful. Elbow from Brasil. Right hand then a left from Brasil. McCann just can’t find the target reliably. Brasil misses a punch, McCann tries a takedown against the fence but can’t finish it. McCann keeps the clinch and is looking for trips, Brasil is defending and lands a few knees to the body. Eventually McCann finishes a high crotch lift and gets on top in half guard. Brasil kicks McCann off and they reset on the feet. Bit of a front kick from Brasil. Right hand from Brasil. McCann punches into a clinch, they jockey for position for a bit then Brasil lands a knee. Brasil counters a trip and gets on top in full guard. Brasil looks to pass, but just stands free and makes McCann stand. A left hand from Brasil drops McCann, she gets on top in side control and lands a few punches as the round ends.

SCORECARD: 10-9 Brasil, 20-17 Brasil overall

ROUND THREE: McCann pushes into a clinch pretty quickly. They break without incident. Brasil lands a knee then hits a sort of hip toss get on top. McCann to her knees, Brasil into the ride position. Brasil is looking to attack an arm triangle but McCann blocks that. Again Brasil looks for some kind of arm triangle but can’t quite find it. McCann is ale to get butterfly guard, Brasil stands free and they trade punches. McCann is looking to bull forward, she just eats an uppercut though. Brasil avoids a spinning elbow. McCann lands a couple of punches then Brasil lands a knee. Knee tap from Brasil and she’s back on top in full guard. McCann tries to work her guard high, Brasil moves to the back though and gets both hooks in. McCann fights to her feet and jumps for Brasil’s back, she’s in the backpack position and lands a few punches. Brasil rolls into her and gets back on top. A few punches from Brasil as she’s on top. Brasil gets the back again, but McCann slings her off only for Brasil to grab at a calf slicer as the round ends.

SCORECARD: 10-9 Brasil, 30-26 Brasil overall

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

Surprised at the lack of 10-8’s for that first round. No mic time for Brasil.

Nathaniel Wood just had a three fight winning streak snapped by Muhammad Naimov, he’s back tonight and looking to avoid his first ever losing streak. Daniel Pineda has gone 2-2 with 1 No Contest in the UFC, he’s coming off of a loss though and is mostly trying to avoid his first UFC losing streak. Wood is one of the bigger favorites on the card at -395 while +310 on Pineda might tempt a few bettors who like the underdogs.

Featherweight Bout: Daniel Pineda (28-15 3 NC, 146 lbs.) vs. Nathaniel Wood (19-6, 145 lbs.)

ROUND ONE: Pineda is an inch taller but the reach is identical. They touch gloves. Wood with a couple of quick calf kicks. Pineda tries a takedown, Wood stays upright against the fence. They fight for position along the fence then break without much happening. Wood with a front kick. Pineda lands a calf kick. Glancing right from Pineda. Wood lands a one two then they trade calf kicks. A front kick from Wood folds up Pineda, Wood gets on top in the full guard of Pineda. Pineda lands an elbow off of his back. Elbow from Wood. Pineda with an elbow from his back, then Wood lands an elbow of his own. Pineda is fishing for a kimura, Wood is defending for the moment though. Hip heist from Pineda and he’s on top in full mount, Wood quickly scrambles to get half guard. Wood is able to get full guard. A couple of elbows land for Pineda and he passes to half guard. Wood is able to hip escape to full guard. A few elbows go back and forth and Pineda ends the round on top landing a few punches and hammer fists.

