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411’s UFC Fight Night Report: Taira Injures Perez

June 16, 2024 | Posted by Robert Winfree
UFC on ESPN 58 Image Credit: UFC

MAIN CARD (ESPN2/ESPN+, 10 p.m. ET)
#5 Alex Perez (126 lbs.) vs. #13 Tatsuro Taira (126 lbs.)
Miles Johns (135 lbs.) vs. Douglas Silva de Andrade (136 lbs.)
Lucas Almeida (146 lbs.) vs. Timmy Cuamba (145 lbs.)
Garrett Armfield (135.5 lbs.) vs. Brady Hiestand (135 lbs.)
Asu Almabayev (125.5 lbs.) vs. Jose Johnson (126 lbs.)
Adam Fugitt (170 lbs.) vs. Josh Quinlan (169.5 lbs.)

PRELIMINARY CARD (ESPN2/ESPN+, 7 p.m. ET)
Jimmy Flick (126 lbs.) vs. Nate Maness (125.5 lbs.)
Gabriella Fernandes (126 lbs.) vs. Carli Judice (125.5 lbs.)
Jeka Saragih (145 lbs.) vs. Westin Wilson (146 lbs.)
Melquizael Costa (145 lbs.) vs. Shayilan Nuerdanbieke (145.5 lbs.)
Josefine Knutsson (114.5 lbs.) vs. Julia Polastri (116 lbs.)

Hello everyone and welcome to 411mania’s LIVE coverage of UFC on ESPN 58, I’m Robert Winfree and I’ll be your host for the evening. Tonight we’re back in the warehouse and have a very uninspired card on paper featuring a grand total of two ranked fighters, but there are a lot of flyweight fights on this card so hopefully there’s some action to go with that. The main event will see rising contender Tatsuro Taira take a big step up in competition when he battles former title challenger Alex Perez. After that it kind of starts falling off a cliff, Timmy Cuamba and Lucas Almeida has some action potential, and I’m personally curious to see Asu Almabayev back in action as he’s another rising flyweight guy. On the prelims Melquizael Costa and Shayilan Nuerdanbieke might be fun, but we lost the other fight I was kind of interested in when Tagir Ulanbekov weighed in at 129.5 for a flyweight fight and his bout with Joshua Van was called off. Oh, not to mention that Ikram Aliskerov got moved off of this card entirely to replace Khamzat Chimaev against Robert Whittaker next week. This poor card has really been put through the ringer, so let’s hope the actual action can makeup for all the lack of interest it has on paper.

UFC on ESPN 58 comes to the world from the UFC Apex facility in Las Vegas, Nevada, USA. Incidentally, the WWE made that thing look halfway decent for an NXT show, but I imagine we’ll be back to a handful of drunkards in recliners instead of real fans in legitimate numbers. John Gooden, Dominick Cruz, and Michael Bisping will be on commentary for the evening. The Apex has the smaller 25 foot cage set up so keep that in mind as well.

With the two fights that fell out, we’ve got 20 minutes after the broadcast starts before our first fight. Props to them for vamping that long.

Josefine Knutsson is undefeated including her UFC debut from last year, she’s trying to remain perfect and prove herself a prospect in the division. Julia Polastri brings a four fight winning streak into her UFC debut and she’s hoping for a positive result. The odds are with Knutsson at -205 against a +170 comeback on Polastri.

Strawweight Bout: Josefine Knutsson (7-0, 114.5 lbs.) vs. Julia Polastri (12-3, 116 lbs.)

ROUND ONE: Knutsson is an inch taller while Polastri has three inches of reach advantage. Both women show kicks early and trade front kicks. Both women have a very Muy Thai posture and stance going right now. Bit of a jab from Polastri then Knutsson lands a right hand. Knutsson eats a body kick then lands a few elbows in close during a clinch before Polastri gets free. A fair amount of pressure from Knutsson now, she’s working front kicks and punches while she’s got Polastri on the fence. A couple of knees from Knutsson land. Knutsson with another front kick. Polastri blocks a high kick but she’s struggling to get out of first gear. Knutsson with a combination to counter a jab. A couple more front kicks from Knutsson then a bit of an elbow. Knutsson with a knee then a left hook in close. Polastri lands a body kick but she’s getting countered pretty reliably. Bit of a left to the body from Polastri but Knutsson then lands a long combination. They trade in close then clinch and trade knees before Polastri hits a trip to land on top in full mount. Polastri unloads from mount with punches as the round runs out.

SCORECARD: 10-9 Knutsson but Polastri closed strong

ROUND TWO: Knutsson gets back to pressuring forward with front kicks. Some leg kicks go back and forth. Knutsson with a front kick. Left hand from Knutsson then another push kick. Bit of a combination from Knutsson then a front kick. Polastri has started coming forward but she’s still struggling with the range and mobility of Knutsson. Double leg from Polastri and she lands on top in full guard. Polastri starts landing some punches, Knutsson is cut around the right eye which isn’t bleeding too much but might be in a really bad spot. Knutsson kicks Polastri onto her butt then lands an illegal kick to the head so we’ve got a time out. During that break they have a doctor check on the cut to Knutsson, doesn’t seem to be a fight ender as the doctor just kind of shrugs. Polastri is good to continue and they restart on the mat in Knutsson’s full guard. Polastri passes to side control after avoiding another possible illegal kick. Knutsson uses the fence to throw her legs up into a modified head scissors, but she’s not on the neck to choke or has an arm caught. Polastri gets her head out just as the round ends.

