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411’s UFC Fight Night 131 Report: Moraes Wins

June 2, 2018 | Posted by Robert Winfree

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MAIN CARD (FS1, 10 p.m. ET)
#4 Jimmie Rivera (134.6 lbs.) vs. #5 Marlon Moraes (135.4 lbs.)
Gregor Gillespie (155.6 lbs.) vs. Vinc Pichel (155.8 lbs.)
Walt Harris (253 lbs.) vs. Daniel Spitz (243.8 lbs.)
Jake Ellenberger (170.4 lbs.) vs. Ben Saunders (169.4 lbs.)
Julio Arce (145.4 lbs.) vs. Daniel Teymur (145.8 lbs.)
Sam Alvey (204.8 lbs.) vs. #15 Gian Villante (205.2 lbs.)

PRELIMINARY CARD (FS1, 8 p.m. ET)
#2 Sijara Eubanks (125.6 lbs.) vs. #3 Lauren Murphy (125.6 lbs.)
Nik Lentz (155.4 lbs.) vs. David Teymur (155.8 lbs.)
Belal Muhammad (170.2 lbs.) vs. Chance Rencountre (170.6 lbs.)
Desmond Green (155.4 lbs.) vs. Gleison Tibau (155.2 lbs.)

PRELIMINARY CARD (UFC Fight Pass, 6:30 p.m. ET)
Jessica Aguilar (115 lbs.) vs. Jodie Esquibel (115.4 lbs.)
Johnny Eduardo (135.8 lbs.) vs. Nathaniel Wood (135.4 lbs.)
Jarred Brooks (125.8 lbs.) vs. Jose Torres (125.2 lbs.)

Hello everyone and welcome to 411mania’s LIVE coverage of UFC Fight Night 131. I’m Robert Winfree and I’ll be your host for this event, relaying all of the action to you good people just as I see it. This event, well it’s just kind of there for the most part. For those who keep track of random statistics, this is just the seventh event in 2018 where all the fighters on the card made weight. In fact I believe that brings us to 7/16 all year with every fighter making weight, so I’m happy to hear from you guys in the comments section about who’s missing weight next week to keep that statistic up and running.

The main event is a really good bout on paper when two top contenders battle it out. Both Jimmie Rivera and Marlon Moraes are on serious hot streaks, and the winner here is the likely next contender to the title assuming no shenanigans or weight class jumping from whoever the champion is after the rematch between former champion Cody Garbrandt and current champion TJ Dillashaw. The co-main event has some intrigue as well as one of the brighter young prospects in the lightweight division, Gregor Gillespie, takes a reasonable step up in competition against the underrated Vinc Pichel. Beyond that there’s not a whole lot to highlight.

UFC Fight Night 131 comes to the world from the Adirondack Bank Center in Utica, New York, USA, with the commentary team of Jon Anik and Jimmy Smith on the mic. As for the rules, New York has adopted the new rules for MMA competition; so extending fingers towards your opponent is a foul regardless of contact being made, you need both palms or fists flat on the mat to be considered downed, and the language around scoring is clearer while encouraging more 10-8 scores. We’ll also have the limited use of instant replay, still only for the end of a fight and once invoked the fight cannot be restarted.

We actually lost our main event for the Fight Pass prelims a few minutes ago, the New York State Athletic Commission called off the fight between Jessica Aguilar and Jodie Esquibel due to “a medical issue involving strawweight athlete Jessica Aguilar”. So despite everyone making weight we still have a fight fall out at the last minute due to medical issues. Fan-freaking-tastic.

If more news related to this breaks I’ll try and keep you all appraised of the situation. Most notably this will push our start time back about thirty minutes or so, so please be patient.

Jarred Brooks has gone 1-1 in the UFC and is coming off of his first professional loss, to be fair that was a split decision affair and he’s looking to rebound with a win while proving he’s still one of the up and coming prospects in the division. Jose Torres is undefeated as a professional and has quietly been amassing a reputation among the hardcore fans as a big prospect for the division, tonight he’s trying to make a good first impression to the wider UFC audience. The odds are with Torres here at -155 to +125 on Brooks.

Flyweight Bout: Jarred Brooks (13-1, 125.8 lbs.) vs. Jose Torres (7-0, 125.2 lbs.)

ROUND ONE: Torres is an inch taller and has three inches of reach on Brooks. They touch gloves to get us going. Brooks jabs the body, and lands a bit of a left hook as well. Double leg from Brooks, Torres stuffs it and eats an uppercut. Lots of circling from Brooks but he’s finding openings, and lands a right as I type that. Torres eats a bit of a spinning back fist then lands a left. Brooks goes back to the spinning back fist, other side this time, and it lands flush knocking down Torres. Brooks tries to follow him down but has to settle for holding a front headlock trying to set up a choke of some kind while Torres is on his seat. Knees to the shoulder from Brooks, legal blows as Torres is on his knees now. On a minor editorial note, knees to the shoulder like Brooks is landing are a really under used tool in MMA right now. Torres back up and able to spin free. Torres still coming forward but he’s getting hit while doing so, his hands aren’t high enough as he closes and Brooks is hitting and moving well. Leg kick from Torres. Brooks lands a right then a jab and hits a double leg takedown. Brooks gets the back but can’t get the hooks in, he re-positions and gets the hooks in as Torres stands and now he’s in the backpack position. Now a body triangle for Brooks, Torres is mostly hand fighting to prevent a possible choke. Brooks tries to adjust his grip but he’s only over the face as the round ends.

