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411’s UFC Fight Night 135 Report 8.25.18

August 26, 2018 | Posted by Robert Winfree

Hello everyone and welcome to 411mania’s LIVE coverage of UFC Fight Night 135. I’m Robert Winfree and I’ll be your host for this event, relaying all of the action to you fine people just as I see it. This is our first event after a couple of weeks off and I can’t speak for anyone but myself, but boy did I need it. Truthfully I’m still dealing with some of the burnout and general apathy, but hopefully this card can remedy a bit of that.

UFC Fight Night 135 isn’t the best card on paper but there’s a few sleeper fights here. The main event is a solid affair as Justin Gaethje tries to halt a two fight losing streak against rising contender James Vick, who’s getting his biggest opportunity here. Beyond that things get a little slim, Michael Johnson is trying to arrest the free fall his career is currently in against Andre Fili, Jake Ellenberger is being set up for one last win in his home state to retire on despite looking absolutely awful recently. Also Eryk Anders gets a bit of a gimme fight after dropping a dubious decision to Lyoto Machida in Machida’s home town.

As for fights flying under the radar, there’s a flyweight bout between undefeated Deiveson Figueiredo and John Moraga, Corey Sandhagen looks to impress again after a successful UFC debut, this time taking on veteran Iuri Alcantara, and kicking everything off is a bantamweight clash between Rani Yahya and Luke Sanders. Not the greatest line up but there’s some potential to over perform.

UFC Fight Night 135 comes to the world from the Pinnacle Bank Arena in Lincoln, Nebraska, USA. This is the UFC’s first trip to Lincoln as both of the previous outings to this state were in Omaha. On commentary we have Brendan Fitzgerald and Paul Felder, a pretty solid duo despite Fitzgerald being horribly generic. As for the rules we’re under the new rule set tonight, so you need both palms or fists flat on the mat to be considered downed (or a knee of course), extending fingers towards your opponent is a foul regardless of contact being made (though it’s rarely enforced that way), and the language around scoring is clearer and more encouraging of 10-8’s. We also have the limited use of replay, but once invoked the fight cannot be restarted and so it will be used almost exclusively for fight ending sequences.

Rani Yahya is one of the more consistent yet overlooked and under appreciated bantamweights on the roster, he’s 6-1 in his last seven fights and is on a two fight winning streak yet is stuck curtain jerking the prelims. Yahya is looking to extend his current winning streak and possibly earn a shot at a higher profile opponent. Luke Sanders just broke a two fight losing streak that derailed the potential he’d been showing as a prospect in the division, but a win over a proven veteran like Yahya could re-establish that momentum and get him back on track. The odds favor Yahya at -130 to +100 for Sanders.

Bantamweight Bout: Luke Sanders (12-2, 135.5 lbs.) vs. Rani Yahya (25-9 1 NC, 136 lbs.)

ROUND ONE: These two have identical height and reach measurements. Sanders fighting southpaw, and both men come out feinting. Yahya probes with a few leg kicks but he’s just trying to set up a takedown. Yahya tries a takedown, pulls guard instead, and Sanders rapidly backs free and regains his feet. Bit of a right from Yahya and a body kick behind it. Sanders got off balance there and Yahya dives close then pulls guard and rolls for a heel hook. That got tight but Yahya winds up using that attempt to nearly take the back, dives for the heel hook again and Sanders has to tap this time.

OFFICIAL RESULT: †WINNER – Rani Yahya via Submission, heel hook, at 1:31 of Round 1

The First Round Finish Club thanks Mr. Yahya for his work this evening. On the mic Yahya says he wanted to surprise Sanders on the feet to set up his grappling, notes that the heel hook attack was plan B in case he couldn’t reliably get on top, then puts over one of his new coaches as opening his eyes to the power of the heel hook position. He says he’s been fighting and winning for a long time but only now feels he’s at his best, then says he wants to fight the best, specifically TJ Dillashaw. Yahya says he’s winning as much as anyone and if he can’t fight for the belt next then give him the number one contender.

This card is trying to get into my good graces with that submission, I’m a sucker for a heel hook. I mentioned Yahya is under appreciated, this is three finishes in a row and he’s 2nd all time in terms of finishes in UFC/WEC bantamweight history. Sanders slips out of the first attempt but Yahya keeps control of the ankle and adjusts his body angle so when he locks the heel back in position and rolls the cage blocks Sanders’ escape route and despite not have a solid lock on the leg of Sanders with his own legs the body positioning means Sanders has to submit or get his knee destroyed.

Drew Dober is on a two fight winning streak and is a surprising 4-1 in his last fight though he hasn’t exactly been facing the cream of the crop. He’s looking to get to three in a row here and possibly take a step up in competition going forward. Jon Tuck just broke a two fight losing streak by beating a horribly over the hill Takanori Gomi, in fairness to Tuck those losses were both split decisions that could have gone his way. Tuck is trying to get his first ever UFC winning streak up and running here. Dober is your favorite at -210 to a +170 comeback for Tuck.

Lightweight Bout: Drew Dober (19-8 1 NC, 156 lbs.) vs. Jon Tuck (10-4, 155.5 lbs.)

ROUND ONE: Tuck has three inches of height and reach on Dober. They touch gloves, Dober is fighting southpaw. A few inside leg kicks go back and forth, Dober lands a bit of a left then eats a counter body kick. Body kick from Dober, both guys are putting some serious heat on those kicks. Inside leg kick from Dober, Tuck lands a front kick to the body. Tuck lands a long right. Dober lands a bit of a head kick. Another straight right from Tuck then a body kick. A few inside leg kicks are traded, Dober’s big advantage here seems to be his combinations of punches in the pocket, Tuck is a bit uncomfortable there. Tuck pushes into the clinch and they hit the fence, Tuck has a front head lock going to control Dober but Dober pulls free. Both men jockey for position along the fence then Dober lands an elbow as they break. There’s an exchange of hooks in close then they trade body kicks. Dober’s game plan seems to rely around leg kicks and body work so far, likely setting up his head work for later. Bit of a knee to the body from Tuck, and another both designed to discourage Dober from settling into the pocket. Tuck avoids some offense as the round ends.

