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411’s UFC Fight Night Report: Emmett Splits Kattar

June 18, 2022 | Posted by Robert Winfree
UFC on ESPN 37 Image Credit: UFC

MAIN CARD (ESPN/ESPN+, 7 p.m. ET)
#4 Calvin Kattar (146 lbs.) vs. #7 Josh Emmett (145.5 lbs.)
Donald Cerrone (155 lbs.) vs. Joe Lauzon (154.75 lbs. lbs.)
Kevin Holland (170 lbs.) vs. Tim Means (170.5 lbs.)
Joaquin Buckley (184 lbs.) vs. Albert Duraev (185.5 lbs.)
Damir Ismagulov (155 lbs.) vs. Guram Kutateladze (155.5 lbs.)
Julian Marquez (185.5 lbs.) vs. Gregory Rodrigues (185.5 lbs.)
Tony Kelley (137.5 lbs.)* vs. Adrian Yanez (135.5 lbs.)

PRELIMINARY CARD (ESPN 2/ESPN+, 4 p.m. ET)
Jasmine Jasudavicius (124.75 lbs.) vs. Natalia Silva (125.5 lbs.)
Court McGee (170 lbs.) vs. Jeremiah Wells (171 lbs.)
Danny Chavez (145 lbs.) vs. Ricardo Ramos (146 lbs.)
Gloria de Paula (115 lbs.) vs. Maria Oliveira (115 lbs.)
Cody Stamann (135.5 lbs.) vs. Eddie Wineland (135 lbs.)
Phil Hawes (185 lbs.) vs. Deron Winn (186 lbs.)
Kyle Daukaus (185.5 lbs.) vs. Roman Dolidze (185.5 lbs.)

Hello everyone and welcome to 411mania’s LIVE coverage of UFC on ESPN 37, I’m Robert Winfree and I’ll be your host for the evening. Tonight the UFC is taking their show on the road again and because they’ve actually got to sell tickets they’ve brought a very solid card on paper. The main event is a very relevant featherweight clash between Calvin Kattar and Josh Emmett, both men are looking to position themselves in the title picture with a win and while there are other moving parts in this equation a win here is critical for either of them. Donald Cerrone and Joe Lauzon were supposed to fight at UFC on ESPN 35 but food poisoning to Cerrone cause it to be pushed back to this date, it’s two old veterans of the sport squaring off as both are nearing the end of their careers. Elsewhere on the card we’ve got a cracking lightweight fight between Damir Ismagulov and Guram Kutateladze, and a near guaranteed slug fest between Julian Marquez and Gregory Rodrigues. It’s a pretty deep card overall, so let’s hope it holds up in practice.

UFC on ESPN 37 comes to the world from the Moody Center in Austin, Texas, USA. We’ve got Brendan Fitzgerald as the lead commentator and he’ll be trying to wrangle Daniel Cormier and Dominick Cruz. As for the rules I believe Texas still uses the older rule set, so anything other than the soles of your feet on the mat means you’re downed, there’s no instant replay, and they use the old scoring criteria so I will try to apply the same to my scores here. We are in the 30 foot Octagon though.

Well it seems that Cerrone vs. Lauzon is slightly cursed as a few hours before the event we learned it has fallen off again, this time due to some illness on the part of Lauzon. It’s the kind of old guy fight that’s acceptable match making and it’s kind of a shame it dropped out again. Hopefully there’s nothing serious goin on with Lauzon.

We get a bit of an update on Lauzon, apparently he had a knee injury that flared up yesterday and he couldn’t put weight on his left knee or leg. That really sucks, hopefully he can recover quickly.

Roman Dolidze has gone 3-1 in the UFC and is coming off of a win, he’s trying to distinguish himself as a notable prospect in the middleweight division by building another UFC winning streak. Kyle Daukaus has gone 2-2 with 1 No Contest in the UFC, he is coming off of a win though and now tries to build his first UFC winning streak. Daukaus is a rather heavy favorite at -245 while the +205 comeback on Dolidze might tempt a few bettors out there.

Middleweight Bout: Kyle Daukaus (11-2 1 NC, 185.5 lbs.) vs. Roman Dolidze (9-1, 185.5 lbs.)

ROUND ONE: Daukaus is an inch taller while the reach is identical. They touch gloves to get us going, southpaw for Daukaus. A few leg kicks from Daukaus early as they circle. The “woo’s” are already here, and we get a knock of heads for a brief time out then we’re back to fighting. Body shot from Daukaus, the Dolidze drops him with a left hook then looks to follow up on the ground. Daukaus looks for a single leg form his knees, Dolidze moves to the ride position and lands punches as he wall walks. Dolidze lands a knee to the head from the back that drops Daukaus and we’re done.

OFFICIAL RESULT: †WINNER – Roman Dolidze via KO, knee, at 1:13 of Round 1

The First Round Finish Club thanks Mr. Dolidze for his work this evening. Mic time for Dolidze, he says his last fight was 15 minutes of wrestling and Michael Bisping didn’t like it so he wants to say hello to Bisping and show off his heavy hands. He wanted to prove he can knock people out tonight. Asked about the future he wants a post fight bonus and then will fight as soon as possible.