SCORECARD: 10-8 Brooks but a marginal one

ROUND TWO: There’s some swelling around the left eye of Torres after that round, not bad but worth noting. They touch gloves for the second round. Quick shot from Brooks, he winds up clinched and lands a couple of rights as they break. Brooks circling again, misses a spinning back fist and Torres gets his back then rides him down to the mat. Torres holding a rear waist lock as Brooks stands, he gets an elevated mat return but Brooks bounces back up again. They get chest to chest and fight for position, Brooks after a high crotch single leg but can’t get it and they break. Bit of a wheel kick from Brooks, Torres lands a right. Torres lands a counter right, he’s starting to throw more and is having some success. Left to the body then a right to the head from Torres. Brooks tries a double leg, Torres sprawls then lands a few knees to the body before Brooks gets a big slam but he hurt himself on it and Torres spins to his back and pounds him out quickly. Crazy for Brooks to have basically KO’d himself with that slam.

OFFICIAL RESULT: †WINNER – Jose Torres via TKO, punches, at 2:55 of Round 2

Shame for Brooks who was looking very good before over committing himself to that slam when he didn’t need to get that much air on it. He just landed on the back of his head when he tried the slam, unnecessary. Mic time for Torres, he puts over Brooks and says that he, Torres, is a Justin Gaethje type of fighter and he usually fights like this. He talks us through the fight, notes that he likes to get hit a few times, then walks us through the finish and specifically notes how he tried to always adjust himself when Brooks went for slams so he could scramble free. He says he can’t wait to fight again to close the interview.

Here’s the finish. As Brooks elevates Torres Torres works to get parallel, then instead of just dumping off to his left Brooks jumps for the slam and lands on his head. Shame as Brooks was giving Torres a heck of a fight before this, but the sport is nuts.

Johnny Eduardo is here for his one fight a year, he’s coming off of a loss when he competed almost exactly one year ago and is trying to avoid his first UFC losing streak. Nathaniel Wood brings a five fight winning streak into his UFC debut, he’s trying to take out a respected veteran and prove he’s going to be a player in the division. Wood is your favorite at -260 against +200 for Eduardo.

Bantamweight Bout: Johnny Eduardo (28-11, 135.8 lbs.) vs. Nathaniel Wood (13-3, 135.4 lbs.)

ROUND ONE: Eduardo is an inch taller and has two inches of reach on Wood, Eduardo is also f whopping fourteen years older. They touch gloves to get things going. Wood tries a calf kick, Eduardo responds with an inside leg kick. Another calf kick from Wood, this one clearly lands. They trade leg kicks then Wood lands a jab. Eduardo lands a counter right after taking a jab. Wood kicks to the calf again. Quick right from Wood lands. Eduardo lands a right of his own. Eduardo lands a jab, Wood responds with a right and a left hook but Eduardo lands a left that off balances Wood. Wood lands a left hook. Eduardo is doing a lot of countering but he’s very reliant on his right hand, not much coming from the left as a general rule. Wood lands a calf kick, Eduardo wobbles him with a right hook. Eduardo follows him to the fence and lands to the body, now he’s starting to tee off and Wood is bleeding from the nose and he’s not all there. Eduardo doesn’t want to punch himself out and he’s coaxing Wood back to the center of the cage. Wood lands a bit of a right as the last blow of the round.

SCORECARD: 10-9 Eduardo

ROUND TWO: They touch gloves for the second round. Eduardo lands a long right, he’s mostly trying to get into boxing range as Wood is either sniping from distance or trying to set himself for a brawl. Eduardo lands a couple of jabs. Leg kick from Eduardo and a left behind it. Wood lands a glancing right. And the crowd is wooing, ugh. Double leg from Eduardo, he pulls half guard once Wood sprawls but Wood has a d’arce position. Wood moves to the ride position, he tightens it up as Eduardo thinks about rolling for a knee bar and then forces the tap as Eduardo gets rolled to a hip.

OFFICIAL RESULT: †WINNER – Nathaniel Wood via Submission, d’arce choke, at 2:18 of Round 2

Eduardo is going to be kicking himself for letting Wood off of the hook in the first round. Mic time for Wood, he puts over Eduardo as a veteran and feels this was his toughest fight to date. He talks us through the finish, felt he’d landed a few good punches that forced Eduardo to shoot. Asked when he’ll be back he says he’ll be back as soon as reasonable, then notes his family and girlfriend would like some vacation time with him.

In case you missed the finish, here it is. Really odd choice from Eduardo here. As Wood holds the front headlock Eduardo basically rolls his upper body into the pressure for an ill advised knee bar roll and Wood uses that opportunity to feed his choking arm all the way through and grab his own bicep, thus completing the choke. To just make things worse Eduardo can’t keep his hips in place and gets rolled into one of the ideal positions for that choke to fully lock up.

