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411’s UFC Fight Night 130 Report: Till Wins

May 27, 2018 | Posted by Robert Winfree

MAIN CARD (FS1, 1 p.m. ET)
#1 Stephen Thompson (171 lbs.) vs. #8 Darren Till (174.5 lbs.)*
#9 Neil Magny (171 lbs.) vs. Craig White (171 lbs.)
Arnold Allen (146 lbs.) vs. Mads Burnell (146 lbs.)
Makwan Amirkhani (146 lbs.) vs. Jason Knight (146 lbs.)
Claudio Henrique da Silva (170 lbs.) vs. Nordine Taleb (171 lbs.)
Eric Spicely (186 lbs.) vs. Darren Stewart (186 lbs.)

PRELIMINARY CARD (FS1, 11 a.m. ET)
Tom Breese (186 lbs.) vs. Daniel Kelly (186 lbs.)
#14 Lina Lansberg (135 lbs.) vs. #15 Gina Mazany(135 lbs.)
Carlo Pedersoli Jr. (170 lbs.) vs. Brad Scott (171 lbs.)
Molly McCann (127 lbs.) vs. Gillian Robertson (125 lbs.)**

PRELIMINARY CARD (UFC Fight Pass, 10:30 a.m. ET)
Trevor Smith (186 lbs.) vs. #15 Elias Theodorou (186 lbs.)

*Till forfeits 30 percent of his fight purse
**McCann forfeits 20 percent of her fight purse

Hello everyone, and welcome to 411mania’s LIVE coverage of UFC Fight Night 130. I’m Robert Winfree and I’ll be your host for this morning, relaying all of the action to you good people just as I see it. This card suffered some last minute drama, in fact it’s had a few bumps in general over the last month or so. First we lost half of the co-main event a few weeks back, it was to be Neil Magny taking on Gunnar Nelson but Nelson got injured and now Magny is fighting the debuting Craig White. Then a couple of days ago we lost a featherweight fight between Manny Fernandez and Davey Grant when Grant was diagnosed with a staph infection.

Of course then we get to the weigh in issues, most notably Darren Till was three and a half pounds heavy for a non-title fight as he officially tipped the scale at 174.5 pounds. Till’s opponent, Stephen Thompson, agreed to a catchweight affair on the condition that Till not weight more than 188 pounds on fight night. Thankfully Till was able to meet that requirement about an hour ago and the main event is, as of this writing, still in place. The debuting Molly McCann was the other fighter who missed weight. All in all the card has survived to this point, though it definitely has some metaphorical bumps and bruises.

The main event is still a tremendous bout between striking specialists when Stephen Thompson takes on Darren Till, elsewhere on the card Arnold Allen returns to action trying to prove he’s still a featherweight prospect to watch and Claudio da Silva returns from a multi year layoff. Beyond that, well for the sentimental among you Dan Kelly is fighting a returning Tom Breese. I don’t know what else you might be looking forward to on this card, it’s all relying on the main event. UFC Fight Night 130 comes to the world from the Echo Arena in Liverpool, England, UK Brendan Fitzgerald and Dan Hardy on commentary duty. As for the rules we’re using the new rules, so you need both palms or fists flat on the mat to be considered downed, extending fingers towards your opponent is a foul regardless of contact being made, the language around scoring is clearer, and we’ve got use of replay for fight ending sequences.

Elias Theodorou is in a bit of an odd spot, he’s clearly demonstrated potential but has struggled to take the next step up in the ladder of top contenders. He’s coming off of a win over Dan Kelly but before that was bested by Brad Tavares, he needs to string together a few wins starting here to get another shot at the upper echelon. Trevor Smith has had a very up and down UFC run, but he’s 3-1 in his last four fights and is coming off of a win. This would be the biggest win of Smith’s career if he can take out a ranked opponent. The odds are with Theodorou at -400 while the +300 payout on Smith is likely a tempting value bet.

Middleweight Bout: Trevor Smith (15-7, 186 lbs.) vs. #15 Elias Theodorou (14-2, 186 lbs.)

ROUND ONE: Smith is two inches taller while Theodorou has half an inch of reach on him. Circling and stance switching from Theodorou, he lands a body kick after some punches then we get a clinch. Half collar tie from each man and they trade uppercuts to the body, and the crowd is already wooing. It’s too early for me to have to listen to that. Dirty boxing from both men, Smith is cut around the bridge of the nose. Low single attempt from Smith, the cage is basically keeping Theodorou up and Smith comes back up the clinch. Theodorou landing some serious knees to the body and they break then clinch back up. Both guys going to the body but despite having his back on the cage I think Theodorou is getting the better of these so far. They trade punches as they break. Theodorou lands an uppercut as they clinch again, he’s planting too much on that punch and Smith is always closing distance after it’s thrown. Another trade of punches as they break, Smith back to plodding forward and Theodorou lands a side kick to the body. Hard leg kick from Smith, Theodorou lands a knee after a brief clinch. Smith lands a lunging left and we’re tied up again. Both guys already slowing a bit. More body shots from both guys, Theodorou lands a knee to the chest as well. Knees go back and forth, Theodorou lands some uppercuts as they break and both men miss follow up offense as the round ends.