Here’s the finish. A lot of fighters work knees from this position, but it’s rare at this size to get them up to the head like this and Daukaus clearly isn’t ready for it. Nice finish for Dolidze.

Phil Hawes just had a seven fight winning streak snapped when he fell to Chris Curtis, bringing his UFC record to 3-1. Hawes is trying to avoid his first UFC losing streak and get back on the winning side of things. Deron Winn has gone 2-2 in the UFC but he is coming off of a win in December of 2020 and is trying to get his first UFC winning streak up and running. The odds are with Hawes at -250 while the +210 payout for Winn is a very tempting value bet.

Middleweight Bout: Phil Hawes (11-3, 185 lbs.) vs. Deron Winn (7-2, 186 lbs.)

ROUND ONE: Hawes is six inches taller with a whopping seven and a half inches of reach advantage. Hawes starts jabbing right away, and peppers in some inside leg kicks. Winn isn’t moving his head and keeps walking into that jab. Hawes lands an elbow that drops Winn for a second. More jabs from Hawes, Winn is already busted up around the right eye. Winn lands a right hand. Hawes lands a right hand. Body shot then a body kick from Hawes. Hawes is just dissecting Winn and Winn has no answer. Hawes drops Winn with a right hand, Winn fights back up but he’s very hurt. One two from Hawes. Another one two from Hawes staggers Winn. Hawes lands a right hand. Elbow from Hawes wobbles Winn again. Left elbows from Hawes, this is getting hard to watch. Winn fires a couple of rights that are blocked. Hawes lands a couple of right elbows and Winn is wobbled again. Those elbows from Hawes are nasty. Hawes jabs the body then lands a right hand. Another one two from Hawes, Winn lands a right to counter. A left hook form Hawes stuns Winn to close the round.

SCORECARD: 10-8 Hawes

ROUND TWO: The doctor checks a cut above Winn’s right eye, apparently it’s not a fight ender so we’re back to fighting. Hawes lands a head kick. Another head kick from Hawes. They clinch up and Hawes lands knees to the body. Minor skip in my stream, sorry there guys. Hawes lands a couple of head kicks as I come back. Another elbow from Hawes, he starts unloading as Winn sags into the fence and the ref has seen enough of this.

OFFICIAL RESULT: †WINNER – Phil Hawes via TKO, punches and elbows, at 4:25 of Round 2

That was brutal, Hawes took Winn to the proverbial woodshed. Hawes gets an interview, he feels good coming back and getting a win then thanks God and his team. He says he drilled elbows a lot for this fight and they paid off. He feels great after the fight and wants to fight for the belt eventually. To close he says he’d like to fight in London.

Here’s the finish, this was inevitable as Winn couldn’t defend himself and Hawes was carving him up. Nice use of elbows as the range collapses here from Hawes.

Eddie Wineland has gone just 1-4 in his last five fights and is on a two fight losing streak, he’s been around the sport seemingly forever but as he begins to near the end of his career he’s looking for a few more wins along the way. Cody Stamann had a good run going at one point in his UFC career, but he’s on a three fight losing streak right now which is slightly mitigated by the level of opposition he’s faced. Stamann does need to halt that skid though, while a four fight losing streak doesn’t mean what it used to in terms of your spot on the roster it would pretty definitively put him out of the top ranks. Despite the skid Stamann is the biggest favorite on the card at -600 while Wineland’s comeback sits at +450.

Bantamweight Bout: Cody Stamann (19-5-1, 135.5 lbs.) vs. Eddie Wineland (24-15-1, 135 lbs.)

ROUND ONE: Wineland is an inch and a half taller and has four and a half inches of reach advantage. They touch gloves to get us going. Wineland starts showing the jab early as he moves forward. Stamann parries a kick then lands a body kick. One two from Stamann drops Wineland, then he looks to follow up as Wineland stands. More brawling but Stamann is unloading on Wineland along the fence. Wineland keeps throwing back but he he’s not defending and when Stamann staggers him with a left hook the ref intervenes.

OFFICIAL RESULT: †WINNER – Cody Stamann via TKO, punches, at :59 of Round 1

The First Round Finish Club thanks Mr. Stamann for his work this evening. Mic time for Stamann, he feels like he’s been working at 50% for a while and only recently feels like he’s at his best and when he’s at his best he thinks he’s one of the best in the world. He talks us through the finish and says he’s willing to fight again as soon as two weeks from now. He puts over Wineland and wishes well to him and his family. To close he tells the crowd he’s getting wasted tonight.

The ref is probably a touch late on the stoppage here, Wineland is clearly not present as Stamann has the presence of mind to keep the offense going until the fight is over.

Maria Oliveira suffered a loss in her UFC debut in October of last year, now she’s back and is trying to get that all important first UFC win under her belt. Gloria de Paula has gone 1-2 in the UFC but she is coming off of a win and could get her first UFC winning streak up and running tonight. The odds are with de Paula at -250 to +210 for Oliveira.

Strawweight Bout: Gloria de Paula (6-4, 115 lbs.) vs. Maria Oliveira (12-5, 115 lbs.)