SCORECARD: 10-9 Polastri but a close one, 19-19 overall

ROUND THREE: Knutsson gets back to working forward behind kicks. Polastri lands a body kick. Bit of a right from Knutsson. Knutsson with a combination that’s mostly blocked but then she lands a body kick. Polastri tries a knee that partially lands. Inside leg kick from Polastri. They trade kicks then Knutsson lands a left hook. Bit of a knee from Polastri but she’s getting out worked by Knutsson very similar to how round one played out. Knutsson sprawls away from a double leg, they scramble on the mat and Polastri winds up on top in half guard. Some elbows to the body from Polastri. Polastri with some lefts to the body and head. Right hand lands for Polastri. Polastri is trying to set up an arm triangle, she’s got the arm position and passes to mount with the choke. Knutsson bucks and sweeps to get on top in the guard of Polastri. The round will end after they fight up and trade one last time.

SCORECARD: 10-9 Knutsson but another close one, 29-28 Knutsson overall

OFFICIAL RESULT: †WINNER – Josefine Knutsson via unanimous decision (29-28 x3)

Mic time for Knutsson, she admits to needing more work on the ground then puts over Polastri’s toughness. She talks about her kickboxing experience and warns the division that she’s coming for them.

Melquizael Costa has gone 1-2 in the UFC and he’s coming off of a loss, he’s trying to bounce back while avoiding his first UFC losing streak. Shayilan Nuerdanbieke just had a three fight winning streak broken back in April which brought his UFC record to 3-2, he’s hoping to get back on the winning side of things here and avoid his first UFC losing streak. The odds like Costa at -205 to a +170 comeback on Nuerdanbieke.

Featherweight Bout: Melquizael Costa (20-7, 145 lbs.) vs. Shayilan Nuerdanbieke (39-11, 145.5 lbs.)

ROUND ONE: Costa has two inches of height and reach advantage. Southpaw for Costa and he begins working his way forward right away. Short left from Costa lands. Costa with an inside leg kick then a right elbow. Nuerdanbieke hits a single leg and gets on top in full guard. Costa is sort of fishing for a hip bump but settles for grabbing a kimura from bottom. Nuerdanbieke is trying to keep his arm straight and Costa winds up bailing on that as Nuerdanbieke is strong enough to stall that out. Costa bases up but Nuerdanbieke hops towards his back in the clinch. They wind up chest to chest and Nuerdanbieke tries a takedown but Costa remains upright. Outside trip from Nuerdanbieke and he works to the ride but Costa inverts then slips to the back but no hooks yet. Nuerdanbieke actually grabs a kneebar, he’s trying to crank on it but Costa is able to stand over him and start working to pass the legs. They wind up wrestling into a clinch on the fence. Nuerdanbieke slings Costa down, again Costa rolls through looking for a leg but Nuerdanbieke retains top position. The round will end with Nuerdanbieke holding top position.

SCORECARD: 10-9 Nuerdanbieke

ROUND TWO: Costa shows the jab as he backs up Nuerdanbieke. They trade some leg kicks. Costa misses a high kick and Nuerdanbieke gets a takedown, he works to pass but Costa prevents him from doing so. Costa tries a triangle choke, Nuerdanbieke defends then Costa rolls to his knees Nuerdanbieke moves to the ride. They wrestle up on the fence and Costa hits a takedown into side control. Elbows from Costa as Nuerdanbieke starts working to wall walk. Nuerdanbieke is able to counter from his seat and gets back to the ride as Costa stands then they settle into a clinch. Costa spins Nuerdanbieke into the fence and works some knees. Nuerdanbieke tries a single leg, Costa counters and gets the back standing. Costa drags things down and gets the back with both hooks in. Costa starts fishing for the choke but Nuerdanbieke is able to tie up one leg then spin into Costa and get on top. A few elbows from Costa then he moves to his feet and they clinch up again. Costa with knees to the body as he’s got Nuerdanbieke on the fence. Elbow from Costa then he avoids a couple of level changes before they break. Left hand from Costa lands to close the round.

SCORECARD: 10-9 Costa, 19-19 overall

ROUND THREE: There’s some swelling around the right side of Nuerdanbieke’s head from the elbows Costa landed. Costa moves forward and lands a body kick. Nuerdanbieke avoids a high kick but can’t hit the double leg he tried. Body knee from Costa. Nuerdanbieke reaches for a single leg but Costa smothers him and gets on top in half guard. Costa moves to the ride then tries for the back but Nuerdanbieke is blocking his hooks. Eventually Costa gets both hooks in and starts working for the choke. Costa grabs a body triangle and locks up the choke to get the tap.

OFFICIAL RESULT: †WINNER – Melquizael Costa via Submission, rear naked choke, at 1:50 of Round 3

The Final Round Finish Club thanks Mr. Costa for his work this evening. Costa and the translator on the mic, he tries broken English early to give love to Vegas then hopes he put on a good show and hopes everyone knows the dream is not impossible. When talking us through the finish he calls himself a problem for the division. He goes to Portuguese to say he’s still working on his English before putting over his team for helping his grappling.