SCORECARD: 10-9 Theodorou

ROUND TWO: Left body kick from Theodorou starts the round. Smith lands a left as he exits an exchange and they clinch up again. Smith is after a double leg, hits a drop down firemans carry and nearly has the back before Theodorou scrambles back up. Positional jockeying, Theodorou lands a few knees to the body. Smith lands a hard knee to the body and they break, then clinch back up. Smith after a trip, he’s got Theodorou down to a knee against the fence and lands lefts as Theodorou gets back up. Theodorou is still pinned on the fence but he lands a knee to the face, then eats an elbow. The ref asks for progression, this ref sucks as they’re clearly fighting. We get a brief time out as Smith lost his mouth piece, and they restart in the same position. Hard punches are traded in close, a few knees being mixed in as well. Smith after a single leg, can’t get it though and he swings a few rights to the body. The ref breaks them, they were actively fighting when he did that. Brawling now in the middle of the cage, they clinch up again and we get time again as Theodorou is cut from what I think was a clash of heads. The doctor basically asks the ref why he wanted that checked on as it’s a nothing cut and we’re back to fighting. Smith lands a bit of a knee and we trade in the clinch again, knees to the body from both guys. They break with a badly missed hook from Theodorou and time runs out on the round.

SCORECARD: 10-9 Smith, 19-19 overall

ROUND THREE: Cardio is going to dictate this round, both guys are sucking wind and have kept a pretty busy pace. Smith plods forward, eats a leg kick and Theodorou circles away from him. Theodorou lands a side kick to the body, he’s trying to keep distance this round instead of actively clinching. Smith pushes close but can’t keep the clinch, instead he lands a leg kick as Theodorou gets free. Knee to the body from Smith. They’re back in the clinch and trading knees to the body and head. Knee tap from Smith lands and he’s on top in the guard of Theodorou. Theodorou working a switch but Smith moves to the ride position. Smith lands a few hammer fists, he grabs a front cradle as Theodorou scoots to the fence to keep him on the mat. Theodorou able to regain his feet but Smith knees him in the body and is after a single leg. Smith tries an armdrag but Theodorou reads this one and is on top, Smith is still scrambling but he’s sloppy and Theodorou has the back. Theodorou can’t control Smith and Smith is back up and we’re back to arm punches at the body in the clinch. They break with a knee to the body from Smith. And we fall back into the clinch, more knees are being traded as they hit the fence. Theodorou breaks free, lands an elbow and Smith charges at him as time runs down.

SCORECARD: 10-9 Theodorou but this one could go either way, 29-28 Theodorou overall

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

I don’t agree with 30-27 as I thought Smith had the second. Theodorou on the mic now, he says he’s still playing catch up with regards to fighting as he started training at 21 whereas Smith has been wrestling basically his entire life. He says he wants a top fifteen opponent but plans on enjoying Europe with his beautiful girlfriend.

That’s our only Fight Pass fight after some of the late fall outs so we’re on to Fox Sports 1 for the rest of the prelims.

Gillian Robertson is coming off of a successful UFC debut following her participation on a recent season of TUF, she’s going for what would be her third consecutive win here and is looking to assert herself in the fledgling women’s flyweight division. Molly McCann missed weight for her UFC debut, never a good thing, but has won six fights in a row and is trying to prove herself a player in the division. The odds are close but favor McCann at -175 to a +145 comeback for Robertson.

Women’s Flyweight Bout: Molly McCann (7-1, 127 lbs.) vs. Gillian Robertson (4-2, 125 lbs.)

ROUND ONE: Robertson has an inch of height and reach on McCann. Robertson pumping the jab early, looking to keep distance as McCann is walking forward. McCann lands a couple of lefts. Robertson fails on a double leg attempt. Bit of a right from McCann. McCann is in a weird spot, she’s trying to fight in boxing range but can’t commit too much to that distance as Robertson could get her down. McCann lands a right but Roberson is able to get a single leg and spin her down to land in half guard. Robertson lands an elbow. McCann is trying to hip escape but Robertson is heavy on top and has good shoulder pressure going. Robertson to half guard on the other side, lands a few punches and elbows then moves to full mount. Punches and elbows from Robertson, she’s mostly setting up an armbar but settles for the back when McCann moves to her belly. Nice riding from Robertson here, she’s clearly the superior grappler. Robertson lands a few more elbows, still mostly setting up submissions rather than trying to do a ton of damage. The round ends with Robertson still on the back.

SCORECARD: 10-9 Robertson but there’s a valid 10-8 argument in there

ROUND TWO: McCann comes out jabbing, and lands a short right. Robertson pulls guard but can’t keep it and they’re back on the feet. They clinch and Robertson gets a single leg and is back on top against the fence. Robertson is almost immediately into full mount. Back mount now and Robertson is looking to set up the choke. Robertson is after the choke, it’s under the chin and McCann goes out rather than tap.

OFFICIAL RESULT: †WINNER – Gillian Robertson via Technical Submission, rear naked choke, at 2:05 of Round 2

McCann just had nothing on the mat. Robertson gets an interview, she says she was ready for anything and talks about working to improve herself. Asked who or what is next she says she’ll fight tomorrow if necessary as she’s not injured and puts over her coaches. She walks us through the finish and says she figured McCann wouldn’t tap in her home town.