ROUND ONE: Oliveira is an inch taller with an inch and a half of reach advantage. They touch gloves to get us going. Oliveira comes out with a flying knee and tries some punches to follow up. Bit of a combination from Oliveira. They trade punches in close. Oliveira is goading de Paula on and lands a few more punches. De Paula lands a jab. Oliveira is throwing a lot in combination but she’s not reliably finding the target. They trade punches in close. De Paula lands a couple of punches and now Oliveira is backing up. Another jab from de Paula. Oliveira tries the flying knee again but again it doesn’t connect. De Paula lands a right. They clinch up and hit the fence, both women land knees then they break apart. De Paula blocks a head kick and lands a leg kick. Oliveira catches a leg kick and trips de Paula down then makes her stand up. Bit of a left hook from de Paula then she blocks the counters. De Paula lands a right hand. De Paula grabs a clinch and lands knees, Oliveira catches one of them and looks for a single leg against the fence. Elbows from de Paula as she defends then they break. Oliveira might have gassed herself out with that early flurry. De Paula blocks a few punches. Bit of a right from de Paula. Another de Paula right ends the round.

SCORECARD: 10-9 de Paula but a close one

ROUND TWO: Oliveira is circling away again as the round begins. De Paula lands a one two. A lot of forward pressure from de Paula, she’s getting to the target more often and Oliveira doesn’t seem to have any adaptations to make. De Paula lands a leg kick. Oliveira misses a flying elbow, she almost looks a little lost. De Paula lands a left hook, then a right hand to follow up. Leg kick from de Paula. Bit of a right from Oliveira. De Paula lands a jab. Right from de Paula lands. Bit of a head kick from de Paula. De Paula lands a jab. Another leg kick from de Paula. Jabs from de Paula, Oliveira tries to blitz on the counter but de Paula evades with ease. Oliveira lands a right, and de Paula hits a double leg in response. Full guard for Oliveira, de Paula lands a couple of elbows but there’s not enough time to really let the position develop.

SCORECARD: 10-9 de Paula, 20-18 de Paula overall

ROUND THREE: They touch gloves for the final round. De Paula lands a one two. Oliveira is coming forward again but struggling to land. They both block head kicks then de Paula lands a jab. A few more jabs from de Paula. Oliveira has a combination blocked. Bit of a combination from Oliveira. De Paula lands a leg kick, Oliveira returns it. De Paula tries a double leg, they hit the fence and she can’t finish it. Oliveira gets a body lock trip and lands on top in half guard. De Paula kicks Oliveira off and regains her feet. Bit of a flurry from Oliveira. De Paula responds with a couple of punches. Hard right from de Paula lands. They trade rights. Another right from de Paula. Oliveira is fading now, she gets a clinch and ducks to the back then drags de Paula down to the mat and gets on top in full guard. De Paula kicks Oliveira off and stands up again. They get back to brawling, Oliveira doesn’t like it and tries a takedown but de Paula counters and gets on top as the round ends.

SCORECARD: 10-9 Oliveira, 29-28 de Paula overall

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

I don’t agree but it’s defensible as a score. Mic time for Oliveira and her translator, she says this was fun and she’s trained a lot for this moment. She got the fight she expected out of this and knew she had to blitz in the last round to get the win. To close she promises things will only get better going forward.

Ricardo Ramos has gone 3-2 in his last five fights but he is coming off of a loss and he’s trying to avoid his first ever losing streak. Danny Chavez has gone 1-1-1 in the UFC but he hasn’t won since his UFC debut in 2020 and most recently fought to a draw, now he’s trying to get back on the winning side of things by taking out a fairly credentialed UFC veteran. Ramos is your -300 favorite to a +250 payout on Chavez.

Featherweight Bout: Danny Chavez (11-4-1, 145 lbs.) vs. Ricardo Ramos (15-4, 146 lbs.)

ROUND ONE: Ramos is an inch taller with a significant five inches of reach advantage. Both men do some feinting to start. Chavez catches a kick and lands a right hand. Ramos misses a wheel kick. Chavez lands a calf kick. A lot of spinning or jumping kicks from Ramos to start, nothing really landing though. Chavez lands a right hand. Ramos avoids a calf kick. Spinning elbow from Ramos lands and puts Chavez out on his feet, a few perfunctory punches land but Chavez went out cold standing.

OFFICIAL RESULT: †WINNER – Ricard Ramos via KO, spinning elbow, at 1:12 of Round 1

The First Round Finish Club thanks Mr. Ramos for his work this evening. Mic time for Ramos, he says he always fights for the finish whether it’s on the feet or on the mat. He talks us through the finish and says drilling and commitment to the attack is what makes it work. Asked what he’d like next he trusts the UFC matchmakers and is mostly looking forward to getting back in the gym on Monday. To close he plays with the crowd.

Here’s the finish, Ramos jabs the body which dips his shoulders to load them for the spinning back elbow and Chaves circles right into it. Really nasty KO from Ramos.

Court McGee has been with the UFC since 2010 and while he’s been up and down during his tenure he’s currently on a two fight winning streak and might be able to get a shot at someone higher up in the ranks if he can get to three in a row tonight. Jeremiah Wells is on a four fight winning streak including two wins in the UFC, now he’s taking on a proven UFC veteran and if he can get another win here he should start turning heads and proving himself as a notable prospect for the division. This one closed at a -110 pick ’em.