SCORECARD: 10-9 Dober

ROUND TWO: Both men come out looking for lead hand hooks that miss, but Dober is still the one coming forward while Tuck seems to be thinking more about countering. Body kick from Tuck. Dober jacks his foot up on a checked leg kick but seems to have shaken it off quickly. Tuck lands a right and a high kick. They trade hooks in close, Tuck has found his range and is angling a bit in these exchanges and he’s winning them because of it. Dober avoids a takedown attempt but he’s bleeding from the bridge of the nose. Now Dober tries a double leg, gets it but Tuck grabs a guillotine on the way down and is looking to lock it up. Dober is trying to pass to the safe side, Tuck has to adjust his legs and loses the grip because of it, Dober settles into top position. Half guard from Dober and he lands a couple of elbows. Tuck looking to wall walk but Dober is keeping him on the mat so far. Body work from Dober, Tuck looks to be fading as he gets to a seated position. Dober pulls Tuck off of the fence and flattens him back out. Tuck gets full guard back but he’s really struggling to properly execute a wall walk despite being against the cage. Dober misses a few elbows but he’s keeping a fairly consistent output of offense. The round comes to an end in that position with another couple of elbows from Dober.

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

ROUND THREE: Dober’s left foot is definitely jacked up, it’s visibly discolored and swollen. They touch gloves for the last round, then immediately trade power hand punches. Dober lands a left, he’s backing Tuck into the fence again and is looking to tee off. Tuck lands a couple of front kicks but Dober lands counter punches. Double leg from Dober, and he’s got Tuck down as Tuck sells out for another ill advised guillotine attempt. Dober is in half guard, he’s trying to knee slice then when Tuck defends landing elbows. Tuck’s eyes are swelling and he’s basically breaking under the pressure and pace that Dober is keeping. Dober is basically in 3/4 mount, Tuck rolls under for a leg lock that basically results in Tuck getting half guard with a knee shield in place. More punches from Dober as he clears the knee shield and Tuck winds up just holding half guard. Tuck is done here, but he’s likely going to take another full minute of abuse because of MMA culture. More body to head stuff from Dober, if he really put on a flurry he might force a stoppage but he’s not going to. Tuck tries a Hail Mary guillotine but nothing doing as time runs down.

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

OFFICIAL RESULT: †WINNER – Drew Dober via unanimous decision (30-27, 30-26 x2)

Dober gets a decent pop from essentially his home town. On the mic he says he’s a mixed martial artist not just a one trick pony and feels he can do anything anywhere any time. He puts over the crowd and says Nebraska has been supporting him since he was seventeen years old and he wouldn’t be here without them. Asked who’s next he says anyone up to and including the world champion.

Joanne Calderwood is currently on a two fight losing streak but is hoping a return to her more natural weight class will breathe life back into her career. Flyweight is relatively open and she could make an immediate impact with an impressive performance here. Kalindra Faria has yet to win in the UFC, going 0-2 and coming off of a split decision loss to Jessica Eye, she’s trying to get that all important first win and justify her spot on the roster. Calderwood is the favorite at -185 to +150 for Faria.

Women’s Flyweight Bout: Joanne Calderwood (11-3, 125.5 lbs.) vs. Kalindra Faria (18-7-1, 125 lbs.)

ROUND ONE: Faria is an inch taller while Calderwood has two and a half inches of reach advantage. They touch gloves to get things going. Right then a left from Faria and she gets a takedown from the clinch. Faria is in half guard, now side control very quickly. Faria is looking for knee on belly, but that allows Calderwood to get butter fly hooks in then full guard. Bit of an elbow from Calderwood on her back, she’s trying to get her legs in play but Faria stacks her and lands a right while passing. Calderwood scrambles for half guard but she doesn’t have an answer to Faria’s passing game so far. Full guard again for Calderwood, Faria lands a few elbows to the body. Solid elbow from Faria then a right hand, Calderwood can’t really get anything going so far. Another couple of elbows from Faria, I’m really surprised that Calderwood isn’t trying to create distance and is instead locking her guard which is just letting Faria keep her down and work from top position. Calderwood is still trying to get her legs in play from guard, she finally gets one arm through and gets a triangle choke locked up. Calderwood is turning the angle to tighten things and they trade some elbows as Calderwood is tightening things up. Now Calderwood switches to an armbar and with literal seconds left Faria has to tap in transition.

OFFICIAL RESULT: †WINNER – Joanne Calderwood via Submission, triangle armbar, at 4:57 of Round 1

The First Round Finish Club thanks Ms. Calderwood for her work this evening. Interview time for Calderwood, she says getting her first submission win feels amazing and feels she’s finally ready. She puts over her new training camp for getting her to this point and advancing her game, she puts over the UFC performance institute as well just for brownie points. Asked what’s next she wants to fight again before the end of the year, doesn’t care who just wants one more before 20-18 ends.

Here’s the finish. Sadly we miss what makes this possible, every other time Calderwood tried to get her guard working she failed to secure wrist control. This time Faria wasn’t as diligent with her hand fighting and Calderwood is able to sneak her legs into position, Faria then defends improperly leading to this position. Calderwood can’t get the choke exactly right and so switches to the armbar, Faria panics defending and rolls instead of steps over which just straightens the arm for Calderwood and she has to tap.

That’s it for Fight Pass, on to Fox Sports 2 for the rest of the prelims.