That’s it for Fight Pass, we’re on Fox Sports 1 for the rest of the preliminary action. At least that’s the theory but the golf event on FS1 is running long so we’re starting on FS2 or Fox Sports Go if you’d rather use that app.

Desmond Green has had a rough run in the UFC, he’s just 1-2 in the promotion and is on a two fight losing streak. Green needs to rebound in a bad way or risk his spot on the roster with a three fight losing streak. Gleison Tibau is one of the true veterans of the sport, he made his UFC debut back in 2006 against Nick Diaz, but lately he’s clearly reaching the end of his run. Tibau is on a three fight losing streak and was knocked out in less than a minute his last time out, he’s likely just looking for a feel good moment to win and then ride off into the proverbial sunset on. Reflecting that reality is the odds, which favor Green at -305 to a +235 comeback on Tibau.

Lightweight Bout: Desmond Green (20-7, 155.4 lbs.) vs. Gleison Tibau (33-13, 155.2 lbs.)

ROUND ONE: Green is half an inch taller and has two inches of reach on Tibau. Both guys fighting southpaw. Green lands a leg kick. Bit of a left from Green, both guys still getting a feel for each other. Tibau lands a glancing left, neither guy has found reliable offense just yet. Green avoids a single leg takedown and lands a right as they break. Tibau lands a right hook, these two are starting to throw but they’re both looping those shots. They trade punches, Tibau is starting to land a short left when Green closes distance but he’s eating the right of Green to land those. Green lands a left. Green’s fighting from distance is working, Tibau is trying to just lumber in close enough to land his power shots. Body kick from Green is the last relevant blow of the round.

SCORECARD: 10-9 Green

ROUND TWO: Green starting to throw more jabs this round, he’s also pushing forward more instead of sitting back and letting Tibau come to him. Left lands for Green. Tibau lands a right. Green lands a right to the body, he’s starting to land that when they get close but Tibau isn’t closing all the way in. The distance this fight is being fought at heavily favors Green, he’s doing a good job of sticking Tibau with long punches and then not sticking around for the pocket exchanges. Body kick from Green but neither guy using the legs offensively much. Green lands a jumping knee to the body as the round ends.

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

ROUND THREE: Green coming forward again, using the jab to keep Tibau at the end of his offense. Right to the body then a bit of a left from Green. Green’s jab isn’t the most technically proficient but he’s doing a good job of keeping Tibau at distance with it. Tibau lands a leg kick. Another short right lands for Tibau, they get close and start trading and Tibau gets rocked with a series of hooks. Tibau survives but Green is stalking him and landing jabs. The nose of Tibau is leaking blood now. Green is leaving his chin up, when he jabs he dips his shoulders and elevates his chin but Tibau can’t capitalize on it because of the reach and the accuracy of Green’s jab. Green starting to play to the crowd, Tibau lands a left. A jumping knee from Green doesn’t land but will close out the round.

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

OFFICIAL RESULT: †WINNER – Desmond Green via unanimous decision (29-27, 30-27 x2)

Hm, not sure which round Tibau might have taken or that Green should have had a 10-8 anywhere in there. Green on the mic now, he says it’s great to be fighting in the USA again and puts over New York, his home state. He puts over Tibau and says he wants to get into the top twenty, then I think he pimps his after party but it might have been an appeal to have the UFC go to a specific venue.

On the plus side, the fights are now on Fox Sports 1 after that round of golf finished up.

Belal Muhammad is on a three fight winning streak and is trying to move further towards some ranked opposition with a win here. Chance Rencountre is making his UFC debut on short notice after Niko Price fell out of this bout for undisclosed reasons, he’s looking to make an immediate impact with a memorable win. The odds are solidly with Muhammad at -450 while the +325 payout on Rencountre has to tempt those who like long shots.

Welterweight Bout: Belal Muhammad (13-2, 170.2 lbs.) vs. Chance Rencountre (12-2, 170.6 lbs.)

ROUND ONE: Rencountre has three inches of height and reach on Muhammad. Rencountre fighting southpaw, and they touch gloves to get us going. Muhammad coming forward, trying to walk Rencountre down. Both guys feinting a lot, no real commitment to the offense yet. Leg kick from Muhammad lands. Another leg kick for Muhammad then a calf kick. Rencountre lands a leg kick of his own. Right then a left land for Muhammad, he’s getting into punching range off of those kicks landing. Muhammad lands a right. Rencountre tries a single leg but he was way too far outside when he tried and Muhammad defends easily. Inside leg kick from Muhammad. Muhammad is starting to find his offense reliably, or just picking at the lead leg of Rencountre when he’s circling. Body kick from Muhammad but Rencountre lands a straight left to counter. Inside leg kick from Rencountre lands. Muhammad lands a short right as the last blow of the round.