Welterweight Bout: Court McGee (21-10, 170 lbs.) vs. Jeremiah Wells (10-2-1, 171 lbs.)

ROUND ONE: McGee is two inches taller with an inch and a half of reach advantage. Southpaw for Wells. A lot of stance switching from Wells as he circles. McGee jabs the body. Bit of a right from McGee. McGee lands a leg kick. Wells is spending a lot time all the way out of range. Both men miss rights. A left hook from Wells floors McGee and we’re done here.

OFFICIAL RESULT: †WINNER – Jeremiah Wells via KO, punch, at 1:34 of Round 1

The First Round Finish Club thanks Mr. Wells for his work this evening. Mic time for Wells, he says he’s not surprised at his success and puts over McGee’s toughness and says he’s happy to have gotten a finish. He talks us through the finish then when asked about the future he wants another fight, the last guy he called out wasn’t the fight he got so he doesn’t see the point in doing that again.

Here’s the finish. Wells switches his stance after the right hand, it actually changes the angle on the left just a bit as well as bringing it just a hair closer than expected and the result is a violent KO.

Jasmine Jasudavicius is on a three fight winning streak including a successful UFC debut in January of this year, she’s trying to continue that momentum and start making her way up through the UFC ranks. Natalia Silva makes her UFC debut on the back of a six fight winning streak, but she’s been out of action since 2019 and now tries to make a good first impression on the UFC audience. Jasudavicius is your favorite at -230 while the +195 comeback on Silva is another tempting value bet on this card.

Women’s Flyweight Bout: Jasmine Jasudavicius (7-1, 124.75 lbs.) vs. Natalia Silva (12-5-1, 125.5 lbs.)

ROUND ONE: Jasudavicius has three inches of height and reach over Silva. Silva lands a leg kick to get the fight going. Another leg kick from Silva. Bit of a head kick from Silva. Silva lands a combination of punches including a left hook that drops Jasudavicius for a second but they fight up clinched. Jasudavicius pushes Silva into the fence and starts looking for takedowns. Silva is able to pummel and get to a 50/50 position. Jasudavicius lands an elbow as Silva slips free. Bit of a body kick from Silva. Silva lands a leg kick. They get close and Silva lands a left hook. They trade punches in close. Silva lands a right and avoids the counters. Spinning back kick from Silva lands. Silva keeps throwing kicks at distance while Jasudavicius is struggling to find offense. One two from Silva. Jasudavicius tries a takedown, they wind up clinched on the fence. Jasudavicius is looking for trips but she’s not having much success. They jockey for position in the clinch as the round ends.

SCORECARD: 10-9 Silva

ROUND TWO: Silva gets back to long range strikes, her left hand and kick keep landing. Head kick from Silva lands. Silva lands a combination but Jasudavicius gets another clinch. Jasudavicius tries a few throws, Silva counters with an uchimata and lands on top. Silva grabs at a guillotine as Jasudavicius comes up but doesn’t sell out as they wind up clinched again. They break without incident. Hard right hand from Silva lands. Silva lands a leg kick. Another leg kick from Silva then a body kick. Jasudavicius misses some punches, then tries a double leg but they wind up on the fence again. Silva counters an attempted switch to a single leg and then throws Jasudavicius down and lands elbows. Jasudavicius fights to her feet and separates but she’s getting tuned up. Silva lands a spinning back kick to the body. Wheel kick from Silva lands. Silva lands a combination and a head kick. Jasudavicius lands a right hand. Silva lands a jab. Jasudavicius blocks a head kick, then Silva lands a right hand and a left hook to end the round.

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

ROUND THREE: Silva lands a side kick to the body then a leg kick. Another leg kick from Silva. One two from Silva. Silva lands a leg kick and avoids the pressure of Jasudavicius. Jasudavicius is busted up in the face and still can’t find much offense. Silva lands a right hand. Double leg from Jasudavicius, Silva defends and they hit the fence. They break without incident. One two from Silva then a leg kick. Jasudavicius blocks a head kick. Silva lands a one two then a leg kick, and a body kick. One two from Silva. Jasudavicius keeps moving forward, she forces a clinch and they hit the fence. Jasudavicius drops for a double leg, switches to a single leg but Silva defends and gets free. Silva lands a front kick to the face. They clinch again and hit the fence. They break then Silva lands another few strikes. Jasudavicius slips on a flying hammer fist and that’ll end the round.

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

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

Mic time for Silva and her translator, she starts with some broken English and says she’s happy and puts over her coaches then expresses love for Texas. She goes back to Portuguese for the rest and says she’s always been a striker, but we run out of time for the translator to finish as she rambled a bit.

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

Adrian Yanez is on an eight fight winning streak including being 4-0 in the UFC, and he’s really turned some heads with his acumen during that time, plus his fan friendly style has resulted in a post fight bonus for each of his UFC fights. Yanez now faces the difficult task of transitioning from talented prospect to legitimate contender, and another win here would be an important step towards that goal. Tony Kelley has gone 2-1 in the UFC but he’s on a two fight winning streak and is undefeated at bantamweight, if he can turn back the talented Yanez it will be the biggest win of his career and could signify bigger things in his immediate future. A win would also help him smooth over Kelley’s weight miss. The odds are with Yanez at -300 against +250 on Kelley.