Jeka Saragih has gone 1-1 in the UFC, he lost a Road to UFC finals in February of last year but rebounded with a win in November and now looks to build his first UFC winning streak. Westin Wilson has gone 0-2 in the UFC and pretty badly needs a win to get a little bit of job stability. Saragih is your -355 favorite while a +280 payout on Wilson might tempt a few gamblers.

Featherweight Bout: Jeka Saragih (14-3, 145 lbs.) vs. Westin Wilson (16-9, 146 lbs.)

ROUND ONE: Wilson is five inches taller with four inches of reach advantage. Saragih comes out swinging but can’t quite land before they clinch. Wilson is able to get Saragih on the fence then works for a takedown and eventually gets one. Wilson grabs a guillotine as Saragih sweeps to get on top. Saragih doesn’t seem too bothered yet by the guillotine and he gets his head free. Wilson tries an armbar, Saragih tries to slam free but gets caught in a triangle choke instead. Now Wilson rolls through to a triangle armbar and that gets the tap.

OFFICIAL RESULT: †WINNER – Westin Wilson via Submission, triangle armbar, at 1:49 of Round 1

The First Round Finish Club thanks Mr. Wilson for his work this evening. Wilson gets an interview, he feels great to finally get a win and puts over his coaches for their work with him. He wishes a happy Father’s Day to his dad and gives love to his family before asking to be on a Topps card and to be on a Salt Lake City card.

Carli Judice is coming off of a loss on the Contender Series but that show has no real standards anymore so she’s here anyway and will be trying to make a good first impression on the UFC audience. Gabriella Fernandes has gone 0-2 in the UFC and could be fighting for her spot on the roster as a loss might send her out of the promotion. The odds are with Fernandes at -165 to a +140 comeback on Judice.

Women’s Flyweight Bout: Gabriella Fernandes (8-3, 126 lbs.) vs. Carli Judice (3-1, 125.5 lbs.)

ROUND ONE: Judice is an inch taller with two inches of reach advantage. Souhtpaw for both women and they touch gloves to get us going. Both women show jabs then both avoid power hand punches. Leg kick from Fernandes. Bit of a right from Fernandes. They both miss power hand punches again. Judice lands a leg kick. Solid left hand from Fernandes lands. Fernandes lands a calf kick. Judice has a few strikes blocked then Fernandes lands a left hand. Bit of a one two from Fernandes then she gets a clinch and they trade on the fence. A left from Fernandes seems to wobble Judice. More pressure from Fernandes and they trade in the pocket again. Body kick from Judice. Another left from Fernandes lands. Judice lands a combination, Fernandes might be fading. Right hook from Judice. Fernandes lands a left hand but she’s lacking pop on her strikes. Both women land punches in close. Judice lands a spinning back kick to the body then eats a left hand. They tie up, then trade and break. Judice’s pace and resilience seem to be bothering Fernandes. One two from Fernandes. Right hook from Fernandes in close then Judice lands a knee and they clinch. Fernandes lands a couple of punches to close the round.

SCORECARD: 10-9 Fernandes

ROUND TWO: Judice looks to get the pace back on high, then Fernandes lands a calf kick. Some lefts from Fernandes and they trade along the fence. Another exchange then Fernandes lands a couple of knees in close. Body kick from Fernandes then Judice forces a clinch. Fernandes spins free and both women resume swinging punches. Judice lands a left hand but takes an eye poke so we’ve got a time out. Replay confirms there was a poke, Judice only takes 33 seconds before we’re back to fighting. They trade punches right away, Fernandes has more firepower and she unloads until Judice tries a double leg that stalls on the fence. Eventually Judice finishes the takedown but Fernandes immediately wall walks into a clinch. Elbow from Judice then Fernandes lands a couple of punches as they break. Judice with a few body punches as she circles. Fernandes pushes forward and gets a clinch. Fernandes thinks about a guillotine, she grabs the front headlock and looks for a snap down, then she slips to the back as Judice stands. Judice fights the waist lock but Fernandes trips her down only for Judice to bounce up though Fernandes is still on her back. Judice is able to get chest to chest and they trade punches before breaking. They trade calf kicks then Judice hits a takedown into half guard and she ends the round on top.

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

ROUND THREE: They touch gloves for the final round. Fernandes catches a body kick and lands a punch. Calf kick from Fernandes. Judice with a right to the body then a couple of punches. Fernandes punches into a clinch and they hit the fence. They fall down then bounce up and Judice lands a couple of punches. Calf kicks go back and forth. Judice with a spinning back kick. Fernandes starts going forward again, she walks into a jab though. Judice is looking to keep the pace high as Fernandes might be fading again. Leg kick then a left hand from Judice. Fernandes lands a left hook. Judice lands a body kick then a right hook of her own. Fernandes definitely is wilting now, the pace has been pretty bonkers so I’m not going to dock her too much. They trade some body work then Judice lands a jab. Fernandes misses a couple of punches. Judice with a body kick but Fernandes does land a counter left. They trade some jabs. Judice keeps her lead hand busy now and hits the body a few times as well. Fernandes lands a left hand to counter a leg kick. Another left from Fernandes then they tie up and trade knees and uppercuts before Judice slips free. Judice lands a left hand. Fernandes fights off a double leg and they hit the fence. They fight for position for a bit then trade punches on the break as the round ends.