SCORECARD: 10-9 Muhammad

ROUND TWO: More forward pressure from Muhammad, and he lands an inside leg kick. Rencountre lands a left after they both missed in close. Muhammad punches in close and lands a right. Double leg from Muhammad and he’s got Rencountre down in butterfly guard. Muhammad lands some hammer fists, Rencountre able to scramble back up and reset at distance. More leg kicks from Muhammad, those are starting to take effect. Right to the body from Muhammad. Muhammad slips a left and lands a right. Rencountre lands a body kick. They clinch up and Rencountre quickly spins free but he’s still doing a lot of backing up. Muhammad avoids a couple of offensive offerings and lands a jab. Left hook from Muhammad lands. Muhammad lands a right then a series of lefts, Rencountre is cut on the right cheek and we get some flashy kicks to close out the round.

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

ROUND THREE: Rencountre is actually coming forward this round, Muhammad might be going into coasting mode. Muhammad coming forward now, lands a left after an inside leg kick. A leg kick from Muhammad lands. They trade power hand punches then they both miss follow up punches. The left from Muhammad, be it a jab or a hook, is doing a lot of work and Rencountre isn’t able to deal with it reliably. Rencountre lands an inside leg kick. Double leg from Muhammad against the fence, he’s got the ride position and lands punches while Rencountre gets up but they’re still in the clinch. They break without incident. Muhammad lands a bit of a right, then shoots a double leg and gets Rencountre down again. Rencountre gives up the back trying to scramble, Muhammad has a body triangle on now and is after the choke. He’s nearly under the chin but the fence is keeping him from really extending his body so he’s got to adjust. Muhammad is trying to get the choke but Rencountre is hand fighting well. They regain the feet as time runs down.

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

OFFICIAL RESULT: †WINNER – Belal Muhammad via unanimous decision (30-27 x3)

Rencountre was just out of his depth and Muhammad consistently beat him up. No interview for Muhammad though.

Nik Lentz has had a pretty successful time of it lately, he’s 3-1 since returning to lightweight and he’s looking for his second winning streak during that time here. David Teymur is on a seven fight winning streak and is 4-0 in the UFC, he’s looking for the biggest win of his career here over a noted veteran in Lentz. Somewhat surprisingly Teymur is a favorite at -300 while a +230 comeback for Lentz is tempting to those value bettors out there.

Lightweight Bout: Nik Lentz (28-8-2 1 NC, 155.4 lbs.) vs. David Teymur (7-1, 155.8 lbs.)

ROUND ONE: Teymur is an inch taller and has a whopping five inches of reach on Lentz. They touch gloves, Teymur fighting southpaw and is coming forward. Bit of a right from Lentz. Teymur tries a couple of head kicks, blocked by Lentz but he’s not afraid to throw them. Hard counter left from Teymur drops Lentz to a knee and Lentz bounces back up. Teymur pawing a bit with the lead hand, and has a head kick blocked. Body kick from Teymur lands. They trade leg kicks. Left then a right from Teymur then a body kick. Lentz pushes into the clinch and is after a body lock takedown against the fence. Lentz spins Teymur down, Teymur bounces up and is trying to get out of the clinch. There was a bit of eye gouging from Teymur in there and they break, the ref seemed to miss the worst of them. Teymur lands a right hook. Left lands for Teymur then he catches Lentz with a right. Teymur is catching Lentz every time Lentz tries to bull in close and then angles away from him. Jab then a leg kick from Teymur. Another leg kick from Teymur brings the round to a close.

SCORECARD: 10-9 Teymur

ROUND TWO: They touch gloves for the round. Lentz is doing some stance switching. Lentz lands a right but eats a counter left. They trade leg kicks, Teymur’s are much harder. Teymur lands another hard inside leg kick, there are some welts on the legs of Lentz already. Lentz catches a kick but can’t get the takedown off of it. Teymur lands another inside leg kick, Lentz lands a body kick. Another inside leg kick from Teymur. Teymur misses a wheel kick then lands an inside leg kick. Bit of a high kick from Teymur. Lentz is still coming forward but he’s not really getting offense off, the range is not his friend. Teymur catches a kick and kicks the legs from under Lentz but doesn’t follow him to the mat. Body kick from Teymur then he has a high kick blocked to close the round.

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

ROUND THREE: They touch gloves for the last round. Lentz blocks a head kick. Left uppercut from Teymur lands, bit of a looping left from Lentz. Teymur lands an inside leg kick. Bit of a left from Lentz, he’s just not connecting solidly yet. Spinning back kick to the body from Teymur lands flush. Leg kick from Teymur, Lentz is bleeding under the right eye I think. Body kick from Teymur is caught and Teymur grabs the fence to stop a takedown but Lentz tries a guillotine, Teymur scrambles free and disengages. Teymur lands a jab then a bit of a right hook. Leg kick from Teymur. Teymur lands a left but Lentz lands a counter right that landed flush. Lentz lands a left. Left from Teymur lands, Lentz lands a body kick. Teymur is slowing but he’s also coasting a bit and Lentz isn’t able to really pressure him. They both have some kicks blocked. Leg kick from Teymur. Another leg kick from Teymur then a front kick to the chin. Teymur misses a couple of kicks to close out the round.