Bantamweight Bout: Tony Kelley (8-2, 137.5 lbs.) vs. Adrian Yanez (15-3, 135.5 lbs.)

ROUND ONE: Kelley is two inches taller, the reach is identical, and of course Kelley missed weight for this one. Southpaw for Kelley. Yanez blocks some kicks, then lands a right hand as Kelley tried a jumping kick. Body kick from Yanez. Kelley keeps probing with front kicks, he’s trying to get a read on Yanez. Bit of a body kick from Kelley. Yanez lands a few punches to counter a kick. Body shot from Yanez. Kelley lands a body kick then a left hand. Kelley lands a left hand. Yanez lands a combination, Kelley lands a body kick but Yanez stuns him with a counter left hook. Body shots from Yanez, then a right hand and Kelley is hurt. They get close and start trading in the pocket but Yanez disengages when he can’t get the finish. A right from Yanez hurts Kelley, then he looks to follow up. Kelley lands a body kick, Yanez lands a right to counter. More rights from Yanez, Kelley is wobbled, he drops and Yanez hits him a few more times on his knees and we’re done here.

OFFICIAL RESULT: †WINNER – Adrian Yanez via TKO, punches, at 3:49 of Round 1

The First Round Finish Club thanks Mr. Yanez for his work this evening. Yanez gets an interview after that one, he notes the trash talk started during the fight and Yanez was going to get him for that. He talks us through the finish and he puts over his coaches for getting him ready to deal with Kelley’s kicks. Asked what he’d like next he’ll fight whoever the UFC wants and notes a bunch of people who’ve called him out then booked other fights, but he’d love to fight Nate Maness or Sean O’Malley.

Yanez has accurate striking and great shot selection, he meticulously breaks you down then brings the heat as your defense crumbles. He’s a real problem for the division.

Julian Marquez has gone 3-1 in the UFC and is on a two fight winning streak during which he has finished both of his opponents, if Marquez can get to three in a row tonight he might earn a shot at some ranked opposition next. Gregory Rodrigues has gone 2-1 in the UFC and while he’s coming off of a split decision loss he’s now taking on a fellow rugged slugger, if Rodrigues wins here he could well be the one to take a step up towards ranked opponents. This one is close but Rodrigues is the favorite at -170 while a Marquez win would payout at +145.

Middleweight Bout: Julian Marquez (9-2, 185.5 lbs.) vs. Gregory Rodrigues (11-4, 185.5 lbs.)

ROUND ONE: Rodrigues is an inch taller with three inches of reach advantage. They touch gloves to get us going. Both men with some feinting as they circle. Marquez lands a calf kick. Another calf kick from Marquez. Rodrigues lands a jab but misses the follow ups. Marquez lands a calf kick. Left hook from Rodrigues off balances Marquez for a moment. Rodrigues lands a right hand that sends Marquez backwards for a second. More jabs from Rodrigues, then Marquez lands a couple of calf kicks, Rodrigues lands a right hand that drops Marquez. Rodrigues moves to the ride position and lands punches while Marquez stands, Rodrigues jumps to the backpack position as they stand. Rodrigues moves to the clinch and breaks then lands an uppercut. Body shot from Rodrigues but Marquez fires back with punches to back him off. A right from Rodrigues sends Marquez stumbling backwards, then he lands a right that drops Marquez but Marquez fights up and keeps swinging back but he’s getting abused by Rodrigues. Marquez is in zombie mode but Rodrigues keeps slugging and finally drops him with a right hand to end things.

OFFICIAL RESULT: †WINNER – Gregory Rodrigues via KO, punches, at 3:18 of Round 1

The First Round Finish Club thanks Mr. Rodrigues for his work this evening. Mic time for Rodrigues, he plays with the crowd first and feels he showed who he is in the cage tonight. He puts over his team for getting him ready and feels he can fight anywhere. Asked what he’d like next he puts over Marquez first then tells the UFC match makers to do their job.

Here’s the finish. I appreciate how defensive Rodrigues is here, Marquez is virtually out on his feet but he’s still swinging so Rodrigues keeps his wits, deflects those looping punches, and lines up the counter punches. Great stuff from Rodrigues to cap a great slug fest.

Damir Ismagulov is on a rather absurd 18 fight winning streak including being 4-0 in the UFC, if he’s able to extend that streak here he’ll be in prime position to make legitimate waves in possibly the deepest division in the UFC. Guram Kutateladze is on a nine fight winning streak including a hard fought win in his UFC debut back in 2020, and while he’s been inactive since then this fight represents a great opportunity for him to turn back a surging opponent and declare himself a fighter to whom attention should be paid. Ismagulov is a slight -180 favorite against +155 for Kutateladze.

Lightweight Bout: Damir Ismagulov (23-1, 155 lbs.) vs. Guram Kutateladze (12-2, 155.5 lbs.)