Mickey Gall had a bit of random hype around himself after beating rather unprepared opposition in the UFC in the form of Phil “CM Punk” Brooks and Sage Northcutt but is coming off of a loss to Randy Brown. Gall needs a win here to prove he’s more than a gimmick fighter and deserves a UFC spot. George Sullivan has gone 3-3 in the UFC but is on a two fight losing streak, being finished by Niko Price and Alexander Yakovlev. Sullivan similarly needs a win, though in his case it’s to avoid the dreaded three fight losing streak. Gall is a somewhat surprising favorite at a significant -350 against a tempting value payout of +265 comeback for Sullivan.

Welterweight Bout: Mickey Gall (4-1, 169 lbs.) vs. George Sullivan (17-6 1 NC, 170.5 lbs.)

ROUND ONE: Gall is two inches taller and has half an inch of reach on Sullivan, Gall is also eleven years younger for those who keep track of age discrepancies. They touch gloves aggressively to get things started. Sullivan flashing the jab early, both men just getting a feel for the other. Gall hits a quick single leg then gets the back in transition incredibly quickly. Full back control for Gall, he goes to a body triangle and is after the choke, he’s under the chin but Sullivan is hand fighting. Gall adjusts the grip a few times to compensate for the hand fighting from Sullivan and he forces Sullivan to tap.

OFFICIAL RESULT: †WINNER – Mickey Gall via Submission, rear naked choke, at 1:09 of Round 1

The First Round Finish Club thanks Mr. Gall for his work this evening. Mic time for Gall, he says changing his camp was a big help for this fight then plays with the crowd a bit. Gall actually gives us the first “woo” of the evening, and serious shout out to Nebraska for not “woo-ing” so far. He says he wants to fight in Madison Square Garden, wants to run a fight back with Sage Northcutt or with “legend” Diego Sanchez.

You can check out the finish here if you missed it. The real notable thing is the hand fighting, Gall tries the figure four arm position initially, Sullivan fights the hands and Gall adjusts to a slightly modified Gable grip so Sullivan never gets a reprieve from the choke and has to tap.

Andrew Sanchez enjoyed a bit of the old promotional push following his winning season of TUF but has fallen a bit since then. Sanchez is currently on a two fight losing streak and has been finished in both of those outings, now he’s trying to avoid losing three in a row and hoping to show the type of improvement needed to compete at this level. Markus Perez is stepping in on short notice here but has gone 1-1 in the UFC and is coming off of a win, he could get his first UFC winning streak up and running here. The odds lean towards Sanchez at -130 to +100 for Perez.

Middleweight Bout: Markus Perez (10-1, 186 lbs.) vs. Andrew Sanchez (9-4, 185 lbs.)

ROUND ONE: These two are the same height while Sanchez has an inch of reach advantage. They touch gloves, Perez fighting southpaw. A few probing kicks from Perez, Sanchez looking to close distance. Body kicks go back and forth then Perez lands a left. Another body kick from Perez, and another. More body kicks from Perez, and a bit of a right hook. There’s some welts already on the ribs of Sanchez. Sanchez walks into the clinch and gets Perez on the fence. They’re just kind of hanging out in the clinch, Sanchez can’t seem to find the angle he wants to try for a takedown and winds up hitting a duck under to get the back standing. Perez reverses and lands a knee to the body but can’t get out of the clinch. Sanchez has a body lock but he’s struggling to make anything work off of it. Perez tries a counter trip, he winds up holding the arm in a weird position, nearly a standing Mir lock type of thing, and Sanchez winds up holding the clinch. They break and Perez lands a couple of body kicks then a left. Ill advised spinning elbow attempt from Perez, now Sanchez has the clinch again. They break without incident, bit of a spinning back kick from Perez ends the round.

SCORECARD: 10-9 Perez

ROUND TWO: Touch of gloves for the second round. Calf kick from Perez. Perez lands a left. Perez lands a body kick and a solid left that has Sanchez backing up. More body kicks from Perez. Those kicks are hurting me and I’m just watching them, then Perez lands a head kick as well. Left from Perez lands. Sanchez lands a right to the body then takes another body kick. Sanchez slips a punch and gets a clinch on the fence again. Perez pushes free quickly and lands a knee to the body. Another stepping left from Perez, this time an elbow, that lands flush. Sanchez lands a right and pushes to another clinch. They break and Sanchez lands a body shot. Another body kick from Perez, he might be fading and Sanchez lands a couple of punches then clinches up. The “woo’s” have started in earnest, this is what I get for praising the crowd I suppose. The round ends in the clinch, actually Perez drops for a leg lock of some kind, which was quite stupid, as time ends.

SCORECARD: 10-9 Perez, I was probably wrong about the first round, 20-18 Perez overall

ROUND THREE: There’s some swelling around the right eye of Sanchez. Sanchez comes out quickly and they both land some sloppy punches. Both guys are fatigued, it’s a question of who gets through that first and starts pouring on the offense. Hard left from Perez, Sanchez lands a bit of a counter then a left to the body. Sanchez lands a couple of jabs, Perez then clocks him with a couple of punches. Spinning elbow from Perez then a body kick, he’s coming on hard and Sanchez grabs a clinch to slow things down again. They break quickly then Sanchez lands a front kick to the body. Sanchez lands a straight right and gets a clinch. A few knees are traded then both men land body shots as they break the clinch. Body kick from Perez then Sanchez lands a right. Sanchez gets the back standing but loses it and they trade knees from a single collar tie up. Body shots are traded but Sanchez is clearly much more comfortable fighting in this space than Perez is. The ref breaks them up, not sure about that one, and we’re back in the middle of the cage. Sanchez lands a right then some jabs to the body. Perez lands a body kick. Head kick then a back fist from Sanchez. Elbow from Perez, Sanchez lands an uppercut then Perez closes the round with a body kick.