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

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

Mic time for Teymur, who’s basically a case study for how to fight while moving away. He plays with the crowd a bit to start then says he’s here to win and gets the crowd to play a little with him. Asked who or what is next, he says he’s going to be the champion some day and says anyone in the top ten is next. Teymur closes with some Swedish and puts over his coaches.

Sijara Eubanks is making her official UFC debut here, she was to contest for the inaugural women’s flyweight title before weight issues forced her out of that fight. She’s trying to prove she can be a force in the division and possibly get back into title contention, almost certainly an interim title if Nicco Montano’s health issues persist. Lauren Murphy has gone 2-3 in the UFC but is undefeated at flyweight, she scored a bit of an upset over Barb Honchak in her last fight and she’s looking to put herself in the title picture as well with another win here. Eubanks is your -200 favorite to +160 for Murphy.

Women’s Flyweight Bout: #2 Sijara Eubanks (2-2, 125.6 lbs.) vs. #3 Lauren Murphy (10-3, 125.6 lbs.)

ROUND ONE: Murphy is an inch taller but they have the same reach. Murphy showing the jab early, Eubanks looking to counter. Eubanks lands a leg kick but takes a bit of a right. Inside leg kick from Eubanks then an outside one as well. Right from Eubanks lands flush and he gets a double leg but Murphy bounces back up. They’re fighting in the clinch, I think Murphy is bleeding from the corner of the right eye. Murphy is able to pull free and we’re back at distance. Eubanks lands a right and a left to the body. Bit of an uppercut from Eubanks, Murphy lands a right of her own. Leg kick from Eubanks. Leg kick from Eubanks, she’s working in combination and while she’s missing the first one or two she’s landing the third. A couple of body shots from Eubanks and they clinch up. Murphy lands some knees to the body then breaks free. Eubanks lands a leg kick, Murphy returns it. Bit of a combination from Eubanks closes the round.

SCORECARD: 10-9 Eubanks, might be a 10-8 argument in there

ROUND TWO: Eubanks coming forward, lands an inside leg kick. Right from Eubanks lands. Murphy is really struggling to get her offense going, it’s a lot of reacting from her. Bit of a right from Murphy. Body kick from Murphy lands. Eubanks after a double leg, switches to a single leg but they still hit the fence and stall out. Eubanks has a body lock and moves to the back looking for a throw or mat return. Double leg from Eubanks is successful and Murphy is trying to set up a guillotine from full guard. Eubanks gets her head free, Murphy is working a high guard and Eubanks has to posture through and land punches. Eubanks stands and is looking to pass, Murphy misses an up kick and Eubanks moves to half guard. Murphy gets full guard back and moves to rubber guard quickly. A few elbows from Murphy and Eubanks pushes through the guard into half guard. Eubanks lands an elbow. They trade blows from this position as the round ends.

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

ROUND THREE: Eubanks has a couple of punches mostly blocked to start the round. Right from Eubanks lands. Murphy after a single leg, Eubanks trying to defend but Murphy gets her down, Eubanks moves to the ride though in a scramble. Murphy able to disengage and we’re back on the feet. Eubanks misses a flurry. Windmill overhand from Eubanks is partially successful. One two from Eubanks lands. Murphy can’t get a double leg but lands a knee to the body before they break apart. Eubanks lands a body kick, Murphy returns it. Murphy lands a left hook. Front kick to the body from Eubanks but these two are visibly slowing down. Eubanks lands a right to the body then eats a body kick. They split some jabs and Eubanks gets a double leg takedown. Murphy immediately goes for a gogoplata and Eubanks moves to half guard to avoid it. A few elbows from Eubanks but nothing too debilitating. They end the round in that spot.

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

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

Nothing all that interesting there, but Eubanks does get a quick interview. She says she feels great and made the weight, she wants a title shot off of this fight and that she should get the next shot. Calling for a title shot over Shevchenko after that fight is ballsy if nothing else. She closes with some personal shout outs.

That’s it for prelims but we’re still on Fox Sports 1 for the main card.

Gian Villante just broke a two fight losing streak with an utterly forgettable fight against Francimar Barroso, tonight he’s after his first UFC winning streak since 2015 and looking to defend his top ranking. Sam Alvey has been trading wins and losses recently, but he’s coming off of his first finish in two years when he moved up to light heavyweight. With a win here Alvey could find himself officially ranked as one of the top fighters in the division. Alvey is the favorite here at -155 to +130 for Villante.

Light Heavyweight Bout: Sam Alvey (32-10 1 NC, 204.8 lbs.) vs. #15 Gian Villante (16-9, 205.2 lbs.)

ROUND ONE: Villante is an inch taller and has half an inch of reach on Alvey. They touch gloves to get us going, Alvey fighting southpaw. Alvey circling early, Villante walking forward. Alvey lands a jab after taking a body kick. Another jab from Alvey lands. Villante keeps walking into that right from Alvey. Villante lands a body kick then has a head kick blocked. Leg kick from Villante, he seems to want to avoid boxing range now after those rights. They trade punches, very sedate pace though. Inside leg kick from Villante, he lands a bit of a right as well. Alvey lands a left. Body kick from Villante then he has a head kick blocked. Alvey lands a jab. Villante lands a right to the body. Alvey takes a kick to the groin but walks it off quickly. Villante apologizes and we’re back to staring/fighting. Alvey lands a calf kick. They both miss rights, Alvey lands a bit of a left. Another left from Alvey drops Villante and he swarms but the round ends and likely saves him.