Totally random statistic, but Robertson is the first UFC fighter in 2018 to beat an opponent who missed weight. And here’s the finish, relatively text book stuff as McCann just couldn’t keep up the hand fighting as they were switching position. Robertson’s gable grip is nice and she gets her shoulders and head into ideal position to fully lock everything down.

Brad Scott has traded wins and losses while going 3-4 in the UFC, but he’s coming off of a loss so he’s hoping the pattern holds and he can get a win here while avoiding the first losing streak of his career. Carlo Pedersoli brings a seven fight winning streak into his UFC debut and was last seen besting former UFC fighter Nicolas Dalby to earn his shot here, and as you all know you only get one chance to make a good first impression. It’s worth noting that Pedersoli took this on short notice. The odds lean towards the debuting Pedersoli at -160 against +130 for Scott.

Welterweight Bout: Carlo Pedersoli Jr. (10-1, 170 lbs.) vs. Brad Scott (11-5, 171 lbs.)

ROUND ONE: Scott is an inch and a half taller and has an inch of reach advantage. They touch gloves to get us going, Pedersoli starts southpaw. Scott lands a front kick to the body. Sharp jab from Scott, Pedersoli responds with a left. Pedersoli lands a body kick. Inside leg kick lands for Scott. Scott blocks a head kick. Scott lands an inside leg kick. Pedersoli just misses a wheel kick then lands a bit of a left to counter a right. Scott lands a calf kick, Pedersoli lands a side kick to the body. Pedersoli lands a jab to the body then a left to the head. Spinning back kick to the body from Pedersoli. This fight has a strange rhythm, they’re both looking for big shots and are kind of content to let each other throw. Scott drops Pedersoli with a left, after having wobbled him with another left but Pedersoli is back up and avoids a head kick. Scott lands a knee to the body as the last relevant blow of the round.

SCORECARD: 10-9 Scott

ROUND TWO: Pedersoli lands a jab to start the second round. A few missed kicks from Pedersoli, Scott eats a bit of an overhand left. Pedersoli lands a solid couple of left body kicks. Another body kick from Pedersoli, he’s at least setting up his high kick now instead of just swinging it out there. Scott lands a right but eats another body kick. Inside leg kick from Scott, but Pedersoli is sniping a lot better this round. Scott lands a right but eats another body kick. Pedersoli tries the high kick but it’s blocked. Scott lands another inside leg kick, those are starting to add up. Side kick to the body from Pedersoli. Pedersoli lands another couple of body kicks then lands a left to follow up. Scott lands a bit of a right. Stiff jab from Scott stops Pedersoli’s forward movement for a bit. Pedersoli hits a double leg and lands in half guard. Scott threatens a guillotine, nothing there, as the round ends.

SCORECARD: 10-9 Pedersoli, 19-19 overall

ROUND THREE: The ref warns both guys about extending fingers, they’ve both been doing it, and we get a hug to start the last round. Scott lands a body kick but eats a jab. Bit of a left from Pedersoli and Scott lands an inside leg kick. Pedersoli lands another body kick. Another body kick from Pedersoli but Scott lands a counter right this time. Scott slips a couple of kicks and lands to the body, Pedersoli responds with a body kick. Pedersoli misses a couple of hooks then lands a jab and a body kick. Diving double leg from Pedersoli but Scott has grabbed a guillotine and uses that to sweep and regain his feet. Pedersoli lands a body kick. Right to the body from Scott but he eats a counter left. A series of left kicks from Pedersoli, he’s got quick hips if nothing else. Pedersoli gets a body lock takedown, Scott bounces back up but he’s pinned on the fence. Bit of an elbow from Pedersoli as they break apart. Right from Scott, Pedersoli lands a left then gets a single leg into the guard of Scott. They trade some blows on the mat, Pedersoli landed a solid elbow as the round ends.

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

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

Not sure how you could give Scott the second or third, and Pedersoli’s first comment on the mic is that the scores were weird and it should have been unanimous then puts over Scott. Asked who or what is next he says he’ll fight whoever the UFC wants and says he accepted the fight without even knowing who the opponent was, he’s ready for anyone.

Gina Mazany has gone 1-1 in the UFC but is coming off of a win and is hoping to get her first UFC winning streak up and running. Lina Lansberg has gone 1-2 in the UFC and is coming off of a loss, she’s trying to bounce back from that and avoid the first losing streak of her career. Mazany is your favorite at -135 to +135 for Lansberg.

Women’s Bantamweight Bout: #14 Lina Lansberg (7-3, 135 lbs.) vs. #15 Gina Mazany (5-1, 135 lbs.)