SCORECARD: 10-9 Sanchez, 29-28 Perez overall but probably goes to Sanchez

OFFICIAL RESULT: †WINNER – Andrew Sanchez via unanimous decision (29-28 x3)

I’ll stand by Perez winning but it’s not a hill I’ll die on necessarily. Mic time for Sanchez, who says he knew he had to maintain his composure as he gassed out in his last two fights and that cost him the fight. He puts over Nebraska for cheap heat, calls this the perfect night and looks forward to continuing to grow as a fighter. He puts over his new camp at Tri-Star MMA, and thanks the crowd again.

Iuri Alcantara is a longtime veteran of the sport but seems to be hitting the downside of his career, he just recently broke a two fight losing streak and is trying to get another UFC winning streak up and running here. Cory Sandhagen is on a three fight winning streak and had a solid UFC debut when he comprehensively out classed Austin Arnett, but a win here over a fighter the caliber of Alcantara would be the biggest of Sandhagen’s career and signify some serious potential. Sandhagen is a slightly surprising favorite at -205 against a tempting value bet of +180 for Alcantara.

Bantamweight Bout: Iuri Alcantara (36-9 1 NC, 136 lbs.) vs. Cory Sandhagen (8-1, 135 lbs.)

ROUND ONE: Sandhagen is two inches taller but Alcantara has an inch of reach on him. Sandhagen is also a full twelve years younger, because I like noting age differences of at least ten years. They touch gloves, Alcantara southpaw though Sandhagen will do some stance switching. Alcantara pushes close with punches and has Sandhagen hurt, they drop and he’s got an armbar locked up. I don’t know how Sandhagen hasn’t tapped, that elbow is totally hyper-extended. Hammer fists from Alcantara, that arm is all kinds of torn up and Sandhagen is bleeding from those hammer fists. Alcantara adjusts the arm to the other side, good Lord Sandhagen is tough as nails but his arm is going to be a mess for years. Sandhagen able to roll to top position, I can’t believe it, and he lands punches from the standing position as Alcantara looks to get his guard back. Elbows and punches from Sandhagen, Alcantara is blocking a lot of these so far though. My feed is stuttering a bit guys, my apologies. A quick flurry from Sandhagen and he’s hurt Alcantara. Elbows from Sandhagen, Alcantara lost his mouthpiece. Full mount from Sandhagen and he’s punching, Alcantara trying to roll under but Sandhagen wont stop punching him. I can’t believe this round. Ride position for Sandhagen and he tees off but can’t get the finish before the round ends.

SCORECARD: 10-9 Sandhagen, possible 10-8 despite his arm nearly getting torn off

ROUND TWO: They touch gloves for the second round. Sandhagen coming forward, wobbles Alcantara with punches then off balances him and starts pounding from the ride position. Alcantara tries to roll but Sandhagen is all over him. If Sandhagen had any oomph on these punches this would be over by now. Sandhagen keeps teeing off, adds more power to those punches, and the ref finally stops it. The ref could have stopped that much sooner, even in the first round at a couple of points.

OFFICIAL RESULT: †WINNER – Cory Sandhagen via TKO, punches, at 1:01 of Round 2

That was nuts from start to finish, it’s Fight of the Night so far. Mic time for Sandhagen, who says that wasn’t what he was going for and he felt the arm pop and once it popped he decided to just keep going until it broke. He jokes that he popped his elbow back in place and his mindset is that he’s always going to win. Asked who’s next for him, he declines to call out anyone and says this is just a small moment in his life and is grateful to everyone who’s sharing it with him. He mentions training a bit with Justin Gaethje and wishes him well in the main event.

Some highlights including the finish. Crazy fight, and really should have been stopped sooner.

To kill time we hit the studio with Karyn Bryant, Kenny Florian, and Jimmy Smith. So apologies for those of you following live but you’ve got plenty of time for a break now.

James Krause is a bit unheralded but is a solid fighter and currently on a four fight winning streak and looking to more fully settle into the welterweight division here. Krause may not be knocking on the door of the top fifteen just yet, but if he keeps his current streak going tonight he’ll be one step closer to it. Warlley Alves is currently on a two fight winning streak and looking to get that to three in a row while battling for position in the division. Alves is the only man so far to beat Colby Covington, and if he can get a win here he could angle for a much bigger opportunity next given that win. Alves is a significant -400 favorite while Krause’s comeback sits at +300.

Welterweight Bout: Warlley Alves (12-2, 171 lbs.) vs. James Krause (25-7, 170.5 lbs.)

ROUND ONE: Krause is three inches taller but has just an inch and a half of reach on Alves. They touch gloves to get us going. Krause doing a bit of stance switching. Alves stuffs a kick and tries to grab a guillotine but Krause is able to elevate his way out of it. Another clinch situation, Alves avoids a takedown and they wind up in the clinch. Some positional jockeying going on but neither man seems to want to break the clinch. A couple of body shots from Krause but Alves blocks a takedown and spins to the back, forcing Krause to scramble back to the clinch. Both men doing a good job of pummeling and keeping the other from getting a consistent positional advantage. Krause breaks the clinch and lands a body shot. Alves catches a kick and sweeps Krause down, then he misses an ax kick and Krause is back up. Left to the body from Krause. Counter left from Krause lands but he’s not got a lot of power on these shots yet. Body kick from Alves. At distance Krause is doing well, he’s fighting long and scoring then avoiding the counters. Alves lands a right in close. Krause is fighting to wear down Alves, just hit and not get hit then let the bigger man tire himself out. Body kick from Alves but he’s getting out worked. Alves gets a clinch but he can’t get much out of it as they spin a few times on the fence. Body kick from Alves as they break the clinch. Krause lands a front kick to the nose. They clinch up briefly as the round ends.