SCORECARD: 10-8 Alvey but I’m being a tad generous

ROUND TWO: Villante is coming forward again, Alvey still trying to get him to walk into a left. Bit of a left from Alvey. Another calf kick from Alvey, Villante tries a couple of head kicks that miss. Bit of a right from Villante to counter a leg kick. Body kick from Villante. Alvey lands a left hook. They trade power hand punches, then both miss power hand punches. Calf kick from Alvey. Alvey lands a jab and another calf kick. Villante lands a right then a left hook. Quick three punches land for Alvey, Villante lands an inside leg kick. They trade hooks in close. Another left from Alvey and we flurry a bit to close the round.

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

ROUND THREE: Villante back to walking forward, Alvey lands a calf kick. Alvey avoids a right then dodges a head kick. Villante misses some punches. Right shovel punch from Alvey then a left lands. Villante with a couple of leg kicks. Bit of a right from Alvey. Body kick from Villante, Alvey lands a jab. Villante lands a right. Alvey lands a left then Villante lands a right. Alvey lands another jab. Boy this fight has sucked. Villante has a head kick blocked. Alvey lands a left and they clinch up to kill the round.

SCORECARD: 10-9 Villante, 29-27 Alvey overall

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

Alvey on the mic, where he’s immediately more entertaining than that entire fight. He puts over Villante as a tough guy and tells Utica he loves them and their beautiful town. Asked who’s next he says he loves calling guys out, and names Corey Anderson for a fight between a couple of Wisonsin guys (Anderson wrestled at Wisonsin) and jokes that Villante accepted his previous call out before he got back to the locker room and wonders if Anderson can do better than that.

Julio Arce is coming off of a successful UFC debut and has an overall six fight winning streak going, he’s trying to keep that momentum going here and start moving up in the division. Daniel Teymur suffered his first professional loss in his UFC debut up at lightweight, he’s trying to get back to winning at his more natural weight class. As for the odds, they favor Arce at -185 against a +150 comeback on Teymur.

Featherweight Bout: Julio Arce (14-2, 145.4 lbs.) vs. Daniel Teymur (6-1, 145.8 lbs.)

ROUND ONE: Arce is two inches taller and has an inch of reach on Teymur. They touch gloves, Arce fighting southpaw. Teymur coming forward, lands an inside leg kick. Teymur is really working the inside leg kick early, Arce still backing up. Arce has a head kick blocked. Body kick from Arce, Teymur lands a left to the body. More inside leg kicks from Teymur, I’m not sure what he’s setting up with those but they’re starting to work. Arce lands a bit of a left. Arce jabs in close and lands a left. Front kick to the body from Arce. They clinch up and hit the fence. Some jockeying for position, Teymur lands a knee to the body before they break. Arce lands a body kick. Overhand right from Teymur lands and an inside leg kick behind it. Left lands for Arce. Arce digs the body as the round ends.

SCORECARD: 10-9 Arce but could go either way

ROUND TWO: Teymur lands an inside leg kick to get us going in the second. Arce lands a straight left. Bit of a head kick from Arce, Teymur returns it. Teymur lands a left. Another left from Arce lands, Teymur lands a couple of inside leg kicks. Teymur catches a body kick but can’t do anything with it. Another body kick from Arce, Teymur lands a bit of a left. Teymur lands an inside leg kick but eats a counter combination. Teymur pushes into the clinch and is looking for a takedown, Arce defending. Arce gets a body lock as they jockey for position, both guys sneaking in a few knees to the body. They break without incident. Teymur lands a knee to the body, Arce lands a left and there’s a small cut on the right eyebrow for Teymur. Arce lands a left and they clinch up again. Teymur lands a couple of knees to the body. Arce landing some punches, nearly grabs a power guillotine and Teymur has to fight and break free. Bit of a head kick from Arce. Arce lands a left but misses the follow up punches. Body kick from Arce and he ducks under a spinning back fist to close the round.

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

ROUND THREE: Arce coming forward this round. Both guys looking for openings, they both miss punches but can’t quite find the target. Arce lands a left. Teymur lands a body kick but eats a couple of punches on the counter. They trade punches from a quick collar tie up, Arce trips Teymur down off of a kick and lands punches then gets the back in a scramble. Body triangle now for Arce and he’s looking for the choke. Arce is under the chin, he’s going for the choke, locks it up but Teymur is trying to hand fight. Arce keeps adjusting the choke until it gets too tight and Teymur has to tap.

OFFICIAL RESULT: †WINNER – Julio Arce via Submission, rear naked choke, at 2:55 of Round 3

The Final Round Finish Club thanks Mr. Arce for his work this evening. Arce gets an interview, he says he’s trained hard and improved his game, then jokes that he’s expecting a bonus as only the second submission of the night. He talks us through the finish and says it was just a matter of time after all the hard work he’s put in. He thanks everyone for the support then gives love to Colombia in Spanish.

