mma / Reports

411’s UFC Fight Night Report: Strickland Beats Imavov

January 14, 2023 | Posted by Robert Winfree
UFC on ESPN+ 75 Image Credit: UFC

MAIN CARD (ESPN+, 7 p.m. ET)
Nassourdine Imavov (194 lbs.) vs. Sean Strickland (204 lbs.)
#13 Dan Ige (145.5 lbs.) vs. Damon Jackson (145.5 lbs.)
Roman Kopylov (185 lbs.) vs. Punahele Soriano (185.5 lbs.)
#5 Raquel Pennington (135.5 lbs.) vs. #2 Ketlen Vieira (136 lbs.)
Raoni Barcelos (135 lbs.) vs. #11 Umar Nurmagomedov (135 lbs.)

MAIN CARD (ESPN+, 4 p.m. ET)
Javid Basharat (136 lbs.) vs. Mateus Mendonca (134.5 lbs.)
Abdul Razak Alhassan (185.5 lbs.) vs. Claudio Ribeiro (183 lbs.)
Nick Fiore (155 lbs.) vs. Mateusz Rebecki (155.5 lbs.)
Carlos Hernandez (125 lbs.) vs. Allan Nascimento (125.5 lbs.)
Nick Aguirre (145.5 lbs.) vs. Dan Argueta (146 lbs.)
Jimmy Flick (126 lbs.) vs. Charles Johnson (126 lbs.)

Hello everyone and welcome to 411mania’s LIVE coverage of UFC on ESPN+ 75, I’m Robert Winfree and I’ll be your host. Well the UFC hasn’t been off to the best start this year, between some tragic news around former fighters like Stephan Bonnar and Phil Baroni to UFC President Dana White being caught publicly getting into a physical altercation with his wife and then none of the relevant powers that be saying anything about it. Let’s just say they’re hoping this card diverts some of the bad publicity. This card has had plenty of struggles though, we lost Priscilla Cachoeira vs. Sijara Eubanks during the weigh ins when Eubanks had some health issues. Then there’s the main event, which was originally supposed to be a middleweight fight between Nassourdine Imavov and Kelvin Gastelum before Gastelum suffered a mouth injury and a pretty visible case of staph on his face, which led to Sean Strickland stepping in to face Imavov. Strickland might be unique now in that he main evented the last UFC event of 2022 and now main events the first event of 2023 and I don’t think anyone else has done that. Anyway the new main event is still a perfectly acceptable fight, though both men are nominally middleweights the fight is at light heavyweight due to Strickland stepping in during fight week. Elsewhere on the card Dan Ige will fight Damon Jackson in a solid featherweight fight, and the surging contender Umar Nurmagomedov looks to get his year off on the right foot against tough veteran Raoni Barcelos. Beyond that it’s not a lot of names you’ll recognize but honestly this isn’t the worst looking card on paper, let’s just hope the action holds up.

UFC on ESPN+ 75 comes to the world from the UFC Apex facility in Las Vegas, Nevada, USA. Brendan Fitzgerald, Paul Felder, and Dominick Cruz will be on commentary with Heidi Androl as our roving reporter and interviewer. Keep in mind Nevada uses most of the newer rules but you still only need one hand on the mat to be downed, and we have instant replay plus after replay is used the fight can be restarted if that’s applicable. Also remember the Apex has the smaller 25 foot diameter Octagon set up.

Up first is a graphic for the recently passed 18 year old Victoria Lee. Such a rough few weeks for the MMA world.

We open with a ludicrously self congratulatory video package about how the UFC is full of fighters at the executive level making history and creating superstars for the new age. We’re in the 30th year of the UFC so it makes a degree of sense that they’re leaning hard into congratulating themselves.

Jimmy Flick is on a four fight winning streak including a successful UFC debut back in 2020, after a brief retirement he’s back now and looking to remind everyone why he was a flyweight prospect to watch. Charles Johnson has gone 1-1 in the UFC, he’s coming off of a split decision back in November that I thought he lost, but now he’s got the chance to build his first UFC winning streak. The odds are pretty heavily with Johnson at -350 to a tempting value of +290 on Flick.

Flyweight Bout: Jimmy Flick (16-5, 126 lbs.) vs. Charles Johnson (12-3, 126 lbs.)

ROUND ONE: Johnson has two inches of height and reach on Flick. They touch gloves to get us going. Johnson opens southpaw but will do a lot of switching. Inside leg kick from Flick, Johnson responds with a front kick. Some leg kicks go back and forth. Flick tries a takedown, gets Johnson down but Johnson sweeps into top position pretty quickly on the way down. Johnson looks to stand but Flick works his guard high and tries for control. Flick scrambles up and they break. Johnson lands a left to the body then a front kick. Jab from Flick. Bit of a right from Johnson. Flick misses a head kick. More body shots from Johnson then a left hook. Flick lands a body kick. Head kick from Johnson wobbles Flick but he stays upright. Double leg from Flick hits the fence, Flick elevates and slams then jumps on the back but only one hook. Johnson looks like he’ll swing Flick off, and does to get on top then lands some ground and pound. Elbows from Johnson as he’s trying to stack Flick up. Flick isn’t controlling the posture of Johnson, and Johnson is able to tee off pretty much at will. A few hammer fists get through from Johnson and the ref stops this one. Might have been a touch premature there but I’ll need a replay.