SCORECARD: 10-9 Judice, 29-28 Fernandes overall

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

I don’t think it’s outrageous to give Judice the first even if I don’t agree. Fun fight. Mic time for Fernandes and the translator, she knew the fight would be tough and puts over Judice then puts over her team for all of their work. She talks us through some highlights and mentions not quite being able to find the knockout before asking for a bonus.

Nate Maness has gone 4-2 in the UFC and just broke a two fight losing streak with a win late last year, he’s trying to build up another winning streak here and prove he’s still a flyweight on the rise. Jimmy Flick has gone 2-2 in the UFC but he is coming off of a win and now tries to build his first UFC winning streak. Maness is a pretty big favorite at -675 to Flick’s +490.

Flyweight Bout: Jimmy Flick (17-7, 126 lbs.) vs. Nate Maness (15-3, 125.5 lbs.)

ROUND ONE: Maness is three inches taller with four inches of reach advantage. They touch gloves to get us going. Maness comes out jabbing and landing a couple of calf kicks. Flick misses a leg kick. Maness with a calf kick then a couple of jabs, he’s already starting to get to Flick. Bit of a right from Maness. Double right then a left hand from Maness, his punching is smooth right now. Some stance switching from Maness now, Flick lands a body kick. Maness back to orthodox and lands an uppercut, Flick tries a single leg that hits the fence then Maness grabs a guillotine to spin Flick into the fence. They trade in the clinch, Maness seems the generally more effective party thus far. Flick is able to spin free and they reset. Body kick from Flick. Flick with a high front kick that lands. Maness lands a left hand. Flick keeps firing the body kick but Maness is starting to counter him. Maness lands a calf kick. A couple of rights land for Maness. Darting right hand from Maness. Maness with some jabs then a calf kick. Flick tries a single leg, Maness defends and they hit the fence. Outside trip from Flick works and he gets on top in half guard. Flick is after a Von Flue choke but Maness is blocking it with his legs thus far. The round will end before Flick can advance position further.

SCORECARD: 10-9 Maness

ROUND TWO: They touch gloves again. Maness with some early punches as he backs Flick up. Left to the body from Maness. Bit of a right from Maness. Maness keeps his lead hand working and then lands a right hand. Flick with a looping right to counter a left to the body. A few more jabs from Maness land. Maness with a left body kick. Flick blocks a few punches then has a body kick blocked. Maness swings a left to the body. Calf kick from Maness. Flick reaches for a double leg, Maness sprawls away and grabs at a d’arce choke. The arm position is in but Flick fights up into a clinch as he breaks the grip and they clinch. A few knees from Maness land as he’s working to block the double leg on the fence. Flick is trying to switch between single and double but Maness spins him into the fence and lands uppercuts. Maness with body blows now but he looks for a double leg and Flick jumps for a guillotine. Closed guard for Flick as he cranks the guillotine but Maness is able to break the grip and posture up. Maness with a few punches as Flick starts to work his guard. The round ends with Maness still on top landing some strikes.

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

ROUND THREE: Flick misses a head kick, then blocks a head kick from Maness. Maness with a left hand then a calf kick. Another Maness calf kick lands. Maness lands a few jabs then a darting right hand. Flick works in close but misses a punch and Maness clinches then puts him on the fence. Not much in that clinch then they break and Maness lands a jab. Flick lands a jab. They trade punches in close, Maness lands an uppercut then a bunch of jabs. Flick bulls forward and forces a clinch on the fence. They break and Maness lands a right hand. Bit of an uppercut from Maness but Flick lands a right overhand punch. Flick tries a single leg on the fence, Maness is able to defend that. Maness spins Flick into the cage and they trade a few knees. Some lefts to the body and head from Maness then a knee to the head. Flick lands a couple of knees to the body. Maness slips to the back in the clinch and knees the body but Flick is able to shake him over the top and land an elbow as he gets Maness on the fence. They fight for position with Maness getting the better of things and landing a few knees. Maness lands a couple of lefts, Flick jumps for a guillotine but slips off and Maness gets on top to end the round.

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

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

No interview for Maness as we’re about to start the main card.

Josh Quinlan has gone 1-2 in the UFC but he’s on a two fight losing streak and could really use a win here. Adam Fugitt has gone 1-2 in the UFC, he’s coming off of a loss and is trying to avoid his first ever losing streak. Pretty close one here but the odds like Quinlan at -125 to +105 on Fugitt. The odds are with Quinlan at -130 to a +110 comeback on Fugitt.

Welterweight Bout: Adam Fugitt (9-4, 170 lbs.) vs. Josh Quinlan (6-2, 169.5 lbs.)

ROUND ONE: Fugitt is an inch taller but he’s got five inches of reach advantage. Southpaw for Fugitt and he comes out kicking. Both men start doing some stance switching now, more Quinlan than Fugitt. Right hand from Quinlan. Quinlan lands an inside leg kick. Fugitt avoids a few punches, neither man has much of a feel for the range. Quinlan deflects a few kicks then lands a leg kick. Fugitt lands a body kick. Quinlan with an inside leg kick. Bit of a right from Quinlan then he lands a couple of body shots. Quinlan lands a couple of leg kicks out of the southpaw stance then he goes back orthodox. Fugitt has a high kick blocked then lands a leg kick. Bit of a right from Quinlan. Quinlan lands a right hand. They trade leg kicks then Fugitt blocks a couple of punches. Quinlan lands a leg kick. They trade to the body as the round ends.