ROUND ONE: Kutateladze is an inch taller while Ismagulov has two inches of reach advantage. They touch gloves to get things going. Some jabs go back and forth, then Kutateladze misses a leg kick. Bit of a combination from Kutateladze. Ismagulov lands a leg kick. Bit of a jab from Ismagulov. Ismagulov is starting to get his jab working, and he lands a one two. Kutateladze lands a body shot. Kutateladze is bleeding from the bridge of the nose. A few lefts from Ismagulov land. Ismagulov lands a left and they tie up, but nothing comes of it and they break. More jabs from Ismagulov land. Kutateladze avoids an uppercut and grabs a clinch. They hit the fence and Kutateladze lands a couple of knees then an elbow. More elbows from Kutateladze, then he sweeps Ismagulov down but Ismagulov comes up on a single leg and they break apart. Ismagulov lands a right hand then a leg kick. Left hook from Ismagulov lands then Kutateladze avoids the follow ups. They clinch again, Ismagulov lands a knee and they break. Uppercut in close from Ismagulov. Kutateladze lands a body kick. Both men miss punches to close the round.

SCORECARD: 10-9 Kutateladze

ROUND TWO: They touch gloves again. Ismagulov lands a jab. Bit of a left hook from Ismagulov. Kutateladze lands a body kick. Ismagulov lands a body shot. Kutateladze lands a leg kick. Ismagulov misses a right hand. The defense from both men is impressive, neither is really landing cleanly. More jabs from Ismagulov land. Kutateladze lands a leg kick, then tries a single leg but Ismagulov defends and they hit the fence. Knees go back and forth in the clinch then they break with a right from Ismagulov. Ismagulov lands a right. Kutateladze lands a right hand. Kutateladze lands a couple of punches then tries a double leg but Ismagulov defends then lands a knee. Ismagulov avoids another takedown and lands a punch. Kutateladze is busted up around the right eye now. Ismagulov keeps landing the jab. Kutateladze lands a body kick. More jabs from Ismagulov, he’s really doing a number of Kutateladze’s face now. Ismagulov lands a right hand then a body jab. Kutateladze lands a body kick. A few more punches from Ismagulov land to close the round.

SCORECARD: 10-9 Ismagulov, 19-19 overall

ROUND THREE: Kutateladze lands a calf kick to start the last round. Ismagulov gets back to jabbing. Both men evade punches. Ismagulov lands a couple of one twos. Ismagulov avoids a knee, tries a double leg but Kutateladze sprawls and gets free. Kutateladze lands a leg kick but takes a right hand in response. Ismagulov lands a left to the body. Left hook from Ismagulov lands. Kutateladze lands a calf kick. They trade lefts in close. Ismagulov lands a combination. Hard right from Ismagulov then he misses the left hook follow up. Kutateladze lands another calf kick. Bit of a right from Ismagulov then he tries a double leg on the fence but Kutateladze defends and they clinch up. Elbow from Kutateladze as they break. Ismagulov lands some more jabs. Kutateladze lands a body kick. Ismagulov lands a right hand. Right from Ismagulov in close. Ismagulov blocks a head kick and lands a right hand. Kutateladze tries a takedown but Ismagulov defends and lands a knee. They trade in close again. Ismagulov lands a right hand. Single leg from Ismagulove and he finishes it but can’t control Kutateladze and we get time as get a knee to the head of Ismagulov that’s illegal. Replay shows the knee was close, could have gone either way on that call. We restart on the feet after a bit. Kutateladze lands a body kick, but Ismagulov staggers him with a right hand as the round ends.

SCORECARD: 10-9 Ismagulov but a real close one, 29-28 Ismagulov overall

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

OK, that’s weird scoring. I don’t get 28-28 at all, and 30-27 feels very wrong given the first round. Mic time for Ismagulov and his translator, he says he’s ready for a top 15 opponent and feels he’ll take over the division.

Correction on the scoring of the prior bout, it was announced as majority but someone failed math and it should have been split with one card being 29-28 for Kutateladze.

Joaquin Buckley has gone 4-2 in the UFC including a few notable knockouts, he’s on a two fight winning streak right now and if he can get to three in a row it could signify he’s ready for a step up in class. Albert Duraev is on a 10 fight winning streak including a win in his UFC debut last year, he’s trying to continue that momentum and prove he’s a rising force in the division. The odds are with Duraev at -225 while the +190 payout on Buckley has some serious value attached.

Middleweight Bout: Joaquin Buckley (14-4, 184 lbs.) vs. Albert Duraev (15-3, 185.5 lbs.)

ROUND ONE: Duraev is an inch taller while Buckley has an inch of reach advantage. Buckley opens southpaw. Duraev starts stalking forward. Buckley has some punches blocked, he’s lunging in from a bit too far out. Head kick from Buckley staggers Duraev, but Duraev stays on his feet and lands a punch. Buckley avoids a takedown attempt. Duraev lands an inside leg kick. Bit of a right from Duraev. Buckley misses another combination. Duraev lands a head kick, Buckley is cut after that but he stayed upright. Buckley avoids a few punches. Duraev avoids a combination. Duraev keeps stalking forward. Buckley misses a combination, neither man has a great read on the range yet. Bit of a body kick from Duraev. Buckley lands a left hand that seems to wobble Duraev. Duraev is swelling up under the right eye after that punch. Duraev lands a right hand. Inside leg kick from Duraev. Buckley tries a blitz attack, he lands a few punches to close the round.