OFFICIAL RESULT: †WINNER – Charles Johnson via TKO, strikes, at 4:33 of Round 1

The First Round Finish Club thanks Mr. Johnson for his work this evening, and welcomes everyone to 2023. Mic time for Johnson, he feels amazing getting his first UFC finish and mentions his tough journey to get here. He talks us through the finish and notes he wanted to go to the body given the layoff from Flick, then puts over everyone as a champion. To close he mentions he’s about to become a girl dad.

Here’s the finish. I still think it’s a little premature, but Flick had been struggling to find meaningful offense all round.

Dan Argueta suffered his first professional loss in his UFC debut last year, now he’s back in action and looking to score that all important first UFC win. Nick Aguirre is undefeated coming into his UFC debut and now looks to make the most of his only chance to make a first impression. Argueta is a heavy -490 favorite to a +390 payout on Aguirre.

Featherweight Bout: Nick Aguirre (7-0, 145.5 lbs.) vs. Dan Argueta (8-1, 146 lbs.)

ROUND ONE: Aguirre is two inches taller with a significant six inches of reach advantage. Both men fighting southpaw. Some probing jabs from both men then Argueta lands a leg kick. Argueta pushes forward into a clinch on the fence, he’s able to get a single leg and get on top in full guard. Aguirre looks to work his guard high, Argueta picks him up and moves them over to the fence so he can squish him against it. Some punches from Argueta, Aguirre looks to invert and forces a scramble, he’s nearly on top but Argueta uses a kimura threat to transition to an armbar attack from the back. Aguirre gets his arm free and gets on top, then gets the back with both hooks in. Body triangle now for Aguirre. Aguirre attacks a choke, not too close but the attacks are keeping Argueta from addressing the body triangle. Argueta is able to turn, he’s nearly got Aguirre spun onto the mat and he does wind up on top in the guard of Aguirre. Argueta with some punches, Aguirre tries to come up on a single leg but Argueta spins to the back and lands punches. Side control now for Argueta and he lands short punches and elbows. Aguirre moves to his knees and Argueta takes the back, both hooks in, and attacks a choke but wont find it. They scramble a bit with Argueta in the ride position as the round ends.

SCORECARD: 10-9 Argueta

ROUND TWO: Aguirre misses a head kick to start the round. Argueta is pressing forward, lands a body shot then a body kick. More pressure from Argueta. Bit of a jab from Aguirre. A few punches from Argueta then he clinches up on the fence. Most of those punches from Argueta are visibly arm punches, but they’re working to close distance at least. Aguirre is able to spin out of the clinch and reset. One two from Aguirre. Argueta lands a leg kick. Another leg kick from Argueta, then another and he forces a clinch. Argueta looks for a takedown but Aguirre is defending thus far. A few punches from Argueta before Aguirre is able to slip free. Knee from Aguirre, who looks a little looser at the moment. Argueta tries another takedown, this one he’s able to finish into full guard. Aguirre eats some punches while trying to set up a wall walk, but Argueta is all over him and gets the ride position. Argueta gets the back now with both hooks in and looks to attack a choke. The choke is getting tighter, he gets around to the back but Aguirre breaks the grip and survives though Argueta moves to full mount. Some elbows from Argueta, Aguirre gives up the back again. Argueta can’t finish the choke and Aguirre hip escapes to half guard. Elbow from Argueta closes the round.

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

ROUND THREE: Aguirre misses a couple of head kicks. They trade jabs but neither man has a good one. Argueta pushes close and lands a few punches then clinches. They break without issue. Argueta lands a calf kick. Both men miss rights. They trade punches in close. Uppercut and a right hook from Aguirre but there’s not much on them. Argueta forces a clinch on the fence then lands a couple of elbows and changes levels to get a double leg. Argueta mounts the legs against the fence and lands some punches. Now Argueta moves to the ride, then takes the back and switches to full mount. Aguirre forces a scramble and comes up nearly on top but Argueta pushes him over and gets back on top in full guard. Argueta postures up and lands some punches. Aguirre tries to sit up, Argueta uses a front headlock to control him though and pushes him back over into half guard. Argueta postures up and lands some more punches. Aguirre tries another scramble but he’s not able to hustle to the position and Argueta is keeping him on the mat. Argueta moves to the back, Aguirre stands but Argueta takes him down one last time as the round ends.

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

OFFICIAL RESULT: †WINNER – Dan Argueta via unanimous decision (30-27 x3)

Mic time for Argueta, guess we’re not hurting for time, and he feels good but expected to win regardless of the opponent. He wishes he’d had a better performance but a win is better than nothing. He puts over Aguirre as tricky but he’s happy he trained as hard as he did. To close he puts over some people around him, then declines to make a call out.

Allan Nascimento has gone 1-1 in the UFC but he’s coming off of a win and now looks to build his first UFC winning streak. Carlos Hernandez is on an eight fight winning streak including his UFC debut back in February of last year, now he’s looking to extend that streak and build his first UFC winning streak. The odds are solidly with Nascimento at -325 to the +270 underdog Hernandez.

Flyweight Bout: Carlos Hernandez (8-1, 125 lbs.) vs. Allan Nascimento (19-6, 125.5 lbs.)