SCORECARD: 10-9 Quinlan but could go either way

ROUND TWO: Both men basically pick up where they left off, Quinlan lands a leg kick then blocks a body kick. Bit of a right hook from Quinlan. Clubbing right from Quinlan, then he avoids a clinch attempt. Another leg kick from Quinlan. Fugitt avoids a few punches. Glancing head kick from Fugitt. Right hand from Quinlan. Both men have small cuts around the outside of an eye. Quinlan lands a left hand. They trade leg kicks then Fugitt lands a body kick. Quinlan with an inside leg kick then he avoids a high kick. Fugitt avoids a right hand but then Quinlan avoids a high kick. Fugitt lands a body kick and avoids a punch. Quinlan avoids a double leg and lands a couple of punches. Jab from Quinlan. Front kick from Fugitt. Bit of a body kick from Quinlan. They trade rights. Quinlan blocks a head kick. Fugitt with a right hook then a front kick to close the round.

SCORECARD: 10-9 Fugitt but again close, 19-19 overall

ROUND THREE: Fugitt with some feints and a front kick. Bit of a left hook from Quinlan. Glancing left from Quinlan. Fugitt lands a jab. Quinlan with a body kick then a right hand. Another right hand from Quinlan. Fugitt lands a jab then has a few kicks blocked. Fugitt with a few more blocked kicks but he’s staying busy. They trade front kicks. Bit of a left hook from Quinlan. Fugitt lands a body kick. Quinlan misses a right hand. Fugitt lands a body kick. Quinlan blocks a high kick. Fugitt misses a back elbow. Quinlan lands a right hand to counter a high kick. Quinlan lands a leg kick. Fugitt lands a body kick then Quinlan lands a couple of hard left hands as the round ends.

SCORECARD: 10-9 Quinlan as I think he stole it at the end but another close round, 29-28 Quinlan overall

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

No issues with that, 29-28 either way is fine. Mic time for Fugitt, he admits the fight was close and puts over Quinlan. He mentions growing a lot during this fight camp and then talks about how much kicking was a part of his game tonight.

Asu Almabayev is on a very impressive 15 fight winning streak including two wins in the UFC all of which has him looking like the next rising force in the division, tonight he’s trying to continue that momentum and begin taking aim at some ranked opponents going forward. Jose Johnson has gone 1-1 in the UFC but he is coming off of a win and if he’s able to upset Almabayev it would be one of the more impressive wins of his career. Almabayev is a large favorite at -455 while a Johnson win pays at +350.

Flyweight Bout: Asu Almabayev (19-2, 125.5 lbs.) vs. Jose Johnson (16-8, 126 lbs.)

ROUND ONE: Johnson is a big eight inches taller with a significant six and a half inches of reach advantage. Some early feinting from both men as they circle around. Johnson with a front kick. Almabayev misses a few leg kicks then misses a looping left hand, he doesn’t have a feel for the range yet. Johnson lands a leg kick. Almabayev catches a front kick then hits a body lock takedown into half guard. Johnson quickly hip escapes to full guard. A few punches from Almabayev as Johnson works butterfly hooks now. Almabayev avoids a triangle attack and lands a couple of lefts. Some body to head punches from Almabayev. Bit of an elevator sweep from Johnson but Almabayev grabs the back as they stand then he hits a mat return. Johnson bounces up but Almabayev jumps into the backpack position and starts fishing for the choke. Almabayev winds up bailing on the position the hit a mat return. Johnson back up, but Almabayev is still all over him with trips and mat returns just wearing him out. Almabayev drags things back down, Johnson bounces up but he can’t get out of the clinch as the round ends.

SCORECARD: 10-9 Almabayev

ROUND TWO: Almabayev comes out and lands a wheel kick. Johnson works some jabs but Almabayev grabs a single leg and forces a wrestling exchange. Almabayev is on top but Johnson is after a triangle choke, he’s got the legs in position but Almabayev has him crushed into the fence to limit the motion Johnson can get. Johnson keeps working on the triangle choke, Almabayev with some punches then he pulls his head out and gets the back in a lovely transition. Choke from Almabayev, Johnson is hand fighting though and avoids the most dangeros attack. Almabayev moves to mount, Johnson then shrimps to butterfly guard. Some elbows now from Almabayev as he’s got Johnson against the fence. Body to head punches from Almabayev. Almabayev with some punches, he’s working to pass to half guard but Johnson is blocking that so far. Johnson rolls to his knees, Almabayev with punches then takes the back, only one hook in though. Almabayev with a choke attempt but the round is short and he bails on that to land some punches as the round ends.

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

ROUND THREE: Almabayev back on forward pressure to start the round and he lands a calf kick. Spinning back kick from Almabayev then he hits a single leg to get on top. Johnson fights up to his feet with Almabayev on the back. Some knees to the leg from Almabayev then he tries to drag Johnson down but Johnson counters and is able to step into full mount. Johnson now gets the back with both hooks in and starts looking for the choke. Almabayev is hand fighting as Johnson goes to a body triangle, and Almabayev is able to spin into him and get on top in full guard. Elbows from Almabayev now. Short elbow from Almabayev. Almabayev passes to half guard and fires some hammer fists. Johnson is able to shrimp and get full guard back but he eats punches along the way. Almabayev passes to half guard again and lands punches, then he gets the back again and locks up a body triangle. Choke attempt from Almabayev, but Johnson is able to hand fight and break that one. Almabayev keeps attacking the choke, he’s able to get close but he can’t get the second arm in play enough to generate leverage. With 10 seconds left Almabayev tries another choke but wont finish it before the round ends but that last one was close.