SCORECARD: 10-9 Wood

ROUND TWO: Wood lands a calf kick to start the round. A few more calf kicks are traded. Wood with a combination of punches that land flush, Pineda then punches him back to get him to reset. Pineda’s right eye is messed up, but he lands an uppercut. Spinning back kick from Pineda. Wood with a calf kick then a left hook. Pineda falls just a little short with a few punches. Wood with a front kick then avoids a right hand. Calf kick from Wood. A couple of more front kicks from Wood but one strays low so we’ve got a time out. Replay confirms there was some groin contact. Pineda only takes a little over a minute then we’re back to fighting. Pineda lands a calf kick. Wood sits down Pineda with a calf kick but lets him up. Near takedown from Pineda but Wood remains upright. Wood with a jab that sends Pineda backwards then he lands a calf kick. Right hand from Wood then a calf kick. Pineda tries to pull guard but Wood avoids that and kicks the leg a few times. They clinch on the fence then break without incident. Both men miss hooks. Calf kick from Pineda but Wood lands a left hook. Wood with a front kick then a left hook that sits Pineda down. Wood on top landing some elbows in the guard of Pineda. Pineda’s right eye is getting worse. They’ll end the round on the mat.

SCORECARD: 10-9 Wood, borderline 10-8 really, 20-18 Wood overall

ROUND THREE: The doctor is checking Pineda’s right eye between rounds, he can continue I guess but he maybe should consider saving himself. They touch gloves for the last round. Pineda fires some punches then tries a takedown and gets it against the fence. Wood uses a guillotine threat to switch position and get on top in side control then they just scramble back up and reset. Wood with a calf kick. Front kick from Wood then he avoids a clinch. Bit of a right from Pineda. Wood with a front kick, then they start scrambling on the mat with Pineda landing a nice elbow while Wood nearly has his back. Ultimately Pineda gets on top in half guard. Pineda keeps fishing for a front headlock sequence but Wood is avoiding being caught up in that. Pineda with a kimura attempt, he can’t get the double wrist lock though as Wood is keeping his arm straight until he gets it free. A few punches land for Pineda. Wood avoids a pass to mount but eats an elbow. Pineda tries to set up a d’arce but Wood blocks it. Elbow from Pineda. Pineda lands a couple of weak punches. Wood looks to come up again, again Pineda deters him with a guillotine and lands a few punches as the round ends.

SCORECARD: 10-9 Pineda, 29-28 Wood overall

OFFICIAL RESULT: †WINNER – Nathaniel Wood via unanimous decision (29-28, 29-27 x2)

A couple of 10-8’s here but none for Brasil in the last one? We’re short on time so no interview for Wood.

That’s it for the prelims, onto PPV for the main card.

Arnold Allen has gone 10-2 in the UFC, unfortunately for him those two losses have come in his last two fights, though in fairness those fights were against Max Holloway and Movsar Evloev. Allen is trying to get things back on track with a win here and prove he’s still a relevant contender in the division. Giga Chikadze has gone 8-1 in the UFC only falling to Calvin Kattar, he was last seen besting Alex Caceres and now looks for arguably his best UFC win against fellow top 10 contender Allen. The odds are with Allen at -240 to a +195 comeback on Chikadze.

Featherweight Bout: #6 Arnold Allen (19-3, 145 lbs.) vs. #10 Giga Chikadze (15-3, 146 lbs.)

ROUND ONE: Chikadze has four inches of height and reach advantage. Southpaw for Allen. Chikadze shows a few body kicks then an inside leg kick. Bit of a high kick from Chikadze. Allen with a body kick of his own. I’m calling BS on the height measurements on one or both of these guys, they’re a lot closer in height than four inches. Chikadze with some feints, Allen is constantly circling. Body kick from Chikadze. Chikadze lands a right hand. Right to the body from Chikadze. Allen lands a left hand after avoiding a hook. Chikadze lands a front kick. Stiff right from Chikadze. They trade lefts. Both men land punches after Chikadze misses a high kick. Allen with a solid left hand. Chikadze lands a right hand then avoids the counter. Jumping knee from Chikadze rocks Allen but then Allen lands a front kick to the face to close the round.