ROUND ONE: Nascimento is half an inch taller with an inch and a half of reach advantage. They touch gloves to get us going. Some feinting from both men, Nascimento generally pressuring forward. Inside leg kick from Nascimento but Hernandez counters with a right hand. Front kick to the face from Nascimento then he clinches up, gets a brief takedown but Hernandez bounces up with Nascimento on his back in the clinch. Nascimento drags things to the mat and gets both hooks in. Body triangle from Nascimento now. Hernandez is doing a pretty good job defensively here, he’s hand fighting well enough. Nascimento is switching between hooks and a body triangle depending on how they’re moving. Hernandez stands, Nascimento in the backpack position and grabs the choke. This one is pretty close, Nascimento adjusts the grip and Hernandez has to tap.

OFFICIAL RESULT: †WINNER – Allan Nascimento via Submission, rear naked choke, at 3:16 of Round 1

The First Round Finish Club thanks Mr. Nascimento for his work this evening. Mic time for Nascimento he feels good and knew he wanted to be more aggressive in this fight. He puts over his team, then says he likes to grow step by step and doesn’t have a callout ready. To close he wants a Howler Head bottle. This is a billion dollar company and you want the bosses booze?

Here’s the finish. This clip misses the coolest part, because Nascimento went from a traditional figure four arm position to the gable grip he finished with due to the hand fighting of Hernandez and those kinds of adjustments are sadly rare.

Mateusz Rebecki is on a whopping 13 fight winning streak dating back to 2015, now he’s making his UFC debut on the back of a Contender Series win and looks to show everyone why there’s hype building around him. Nick Fiore is undefeated coming into his UFC debut and now he’s got a chance to upset a budding force in the division while announcing his arrival in the promotion. Rebecki is a quite large favorite at -750 while that +550 comeback on Fiore might tempt a few degenerate gamblers out there.

Lightweight Bout: Nick Fiore (6-0, 155 lbs.) vs. Mateusz Rebecki (16-1, 155.5 lbs.)

ROUND ONE: Fiore is three inches taller with a significant six inches of reach advantage. Southpaw for Rebecki, and they touch gloves. Body kick from Rebecki. A lot of pressure from Rebecki he lands a body kick. Fiore lands a couple of rights but Rebecki counters with a right hook. Body shot from Rebecki then a body kick. Inside leg kick from Rebecki, but there’s swelling around his left eye from those Fiore rights. Bit of a left from Rebecki then a left body kick. Solid left from Rebecki. Fiore looks to work his own kicks, but eats a one two. Bit of a combination from Rebecki, he’s really starting to flow now. Hard inside leg kick form Rebecki. Fiore’s left eye is a little messed up now too. Some body shots from Rebecki then a combination. Fiore lands a right hand. Rebecki lands another inside leg kick. This pace is nuts, and Rebecki lands a body kick then a left hand. Some blood around the left eye of Fiore, not fight stopping but it’s there. Rebecki lands another combination. Double leg from Rebecki into full guard. Rebecki has Fiore stuffed against the fence and lands a few short elbows. There’s more blood around the eye of Fiore, those elbows seem to have done some damage. More short elbows from Rebecki, then a few punches as the round ends.

SCORECARD: 10-9 Rebecki, borderline 10-8 in some respects

ROUND TWO: Rebecki gets right back to forward pressure. Hard body kick from Rebecki. Inside leg kick from Rebecki. Fiore goes southpaw, that leg might be hurting. Rebecki digs a few body shots as he’s got Fiore along the fence. Fiore tries to circle but gets clinched on the fence, then slips free. Rebecki lands an uppercut. Body shot from Rebecki. Rebecki might have punched himself out with this pace, and Fiore shoots a double leg that hits the fence. Fiore finishes the takedown, looks for full mount but Rebecki pushes him up and they reset on the feet. Rebecki lands an uppercut. Left hand from Rebecki. Hard inside leg kick from Rebecki. Double leg from Rebecki and he’s on top in full guard. A few body to head punches from Rebecki. Rebecki lands a few short elbows but they’re both kind of just hanging out. The round ends with Rebecki on top.

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

ROUND THREE: They touch gloves for the final round. Both men land lefts. Fiore tries a takedown, they hit the fence though and Rebecki lands some knees then avoids a trip. Bit of a right hook from Rebecki. Single leg, then a double leg from Rebecki and he gets on top in full guard. Fiore tries to get his guard working but Rebecki is following his hips and landing punches. A few short elbows from Rebecki land, he’s not really looking to pass yet though. Rebecki lands some body to head punches. Elbow from Rebecki. Fiore tries to angle for an armbar, but Rebecki maintains his balance and lands a couple of punches. Rebecki passes towards leg drag position, Fiore works to get butterfly guard back, then closes his guard. Rebecki lands a few more punches to close the round.

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

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

No issue with Rebecki getting a 10-8 in there somewhere. Mic time for Rebecki, who opens with English and puts over Fiore’s toughness but he’s glad to have shown how good he is everywhere. He says he feels good, but knows he put a lot of power shots out there in the first and notes the second and third rounds were a little tough. In fact he mentions changing in the second and third rounds to show off his grappling and preserve his cardio.

Abdul Razak Alhassan has gone just 1-4 in his last five fights, he’s been out of action for almost a year and was last seen dropping a split decision. Alhassan needs a win pretty badly here if he wants to get a bit of job security. Claudio Riberio is on a six fight winning streak coming into his UFC debut, he’s looking to take out a fairly established UFC presence and make a good first impression. This one is close, closing as a -110 pick ’em.