ROUND ONE: And my internet/TV died for a bit there, apologies as I’ve missed the tale of the tape and odds. Fortunately I come back as they’re pinned on the fence in the first thirty seconds or so. Mazany is after a takedown, Lansberg is defending. They break without incident, trade a couple of punches and Mazany dives back into the clinch. Mazany lands some knees to the thigh. Lansberg is able to spin the position and land a knee to the body. A few more knees from Lansberg to the body and thigh then lands an elbow. Mazany reverses position and separates. Bit of a head kick from Lansberg off balances Mazany and Lansberg pushes into the clinch again. Knees to the body from Lansberg then she lands an elbow. The knees to the body from Lansberg are starting to break Mazany down and slow her pace. Elbow from Lansberg lands. The ref breaks them after they stall out a bit. Body kick from Lansberg, another clinch and they trade there as the round ends.

SCORECARD: 10-9 Lansberg

ROUND TWO: Mazany opens with an inside leg kick and she avoids the clinch this time. Lansberg lands a body kick and they clinch up, this time Mazany is on the fence again. A few knees to the body go back and forth. Mazany keeps wrapping the head in the clinch, terrible move as it constantly legs Lansberg reset head position and land to the body. The ref restarts them again as they’d stalled out a bit. Mazany shoots a quick double leg, Lansberg wall walks almost immediately and they’re still in the clinch. More knees go back and forth and Mazany is still pinned on the fence. The ref breaks them again, Lansberg might be fading a bit. They trade body kicks. Lansberg pushes into another clinch and starts kneeing the body as Mazany tries to wrap the head yet again. More knees from Lansberg as they break. Mazany lands a bit of a left and gets a double leg against the fence. Lansberg back up and they trade knees in the clinch while fighting for position. Elbow from Lansberg and more knees to the body. The round comes to a close with a few more knees from Lansberg and a bit of a front kick from Mazany on the break from the clinch.

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

ROUND THREE: Mazany lands a couple of body kicks, Lansberg returns them and we’re back in the clinch. They jockey for position on the fence, Lansberg lands some knees to the body and an elbow. Another elbow from Lansberg and a knee to the body behind it. Mazany is throwing some knees as well but she’s not got as much on hers and the ref separates them. Body kick from Lansberg and another one behind it. Bit of a left from Mazany. Lansberg lands a body kick then smothers a spinning attack and we’re clinched again. Elbow from Lansberg and she’s back to working the body with knees. Mazany is able to reverse position on the fence then pull free. Kick to the arms from Lansberg, Mazany lands a couple of body shots. Mazany lands a couple of rights, Lansberg pushes into the clinch and has Mazany on the fence again. They trade knees to the body. Another separation, and another clinch where the round comes to a close.

SCORECARD: 10-9 Mazany, 29-28 Lansberg overall

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

I can see Lansberg taking the third. No interview for Lansberg.

Dan Kelly is on a two fight losing streak, and at his age with his long athletic history one has to imagine he’s looking for a win to possibly retire on. At a minimum he’s trying to avoid the dreaded three fight losing streak. Tom Breese was thought to be one of the blue chip prospects for the division back in 2015, but then things went sideways for him. First he lost a lackluster fight by split decision in June of 2016, then he took nearly a year off before being pulled from his return bout for unspecified reasons (simply deemed unfit to compete was the only given reason) and now nearly two years removed from his first loss he’s finally getting back into the cage. Breese is trying to remind people why he had so much hype around him and possibly reclaim a bit of it. The odds like Breese here, to the tune of -370 against a +280 comeback on Kelly.

Middleweight Bout: Tom Breese (10-1, 186 lbs.) vs. Daniel Kelly (13-3, 186 lbs.)

ROUND ONE: Breese has three inches of height and reach on Kelly, and he’s a whopping fourteen years younger. Both men fighting southpaw. Breese is showing the jab early, Kelly looking to close distance. Quick uppercut from Breese lands. Kelly lands a leg kick. Glancing overhand left from Kelly. Breese has fast hands but he’s not quite getting through the guard of Kelly reliably yet. Leg kick from Kelly but he eats a jab. Jab to uppercut from Breese, Kelly needs to slow this down and make it ugly because he’s not winning this type of fight. Left lands for Breese. Kelly lands a leg kick. Kelly ducks into an uppercut, that went to the eye of Kelly and he collapses against the fence holding the eye and the ref quickly stops this one.

OFFICIAL RESULT: †WINNER – Tom Breese via TKO, punches, at 3:33 of Round 1

The First Round Finish Club thanks Mr. Breese for his work this morning. Breese gets an interview after that one, he says the uppercut was always part of the game plan and puts over his boxing coach for all the work that has gone into him. He talks about Kelly doing a good job of parrying and covering up and having to adjust to set up the uppercut, then mentions he’s not the most confident fighter but he trains like a beast and wants to keep coming for the division.

Here’s the finish if you missed it, Kelly had been blocking well even though he was constantly ducking upon engagement and this time he anticipated a straight and angled his guard for that and left an opening right up the middle for the uppercut from Breese.

That is the last preliminary fight, though we’re still on Fox Sports 1 for the main card.

Eric Spicely is on a two fight losing streak and is 2-3 overall in the UFC, he’s trying to avoid a three fight skid that could easily see him cut from the roster. Darren Stewart has yet to officially win in the UFC and is on a three fight losing streak, one has to imagine if he drops four in a row here he’ll find himself outside the UFC. The odds here are close but favor Spicely at -170 to +140 for Stewart.