SCORECARD: 10-9 Buckley

ROUND TWO: Buckley lands a left hand. Bit of a knee from Buckley. Duraev tries to force a takedown, they hit the fence and Duraev finishes the double leg. Buckley wall walks but eats a knee before they break. Duraev’s left eye is busted up now, not sure what caused it but that’s pretty gnarly. Buckley avoids a double leg. A left form Buckley drops Duraev, he’s back up quickly though. Bit of a head kick from Duraev. Buckley lands a left, Duraev tries a double leg but that stalls on the fence. Duraev switches to a single leg and gets Buckley down to his seat against the fence. Punches from Duraev as he works from top position. Duraev moves to half guard and lands bodys hots. Buckley scrambles to his feet and they resume clinching. Knees from Buckley then they break. Duraev avoids a jump spinning back kick. Buckley misses a few more kicks then drops Duraev with a left hand just before the round ends.

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

ROUND THREE: The doctor checks on Duraev’s left eye between rounds, it’s fully swollen shut and we get a deserved stoppage.

OFFICIAL RESULT: †WINNER – Joaquin Buckley via TKO, doctor’s stoppage, at 5:00 of Round 2

Mic time for Buckley, he puts over Duraev’s toughness. He talks about his preparation work for this fight, then plays with the crowd and asks to keep fighting in front of big crowds going forward.

Tim Means is a longtime veteran of the sport, he’s been with the UFC since 2014 in this run but actually debuted for them in 2012. Means is on a three fight winning streak and could earn a shot at a bigger name next time out if he gets to four in a row tonight. Kevin Holland has gone 1-2 with 1 No Contest in his last four fights, but he is coming off of a win in his return to welterweight and now looks to overcome a staple of the division and prove he’s found his footing at 170 pounds going forward. Holland is a rather heavy favorite at -305 to +255 for Means.

Welterweight Bout: Kevin Holland (22-7 1 NC, 170 lbs.) vs. Tim Means (32-12-1 1 NC, 170.5 lbs.)

ROUND ONE: Holland is an inch taller, has six inches of reach advantage, and is nine years younger. Southpaw for Means, and they touch gloves. Both men probe with long range kicks early. They clash and clinch then break without incident. Bit of a right from Holland as Means gets a clinch and they hit the fence. They break without incident. Means lands a couple of lefts. Holland lands a right hand and they trade blows in close. Side kick from Holland. Means avoids a few punches. Holland has a few head kicks blocked, then blitzes and they trade punches. Means misses a wheel kick. Holland lands a knee but Means catches it and gets a takedown. Holland forces his way to his feet and lands a few punches, Means tries another takedown but Holland stuffs it and they clinch up. Some punches from Holland, Means works knees to the leg. They break without incident. Both men land punches in close, then Means lands a body kick. Holland lands a leg kick. A right uppercut from Holland lands and they trade in the pocket. Holland lands a right hand. Means lands a front kick to the body. Body kick from Holland. Holland lands a right that hurts Means, but Means gets a double leg off of it. Holland wall walks and they spend the last seconds in the clinch.

SCORECARD: 10-9 Holland

ROUND TWO: Means is the one coming forward right now. Holland is sniping at distance, and his speed is causing Means some problems. Both men land punches in close but Holland is coming forward and lands a few more blows. Means lands a left to the body, Holland wobbles him with a right hand and Means reaches for a double leg but Holland grabs a d’arce choke and forces the tap.

OFFICIAL RESULT: †WINNER – Kevin Holland via Submission, d’arce choke, at 1:28 of Round 2

Mic time for Holland, he plays with the crowd then puts over his own skills. He says he’d like to fight Sean Brady in September, which would be a darn good fight if made.

Here’s the finish, it misses the right hand from Holland that hurt Means but it’s a good example of how to attack off of a poor single leg from your opponent.

Calvin Kattar has a very good UFC record of 7-3 and he’s coming off of a win, Kattar is trying to defend his top spot and prove he’s still a viable addition to the title picture. Josh Emmett is on a four fight winning streak that has seen him move into the top ten contenders, now he’s trying to crack the top five by taking out Kattar and make his own case for being next in line for a title shot. The odds are with Kattar at -230 to +195 on Emmett.

Featherweight Bout: #4 Calvin Kattar (23-5, 146 lbs.) vs. #7 Josh Emmett (17-2, 145.5 lbs.)

ROUND ONE: Kattar is four and a half inches taller and has two inches of reach advantage. Circling to start, Kattar is the one more in the center of the cage. Some feinting from both men, just getting a feel for things this early. Some probing jabs from both men, nothing really landing yet. Kattar lands a jab. Kattar lands a calf kick. Emmett lands a bit of a right hand. More jabs from Kattar but Emmett is starting to press the action. One two from Kattar lands flush. Another jab from Kattar lands. Emmett has a few punches blocked. Emmett lands a calf kick. Kattar falls short with a combination. A few more jabs from Kattar as they fight for position. Emmett is cut over the left eye now I think, at a minimum there’s discoloration forming. Emmett lands a calf kick. Kattar lands a right. Front kick from Kattar lands. Emmett lands a left to the body but can’t find the follow up punches. They trade punches in close. Emmett tries a takedown, Kattar defends and Emmett lands an elbow to close the round.