SCORECARD: 10-9 Krause

ROUND TWO: Touch of gloves for the second round. Krause lands a couple of jabs but Alves lands a couple of counters and Krause is backing up. They hit the fence and clinch up, Krause is bleeding from the hairline as they get chest to chest. Knees to the body from Krause, and a few lefts to the body as well. Knees to the body from Krause then they break. Straight right from Krause lands, he’s picking Alves apart now as Alves has visibly slowed. Alves bounces back up from a quick takedown then Krause huts Alves with a knee. Krause tees off on the fence and gets the standing TKO win.

OFFICIAL RESULT: †WINNER – James Krause via TKO, knee and punches, at 2:28 of Round 2

Good win for Krause, who’s on a really solid overall run. No interview for Krause, which is kind of a shame as he’s the first underdog to win tonight, but we’ve got to make time for the studio talking heads I guess.

Here’s the finish, just a flurry along the fence after Alves ducked straight into a knee to the chin. Patient and slick stuff from Krause who’s now won five in a row.

That’s it for Fox Sports 2, the main card will be on Fox Sports 1 for the duration. Minor note on pacing of these events, the FS1 portion of the broadcast started at 10 pm eastern, then the first fight didn’t start for fifteen minutes. I’m not sure we needed a full ten minutes of talking then five minutes of commercials/introductions.

Eryk Anders just suffered his first professional loss when he dropped a controversial split decision to Lyoto Machida in Machida’s hometown (for the record I scored that fight for Anders). Anders is trying to get back on the winning side of things here and show the form that saw him rise to prominence as a prospect in the division. Tim Williams had a five fight winning streak snapped in his UFC debut when he was stopped by Oskar Piechota, he’s trying to bounce back here and get that all important first UFC win. Anders is the biggest favorite on this entire card, a whopping -1000 to +600 for Williams.

Middleweight Bout: Eryk Anders (10-1, 185.5 lbs.) vs. Tim Williams (15-4, 185 lbs.)

ROUND ONE: Williams has an inch of height and reach on Anders. Anders fighting southpaw, and they touch gloves to get things going. Anders stalking forward, Williams lands an inside leg kick. Williams is getting backed into the fence pretty consistently but Anders hasn’t punished him yet. Bit of a head kick from Williams and he lands a couple of follow ups. They clinch up, Anders lands a hard knee to the body but Williams gets him on the fence. They break after trading some dirty boxing. Short right from Williams after slipping a left, Anders isn’t finding the target almost at all yet. Body kick from Williams and a left behind it. Anders’ offense is very power hand heavy, he’d do well to start using a jab to set things up. Anders lands a left to the body then Williams spins him along the fence and lands a straight right. Body kick from Anders and Williams tries to get a single leg off of it. Williams switches to a double leg and gets Anders down then has the back with one hook in as the round ends.

SCORECARD: 10-9 Williams

ROUND TWO: Anders coming forward to start the round, and misses a left. Williams lands a body kick and lands a couple of punches in close. Anders is all one and done, no fluidity or combinations. They clinch up again and Williams gets a double leg against the fence. Williams looks to count the legs, then jumps for the back as Anders wall walks but can only get one hook in as they stand up. Anders turns into Williams but eats a couple of knees on the way then they break. Anders lands a straight left. Another couple of lefts from Anders, he seems to be waking up finally, and misses a head kick. A couple of punches land for Anders then a knee and Williams is cut under the left eye. Double leg from Williams, Anders blocks this one and stands over Williams then decides to play on the ground a bit. Anders can’t keep Williams up, then Anders clobbers Williams and they clinch again. Anders lands a left then an elbow as they break. Williams is more hesitant, Anders lands an uppercut then a left. Counter right from Williams lands but his feet are much more sluggish this round. They trade lefts then Anders misses a high kick. Anders lands another left then misses a kick to close the round.

SCORECARD: 10-9 Anders, 19-19 overall

ROUND THREE: They touch gloves for the last round. Anders walks Williams into a straight left that drops Williams, he debates going to the ground with him then lets him back up. Williams lands a couple of leg kicks but he’s not setting them up, he’s basically asking to get countered. Right from Williams lands, he’s got his wits about him still and he’s not going to just go away. Body kick from Williams but Anders lands a counter left. Another counter left from Anders off of a naked leg kick lands. Double leg from Williams, well timed but Anders still gets free, that’s some freak athleticism from Anders as most of the division would have been down off of that shot. Both men land punches, head movement isn’t a priority for either man it seems. They both miss power hand punches. Spinning back fist from Williams lands but Anders catches him with a high kick that off balances him, Williams scrambles up and Anders DECAPITATES him with a head kick. That kick was of questionable legality, need to see a replay.

OFFICIAL RESULT: †WINNER – Eryk Anders via KO, head kick, at 4:42 of Round 3

The Final Round Finish Club thanks Mr. Anders for his work this evening. Replay confirms the kick was legal, the knee was off of the mat and Williams only had one hand near the mat making it a clear legal blow under the new rules. Mic time for Anders, who notes the slow start but he found his rhythm and says he set up the trap to land that kick but giving Williams some false security earlier in the fight. He says he comes to finish and doesn’t like decisions, says he didn’t force the knockout this time and let it come even if it took over fourteen minutes. He calls out Elias Theodorou for a September bout in Canada, which makes sense.

Here’s the finish. Remember we’re under the new rules, and under the new rules you need BOTH palms or fists flat on the mat to be considered downed, or a knee/on your seat. Williams only has one hand on the mat, so as soon as his knee was off the mat that kick became legal. Brutal KO for Anders.

John Moraga is currently on a three fight winning streak and looking to extend that to four here, given the radical shake up in the flyweight division he’s in a good spot to make a case for a title opportunity with a win here. Assuming of course the division sticks around much longer. Deiveson Figueiredo is undefeated and 3-0 in the UFC, he’s risen as a prospect already and is trying to make the jump from prospect to contender here at the expense of Moraga. The odds lean towards Figueiredo at -160 to a +130 comeback on Moraga.