Middleweight Bout: Abdul Razak Alhassan (11-5, 185.5 lbs.) vs. Claudio Ribeiro (10-2, 183 lbs.)

ROUND ONE: Ribeiro is three inches taller with four inches of reach advantage. They touch gloves to get us going. Ribeiro lands a couple of calf kicks. A third calf kick from Ribeiro, then they both miss punches. Ribeiro lands another calf kick, this one somewhat checked. Alhassan misses a right hand. Alhassan tries a double leg, can’t finish it but does land a punch while keeping the clinch. Some knees from Alhassan, aiming at the body and leg. Ribeiro spins free and lands a right hand. Alhassan has gone southpaw, that left leg is in trouble. Ribeiro lands a couple of inside calf kicks. They both miss head kicks, then Ribeiro lands a straight right. Body kick from Ribeiro. Alhassan tries another takedown, which settles into a clinch on the fence. Some knees go back and forth as they jockey for position. Elbow from Alhassan. Another elbow from Alhassan, Ribeiro blocks a few punches just as the round ends.

SCORECARD: 10-9 Ribeiro but could go the other way

ROUND TWO: Ribeiro opens up with calf kicks to start the round. Alhassan lands a couple of rights, Ribeiro is hurt and Alhassan bludgeons him against the fence until he drops and the ref steps in.

OFFICIAL RESULT: †WINNER – Abdul Razak Alhassan via KO, punches, at :28 of Round 2

Mic time for Alhassan, he says the game plan is to mix things up and use his wrestling to set up his strikes and his coaches straightened him out. He says his son wanted him to bring the money home and he wasn’t going to disappoint his son. When talking us through the finish he says his coaches were all over him to be patient instead of wild, and this time he stayed patient so when he hurt Ribeiro he could follow up intelligently. To close he thanks his coaches then tells everyone to keep chasing their dreams.

Here’s a look at the finish. Some nice patience and shot selection from Alhassan, you can see him finding openings as Ribeiro is hurt and not just swing wild at him.

Javid Basharat is undefeated including being 2-0 in the UFC, he’s turned a few heads with those performances and now looks to remain perfect after this fight then take aim at some bigger names in the division. Mateus Mendonca is undefeated coming into his UFC debut, and if he’s able to score the upset here it would be the biggest win of his career and would be a great way to announce his arrival in the UFC. Basharat is the favorite at -320 while the +265 payout for Mendonca might be a tempting value bet.

Bantamweight Bout: Javid Basharat (13-0, 136 lbs.) vs. Mateus Mendonca (10-0, 134.5 lbs.)

ROUND ONE: Basharat is three inches taller while Mendonca has two and a half inches of reach advantage. Some forward pressure from Mendonca right away. Basharat circles, and avoids a head kick. Bit of a knee from Basharat but Mendonca catches it and gets a clinch on the fence. Some knees are traded then they break. Mendonca keeps coming forward, lands a left hand but Basharat lands a jab. They trade calf kicks, Mendonca landed harder though. Basharat avoids some offense then lands a calf kick. Mendonca misses a cartwheel kick and Basharat lands a few punches. Right from Mendonca seems to buzz Basharat for a moment. Basharat avoids a takedown and lands a calf kick. They trade punches. Basharat avoids some offense again, then lands a body kick and a straight left. Mendonca forces another clinch, he gets a takedown but Basharat bounces up with Mendonca on his back. They hit the ground again, again Basharat fights up to his feet. Basharat spins free and lands a jab then a spinning back kick. Mendonca with a calf kick. Left hook from Basharat lands. Mendonca defends a single leg attempt. Basharat lands a calf kick but he’s wobbled briefly by a counter right. Mendonca might be slowing down already. Basharat hits a single leg, moves to side control then lands punches as Mendonca wall walks. Elbow from Basharat then a head kick, and Mendonca takes him down off of it to close the round.

SCORECARD: 10-9 Basharat but a close one

ROUND TWO: Mendonca resumes forward pressure but Basharat seems to have a read on him now. Mendonca lands a right hand. Bit of a right from Basharat, but Mendonca gets him down against the fence. Basharat wall walks but Mendonca is still on him on against the fence. Some short elbows from Basharat before he slips out of the clinch. Basharat lands a right hand. Mendonca lands a calf kick. Body kick from Mendonca then he tries a double leg, switches to a single leg but Basharat seems to be defending. Basharat limp legs free and lands a right to the body. Jabs from Basharat then he hits a single leg, Mendonca tries a guillotine but Basharat is in half guard on the safe side and breaks the grip. Mendonca looks to invert, but Basharat moves with him and keeps half guard on top. There’s a small cut around the right eyebrow of Mendonca. Short elbows from Basharat, then he gets the back into full mount as he rides on Mendonca. Mendonca hip escapes to half guard but he’s getting busted up now. Basharat lands some more punches, Mendonca inverts again looking for a knee bar, he’s not got enough leverage and position to finish it though as the round ends.