SCORECARD: 10-9 Chikadze

ROUND TWO: Allen back to circling but moving forward. Chikadze fakes a few kicks then avoids a few punches. Allen avoids a wheel kick. Chikadze lands a jab. Left hand from Chikadze lands. A few calf kicks are traded then Chikadze lands a jab. Allen lands a left hand. Another left hand from Allen. Bit of a right from Chikadze and he avoids a counter left. Both men land punches in close. Chikadze’s jab is becoming a problem for Allen, but Allen’s pressure is getting to Chikadze just a bit. Allen lands a left hand to counter a kick. Chikadze avoids a left hand. Allen lands a left to the body. Chikadze has a couple of high kicks blocked then they trade power hand punches. A left hand from Allen lands flush after he avoids a high kick. Chikadze lands a leg kick. They both land punches in close. Allen avoids a knee then lands a body kick. That’ll do it for the round.

SCORECARD: 10-9 Allen, 19-19 overall

ROUND THREE: Chikadze jabbing and circling while Allen is still pressuring forward. Bit of a left from Allen. Both men miss lefts. A few jabs go back and forth. Chikadze lands a body kick. Allen lands a left hand after blocking a high kick. They trade lefts. Front kick then a right hand from Allen. Chikadze’s nose is visibly bleeding from all the punches Allen has been landing. Left to the body from Allen. Bit of a body kick from Chikadze. They both miss lefts again. Bit of a left from Allen. They trade lefts. Allen with a glancing left hand, his pressure is really starting to bother Chikadze. Uppercut from Allen in close. Chikadze lands a body kick but he’s spending all the time on the fence. Allen with a one two. Bit of a knee from Allen to close the round.

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

OFFICIAL RESULT: †WINNER – Arnold Allen via unanimous decision (29-28 x3)

Mic time for Allen, he knew the fight would be tough but they’re both great strikers and he knew he could find success. He puts over Chikadze but knew he’d slow down as the fight went on while Allen could keep getting stronger. Asked about the future he wants anyone ranked above him and wishes his grandmother happy birthday.

Christian Leroy Duncan has gone 3-1 in the UFC and is on a two fight winning streak, another win here might well set him up to fight some bigger names or even ranked opponents going forward. Gregory Rodrigues has gone 6-2 in the UFC and is on a two fight winning streak, he’s hoping to earn a bigger name opponent his next time out if he can slow the momentum around Duncan. Close one here but Duncan closed at -135 to a +115 payout for Rodrigues.

Middleweight Bout: Christian Leroy Duncan (10-1, 185 lbs.) vs. Gregory Rodrigues (15-5, 185 lbs.)

ROUND ONE: Rodrigues is an inch taller but Duncan has four inches of reach advantage. They touch gloves to get us going. Duncan comes out looking to jab and switch stance. Rodrigues avoids a few punches. Rodrigues bulls forward and lands a left hook. Body kick from Rodrigues. Duncan lands a leg kick. Clubbing right from Rodrigues. Duncan avoids a few punches. Both men miss rights in close. Duncan keeps circling to stay off the fence. Rodrigues grabs a single leg and finishes it into half guard. Arm triangle attempt from Rodrigues, Duncan is able to block that. Rodrigues postures up and lands a few elbows. A few body shots from Rodrigues, Duncan is able to block a lot of pass attempts but he’s getting hit and has a knot forming on his head. Rodrigues is working body to head offense now. Duncan scrambles to his knees, Rodrigues goes for a cradle to keep him on his knees and looks to spin for the back eventually though Duncan gets up and tries a fireman’s carry but Rodrigues grabs a front headlock and snaps him down to his knees. Some elbows from Rodrigues land to close the round.