Flyweight Bout: #14 Deiveson Figueiredo (14-0, 125 lbs.) vs. #6 John Moraga (19-6, 125.5 lbs.)

ROUND ONE: Moraga is an inch taller but Figueiredo has two inches of reach on him. Both men feinting a bit with the upper body then Moraga lands a calf kick. Figueiredo doing some stance switching now, but he’s still primarily an orthodox fighter. Moraga lands another calf kick. Some nice movement from Moraga here, he’s keeping his back off of the fence and avoiding the offense from Figueiredo. Solid right from Moraga drops Figueiredo to a knee but they clinch up after ward and Figueiredo gets a takedown from the clinch. Moraga has butterfly guard, Figueiredo looking to pass as Moraga is mostly looking to stall him out. Full guard now for Moraga but Figueiredo has him against the fence. A few bits of offense from Figueiredo but Moraga is controlling him and limiting his options. Moraga tries to get his hips in play, Figueiredo reads that and hammer fists him then moves to half guard as Moraga tires to go for a leg entanglement. Figueiredo lands a few elbows to the thigh as Moraga has one leg tied up then Figueiredo drops for a toe hold and we’re bot dueling heel hooks. Both men bail on that and Figueiredo gets a crucifix position and lands some hammer fists as the round ends.

SCORECARD: 10-9 Moraga but there’s an argument the other way

ROUND TWO: Figueiredo comes out southpaw this round, interesting choice, and Moraga lands a body kick. Pressure from Figueiredo and they trade body kicks, I think Figueiredo landed better. Both men land punches but Moraga isn’t as good while moving backwards. They clinch up again on the fence and Figueiredo is looking for a trip. Figueiredo gets the takedown into half guard, he’s really good from that position. Hard body shots from Figueiredo as Moraga tries to get his legs in play. Elbows from Figueiredo has have cut Moraga around the eyes. Figueiredo stands, Moraga tries to scramble and is holding a single leg from his knees while Figueiredo sprawls out. They’re up and Figueiredo lands some elbows then a right that floors Moraga. Figueiredo looking to tee off but Moraga is back up and swinging for the fences to get him to back off. Another clinch then Figueiredo wings a right to the body, then a left to the body and Moraga drops and the ref waves this off. That last left to the body from Figueiredo might have been to the groin, I need to see a replay.

OFFICIAL RESULT: †WINNER – Deivison Figueiredo via TKO, body shots, at 3:08 of Round 2

Replay shows that last left was a perfectly legal uppercut, was just an odd angle that made me question it. Biggest win of Figueiredo’s career and he’s probably got a top five guy in his immediate future. Figueiredo gets an interview with his translator, he starts with some broken English about how he likes Nebraska then goes back to Portuguese to talk for a bit. I feel bad for the translator, but he said he’s 15-0 and that he wants a title shot then talked about some people who helped him get here. He’s had three KO’s in the UFC and finishes by expressing love then has some Portuguese that goes un-translated. Random fact but he’s now got the longest active winning streak at flyweight at 4.

Not the best quality but this will give you an idea until I find a better one. Figueiredo has some killer body shots, on offense he’s a beast and he just puts a beat down on Moraga. I’d love to see him take on, say, Joseph Benavidez next and lets see him take on a proven consistent elite opponent.

Jake Ellenberger is being set up to retire in his home state here. Ellenberger is a dismal 2-8 in his last ten and is currently on his second three fight losing streak during that time, to further indicate he’s done he’s been finished violently in his most recent losses. Ellenberger is trying for a feel good ending here, getting a win to a home crowd reaction and then saving what’s left of his brain cells. Bryan Barberena has gone 3-2 since returning to welterweight and is coming off of a loss to Leon Edwards, he’s trying to spoil the storybook ending for Ellenberger and avoid his first ever losing streak. Given how poor Ellenberger has looked lately it should be no surprise that Barberena is a -450 favorite to +325 on Ellenberger.

Welterweight Bout: Bryan Barberena (13-5, 170 lbs.) vs. Jake Ellenberger (31-14, 170 lbs.)

ROUND ONE: Barberena is three inches taller but has just one inch of reach over Ellenberger. Barberena fighting southpaw. Both men probing with punches, Ellenberger lands a bit of a right. They clinch up and trade knees to the body then Ellenberger lands a right as they break. Inside calf kicks are traded. Both men miss punches in close then Ellenberger lands a body kick. Right from Barberean cracks Ellenberger then he punches him down to the mat and looks to follow up. Ellenberger is holding a single leg position, Barberena drops him with a right as they stand then tees off on the mat again to force the stoppage.

OFFICIAL RESULT: †WINNER – Bryan Barberena via TKO, punches, at 2:26 of Round 1

The First Round Finish Club thanks Mr. Barberena for his work this evening. Barberena gets an interview, he says this is for his kids and expresses love for his family and their support then puts over his coaches. He talks us through the finish, says he respects Ellenberger and puts him over generally and thanks the crowd for their attendance. He says he’ll fight anyone who wants to fight him and puts over some of his medical team for getting him over the finish line and into the cage.

Ellenberger gets an interview now, clearly being set up to retire. He puts over Barberena but feels there’s no better place to retire than the place he started and leaves his gloves in the cage. He thanks everyone for their support, thanks his family and the state of Nebraska then expresses love for the fans and his family. That was technically overdue, but a nice moment all things considered.

Here’s the finish, nothing special but Ellenberger’s chin is shot.

Cortney Casey is just 1-3 in her last four fights and is on a two fight losing streak, though in fairness to her both of those were split decisions that could have gone her way. Casey is trying to avoid a three fight losing streak. Angela Hill has traded wins and losses going 2-2 since returning to the UFC, she’s coming off of a win though and is looking for her first ever UFC winning streak. The odds are close but lean towards Hill at -130 to +100 for Casey.