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

OFFICIAL RESULT: †WINNER – Asu Almabayev via unanimous decision (30-27 x3)

Almabayev is pretty darn good. Mic time for the winner and a translator, he gives glory to God and thanks everyone for their support then calls out Kai Kara-France which is a heck of a call out. He says he always works to wrestle in his fights and reiterates he wants Kara-France next.

Brady Hiestand has gone 2-1 in the UFC and he’s on a two fight winning streak, he’s been out of action for over a year though and now looks to remind everyone of his potential. Garrett Armfield has gone 2-1 in the UFC and is on a two fight winning streak, if he can get to three in a row here it would be a nice indicator of where he could be going next. The odds are with Armfield at -225 to +185 for Hiestand.

Bantamweight Bout: Garrett Armfield (10-3, 135.5 lbs.) vs. Brady Hiestand (7-2, 135 lbs.)

ROUND ONE: Hiestand is two inches taller with one inch of reach advantage. Armfield avoids single leg then lands a left hand. Hiestand misses a right hand. Armfield with a few jabs. Hiestand tries a low single leg, Armfield slips to the back then grabs at an armbar and locks it out, Hiestand tries to scramble around and he’s able to get free but that was nasty. Hiestand grabs at the seated arm triangle as they’re on the mat, heck of a transition there but Armfield is able to get enough on his hip to break the choke. A few adjustments from Hiestand, he’s trying to tighten things down but Armfield gets free and gets on top in full guard. A few short elbows from Armfield then he moves to the ride, Hiestand comes up on a single leg and gets the takedown though. Armfield scrambles up with Hiestand on his back, Hiestand with a mat return but Armfield bounces up with Hiestand on his back. Armfield is able to break the grip and they separate. Both men miss punches. Armfield with a one two. Hiestand tries a double leg, gets to the back then hits a mat return and jumps on the back. Armfield stands with Hiestand in the backpack, Hiestand grabs the choke and pulls things back to the mat. Hiestand is after the choke but Armfield keeps hand fighting and breaking the attacks. The round ends with Hiestand still on the back.

SCORECARD: 10-9 Hiestand

ROUND TWO: Both men come back out feinting with level changes. Armfield lands a right hand in close. Hiestand has a kick blocked. Bit of a knee from Armfield then he easily avoids a takedown attempt. Armfield with a right hand that wobbles Hiestand then he drops him with a left in close. Armfield gets on top and lands punches but Hiestand ties things up and works for a triangle choke. Hiestand has to bail on that choke and Armfield postures up over him and drops punches to the head. Eventually Hiestand really ties things up but Armfield passes to half guard. Mount now for Armfield as he’s trying to set up an arm triangle. Hiestand is able to block the arm triangle but Armfield is in full mount and lands punches. Hiestand is able to scramble and comes up on the back in a clinch and hits a mat return. Both hooks in for Hiestand as he’s got the back, then he switches to a body triangle. Armfield attacks the body triangle then works to spin into Hiestand, but Hiestand is able to keep the back. They fight up and Hiestand has a front headlock but Armfield arm drags his way free. Armfield blocks a takedown and lands a knee then a jab. Right hand from Armfield. Hiestand tries another takedown but Armfield defends then lands uppercuts in close. Both men land punches in close. One two from Armfield. Hiestand avoids a knee as the round ends.

SCORECARD: 10-9 Armfield, 19-19 overall

ROUND THREE: Both men with some feints to start the round. Bit of a left hook from Armfield. Hiestand with a left of his own. Right uppercut from Armfield. Hiestand tries a takedown, they wind up clinched on the fence. Hiestand with an ankle pick against the fence, Armfield moves to his knees then stands with Hiestand holding his back. Armfield stands from a mat return, Hiestand jumps to the backpack position. Hiestand tries the choke and pulls things back to the mat, this one is tight and Armfield has to tap.

OFFICIAL RESULT: †WINNER – Brady Hiestand via Submission, rear naked choke, at 1:52 of Round 3

The Final Round Finish Club thanks Mr. Hiestand for his work this evening. Mic time for Hiestand and he’s happy to get the win and says whoever fights him better be ready to fight the whole time given his heart and cardio. He thinks he’s got a long time ahead of him in the UFC and wants to fight on August 3rd. He doesn’t care who he fights, then thanks some training partners and his team.

The value of persistence, Hiestand doesn’t do anything spectacular here it’s just the same consistent attack over and over until he finally gets through the defense of Armfield.

Lucas Almeida has gone 1-2 in the UFC and is on a two fight losing streak, he needs to halt that skid tonight and get back on the winning side of things. Timmy Cuamba dropped his UFC debut a few months ago in a split decision loss, now he’s back in action and back at featherweight looking to get that all important first UFC win under his belt. Cuamba is favored to do just that at -190 against Almeida’s +160.

Featherweight Bout: Lucas Almeida (14-3, 146 lbs.) vs. Timmy Cuamba (8-2, 145 lbs.)