Here’s the finish, most interesting thing on the clip is the grip adjustment from Arce. Note how he moves from grip to grip until it gets tight enough to force the tap.

Jake Ellenberger somehow still has a job with the UFC despite being just 1-4 in his last five and a dismal 2-7 is his last nine fights, he’s trying to avoid another three fight losing streak here and justify his continued presence on the roster. Ben Saunders is also on a bit of a skid, he’s 2-2 in his last four and is also on a two fight losing streak. Saunders similarly needs a win to avoid a three fight skid. The odds have to favor someone I guess, and in this case it’s Ellenberger at -185 to a +150 payout for Saunders.

Welterweight Bout: Jake Ellenberger 31-13, (170.4 lbs.) vs. Ben Saunders (21-9-2, 169.4 lbs.)

ROUND ONE: Saunders is five inches taller and has six inches of reach on Ellenberger. Saunders fighting southpaw, he lands a bit of a body kick. High kick from Saunders is blocked. Ellenberger is pressing forward and Saunders is trying to fight long. Ellenberger lands a right after catching a kick and we’re in the clinch. Saunders lands a few knees to the body and head as he’s on the fence. More knees from Saunders, Sanders drops Ellenberger with a knee to the body and he pounds him out on the mat.

OFFICIAL RESULT: †WINNER – Ben Saunders via TKO, knee to the body, at 1:56 of Round 1

The First Round Finish Club thanks Mr. Saunders for his work this evening. Both of the Finish Clubs have a joint statement about their tardiness to the event, apparently they forgot it was on a Friday instead of the usual Saturday. Saunders on the mic now, he puts over the crowd and says he’s dedicated his life to the sport. He talks us through the finish, and says when he’s on point mentally there’s no one in the division that can beat him. He puts over the UFC brass, stumping for a bonus probably, to close his interview.

Here’s the finish, the knee is wonderfully placed but it’s the timing that makes it work. Saunders lands that knee just as Ellenberger is breathing, and that’s the worst time to get hit.

Walt Harris is on a two fight losing streak, and while the loss to former champion Fabricio Werdum is understandable his DQ loss in his last fight was more on the comical side of things. Harris badly needs a win here or he could find himself out of the UFC for the second time. Daniel Spitz is 1-1 in the UFC and is coming off of a win, he’s trying for his first UFC winning streak here. Despite his losing streak the odds are with Harris at -260 to +200 for Spitz.

Heavyweight Bout: Walt Harris (10-7, 253 lbs.) vs. Daniel Spitz (6-1, 243.8 lbs.)

ROUND ONE: Spitz is two inches taller and has five inches of reach on Harris. Harris fighting southpaw, Spitz doing stance switching. Inside leg kick from Spitz. Both guys missing high kicks. Harris misses a left. Spitz misses a series of jabs, this is getting silly. Harris lands an inside leg kick. Spitz working front kicks to the body, Harris lands a front kick to the face. Short right and a left from Harris land in close but Spitz circles away from him. Body kick from Spitz. They trade some body kicks but this is slowing to a crawl. Another couple of body kicks and inside leg kicks go back and forth and the round ends.

SCORECARD: 10-9 Harris

ROUND TWO: Spitz lands a front kick to the body, Harris is coming forward again trying to get a head kick of his own. Spitz lands a side kick to the face, Harris grins. They clinch and Harris lands a hard knee to the body before Spitz gets free. Harris catches a side kick and lands a body kick. Bit of a right from Spitz got Harris backing up to reset. Bit of a body kick from Spitz and Harris lands a counter left. Everything Harris does just has more weight behind it, Spitz is struggling to land anything of real impact. Harris lands a left to the body, Spitz lands a glancing right. Harris misses a combination. The broadcast is now showing “Center control”, that’s never a good thing. Harris lands a cracking left, Spitz is mostly out on his feet and Harris follows him to the ground. Spitz is trying to get his guard working but he’s still dazed and Harris pounds him out on the mat.

OFFICIAL RESULT: †WINNER – Walt Harris via TKO, strikes, at 4:59 of Round 2

Let this be an object lesson, finishes don’t guarantee interesting or exciting fights. Mic time for Harris, why are we stretching this broadcast out like this? He says he wanted to feel Spitz out in the first and once he found his range he could exploit the game of Spitz. He talks us through the finish and likens himself to a shark who loves blood, then dedicates the win to his aunt who passed away last week as well as to someone who’s name I missed.

Here’s the finish, Spitz just squares up on that inside leg kick and doesn’t protect his head so Harris blasts him with a counter left to the chin. The rest was academic.

Gregor Gillespie is undefeated and has shown himself one of the genuine prospects for the division, he’s 4-0 in the UFC and has finished his last three fights. Gillespie is now trying to make the difficult move from prospect to contender over the next few fights and he’s looking to remain perfect here then take another step up in competition. Vinc Pichel isn’t looking to be a stepping stone, he’s on a four fight winning streak and his only loss came to top fighter Rustam Khabilov. Pichel is looking to slow the hype train around Gillespie and make a case for himself as the rising contender of the two. The odds are pretty heavily with Gillespie, -450 against +325 for Pichel.