Strawweight Bout: #11 Cortney Casey (7-6, 115.5 lbs.) vs. #14 Angela Hill (8-4, 115.5 lbs.)

ROUND ONE: Casey is four inches taller and has two and a half inches of reach on Hill. Hill opens up by circling around looking for an angle to attack from. Casey misses a right hook. Bit of a right from Casey then a leg kick. Hill misses a leg kick. Bit of a right from Hill then a left hook. Casey lands a bit of a left. Right hook lands for Hill then she trips Casey down and lands a leg kick as she was getting back up. Leg kick from Hill. Right from Hill then a left from Casey. Left hook then a leg kick from Hill. Casey is planting her weight more than Hill and Hill is angling on her as a result. Casey lands a knee to the body and they clinch, Hill lands a knee to the body and they break. Hill lands a leg kick and they trade left hooks. Inside leg kick from Hill then a right hook. Another leg kick from Hill. that mobility and quickness of Hill is troubling Casey, and Casey gets a clinch then a takedown. Elbows from Casey but Hill throws up an armbar. That’s getting tighter but Casey is stacking her to make the pressure harder to apply. Casey is able to get her arm free and Hill looks to reverse the position from her knees. They’re back up and trade knees then Hill lands an elbow as they break. Hill lands a leg kick and they trade rights. Hill lands a combination of hard punches to close out the round. If either woman had power this could have been over with how many clean blows they landed.

SCORECARD: 10-9 Hill

ROUND TWO: Casey comes out swinging and lands a couple of punches then pushes into the clinch. Hill is able to reverse the position then separate safely. Both women land hooks then Casey lands a couple of hooks to the body. Hill lands a leg kick after taking a body kick. Hill is standing in the pocket more now and Casey is having more success because of it, Hill needs to move and angle rather than plant and trade. Inside leg kick from Hill. Casey lands a couple of hooks in close then eats a hook. Hill lands a hook but Casey responds with a combination. Casey is after a double leg against the fence, Hill stays upright this time. They break after a clinch. Hill’s mobility has taken a hit clearly at this point, but she lands a good left hook that stuns Casey. Casey firing back, Hill lands a straight right. Hill is turning up the aggression to compensate for her lack of foot work. Leg kick from Casey then a body kick from Hill. Hill lands a jab and barely avoids a knee. Hill lands a body kick. They clinch briefly then break, Hill lands an elbow strike. Short punches in close from both women close out the round.

SCORECARD: 10-9 Hill but a much closer round, 20-18 Hill overall

ROUND THREE: Both women feinting to start this round, Hill looks to have her legs back under her. They trade leg kicks then trade rights in close. Body kick from Casey and a right behind it. Hill lands a left hook. Casey lands a right and takes a body kick. Left hook from Hill in close lands. Hill lands a right behind the ear of Casey that off balances her for a second. Body kick from Hill lands. Hill lands a leg kick then a bit of a Superman punch. Casey tries to bull rush a combination but Hill blocks then counters. Casey lands a body kick after landing a right. Hill has a high kick blocked. Hill now avoids a combination then blocks a takedown and pushes out of a clinch. Casey is looking labored with her punches now. Left hook from Hill. Casey lands a right then eats a counter right. Hill lands a right to the body. Body kick from Hill lands but she has to hurry and get her leg free. Another body kick from Hill again but Casey lands a couple of counters. Body kick from Casey and Hill counters with a body kick then a left hook. Counter right lands for Hill, and another one. Hill lands a knee then an uppercut in close. One more counter right lands for Hill to close the round.

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

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

A split decision sounds about right, evenly matched and evenly contested a lot of just stuff. Casey says the win feels great and puts over the fans while feeling great about finally winning a split decision. She mentions that if she’s not finishing there’s stuff she can work on and plans on getting better then fighting again before the end of the year. Asked who or what is next she just wants a top ten opponent.

Michael Johnson has proven an incredibly frustrating fighter to watch, he’s just 1-5 in his last six fights and is on a three fight losing streak including losing in his featherweight debut earlier this year. Johnson needs a win badly as a four fight losing streak with back to back losses across two different divisions is about as bad a look as your career can get. Andre Fili finally got a UFC winning streak going after trading wins and losses for the entirety of his UFC career, now he’s looking to get a three fight winning streak and possibly earn a shot at someone with a higher profile. Another close one according to the odds, but they closed favoring Fili at -130 to an even +100 for Johnson.

Featherweight Bout: Andre Fili (18-5, 146 lbs.) vs. Michael Johnson (17-13, 146 lbs.)

ROUND ONE: Fili is an inch taller and has half an inch of reach on Johnson. Johnson fighting southpaw. Both men probing with jabs looking for openings. Fili doing the forward moving so far, lands a body kick after missing a high kick. Johnson lands a straight left. We get time as Johnson took a finger in the eye. Johnson ready to continue quickly and both men are falling just short with punches. Leg kicks from Johnson as Fili misses some punches. Both men falling just short with offense so far, still getting a feel for the timing and distance. Fili starting to kick more but Johnson is blocking them so far. Body kick from Fili lands. Johnson lands a bit of a straight left but neither man has reliably found the target. Straight left from Johnson lands. They trade head kicks but Johnson’s is mostly blocked. Body kick from Johnson. The left of Johnson is starting to find the target more often now. Fili lands a bit of a right and Johnson lands a straight left. Body kick from Fili but he’s missing the head a lot. Johnson misses a kick then feints as the round ends.