SCORECARD: 10-9 Rodrigues

ROUND TWO: Rodrigues circling again, Duncan switching his stance as he moves around. Right hand then a left hook from Rodrigues. Clubbing right from Rodrigues. They clinch up in space, trade knees then hit the fence. Duncan is half thinking about a takedown, Rodrigues nearly throws him down but they remain clinched. A few more knees go back and forth but things are stalling a bit. Duncan lands an elbow. Rodrigues lands a couple of punches in close as they break. Spinning elbow from Duncan partially lands. Rodrigues with a few punches then grabs a clinch and moves to the back. Some knees to the leg from Rodrigues. Duncan reaches for a kimura grip to break the waist lock, he does get chest to chest and pushes Rodrigues into the fence. Rodrigues spins Duncan back and the ref separates them. They trade punches in close again, Rodrigues is getting the better of things and lands a nice left uppercut as Duncan gets a clinch. Elbow from Rodrigues as they break. Again Rodrigues with rights, he’s got Duncan hurt and looks to unload. One two from Rodrigues, Duncan is able to get a clinch but Rodrigues takes him down. Rodrigues is in a ride position, he’s cut around the left eye from those exchanges, and that’s where the round ends. Both men are visibly battered.

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

ROUND THREE: They touch gloves for the final round. Duncan is looking to use long range kicks now. A few leg kicks from Duncan. Rodrigues avoids a wheel kick. Rodrigues starts moving forward, he lands a right hand. They trade in close again, the pocket boxing favors Rodrigues and Duncan is just clinching there but he’s behind in the clinch as well. Both men land as they break then Rodrigues gets the back and hits a mat return. Duncan fights upright into a clinch but Rodrigues puts him on the fence and lands a few shoulder strikes. Bit of a takedown from Rodrigues then a right hand as Duncan regains his feet then he gets another clinch. Single leg from Rodrigues but Duncan defends though he can’t get off the cage. Rodrigues slings Duncan down and gets the ride position. One hook in for Rodrigues, he’s fishing for a choke. The ref is asking for work like an idiot, Rodrigues has the back. Some punches from Rodrigues land. Rodrigues keeps working for a choke but Duncan is defending it. A few elbows land for Rodrigues. Duncan has gotten to his knees now but Rodrigues is all over him. Duncan does regain his feet but Rodrigues is on his back as the round ends.

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

OFFICIAL RESULT: †WINNER – Gregory Rodrigues via unanimous decision (30-27 x3)

Mic time for Rodrigues, he is happy to show that he’s a complete MMA fighter but regrets not getting the finish. Asked about the future he says he wants a ranked opponent next. I’d be down for that.

King Green has gone 3-1 in his last four fights which has earned him a top 15 ranking which he looks to defend against a hyped up opponent tonight. Paddy Pimblett is on a seven fight winning streak though he really should have lost the Jared Gordon fight, but tonight he’s got the chance to beat a ranked opponent and possibly earn his way into the top 15 if he’s successful. The odds have this one as a -110 pick ’em.

Lightweight Bout: #15 King Green (32-15-1 1 NC, 154.5 lbs.) vs. Paddy Pimblett (21-3, 156 lbs.)

ROUND ONE: These two are the same height while Pimblett has two inches of reach advantage. Both men come out probing with kicks. A bit of feinting from Green as he shows stance switches. Pimblett lands a calf kick. Green pressures forward but both men just miss punches. Pimblett avoids a few punches. Green with a left to the body, Pimblett lands a right hand. Some front kicks to the leg from Green. Bit of a calf kick from Pimblett. Green keeps side kicking the leg. Green hits a takedown, Pimblett grabs a guillotine but loses it. Pimblett then throws up a triangle choke, that’s pretty tight but Green wont tap and Pimblett puts him to sleep with the choke.

OFFICIAL RESULT: †WINNER – Paddy Pimblett via Technical Submission, triangle choke, at 3:22 of Round 1

The First Round Finish Club thanks Mr. Pimblett for his work this evening. Mic time for Pimblett, he believes he made a statement here. He talks us through the finish and notes he’s the first person to tap out Green in the UFC, he expects to have a ranking after this win. Asked about the future he wants to fight Renato Moicano if Moicano can get through Benoit Saint-Denis. To close he plays with the crowd for a bit then dedicates the fight to a kid who passed from cancer recently.