Middleweight Bout: Eric Spicely (10-3, 186 lbs.) vs. Darren Stewart (7-3 1 NC, 186 lbs.)

ROUND ONE: Spicely is an inch taller while the reach is in favor of Stewart by an inch. There’s a touch of gloves to get us going. Stewart feinting early, looking to bait and counter. Spicely showing the jab, he can’t get a reliable clinch thus far. Both men are starting to land the jab but Stewart’s is much more precise and powerful. Spicely lands a couple of kicks to the body and leg. Right for Spicely lands and he’s after a single leg that hits the fence. Spicely looking for the takedown, switching between single leg and double leg attempts but he can’t get Stewart down yet. They trade knees to the body and separate. Bit of a right from Stewart. Spicely lands a front kick to the body then a leg kick. Stewart lands a bit of a left and they both miss rights. Left lands for Spicely but Stewart’s jab is still working. Spicely lands a couple of leg kicks. Stewart avoids some punches then eats a body kick. Nothing of note from the last couple of seconds.

SCORECARD: 10-9 Spicely

ROUND TWO: Touch of gloves for the second round. Spicely lands a left to the body. Right hook then a left from Stewart land and Stewart is backing up. Spicely lands a leg kick then a jab that wobbles Stewart but Stewart lands a right that has Spicely backing up. Stewart coming forward and walks into a right hand that slows things down all over again. There’s a serious welt under the right eye of Spicely, Stewart lands a right that drops Spicely and he follows him to the mat then pounds him out from there.

OFFICIAL RESULT: †WINNER – Darren Stewart via TKO, punches, at 1:47 of Round 2

That jab from Stewart was money all fight and he caught Spicely coming into it to start the end of the fight. Stewart drops to his knees with emotion after they announced the results, he says he lost three in a row last year and knew he needed to get his name back and prove he belongs here. He puts over his coaches and his family for all of their support for him and the fans as well. He says that following Spicely down was dangerous because of the guard work Spicely does but his coaches told him if he was going into the guard to go into the guard hard and that’s what he did.

Here’s the finish, Spicely steps into a strong jab from Stewart and Stewart never lets him recover.

Claudio Silva is on an overall eleven fight winning streak and is 2-0 in the UFC, but he hasn’t fought since November of 2014 due to a series of injuries. In fact this fight was originally scheduled for UFC 186 way back in 2015, Silva is trying to reclaim his spot as a prospect to watch. Nordine Taleb has an impressive UFC record of 6-2 and is on a two fight winning streak, he’s also coming off of a brutal knockout win and is looking to continue that streak here then earn a shot at someone near or in the top fifteen. Given the significant layoff for Silva it should be no surprise that Taleb is a -380 favorite against +290 for Silva.

Welterweight Bout: Claudio Silva (11-1, 170 lbs.) vs. Nordine Taleb (14-4, 171 lbs.)

ROUND ONE: Taleb is two inches taller and has three and a half inches of reach on Silva. Silva fighting southpaw, and lands a bit of a body kick. They clinch up and trade knees to the body before breaking apart. Taleb avoids a takedown attempt and lands a straight left. They trade inside leg kicks. Body kick from Silva is caught and Taleb hits a hard takedown then a right as Silva got back to his feet. They trade body kicks but Taleb’s kicks have more power and better technique. Silva lands an inside leg kick, Taleb then easily blocks a takedown attempt and lands some knees to the body from a brief clinch. Silva catches an inside leg kick and gets a takedown into half guard. Shoulder pressure from Silva, and he lands a few hammer fists then Taleb looks to roll under for a knee bar but Silva smothers him and lands a series of punches. Taleb tries to re-guard but Silva into full mount and starts teeing off with elbows. Silva is going to town with the elbows and now has the back looking to lock in the choke. The choke is in, Taleb isn’t hand fighting but the arm isn’t under the chin just yet, Silva keeps cranking and adjusts just enough to force the tap.

OFFICIAL RESULT: †WINNER – Claudio Silva via Submission, rear naked choke, at 4:31 of Round 1

The First Round Finish Club thanks Mr. Silva for his work this morning. Silva on the mic now, he jokes that he’s a Britzilian and puts over his love for British culture and briefly goes over his history in the country. He says he’s been out for four years and got over weight and had lots of injuries, he puts over Taleb and says that while his body wasn’t always in the cage his soul always was. Asked about his preparation for this fight he puts over his coaches by name, says he loves to be here and says he wants his fifty thousand post fight bonus and says he’ll do whatever the UFC wants. Silva closes with some Portuguese for the people back in Brazil, mostly going over what he talked about in English then specifically shouts out a couple of cities.

The man was out for four years and came back to do that, relatively incredible.

Jason Knight was a promising featherweight up and comer until recently, he’s lost his last two fights and while the loss to Ricardo Lamas could simply be a case of too much too soon the way Gabriel Benitez shut him down was more troubling. Knight is trying to avoid a three fight losing streak here and prove he’s still of value to the promotion and the division. Makwan Amirkhani has been out of action for a little over a year, in his last fight he lost a split decision to Arnold Allen but had won his prior three UFC bouts. Amirkhani is trying to avoid his first losing streak and resume his upward trajectory. Despite the two fight losing streak the odds lean towards Knight at -175 against +145 for Amirkhani.