SCORECARD: 10-9 Johnson

ROUND TWO: Johnson opens the round with a left hand and blocking a high kick. Bit of a counter right from Johnson then he tries a body kick but hits Fili in the groin so we’ve got time for him to recover. Replay confirms the groin shot, off of a botched inside leg kick. We restart and Johnson lands a couple of lefts. Fili’s offense is really limited to his right kick and Johnson has a read on it now and is countering well. Fili lands a bit of a head kick then gets a takedown, he’s got the back on the mat and Johnson is standing while Fili is in the backpack position. They’re just kind of hanging out, Fili is after the choke but Johnson is hand fighting. Fili loses part of his arm position and Johnson is looking to either slam or turn into him against the fence. Choke attempt from Fili, it’s close and they fall to the mat but Johnson is still fighting it. Fili adjust the choke but loses it for a moment, switches arms but loses that as well though he’s still got the back. That was a close attempt from Fili. Johnson now going reliably to two on on hand fighting, which is much safer than one hand to one hand. Johnson clears the arm and spins to top position and starts hammering rights to the body. Fili closes his guard and starts looking to gets his legs in play. Elbows from Johnson, Fili with a loose triangle attempt. Fili adjusts towards the armbar, that’s getting tight but Johnson pulls free and lands an elbow to close the round.

SCORECARD: 10-9 Fili, 19-19 overall

ROUND THREE: They touch gloves for the final round. Fili has a head kick blocked. Counter left lands for Johnson. Johnson whiffs on a left and Fili gets a takedown from the back, now he’s in the ride position. Johnson is back up and they break. Fili lands a body kick. Another blocked high kick from Fili. Both guys have slowed considerably, Fili is running clock thinking he’s sealed up the round and Johnson isn’t really following him with urgency. Left to the body from Johnson then he avoids a double leg attempt. Johnson lands a left and blocks a high kick. Another left from Johnson snaps the head of Fili. Fili fails on a takedown, Johnson pushes him into the clinch and is after a single leg. Johnson fails on that but keeps a body lock and he’s still after that takedown. Johnson lands a left in close, he tries another takedown but Fili is able to angle off of the fence and sprawl. They’re back up and trade a punch for a kick to close time.

SCORECARD: 10-9 Fili but who knows/cares, 29-28 Fili overall

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

Meh. Johnson on the mic now, he says he feels good at featherweight and finally got a win so he’s not at all ready to stop. He says he knew he had to be tough, puts over Fili as a tough guy. Asked who or what he wants next he says he can’t call out anyone after a split decision win but plans on working hard in the gym. He requests prayers for the small child of a friend who’s battling cancer.

The UFC confirms the co-main event for UFC 229, it will be the return of Tony Ferguson taking on Anthony Pettis. That’s a crazy fight, and sets up the winner to take on the winner of the main event which is the title fight between champion Khabib Nurmagomedov and former champion Conor McGregor.

Justin Gaethje built a reputation for exciting and violent fights, but has gone just 1-2 in the UFC. Now the fact that those two losses are to Eddie Alvarez and Dustin Poirier helps Gaethje’s case for still being a top level fighter, but he can’t afford to drop three in a row here if he wants to get another high profile fight as his career starts to wind down. James Vick has been on a solid run, his only loss is to Beneil Dariush and he’s currently on a four fight winning streak but he’s been unable to secure a top ranked opponent until now. Vick is trying to solidify himself as one of the best lightweights in the world with a win here. The odds are close but lean towards Vick at -140 to +110 on Gaethje.

Lightweight Bout: #7 Justin Gaethje (18-2, 156 lbs.) vs. #10 James Vick (13-1, 156 lbs.)

ROUND ONE: Vick is four inches taller and has six inches of reach on Gaethje. Gaethje stalking forward, Vick looking to stay long and lands a side kick to the body. Jab to the body from Gaethje. Vick avoids a leg kick then lands a front kick to the body. Leg kick from Vick, Gaethje returns it. A couple of body kicks from Vick land, Gaethje lands a left hook and gets the clinch. They break and Vick lands a leg kick. A couple more body kicks from Vick then a leg kick from Gaethje. Left hook then a murderous right overhand puts Vick to SLEEP.

OFFICIAL RESULT: †WINNER – Justin Gaethje via KO, punches, at 1:27 of Round 1

The First Round Finish Club thanks Mr. Gaethje for his work this evening. Gaethje gets an interview, he says the game is unforgiving and that could have just as easily been him then says he’s the least fake person in the sport and took everything Vick said in the build up personally and is glad he put him to sleep. He talks us through the finish but says he expects a full twenty five minutes, he says he doesn’t like to take punches going backwards, he takes them on the forehead and keeps coming forward. Asked what’s next he says coming off of two losses is tough but says he’ll fight Tony Ferguson, my heart couldn’t handle that fight. To close he says he heard Felder, who’s been doing the in cage interviews, said he’d fight him which Felder confirms and Gaethje smiles then says he’d rather fight Tony.

Vick was sleeping with his eyes open, he’s in a bad way a full minute after the fight ended. That was brutal. A couple of Vick’s bad habits all bite him in the butt simultaneously here, he’s allowed himself to be back against the fence, he’s not managing the distance, his arms go low to parry and his chin stays straight up in the air. He’s had these habits for years, it’s a shame he hasn’t reliably corrected them.

Alright boys and girls, that wraps up UFC Fight Night 135. That definitely over performed relative to my expectations, a few dull spots but no card is perfect. We’ll be breaking down all of the action from this event Sunday on the 411 Ground and Pound Radio Show, which you can find here, or anywhere you find podcasts really. There’s no event next week but in two weeks there’s UFC 228 when welterweight champion Tyron Woodley tries to break his string of worst UFC title fights against undefeated Darren Till. Also on that card Nicco Montano finally defends the women’s flyweight title against Valentina Shevchenko. I’ll be back for that event in two weeks and I hope you’ll be back as well. Until then stay safe out there and keep checking 411mania for all of your pop culture needs.

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