ROUND ONE: Almeida is two inches taller but the reach is identical. Both men come out feinting. Almeida lands a calf kick. Cuamba checks a calf kick then lands a one two. Bit of a one two from Cuamba. Cuamba lands a calf kick. Almeida is still moving forward and looking to corral Cuamba against the fence. Leg kick from Cuamba. Almeida sits Cuamba down with a right hand, but Cuamba comes back up looking for a takedown and Almeida sprawls away then they reset. More stalking from Almeida and he jabs the body. Right hand from Almeida lands. Cuamba tries a takedown, Almeida defends and they hit the fence. Almeida is able to frame off and spin free. Left hook then a bit of a right hand from Almeida. Almeida blocks a right hand then lands a right that drops Cuamba for a second. Cuamba bounces up and grabs a clinch then pushes things to the fence. They break without incident. Almeida keeps moving forward and lands a bit of a right hand. Both men land punches in the pocket. They trade leg kicks. Cuamba avoids a few punches but he’s still backing up. Left hooks go back and forth in close. Almeida lands a left to the body. Left to the body from Cuamba then he blocks a high kick to close out the round.

SCORECARD: 10-9 Almeida but could be 10-8

ROUND TWO: Almeida back to moving forward. Both men show the jab as they look for angles. Cuamba lands a left to the body. Bit of a left hook from Cuamba. Another left to the body from Cuamba. Almeida with a few jabs. Cuamba lands a one two but Almeida fires back with a right hand and left hook that gets Cuamba shooting for a single leg. They hit the fence then ultimately separate. They trade jabs then Cuamba avoids a right hand. Bit of a left hook from Almeida. A few front kicks from Almeida now. Bit of a left from Cuamba. Almeida lands a right hand then a follow up left hook. Left to the body from Almeida, he’s stalking Cuamba down now. Almeida lands a right hand. Cuamba lands a left hook. Almeida keeps pressuring forward and lands a left to the body. Cuamba blocks a high kick to close the round.

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

ROUND THREE: Almeida back to jabbing and moving forward. Cuamba lands a left hook. Bit of a body kick from Cuamba. Almeida lands a leg kick. Cuamba hits a single leg, Almeida works to come out into the ride position and ultimately he’s able to stand free and reset. Bit of a left from Almeida to counter a leg kick. Both men miss some winging punches. Cuamba lands a right hand but Almeida just eats it. Bit of a body kick from Cuamba. Both men land left hooks. Almeida lands a right hand. Cuamba avoids a wheel kick then lands a spinning back kick. Left to the body from Cuamba then they trade in close and Cuamba hits a takedown into full guard. Cuamba has 45 seconds to pull off a miracle finish but he’s getting tied up in the guard. A few elbows from Cuamba land. Almeida ties things up but he then gets elbowed a few more times. Cuamba with a flurry of strikes as the round ends.

SCORECARD: 10-9 Cuamba but might have gone to Almeida, 29-28 Almeida overall

OFFICIAL RESULT: †WINNER – Lucas Almeida via unanimous decision (29-28 x3)

Mic time for Almeida and the translator, he says he felt Jesus take him by the hand after his two fight losing streak and encourage him to get through this and come out stronger. He puts over Cuamba’s toughness then thanks everyone for helping him train as hard as he did for this fight.

Douglas Silva de Andrade has gone 3-1 in his last four fights, only losing to Said Nurmagomedov, and he’s coming off of a win over Cody Stamann. De Andrade is looking to build another winning streak in his remarkably long bantamweight campaign. Miles Johns hasn’t lost in his last three fights and if he can take out a veteran like de Andrade tonight it would be a fairly big win for him and could set him up with bigger names going forward. Fairly close fight here but the odds are with Johns at -150 while a +125 payout on de Andrade might be a decent little value bet.

Bantamweight Bout: Miles Johns (14-2 1 NC, 135 lbs.) vs. Douglas Silva de Andrade (29-5 1 NC, 136 lbs.)

ROUND ONE: These two are the same height, Silva de Andrade has two and a half inches of reach advantage in addition to being 8 years older. They touch gloves to get us going. Some feints from Silva de Andrade. Johns keeps flashing the lead hand but not doing much with that yet. Calf kick from Johns. Bit of a right hand from Johns. Johns lands a left hook. A few inside leg kicks from Silva de Andrade. They trade left hooks but Johns landed better. Johns with a calf kick. Silva de Andrade falls short with a few punches, then swings a right that’s mostly blocked. Left from Silva de Andrade lands. Silva de Andrade avoids a right hand but he’s struggling to find meaningful offense. Bit of a wheel kick from Silva de Andrade but Johns blocked most of that. Johns blocks a few punches then Silva de Andrade lands a side kick to the leg. Silva de Andrade tries a takedown then eats a knee before Johns slips free and the round ends.

SCORECARD: 10-9 Johns

ROUND TWO: Bit of a body kick from Silva de Andrade. Johns lands a right to the body. Calf kick from Johns. Silva de Andrade misses a left uppercut then eats a bit of a counter right. Johns avoids a right hand and lands a right of his own, he’s just fighting very well so far. Forward pressure from Johns but he doesn’t do much with it this time. Johns lands a right hand. Calf kick from Johns. Bit of a left hook from Johns. Johns lands a right to the body. Glancing knee from Silva de Andrade then a spinning kick to the body. Johns avoids a spinning back fist then lands a calf kick. Left hook from Johns, Silva de Andrade then lands a bit of an uppercut but Johns just clubs him with a right hand. They clash in close then Johns lands a right hand. Glancing wheel kick from Silva de Andrade but Johns just calls him on. Both men miss punches as the round ends.