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

ROUND THREE: Basharat lands some long punches as the round begins. Mendonca keeps coming forward, but walks into a left hand. Basharat lands a bit of a head kick. They both miss punches on the follow up. Basharat lands a right hand. Front kick from Basharat lands, then a right hand. Mendonca keeps coming forward, but he’s struggling to find offense. Basharat lands another left hand then a body kick. Left body kick from Basharat. Mendonca lands a calf kick, then they clinch up and hit the fence. Mendonca slings Basharat down to a hip, he loses position and tries to jump on a triangle choke but can’t find it and Basharat settles into half guard. Basharat lands a few punches. Basharat moves to the ride position, then flattens Mendonca down. Mendonca forces a scramble and grabs at a guillotine choke as Basharat hits a double leg. Basharat is able to pull his head free and get back on top in half guard. They trade on the mat, Basharat landing some elbows to the body. Mendonca tries a heel hook, Basharat defends without much difficulty as the round ends.

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

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

I could see Mendonca taking the first, it was a close round. Mic time for Basharat, he feels his performance could have been better but then puts over Mendonca as a tough guy who’ll do well in the UFC. He talks us through some highlights and again puts over Mendonca. Asked what he’d like next he says he’s had hard fights for his first three UFC bouts, and he’d like a ranked guy next if possible, naming Chris Gutierrez when pressed on the issue.

Well that’s it for the prelims, on to the main card which opens with an “In Memory of Stephan Bonnar” graphic.

Umar Nurmagomedov is undefeated including three wins in the UFC, all of which have seen a fair amount of hype begin building around him. Nurmagomedov is looking to defend his top ranking and possibly start aiming at the top ten going forward. Raoni Barcelos is 6-2 in the UFC but he just broke a two fight losing streak and now looks to build his first losing streak since 2020 at the expense of a man many of his have pegged as a future champion. Nurmagomedov is the biggest favorite on the card at -850 to a +600 comeback on Barcelos.

Bantamweight Bout: Raoni Barcelos (17-3, 135 lbs.) vs. #11 Umar Nurmagomedov (15-0, 135 lbs.)

ROUND ONE: Nurmagomedov is an inch taller, has two inches of reach advantage, and is eight years younger. Some feinting from both men to start. Front kick from Nurmagomedov. Barcelos lands a right hand, Nurmagomedov is doing some stance switching. Front kick from Nurmagomedov. Barcelos has a high kick blocked. Bit of a right hook from Nurmagomedov. Nurmagomedov seems to favor southpaw at the moment. A few leg kicks go back and forth, they’re still trying to feel things out. Nurmagomedov lands a jab then a body kick. Bit of a retreating right hook from Nurmagomedov. Barcelos blocks a kick then misses a few punches. Nurmagomedov avoids a takedown attempt. Jab from Nurmagomedov, then a few more while moving. Some more front kicks from Nurmagomedov, then Barcelos lands a body kick. That jab from Nurmagomedov is starting to do work. Left hand from Nurmagomedov lands. They trade inside leg kicks, then Nurmagomedov lands a right hook. Body kick from Nurmagomedov, then a follow up left hand FLOORS Barcelos and we’re done as Barcelos is out.

OFFICIAL RESULT: †WINNER – Umar Nurmagomedov via KO, punch, at 4:40 of Round 1

The First Round Finish Club thanks Mr. Nurmagomedov for his work this evening. Mic time for Nurmagomedov, he feels bad for landing a follow up shot after Barcelos was out and apologizes for that, but he’s happy about the win. He talks us through the finish, he’s not sure why it worked but it worked. Asked about the future he says he’ll be ready in March and says he’ll fight anyone in the division but they’re not signing on the line to fight him. He puts over a bunch of people to close.

Here’s the finish. The southpaw double attack is an old reliable tactic, here Nurmagomedov switches up the timing and Barcelos clearly isn’t expecting it. It’s usually the strikes you don’t see coming that have the big results, and Barcelos clearly wasn’t expecting this one.

We get a tribute to Stephan Bonnar, pretty well done.

Ketlen Vieira has been pretty close to a title shot more than once during her UFC run, she’s currently on a two fight winning streak with wins over Miesha Tate and Holly Holm, now if she can get to three in a row here it might finally earn her that elusive title shot. Raquel Pennington has quietly amassed a four fight winning streak, and she might get a second shot at the title if she’s able to move to five in a row here. This one is close but the odds tilt towards Vieira at -130 to an even +110 for Pennington.

Women’s Bantamweight Bout: #5 Raquel Pennington (14-8, 135.5 lbs.) vs. #2 Ketlen Vieira (13-2, 136 lbs.)

ROUND ONE: Vieira is an inch taller with half an inch of reach advantage. They touch gloves to get us going. Both women with some feinting. Short right from Pennington. Vieira lands a left hand. Pennington jabs the body. Some jabs from Vieira as she retreats. Bit of a right from Vieira. Pennington misses a right hand. Vieira is starting to jab a bit now. Knee from Vieira then an elbow to follow up. Pennington lands a calf kick. Vieira lands a combination then a calf kick. They trade lefts in close. Bit of a right from Vieira. Pennington is struggling with the range right now, she’s trying to blitz from outside to make up the distance from the longer fighter. Bit of a body kick from Pennington. There’s some blood on the face of Pennington, it’s up in the hairline though. Vieira lands a left hook. Vieira probes with some leg kicks. Glancing left hook from Vieira. Pennington with a right in close. They clinch, Vieira gets Pennington on the fence and they’ll just wind down the last seconds there.