Curtis Blaydes has been a fairly consistent presence in the upper levels of the heavyweight division for a while now, but tonight represents his first shot at some iteration of UFC gold and would naturally represent the biggest win of his career if he can get his hand raised. Tom Aspinall has only lost once in the UFC and that was when he suffered a random knee injury during a fight with Blaydes in 2022, since then he’s run over Marcin Tybura and Sergei Pavlovich to claim the interim title which he’s defending tonight. A win for Aspinall would cement him as the only viable contender to the heavyweight title. Aspinall is a fairly big favorite at -395 to a +310 comeback on Blaydes.

Heavyweight Title Bout: (ic) Tom Aspinall (14-3, 251 lbs.) vs. #4 Curtis Blaydes (18-4 1 NC, 256 lbs.)

ROUND ONE: Aspinall is an inch taller while Blaydes has two inches of reach advantage. They touch gloves to get us going. Aspinall bouncing around early, he’s quick of foot. Blaydes is willing throw punches, he’s not really landing yet. Both men land rights but Aspinall gets a clinch and pushes Blaydes to the fence. They break without incident and reset. Bit of a one two from Blaydes. A right from Aspinall floors Blaydes, Aspinall gets on his back and pounds things out to get the stoppage.

OFFICIAL RESULT: †WINNER – and STILL UFC interim Heavyweight Champion Tom Aspinall via TKO, punches, at 1:00 of Round 1

The First Round Finish Club thanks Mr. Aspinall for his work this evening. Mic time for the interim champ, he puts over Blaydes first and foremost then says he needed to right the record after the freak accident in their first fight. He talks us through the finish and calls himself the best finisher in the UFC, and he then calls out Jon Jones. To close he says he respects Jones but he knows he can beat him and he’s coming for the full title, then says this is amazing to win in his hometown and calls himself a normal person from a normal family and sometimes normal people can do extraordinary things with hard work and a willingness to go for it.

Belal Muhammad hasn’t lost a fight since 2019 with the only blemish since then being a No Contest when he was losing pretty handily to Leon Edwards before taking an eye poke that resulted in the No Contest. Muhammad has been the clear deserving contender for about a year now and he’s finally getting his first shot at UFC gold. Leon Edwards hasn’t lost since his first fight with Kamaru Usman way back in 2015, on the string of success since then he’s claimed the welterweight title and twice defended it, he’s looking for a third defense here as he continues building a championship legacy. The odds like Edwards at -265 to a +215 comeback on Muhammad.

Welterweight Title Bout: (c) Leon Edwards (22-3 1 NC, 170 lbs.) vs. #2 Belal Muhammad (23-3 1 NC, 169 lbs.)

ROUND ONE: Edwards is three inches taller with two inches of reach advantage. Southpaw for Edwards. Muhammad tries to pressure forward early. Muhammad hits a double leg into full guard. Edwards is able to elevate then stand into a clinch. Edwards puts Muhammad on the fence and sneaks in knees to the body. A few more knees from Edwards then he lands an elbow as they break. Bit of a one two from Edwards. Edwards with a body kick. Knee from Edwards after he avoided a right hand. Muhammad misses a jab. Edwards lands a front kick. Solid left hand from Edwards. Muhammad has a kick blocked then Edwards lands a body kick. Another left from Edwards then a knee and he avoids a right hand. Muhammad with a bit of a left hook then lands an uppercut. Double leg from Muhammad against the fence and into full guard. Not much happens on the ground as the round ends.