Featherweight Bout: Makwan Amirkhani (13-3, 146 lbs.) vs. Jason Knight (20-4, 146 lbs.)

ROUND ONE: These two are the same height while Amirkhani has an inch of reach on Knight. Both guys come out southpaw and are looking to engage quickly. Knight lands a bit of a front kick to the face, mostly he’s picking with inside leg kick so far. Patient start from Amirkhani, then he lands a counter right that caught Knight, they wind up no the mat and Knight is holding a body triangle from the bottom. Amirkhani disengages and makes Knight start back on the feet. They trade lead hands, Knight is bleeding from the bridge of the nose. Amirkhani lands another jab, and a left behind it. They trade lead hand punches again, Amirkhani has faster hands but he’s not putting many punches together. Knight lands a bit of a combination, Amirkhani lands a jab once they reset. Inside leg kick from Knight. There’s some blood from the corner of the left eyebrow of Knight as well now. Knight lands a couple of front kicks to the body, Amirkhani lands a body shot but eats an uppercut that badly drops him, Knight follows him down but loses position and we’re throwing on the feet again. Amirkhani gets dropped again with an uppercut and Knight nearly lands an illegal knee but Amirkhani is able to get on top and Knight goes to work with rubber guard. Knight locks up a triangle choke attempt, gets to mount but can’t hold it and moves to the ride position as the round ends.

SCORECARD: 10-9 Knight

ROUND TWO: Knight showing kicks early, mostly aimed at the body or inside the lead leg. Amirkhani walks into that shovel punch again but just eats it this time. Knight lands a bit of a combination. They trade inside leg kicks, Knight is talking to Amirkhani a lot this round. Amirkhani lands a right hook. They trade rights, Amirkhani gets a single leg takedown and Knight gets full guard then starts looking for rubber guard. Body triangle from Knight from the bottom, Amirkhani lands an elbow then stands and up looks to pass. The ref makes Knight stand back up, Knight lands a right hook again but The ref makes Knight stand back up gets a body lock takedown into side control against the fence. Knight to rubber guard, mostly just control right now and Amirkhani pushes through it and lands a punch then Knight tries to invert as the round ends.

SCORECARD: 10-9 Amirkhani but could go either way, 19-19 overall

ROUND THREE: Quick double leg from Amirkhani to start the third and Knight moves to rubber guard quickly. They’re stalling out a bit, and Amirkhani pushes through the guard to land a right. Knight with a triangle attempt, Amirkhani avoids it and lands another short right. Rubber guard again from Knight, he’s just locking things down and looking to lock up a triangle when Amirkhani tries to explode. Full on mission control from Knight and he’s got Amirkhani locked down enough to force the stand up from the ref. Stiff right from Amirkhani stiffens up Knight and then he gets a clinch. Amirkhani gets the back, Knight tries to roll for a knee bar then settles for guard. Hard elbow from Amirkhani then Knight moves to rubber guard. Amirkhani moves to side control then a front headlock position as Knight moves to his knees. Knight tries to stand, Amirkhani punches him back down and then kills the last few seconds on top.

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

OFFICIAL RESULT: †WINNER – Makwan Amirkhani via split decision (27-30, 29-28 x2)

Not sure you could give Knight the third round but he could have taken the first two. Amirkhani on the mic, he puts over the crowd to quiet some booing that was starting. He says he wanted to work the first because once they got sweaty he could control on the mat better and work from that spot. He says this is show business and hopes the fans enjoyed the pre-fight antics then calls out Cub Swanson. Amirkhani puts over Jimi Manuwa, who’s in the crowd, as a crazy guy and tells a story about the two of them going to Chechnya together.

Arnold Allen has won all three of his UFC bouts and is on an overall five fight winning streak, he’s trying to improve that here and prove that he’s a rising prospect. Mads Burnell has gone 1-1 in the UFC but he’s coming off of a win and is looking to slow the building hype around Allen while proving he’s worth a bit of that hype himself. Allen is your -240 favorite against +190 for Burnell.

Featherweight Bout: Arnold Allen (12-1, 146 lbs.) vs. Mads Burnell (9-2, 146 lbs.)

ROUND ONE: These two are the same height while Allen has an inch of reach on Burnell. Allen comes out southpaw and lands a bit of a left. Burnell is stalking forward and Allen is circling and sniping with a left hand. Bit of a right from Burnell and Allen responds with a left. One two from Burnell then a follow up right. Allen lands a couple of side kicks to the body but Burnell is starting to read the offense of Allen block while closing distance. Double leg attempt from Burnell stalls out on the fence but he’s got Allen pinned there. A few rights from Burnell and Allen is able to reverse position then they separate. Body kick from Burnell. Allen starting to get back on his bicycle and jab, Burnell lands an inside leg kick then a body shot. Allen is struggling to maintain distance, he’s sniping but is flat when he does so and Burnell is countering. Straight left from Allen lands then Burnell gets a double leg and has Allen down on his back. Burnell into half guard quickly and is looking to pass again. Allen is able to get full guard back but eats some offense for doing so. Burnell lands to the body and head, Allen back up and lands a knee. Burnell lands a right and tries another takedown, this one hits the fence and the round ends with an outside reap from Allen.