Lightweight Bout: Gregor Gillespie (11-0, 155.6 lbs.) vs. Vinc Pichel (11-1, 155.8 lbs.)

ROUND ONE: Pichel has an inch of height and reach on Gillespie. Circling from Gillespie to start, Pichel probing with the jab. Short left from Gillespie who then hits a single leg against the fence. Gillespie moves to side control quickly and moves to pull Pichel away from the fence. A few short punches from Gillespie land. Pichel hips up, Gilepsie grabs a front headlock and pushes Pichel into the fence with it then lands a knee and a series of punches before going for another single leg. Pichel tries to fight this one off but can’t and Gillespie has him down again. Gillespie has side control again but Pichel is back up, Gillespie takes him down again. this time Gillespie lands a couple of punches and moves to half guard. Full mount for Gillespie, that was quick and very nice, and he’s after an arm triangle from mount. Pichel is able to scramble to his knees, he’s back up and they trade punches before separating. Pichel blocks a single leg attempt. Gillespie gets in on the hips of Pichel and cradles him to the mat, he’s in side control again. There’s a front choke opportunity for Gillespie, he’s got an anaconda with the leg in play but time runs down on the round.

SCORECARD: 10-9 Gillespie, could be 10-8

ROUND TWO: Both men miss some punches, Gillespie lands a jab. Pichel tries to punch out of a single leg attempt but Gillespie trips him down and lands in side control. The physicality of Gillespie is something else. Pichel moves to his knees and Gillespie has the front headlock again and moves to the back as Pichel gets to the fence. Rights from Gillespie as Pichel tries to stand, Gillespie gets his back with both hooks in. Pichel back up, Gillespie holding the body lock and gets a mat return to the knees of Pichel. Gillespie lands some knees to the thigh and dumps Pichel onto his back. Full side control from Gillespie. Pichel shrimps to half guard, Gillespie trying to knee slice into full mount. Gillespie is in full mount now trying to set up an arm triangle as Pichel works for half guard. The choke is locked up and Pichel has to tap to the squeeze of Gillespie.

OFFICIAL RESULT: †WINNER – Gregor Gillespie via Submission, arm triangle choke, at 4:06 of Round 2

Good stuff from Gillespie, who keeps on rolling. Mic time for Gillespie, he says he’s just down the road from a few other cities where he’s from but all of upstate New York is unified. He puts over Pichel as a tough guy with a good bottom game, but he’s a persistent fighter and it doesn’t matter if it takes one or fifteen attempts. Asked who he wants next he says he’s not calling anyone out, he’s going to fishing tomorrow and the next week or so then watch his chief training partner fight next week before saying his manager can pick his next opponent.

Here’s the finish, Gillespie knee slices to full mount then as Pichel is trying to hip escape to half guard he’s able to lock up the arm triangle then get his weight down far enough that even half guard can’t save Pichel from the pressure on his neck.

Jimmie Rivera is riding one of the better hot streaks in the bantamweight division right now, he’s not lost since 2008 and has won all five of his UFC bouts, he’s trying to take out another top contender here and stake a claim to a title shot. Marlon Moraes has also been on a tear recently, his lone setback in 2011 was a split decision against Raphael Assuncao in a fight I thought he won, and he’s on a two fight winning streak right now. Moraes is also looking to claim a title shot with a win here. The odds closed as a -115 pick ’em.

Bantamweight Bout: #4 Jimmie Rivera (21-1, 134.6 lbs.) vs. #5 Marlon Moraes (20-5-1, 135.4 lbs.)

ROUND ONE: Moraes is two inches taller while Rivera has an inch and a half of reach on him. Both men feinting early, Moraes lands an inside leg kick. Moraes lands a left head kick and floors Rivera then he swarms him to end this! Damn.

OFFICIAL RESULT: †WINNER – Marlon Moraes via KO, head kick and punches, at :33 of Round 1

The First Round Finish Club thanks Mr. Moraes for his work this evening. Man, the sound of that kick connecting. Mic time for Moraes, who dedicates the win to his unborn son and his wife then puts over his coaches and training partners as well as the diversity of his game. He says he wants a title shot, and I think he’s earned it for whatever it’s worth. He talks us through the finish and points out the importance of putting together punches and kicks before asking for a post fight bonus for his coming son. Asked about what’s next he just says he respects everyone in the sport and who gets into the cage to fight before reiterating he wants a title shot next.

Here’s the head kick, just listen to that sound.

OK everyone, that’s it for Fight Night 131 and what a lovely note for that to end on. This Sunday the 411 Ground and Pound Radio Show will be posted and we’ll review all of the action from this card, such as it was, and preview the upcoming UFC 225. I’ll be back next Saturday for that event, a double title fight affair that also features the return of Phil “CM Punk” Brooks against another fighter who has yet to score a win as a professional. I hope you’ll be back for that event, and I want to thank everyone who’s reading this. I know how many other places you can go for this content and am perpetually humbled and occasionally baffled that you all do but I’m trying to earn your support. Anyway on that note thanks again, stay safe out there, and keep checking 411mania for all of your pop culture needs.

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