SCORECARD: 10-9 Vieira

ROUND TWO: Both women work the lead hand as the round begins. Some jabs go back and forth. Vieira lands an inside leg kick, Pennington returns it. Pennington lands a right hand, Vieira counters with a left hook. They clinch, Pennington slips to the back in the clinch and starts hugging. Vieira breaks the grip and cracks Pennington with an elbow as they break. They trade punches in close. Pennington is looking to up the tempo at this point. Vieira lands a left hook. They clinch again, Vieira gets Pennington on the fence and Pennington lands a knee to the groin so we’ve got a break. Both women get back to jabbing and leg kicking as they restart. Both women are a little bloodied up at this point. Pennington lands a right hand. Another clinch, Pennington with some knees to the body before Vieira gets her on the fence. Vieira with knees to the leg. Pennington lands a few knees to the body. Vieira slips to the back standing as the round ends.

SCORECARD: 10-9 Pennington, 19-19 overall

ROUND THREE: Both women come out landing leg kicks. Pennington lands a right hand. Vieira lands a left hook then a right hand. They trade rights again, Vieira is the heavier puncher though and Pennington is reacting by moving away. They clinch again and Vieira pushes Pennington into the fence. Things are stalling out again. Vieira pulls free after a bit. They both miss rights. Vieira lands a right hand. Inside leg kick from Vieira. Pennington misses a few punches but falls into a clinch and gets Vieira on the fence. Some punches go back and forth in the clinch but nothing really happens. Vieira spins Pennington into the fence. Pennington lands a knee, then they break but Vieira lands an elbow and clinches back up. Another elbow from Vieira. Vieira lands another elbow, Pennington lands a knee in response but she can’t get out of the clinch. Vieira slips to the back standing. Some knees to the leg from Vieira. Pennington is unable to get free, she’s trying to punch over her shoulder in desperation. Vieira keeps the back as the round ends.

SCORECARD: 10-9 Vieira but could go either way, 29-28 Vieira overall

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

Given how that third round went 2-1 either way is perfectly acceptable. Mic time for Pennington, she wanted to do more as usual but ultimately felt she did enough to win. She wants to let her hands go more (a refrain from her entire UFC career), then when asked about the future she’s excited about her life then puts over her coaches and family before bringing up her five fight winning streak.

Punahele Soriano just broke a two fight losing streak with a stoppage win, now he’s after his first winning streak since 2021 and looking to reclaim some of they momentum he had a few years ago. Roman Kopylov has gone 1-2 in the UFC but he’s coming off of a win and now looks for his first UFC winning record while also moving his UFC record to the .500 mark. Soriano is your favorite at -140 while the +120 on Kopylov might be a tempting bet.

Middleweight Bout: Roman Kopylov (9-2, 185 lbs.) vs. Punahele Soriano (9-2, 185.5 lbs.)

ROUND ONE: Kopylov is an inch taller with two and a half inches of reach advantage. Southpaw for both men, and they touch gloves to get us going. Soriano misses a couple of lefts, then tries a takedown but Kopylov defends and lands a knee. Inside leg kick from Kopylov lands. Stiff jab from Kopylov. Soriano misses another left. Bit of a right from Soriano but he’s becoming predictable with his power shots already. Kopylov works the jab while circling. Kopylov jabs the body. Inside leg kick from Kopylov, then another one. Soriano lands a left hand. More jabs and inside leg kicks from Kopylov, he’s really starting to find his rhythm here. Another body jab from Kopylov then he avoids a left hook. Soriano lands a right but he’s struggling to get around the guard of Kopylov. Kopylov keeps landing jabs. Soriano misses a few punches. That jab from Kopylov is really doing work now. Kopylov lands a calf kick. Soriano tries to tie up, but Kopylov avoids him. Bit of a left from Soriano. Kopylov hits a double leg and moves to side control right away. Soriano stands and Kopylov doesn’t really fight him on that. They just kind of stare away the final seconds.

SCORECARD: 10-9 Kopylov

ROUND TWO: Kopylov gets back to jabbing right away. Bit of an uppercut from Soriano. Kopylov keeps up the jab then lands a calf kick. Bit of an uppercut from Kopylov. Soriano lands a couple of uppercuts in close, Kopylov then lands a body shot. Some more jabs then a left hand from Kopylov. Hard spinning back kick from Kopylov lands. Soriano seems to be wilting at this point, he gets close and lands a few uppercuts but he’s struggling to really connect his offense. Kopylov lands a couple of body shots. Body jabs from Kopylov then a body kick. Left to the body then a right hand from Kopylov, Soriano is hurt to the body visibly now. Kopylov flurries against the fence but Soriano swings back and gets him to back off. Soriano dives for a double leg, Kopylov defends and resets. Jab and a body kick from Kopylov, that body kick hurts Soriano and Kopylov flurries as Soriano backs up to the fence and the ref steps in to stop the action.

OFFICIAL RESULT: †WINNER – Roman Kopylov via TKO, body kick and punches, at 3:19 of Round 2

Heck of a performance from Kopylov, who gets an interview along with his translator. He says the fight got off to a rough start but his coaches helped keep him lined up and ready. He says the body work was always the plan, once he knew he could avoid the left hand of Soriano he knew he could get it done. Asked about some of the specifics he notes Soriano wasn’t bothered by the leg kicks but the hands were doing work so he leaned on his boxing. To close he thanks his team, and notes this was his last fight on the current deal and hopes the UFC will give him a new one.