SCORECARD: 10-9 Kattar

ROUND TWO: Kattar gets back to jabbing quickly. Emmett deflects a few punches. Kattar blocks a punch then lands a right hand. Another jab from Kattar, he might have a read on Emmett’s timing now. Emmett misses a few punches. Kattar lands a jab. Front kick to the face from Kattar. Another right from Kattar lands. Emmett lands a right but he’s struggling to really corral Kattar and unload. That cut on Emmett’s face is open again, it’s not a fight ender but it’s a nice target for Kattar. Kattar avoids some punches then lands a couple of jabs. Kattar is backing Emmett up, he does have a read on the timing for sure because his jab is landing almost at will. More jabs from Kattar land. Kattar lands an elbow. Bit of a right from Emmett. Kattar blocks a few punches. Emmett avoids some jabs but he’s struggling with the range. Kattar avoids some hooks and lands a jab. More jabs from Kattar. Emmett lands a left to the body but Kattar catches him with a knee. Another knee from Kattar lands. Bit of a right from Kattar. Emmett lands a body shot to end the round.

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

ROUND THREE: That cut on Emmett’s left eyebrow got worse during that last round, still not a fight ender but if it keeps getting worse who knows. Kattar resumes jabbing to keep Emmett at distance. More jabs from Kattar. Emmett lands a right hand. Another right from Emmett, he’s definitely the harder puncher. Kattar looks to get back on the jab, Emmett lands a couple of body shots. Bit of a right from Kattar. Emmett misses a right hand. Kattar lands a couple more jabs, Emmett lands a calf kick. Emmett lands a right hand. Kattar lands a right of his own then an uppercut. Another jab from Kattar. Kattar lands a right hand. Emmett has a couple of rights blocked. Kattar’s defense is really diminishing Emmett’s offense thus far, not to say he’s had no success but he’s really struggled to find the big moments he usually finds. Kattar’s left eye is bruising now, one of those rights from Emmett found a home. Kattar lands a jab. Emmett lands a right then they trade jabs. Emmett lands a left to the body, then another one. Kattar lands a jab. A final right from Emmett ends the round.

SCORECARD: 10-9 Emmett, 29-28 Kattar overall

ROUND FOUR: Emmett’s left eye is starting to swell visibly, it could be a problem if Kattar is able to target it. Kattar gets back to jabbing. Emmett is backing up now, and misses a few hooks. Kattar lands a few jabs then a right hand. Emmett lands a leg kick. One two from Kattar. Emmett lands an inside leg kick. Kattar lands a right to the body. A few jabs from Kattar then he avoids a right hand. Emmett forces a clinch but Kattar slips free immediately. Bit of a right from Emmett. Kattar lands an elbow. They start splitting some jabs, Kattar is also showing southpaw on occasion. Kattar lands some more jabs. Emmett lands a left to the body. Both men land in close. Kattar lands a right, then a spinning elbow but Emmett just eats it. Emmett eats some jabs, I think that elbow stunned him. Kattar lands a right that stumbles Emmett but he stays upright. Emmett’s left eye is really bleeding now, that right from Kattar damaged it even more. Emmett tries a single leg, Kattar defends and misses an elbow. Kattar lands a couple more jabs. Emmett has punches blocked but he’s still game. Kattar lands a few jabs, they get close and both men swing and roll to end the round.

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

ROUND FIVE: They touch gloves for the final round. Kattar gets back to jabbing and pressing forward. A left from Kattar lands. Right hand from Kattar lands. Emmett misses a right hand. They trade some lefts. Emmett lands a left. Kattar lands an uppercut. More jabs from Kattar then a right hand. Emmett tries a takedown, Kattar shrugs him off and lands a right. Emmett is getting a little flatter on his feet, not tired necessarily but he’s not bouncing like he used to. Kattar lands a jab, then another one. Emmett eats a jab and misses a right. Kattar avoids some punches and lands another jab. Emmett avoids an uppercut and lands a right hand. Kattar lands a jab. Bit of an elbow from Kattar, then both men avoid punches. Kattar lands a few more jabs. Bit of a right from Kattar. Emmett lands a left. Both men land in close. Kattar lands a few more jabs. Emmett tries to force a brawl, Kattar shuts that down. Kattar lands a right hand. Emmett misses a right. More jabs from Kattar, Emmett and Kattar both miss spinning elbows to close the round.

SCORECARD: 10-9 Kattar, 49-46 Kattar overall

OFFICIAL RESULT: †WINNER – Josh Emmett via split decision (47-48, 48-47 x2)

Round 1 was closer than I let on, I still don’t agree but it’s not the worst thing in the world for Emmett to win. Mic time for Emmett, he thinks he won four rounds which is just silly. He plays with the crowd then says he wants to be cageside for the featherweight title fight in a couple of weeks and wants a shot at the winner of that fight. He puts over Kattar and then feels he’s the new blood this division needs at the top.

Well on that note UFC on ESPN 37 comes to a close. Thank you for reading, be that live or after the fact. We’ll be unpacking all of the results from this event on the 411 Ground and Pound MMA Podcast, plus looking ahead to next week when Arman Tsarukyan takes on Mateusz Gamrot. I’ll be back for that card and I hope you will as well. Until then thank you again, stay safe out there, and keep checking 411mania for all of your pop culture needs.

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