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

ROUND THREE: Silva de Andrade is trying to move forward and force the issue here in the third. Johns lands a jab. Bit of a left hook from Silva de Andrade. Johns avoids a few leg kicks then lands a clubbing right hand. Silva de Andrade lands a one two that gets Johns to back off for a second. Johns reaches for a single leg but Silva de Andrade defends. They both swing and miss big punches. Johns is content to burn clock and Silva de Andrade can’t track him down enough to force a wild exchange. Bit of a left from Silva de Andrade. Uppercut from Silva de Andrade but Johns then lands a right hand. Again a partially successful uppercut from Silva de Andrade. Johns with a left uppercut of his own. They somewhat exchange lefts. Knee from Silva de Andrade lands flush, that gets Johns retreating for a bit but he recovers. Silva de Andrade lands a wheel kick, that hurts Johns but Johns is able to circle away. Both men trade lefts, then they posture rather than actually swing. They then try the point at the ground spot but neither man can hit anything then Johns starts backing up for the last couple of seconds.

SCORECARD: 10-9 Silva de Andrade, 29-28 Johns overall

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

I don’t get the 30-27 but Johns pretty clearly won the first two rounds. Mic time for Johns, he’s happy with the performance and warns the division about him going forward. He was looking for the knockout but the big thing was his heart is here and you’ll have to kill him to get him out of here. Asked about the future he would like to fight Ricky Simon.

Alex Perez fought for the flyweight title back in 2020 but that loss started a three fight losing streak which he only broke back in April when he bested Matheus Nicolau. Perez is looking for his first winning streak since 2020 here and hoping to turn back one of the rising forces in the division. Tatsuro Taira is undefeated including five fights in the UFC, all of which have seen him take the attention of watching flyweight closely as maybe the next big thing in the division. Taira is taking a step up in class here but a win would put him pretty close to the title picture. The odds like Taira at -225 to +185 for Perez.

Flyweight Bout: #5 Alex Perez (25-8, 126 lbs.) vs. #13 Tatsuro Taira (15-0, 126 lbs.)

ROUND ONE: Taira is an inch taller with four and a half inches of reach advantage. They touch gloves to get us going. Both men with some feints as they circle then Taira lands a calf kick. Perez avoids a right hand. Bit of a right from Taira then they clinch and Perez pushes things to the fence. Elbow from Perez in the clinch. Taira with a knee to the head then misses a right hand as they break. They get close and trade in the clinch again before breaking. Bit of a one two from Taira. Perez misses a few punches. Right hand from Perez. Taira lands a couple of jabs then blocks some punches. Perez with some uppercuts in close then Taira lands a couple of knees. A few jabs from Taira land now. Taira with an uppercut then he shoves away from a clinch. They trade leg kicks. Perez pushes for a clinch, but nothing comes of it. They trade punches but Taira is landing better. Perez complains of an eye poke and we’ve got a time out. Replay shows there was some finger to eye contact. Perez takes 56 seconds then we’re back to fighting. Taira gets back to jabbing. They clinch and Perez hits a takedown, Taira quickly works for half guard sweeps then comes up in a clinch and gets free. They both miss kicks to close out the round.

SCORECARD: 10-9 Taira

ROUND TWO: Perez lands a leg kick to start the round. One two from Taira. Perez tries to initiate a flurry but he’s not landing much. Bit of a right from Taira, then Perez complains of an eye poke. The ref wants replay of this one, and I’m not sure there was finger to eye contact but the ref keeps the time out. We’re back to fighting after 42 seconds. Right uppercut from Taira. Perez with a flurry that’s blocked but he does sneak in a right hand. Taira lands a calf kick. They trade punches in close again. Taira lands a calf kick. Right uppercut from Taira then Perez lands a few punches in a brief clinch. Taira tries a single leg and hits it against the fence. Perez gives up the back, Taira then moves to the backpack position as Perez stands. Taira has a body triangle and he trips Perez down and something in the right knee of Perez gives out and he cries out in pain which will count as the end of the fight.

OFFICIAL RESULT: †WINNER – Tatsuro Taira via TKO, knee injury, at 2:59 of Round 2

Mic time for Taira and a translator, he’s happy with the win. Asked about the future he first wants to fight for the title but that seems unlikely. He talks about working his boxing a lot recently then he talks us through the finish and jokes that it’s a special technique only he can do. To close he asks for everyone to line up for him in the division.

Watch Perez’s right knee. Taira has his own right leg all the way across the body and grapevining the left leg to off balance it then he sags all his weight down to the mat over the hip of Perez. The knee isn’t meant to bend that way and something gives before they fall to the mat. Nasty but completely fair.

Well on that note, UFC on ESPN 58 comes to a close. Not a great card. Next week I wont be able to cover UFC on ABC 6 live due to other commitments but I will write it up as soon as I can. That card got a switch of main event but I actually think Whittaker vs. Aliskerov is a better fight than Whittaker vs. Chimaev, feel free to disagree with me. We’ll be breaking down this card and previewing the ABC one tomorrow on the 411 Ground and Pound MMA Podcast. Next week I will write up UFC on ABC 6 and I hope you’ll read it, even though it wont be live. Until then thank you for reading, stay safe out there, and keep checking 411mania for all of your pop culture needs.

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