Here’s the finish. Kopylov had been doing body work with his jab and occasional shots in the first, but that spinning back kick in the second was a big turning point. I wouldn’t be shocked if Soriano has busted ribs. The final liver kick starts things, but this is why you commit to body work and stick to it, it rarely is a one hitter quitter type of thing, but you keep at it and you’ll break them down.

Dan Ige is just 1-4 in his last five fights but he’s been fighting the very top of the division, he’s currently on a three fight losing streak and if he wants to remain a relevant player in the division he can’t afford another loss here. Damon Jackson is on a four fight winning streak, in face he’s 5-1 since returning to the UFC in 2020 with the only loss coming to hard charging contender Ilia Topuria. Jackson is looking for the biggest win of his career thus far if he can take out the ranked Ige. This one is close as well, but Ige closed as the -130 favorite to a +110 for Jackson.

Featherweight Bout: #13 Dan Ige (15-6, 145.5 lbs.) vs. Damon Jackson (22-4-1 1 NC, 145.5 lbs.)

ROUND ONE: Jackson is four inches taller but the reach is identical. Ige blocks a high kick. Jackson with a flurry, but Ige lands an uppercut to back him off. Body shot from Ige. Bit of a right from Jackson. Jackson is showing the front kick, not really landing it yet but it’s a good weapon for him. Ige gets close and lands a left hook. Bit of a knee from Jackson, Ige lands a right in close. Ige lands a leg kick. Bit of a head kick from Ige. Jackson tries a single leg, but Ige defends and we get a time out as Jackson seems to have poked him in the eye. Replay shows it was a bit of a poke when Ige was framing and pushing off. There were legal punches to the eye before that, those did some damage. The doctor wants the ref to keep an eye on things. OK, seems the glove was what scraped across things so not really a foul as that’s not illegal. We’re back to fighting after a couple of minutes. Jackson lands a right hand. Leg kick from Jackson. Ige lands a body kick. Right hand from Ige. Jackson lands a knee. Ige with a calf kick then some clubbing punches. Takedown from Ige as the round ends.

SCORECARD: 10-9 Ige

ROUND TWO: Bit of a right from Jackson then a leg kick. Jackson lands a front kick. They trade lefts, Ige is landing to the body while Jackson is doing a bit more head hunting. Leg kick from Jackson. Ige misses an uppercut and gets a clinch on the fence. Jackson gets free pretty quickly. Ige goes southpaw to land an inside leg kick, then back to orthodox. Bit of a head kick from Jackson. Knee and elbow from Jackson in close. Glancing right from Ige cuts the forehead of Jackson, it’s up in the hairline though so not likely a fight ender by itself. Jackson lands a right hand. Ige lands a left to the body. Left hook from Ige. Bit of a combination from Jackson then they both land uppercuts. Jackson lands a body kick then a right hand. Ige lands an uppercut. A left hook from Ige ENDS Jackson in close and we’re done.

OFFICIAL RESULT: †WINNER – Dan Ige via KO, punch, at 4:13 of Round 2

Ige needed that one. Mic time for Ige, the win feels really good and he notes it’s been almost two years since he had a win. He just wants to be a good role model for his son, and in this case it meant getting up over and over again, then he gives glory to God. He talks about being in the moment, and how he’s been training his mind as much as his body, then puts over his team and family then dedicates the win to some families close to him as well as the families of those who’ve lost people recently. Next he talks us through the finish, and puts over his coaches for getting him ready and asks for a post fight bonus.

This is a really nice finish from Ige. He engages, gets a reaction from Jackson, then slips back just enough to reset the distance, crouches to load, then launches a left hook as Jackson is throwing an uppercut and just crushes him.

Sean Strickland is on a two fight losing streak but took this fight on short notice, hence the fight being up at light heavyweight. Strickland now tries to break that losing streak and prove he’s still a notable middleweight. Nassourdine Imavov has gone 4-1 in the UFC and is on a three fight winning streak that has seen him gain some legitimate momentum, now he’s looking to score the biggest win of his career and take aim at the top of the division this year. Another close fight here on the odds, but Imavov closed as the favorite at -130 to +110 for Strickland.

Light Heavyweight Bout: Nassourdine Imavov (12-3, 194 lbs.) vs. Sean Strickland (25-5, 204 lbs.)

ROUND ONE: Imavov is two inches taller while Strickland has an inch of reach advantage. Both men come out jabbing. Strickland lands a leg kick. Imavov lands a leg kick. Strickland lands a right hand, he’s doing the majority of advancing thus far. Imavov lands a left hook. Right hand from Imavov and Strickland is backing up. Strickland lands a left hook of his own. Bit of a body kick from Strickland. Imavov with a bit of a left hook. Right hand from Strickland seems to get Imavov’s attention. Strickland keeps coming forward, lands another couple of punches and Imavov is backing up a lot now. Both men land in close. They tie up and hit the fence. They break without incident. Imavov looks to show the front kick now. Strickland lands a jab. Both men miss rights. Strickland lands a right then avoids the counter. Imavov lands a jab. Bit of an uppercut from Strickland. Strickland lands a jab. They tie up as the round ends.