SCORECARD: 10-9 Muhammad but could go either way

ROUND TWO: Both men come out punching. Edwards lands a body kick. They trade power hand punches. A few jabs go back and forth. The pressure from Muhammad is already messing with Edwards, Muhammad tries a double leg but Edwards defends this one into a clinch. Muhammad switches to a knee tap and gets the ride position. Edwards stands with Muhammad on his back, then Muhammad with a high crotch lift that drops Edwards on his head and Muhammad jumps to the back with one hook in. Both hooks in for Muhammad, but Edwards breaks the hooks and wall walks with Muhammad still holding the clinch. A mat return from Muhammad and he gets one hook in. Edwards wall walks again but Muhammad is still on his back. Muhammad lands a couple of short punches as they settle into a clinch. Edwards with some knees to the body as he’s got Muhammad on the fence, then Edwards hits a takedown. Muhammad is sitting on the fence and Edwards lands a few knees to the body. Muhammad wall walks with Edwards on his back and the round ends in that spot.

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

ROUND THREE: Both men show the jab as the round starts. Edwards with a leg kick then a bit of a high kick. Muhammad keeps coming forward but has punches blocked. Double leg from Muhammad and Edwards starts wall walking. Edwards comes up and slips to the back of Muhammad though and he starts working from there. Trip from Edwards and he’s got the back with both hooks in. Edwards goes to a body triangle and starts fishing for the choke. Muhammad is hand fighting well enough to avoid any really dangerous choke attempts. A few punches land for Edwards. Edwards lands a few elbows as well, nothing damaging but he’s staying decently busy. The round ends in that position.

SCORECARD: 10-9 Edwards, 29-28 Muhammad overall

ROUND FOUR: Hand fighting to start the round. Muhammad is pushing forward right away. Bit of a high kick from Edwards then a left hand. Solid left hook from Edwards wobbles Muhammad for a second. Muhammad pushes out a couple of jabs and gets Edwards to the fence. Glancing one two from Muhammad. Muhammad tries a double leg, Edwards gets pulled to a knee and Muhammad looks to get a hook in. Body triangle for Muhammad and he looks to pull Edwards down. Muhammad starts fishing for a choke as he pulls things to the mat. Not much going on here, Muhammad has control but not much threat. Edwards is able to spin into Muhammad and lands a few short punches. Muhammad closes his guard and looks to stall the last 20 seconds. Edwards slips to the ride position as the round ends.

SCORECARD: 10-9 Muhammad, 39-37 Muhammad overall

ROUND FIVE: Both men miss power hand punches. Bit of a left from Edwards. Edwards lands a right hook then a left to the body. Muhammad tries a takedown but Edwards defends. Bit of a right from Muhammad. Double leg from Muhammad, then he just slips to the back in the clinch. Muhammad forces Edwards to a knee then jumps to the back with a body triangle. Edwards can’t seem to get rid of the body triangle and Muhammad is willing to just ice the last two minutes. Edwards is finally able to break the body triangle and get on top then lands an elbow which splits Muhammad open. Muhammad is able to tie things up and stall, Edwards does land a couple of elbows and passes to half guard as the round ends.

SCORECARD: 10-9 Edwards, 48-47 Muhammad overall

OFFICIAL RESULT: †WINNER – and NEW UFC Welterweight champion Belal Muhammad via unanimous decision (49-47, 48-47 x2)

Mic time for the new champ, he gets some half hearted boos and then mocks the crowd for hating him. He gives glory to God and says this is for his family and people. He puts over his team for getting him ready, then says he’s a world champion and deserves respect. Asked about the future he says he’s looking forward to celebrating and doesn’t actually answer the question in a meaningful way.

Edwards gets an interview as well, he’s not surprised and says he just felt off all week but then puts over Muhammad. He wants to fight again before the end of the year but doesn’t elaborate beyond that.

Well on that note UFC 304 comes to a close. Thank you all for reading, it’s always appreciated. We’ll be unpacking all the fallout from this event on the 411 Ground and Pound MMA Podcast plus we’ll look ahead to UFC on ABC 7 when the UFC returns to Abu Dhabi next week. I’ll be back for that event and I hope you will too. Until next time thank you again for reading, stay safe out there, and keep checking 411mania for all of your pop culture needs.

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