SCORECARD: 10-9 Burnell

ROUND TWO: Burnell coming forward again, both men showing the jab. Double leg from Burnell is successful and he’s in half guard now. Allen is able to get full guard for a moment, Burnell trying to pass immediately and moves back to half guard. Hip escape from Allen but Burnell is able to pass again quickly. Allen to the fence and is looking to wall walk, he’s back to a hip and Burnell lands punches to the body. Burnell gets the back standing after Allen had to hand stand to get up, he kicks the legs out and tries to transition to a double leg but Allen is able to force separation. One two from Allen lands but his technique is disappearing as his arms get tired from all the grappling. Burnell gets another double leg into half guard, this time in the center of the cage. Some offense landing for Burnell, nothing heavy but he’s staying busy. Burnell looking to get into full mount but can’t get past the legs and has to settle for landing some hammer fists as Allen gets full guard. More body shots from Burnell and he moves to half guard again as the round ends.

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

ROUND THREE: They touch gloves for the last round. Allen coming forward now instead of looking to counter. Burnell lands a right and gets a double leg takedown. Allen quickly wall walks but Burnell gets him down again, this time turning him away from the fence and moves to half guard. Allen powers back to his feet but he’s still on the fence. Burnell is after another takedown but can’t get his hands together this time and has to keep clinch fighting. Burnell hits a single leg and moves to half guard again. Allen wall walks again but he can’t get free. Allen grabs a standing guillotine, switches to a power guillotine/ninja choke and when Burnell moves to his back trying to release the pressure Allen keeps the choke and leans into it from the top to force the tap.

OFFICIAL RESULT: †WINNER – Arnold Allen via Submission, ninja choke, at 2:41 of Round 3

The Final Round Finish Club thanks Mr. Allen for his work this morning and would like to express displeasure at the promotion for the early start time for this event. Comeback of the year nominee there, he was down two rounds. Allen on the mic, he says it’s good he’s got the heart of a lion and that he got his second wind in the third round as he gassed in the second. He says he might have underestimated Burnell a bit and wont make that mistake again. Talking us through the finish he says he’s really happy but kind of sad that his long time head coach couldn’t be here and is proud that his father could be in his corner, then jokes about all the steroids his dad, a former strongman, has done before saying he’s never touched the stuff.

Here’s the finish, Allen was losing handily but Burnell gets a little careless with his head position relative to Allen’s arms and Allen locks up a Hail Mary ninja choke to get the tap.

Neil Magny was supposed to fight Gunnar Nelson here, sadly Nelson got injured. Magny has traded wins and losses while going 2-2 in his last four fights but those losses are to Lorenz Larkin and top contender Rafael dos Anjos, plus he’s coming off of the biggest win of his career when he soundly bested Carlos Condit. Magny is trying to defend his top ranking here and get his first winning streak since 2016. Craig White took this fight on short notice, but he’s won his last four fights via some form of stoppage and is looking to score a massive upset and the biggest win of his career here. Magny is the biggest favorite on the card at a whopping -650 while the +425 payout for White likely tempts a few degenerate gamblers.

Welterweight Bout: #9 Neil Magny (20-6, 171 lbs.) vs. Craig White (14-7, 171 lbs.)

ROUND ONE: Magny is an inch taller and has four inches of reach on White. Magny sniping early, he takes a leg kick from White then returns it. White pushes into the clinch and Magny gets him on the fence. They jockey for position along the fence and White gets Magny on the fence. Some knees are traded and White is looking for an outside trip of some variety but Magny is staying upright. Magny is able to switch the position, White switches it back very quickly. Another switch from Magny and he’s got a body lock but can’t quite get the elevation for a takedown. Magny tries a knee, this one hits the groin of White and we’ve got time for White to recover. There’s some kind of cut or mark on the cheek of White, he walks off the blow quickly and we restart at distance. White eats a jab and pushes into the clinch again, he’s got Magny back on the fence. They jockey for position, Magny gets a body lock and lands a knee to the body then smothers a takedown from White and pushes into full mount. White is able to kick Magny off but Magny stands over him and is looking to pass and return to the mat. They stall out and the ref stands White up, who throws a combination and is back in the clinch. Magny is getting hte better of the clinch now and knees White to the head and he drops, Magny is swarming him from half guard and White is just covering up until the ref steps in to save him.

OFFICIAL RESULT: †WINNER – Neil Magny via TKO, knee and punches, at 4:32 of Round 1

The First Round Finish Club thanks Mr. Magny for his work this afternoon. Magny gets an interview, he thanks White for taking the fight on short notice and letting him fight to make money a bunch of which he’s donating to a little girl fighting a medical condition. Asked about the change of opponents so late he says he stays ready and that this is the fight game and that happens all the time. Asked who’s next he says he’s been quiet for way too long and tells Kamaru Usman it’s time to “beat that ass”.