SCORECARD: 10-9 Strickland but a competitive round

ROUND TWO: Imavov looks to jab as the round starts, then lands a leg kick. Strickland marches forward, he lands a jab of his own. Imavov lands a leg kick. Strickland lands a front kick, Imavov didn’t really like that one. Another front kick from Strickland. Right hand from Strickland as they clinch up and he pushes Imavov into the fence. They break without too much issue. Imavov jabs the body. A left hook from Strickland lands flush. They split jabs but Strickland’s pressure is getting to Imavov at this point. Front kick from Strickland. Both men miss punches in close. Imavov lands a one two. Strickland lands another front kick. They tie up, and Strickland hits a trip to land on top. Imavov wall walks quickly but he’s stuck in the clinch now. They trade then break. Strickland lands a front kick. They trade rights. Bit of a right from Strickland. Another clinch and Strickland pushes things into the clinch. Imavov lands a left hand as they break. Strickland lands a front kick. Imavov lands a right hand. Strickland lands a front kick but Imavov lands a left hand counter. Strickland gets another clinch and puts things on the fence. Elbow from Imavov as they break then they trade in close as the round ends.

SCORECARD: 10-9 Imavov but another close one, 19-19 overall

ROUND THREE: Strickland with some inside leg kicks. Front kick from Strickland. One two from Strickland. Imavov lands a left hook. They trade some jabs then exchange power hand punches in close. Bit of a right from Strickland. Imavov lands a right hand. Strickland lands a jab. Front kick from Strickland. Imavov blocks a left hook. Imavov tries a takedown, Strickland defends with ease given how poorly it was set up. Strickland lands a few jabs while walking forward. Imavov lands a leg kick but eats a counter right hand. Strickland lands another front kick. Body kick from Strickland. A short right from Strickland lands. They trade front kicks. Strickland lands another jab. Another exchange of front kicks. They trade rights. Both men miss punches in close. Strickland keeps working the front kick, he’s just got a good pace going. Bit of a left from Strickland. They clinch, Imavov lands a knee then they break. Strickland lands a front kick, then avoids a spinning back fist as the round ends.

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

ROUND FOUR: Strickland with a leg kick, Imavov returns it. Some jabs go back and forth, then Strickland lands a body kick. Strickland lands a right then a front kick. Right to the body from Strickland. Imavov lands a front kick. They trade in close, then clinch up and Strickland pulls free almost immediately. Front kick from Strickland. More jabs from Strickland. Strickland lands a front kick, then another one. Imavov lands a few front kicks of his own. Strickland with a right hand then a left hook in close. Imavov lands a right hand in close. Strickland lands a right. Another right from Strickland. Strickland lands the right again, he’s got Imavov a little hurt now, and Imavov tries a takedown that results in a clinch. They fight for position, then Strickland starts landing short punches as he’s got Imavov on the fence. They break with a right from Imavov. Strickland with a one two. Strickland lands a body kick. Stiff jab from Strickland. Imavov starts circling, he’s trying to get his wind back. Imavov avoids a few punches. Leg kick from Imavov but Strickland counters with a combination. Strickland with a body kick and a few punches behind it. Imavov forces a clinch, they break without incident. Bit of a one two from Strickland will close the round.

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

ROUND FIVE: Strickland lands a front kick. Jab from Strickland. More jabs from Strickland then a front kick. Imavov lands a bit of a right. They trade rights. Both men land lefts in close. Strickland lands a right hand. They tie up again, and Strickland pushes things to the fence. Imavov lands a knee to the body. Elbow from Imavov as they break. Strickland lands a couple of punches in close. Another clinch and Strickland pushes Imavov into the fence. They break then Strickland lands a right hand. Imavov lands a left to counter, then a right hand in close. Strickland jabs into a clinch and again puts Imavov on the cage. They break without incident. Both men land punches in close, things are getting a little sloppy as both men are fatigued. Strickland gets another clinch, Imavov lands an elbow but he’s back on the fence. They trade rights as they break. Both men land rights, Strickland landed better. Strickland ties up again, then Imavov lands an elbow. They hit the fence in the clinch then break. Knee from Imavov partially lands, then he lands a right hand. Strickland lands a right hand in close then ties up again. They trade in the clinch then break. Imavov avoids a few punches. Strickland misses a few punches, then they trade in close as the round ends.

SCORECARD: 10-9 Imavov, 48-47 Strickland overall

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

Mic time for Strickland after the win, he says he should have beaten Jared Cannonier and he’s only here because of that bad judging. He questioned his cardio a bit, but then he remembered he has big metaphorical nuts and could fight for an hour. He apologizes for the lack of finish and he wants to look for more finishes going forward. Asked what he’d like next he says he’ll do whatever the UFC wants, then says the UFC paid him a lot to take this on short notice then calls himself a company guy who’ll fight Francis Ngannou if necessary. He dedicates this to the Bonnar family, and asks the fans to remember and give support to the old broken down fighters who don’t have anything when they’re done. Calling yourself a company man, then mentioning the bad behavior of the company seems more than a little contradictory.

Alright everyone, that’s it for UFC on ESPN+ 75. 2023 is off and running, hopefully the craziness winds down just a bit, because we’ve dealt with a lot in the last few weeks. We’ll be unpacking all of the results from this event on the 411 Ground and Pound MMA Podcast on Sunday plus look ahead to next weeks UFC 283. I’ll be back next week for UFC 283, and I hope you’ll be here as well. As always thank you for reading live or after the fact, stay safe out there, and keep checking 411mania for all of your pop culture needs.

More Trending Stories

article topics :

UFC Fight Night, UFC on ESPN+ 75, Robert Winfree

More Stories

loading