Stephen Thompson is in a rough spot, he’s twice failed to take the welterweight title from Tyron Woodley and the nature of both fights doesn’t exactly have the fans clamoring for a third bout. Thompson is coming off of a win over Jorge Masvidal and he’s hoping to retain his top ranking here while waiting for the upcoming champion and interim champion snafu to be sorted out. Darren Till is undefeated and coming off of the biggest win of his career when he obliterated Donald Cerrone, if he can follow that up with another big win over a former title challenger here he’ll undeniable insert himself into the title picture. Till missed weight for this, and rather badly at that, so he really needs to win here to redeem that particular gaff. The odds are very close, but lean towards the more proven Thompson at -145 to a +115 for Till.

Welterweight Bout: #1 Stephen Thompson (14-2-1, 171 lbs.) vs. #8 Darren Till (16-0-1, 174.5 lbs.)

ROUND ONE: Till is ten years younger but the height is identical and Thompson has half an inch of reach on him. Till fighting southpaw, Thompson will do a lot of stance switching. They touch gloves to get us going. Both men feinting with the hands and hips trying to get a reaction out of the other. Leg kick from Till lands. Bit of a body kick from Thompson. Till is doing a bit too much following of Thompson instead of cutting him off. Thompson avoids a left from Till. Bit of a leg kick from Till, very cerebral start to this fight so far. Body kick from Till and Thompson lands a bit of a counter left. Right to the body from Thompson. Till misses a spinning back elbow but that was really close. Leg kick from Till. They stare away the final few seconds.

SCORECARD: 10-9 Thompson but who knows with that round

ROUND TWO: They touch gloves for the second round. Till coming forward this round, and just misses a left. Thompson has a high kick blocked. Thompson lands a side kick to the body but eats a leg kick. Till lands a knee to the body after a quick Thai clinch. Bit of a left from Till. Thompson lands a left hook in close. Till lands a couple of side kicks to the lead leg then a leg kick. When Till moves to attack he’s very linear, Thompson is constantly looking to angle and counter and Till hasn’t quite got his movement into a fluid state to corral him. Till avoids a high kick, both guys looking to bait and counter. Side kick to the body from Thompson then he misses a wheel kick. Till coming forward but doesn’t commit before the round ends.

SCORECARD: 10-9 Till but again, who knows, 19-19 overall

ROUND THREE: Minor delay on the restart, there was something up with the cup of Till and they get it sorted out quickly. Till coming forward this round, more assertive with it this time and he’s got Thompson on the fence but can’t connect before Thompson gets free. They trade a few leg kicks and Till lands a bit of a jab. Another jab from Till sneaks through the guard of Thompson. Leg kick from Till lands, Thompson lands a body kick then a left to the body. Counter right lands for Thompson, Till ran right into it but just eats it. They split power hand punches and Till avoids a high kick. Another exchange of power hands, Till lands a body kick this time to follow it up. Thompson lands a bit of a right but there was an eye poke to Till so we’ve got time for the doctor to check on Till. Replay confirms the poke, till is able to continue and we’re fighting again. Left from Till and Thompson lands a side kick. Till lands a left and a leg kick, Thompson lands a punch to counter. They feint away the final couple of seconds.

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

ROUND FOUR: Thompson lands a jab, Till returns it. Till lands a leg kick but he eats a couple of counter punches. Bit of a right from Thompson, Till lands a glancing left. Side kick to the thigh from Till, Thompson lands a right. Jab lands for Thompson. Thompson slips a left and lands a left of his own. They clinch up and Till has Thompson on the fence. Elbow from Till and they break. Till lands a jab and misses a right hook. Till pushes forward and lands a bit of a left as the last blow of the round.

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

ROUND FIVE: They hug to start the final round. Till coming forward but struggling to land cleanly. Bit of a body kick from Till then a leg kick behind it. Jab from Till lands. They both miss wheel kicks then laugh about it. Thompson just falls short with a jumping switch kick. Till has Thompson on the fence again but still can’t land clean before Thompson angles away. Body kick from Thompson lands, Till double jabs him and cracks him with a left on the fence and drops him. Thompson scrambles back up immediately and separates. Thompson lands a right and a delayed left behind it. Till coming forward, Thompson tries a double leg but can’t get top position and they just reset on the feet. They just stare away the final few seconds then embrace.

SCORECARD: 10-9 Till, 49-46 Till overall but I’m not standing by that final score at all

OFFICIAL RESULT: †WINNER – Darren Till via unanimous decision (48-47, 49-46 x2)

I’m not sure how correct that is, but that’s the decision. Till’s first act on the mic has to be censored as it’s just profanity. He puts over Thompson and puts over his own striking as as good as karate. he puts over Thompson again as the best striker he’s ever faced and he plays with the crowd then proceeds to call out the whole division but most of it is censored so that’s just my best guess. Till is clearly fired up though.

That wraps up Fight Night 130, thanks for being here guys and reading along. We’ll be breaking down this action in a few hours on the 411 Ground and Pound Radio Show, and we’ll also be previewing Fight Night 131 which takes place next Friday and has a good main event when Marlon Moraes takes on Jimmy Rivera in a fight that could easily have title implications at bantamweight. I hope you’ll come back for that event, I know I’ll be here for it. Until then thanks again for the support, I can’t say I deserve it but I’m going to do my best to earn it, stay safe out there and keep checking 411mania for all of your pop culture needs.

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