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411’s UFC Fight Night Report: Volkov stops Rozenstruik

June 4, 2022 | Posted by Robert Winfree
UFC on ESPN+ 65 Image Credit: UFC

MAIN CARD (ESPN+, 4 p.m. ET)
#7 Alexander Volkov (256.5 lbs.) vs. #8 Jairzinho Rozenstruik (259 lbs.)
#13 Movsar Evloev (146 lbs.) vs. #10 Dan Ige (145.5 lbs.)
Lucas Almeida (145.5 lbs.) vs. Michael Trizano (145.5 lbs.)
Poliana Botelho (125.5 lbs.) vs. Karine Silva (125 lbs.)
Zarrukh Adashev (125.5 lbs.) vs. Ode Osbourne (126 lbs.)
Alonzo Menifield (205 lbs.) vs. Askar Mozharov (204.5 lbs.)

PRELIMINARY CARD (ESPN+, 1 p.m. ET)
Felice Herrig (115 lbs.) vs. Karolina Kowalkiewicz (115.5 lbs.)
Alex Da Silva (155.5 lbs.) vs. Joe Solecki (155.5 lbs.)
Daniel Argueta (145.5 lbs.) vs. Damon Jackson (145.5 lbs.)
Benoit Saint Denis (155.5 lbs.) vs. Niklas Stolze (156 lbs.)
Tony Gravely (135.5 lbs.) vs. Johnny Munoz (135 lbs.)
Jeff Molina (125.5 lbs.) vs. Zhalgas Zhumagulov (126 lbs.)
Rinat Fakhretdinov (170.5 lbs.) vs. Andreas Michailidis (170.5 lbs.)
JJ Aldrich (125 lbs.) vs. Erin Blanchfield (124.5 lbs.)


Hello everyone and welcome to 411mania’s LIVE coverage of UFC on ESPN+ 65, I’m Robert Winfree and I’ll be your host for the evening. Tonight the UFC is back after a rare week off, and they brought a card that’s not terribly stacked but has a few fights worth taking note of. The main event sees Alexander Volkov trying to hold his top heavyweight spot against Jairzinho Rozenstruik who’s trying to prove he’s capable of winning at the elite level. The co-main event has more of my attention personally, top ten featherweight Dan Ige tries to halt a small skid against surging contender Movsar Evloev. This is a big step up in class for Evloev, but if he can pass this particular test he’ll be taking on the top of the division next. Beyond that it’s rather slim pickings but there’s always the possibility of the action being better in practice than it is on paper.

UFC on ESPN+ 65 comes to the world from the UFC Apex facility in Las Vegas, Nevada, USA. On commentary we’ve got just a two man booth for the first time in a long time with just Jon Anik and Paul Felder on the mic. As for the rules Nevada uses most of the newer set but you still only need one hand on the mat to be considered downed. We do have instant replay if requested and the fight can be restarted after replay is used if applicable. Also keep in mind we’re in the smaller 25 foot diameter Octagon.

Erin Blanchfield has gone 2-0 in the UFC and is on a five fight winning streak, she’s begun building a fair bit of hype with her strong grappling and is now trying to being the difficult transition from prospect to contender. JJ Aldrich has a solid UFC record of 7-3 and she’s currently on a three fight winning streak, if she can turn back the rising force of Blanchfield it could result in Aldrich getting a step up in class her next time out. Blanchfield is a heavy favorite at -425 to +320 for Aldrich.

Women’s Flyweight Bout: JJ Aldrich (11-4, 125 lbs.) vs. Erin Blanchfield (8-1, 124.5 lbs.)

ROUND ONE: Aldrich is an inch taller and has an inch and a half of reach advantage. Southpaw for Aldrich. Both women paw a bit with the lead hand, Blanchfield lands a leg kick but eats a counter left from Aldrich that off balances her for a second. Aldrich lands another left. They tie up and trade knees then break. Stepping knee from Blanchfield lands and Aldrich forces a clinch then breaks free. Aldrich lands another left to counter a kick. Blanchfield lands a body kick. Jab from Aldrich lands. Quick couple of punches from Aldrich, then she catches a kick and they clinch up. Blanchfield pushes Aldrich into the fence and starts looking for a takedown. Aldrich is able to spin free with superior head position. Bit of a left from Aldrich. A right hook lands for Aldrich. They keep banging heads as they get close, Aldrich gets a clinch and an outside trip to land on top. Aldrich lands some punches as Blanchfield stands free and separates. Another jab from Aldrich lands. Blanchfield looks for a single leg but that hits the fence and stalls out before Aldrich gets free. Aldrich lands a left hand. Body kick from Blanchfield. Aldrich lands a couple of right hooks. Glancing head kick from Blanchfield then a body kick will be the last blows of the round.

SCORECARD: 10-9 Aldrich

ROUND TWO: Bit of a leg kick from Blanchfield to start the round. They trade punches in close then break. Blanchfield lands another leg kick, she’s looking to press forward more this round. Southpaw for Blanchfield at the moment, she’s switching a lot now. They trade some jabs. Aldrich lands a left hand. Blanchfield lands another leg kick and a right hand. They clinch up and Aldrich gets a takedown but Blanchfield pops up immediately and they’re on the fence. They break without much incident. Stiff jab from Aldrich. Another jab from Aldrich. Blanchfield lands a knee to the body that shoves Aldrich over, then she grabs a front headlock as Aldrich stands and transitions to a standing guillotine. Aldrich is stuck against the fence as Blanchfield tightens the choke and as Blanchfield switches her grip to a no arm in attack Aldrich has to tap.

OFFICIAL RESULT: †WINNER – Erin Blanchfield via Submission, standing guillotine choke, at 2:38 of Round 2

Mic time for Blanchfield, she felt the neck was open to attack in that transition and she works high elbow guillotine chokes a lot so she was confident in it. She acknowledges the slower start but felt she found her stride in the second round. She talks us through the finish, then when asked about the future she wants to fight the winner of Jessica Eye and Maycee Barber. Not an unreasonable call out.

Here’s the finish. This doesn’t show the grip switch Blanchfield used, but this is a great example of finishing position for a standing guillotine. Aldrich can’t find the arms to hand fight, has no space to avoid the compression, and ultimately has no choice but to submit.

Rinat Fakhretdinov makes his UFC debut on the back of a 14 fight winning streak, now he’s looking to extend that success here and capitalize on the only chance he’s got to make a good first impression to the UFC audience. Andreas Michailidis has gone 1-2 in the UFC and is coming off of a loss, he’s trying to get his UFC record to the .500 mark. The odds are with the debuting Fakhretdinov and -250 to a +225 comeback on Michailidis.

Welterweight Bout: Rinat Fakhretdinov (20-2, 170.5 lbs.) vs. Andreas Michailidis (13-5, 170.5 lbs.)

ROUND ONE: These two are the same height while Michailidis has two inches of reach advantage. They touch gloves to get us going. Fakhretdinov starts jabbing early and backs up Michailidis. Michailidis lands a calf kick but Fakhretdinov hits a takedown against the fence. Fakhretdinov moves towards the ride position as Michailidis stands. Fakhretdinov is kicking the legs from the back looking to get things back to the mat, Michailidis is grabbing at the fence but the ref is on him. A few mat returns from Fakhretdinov, then he gets the back with one hook in looking for the choke. Fakhretdinov moves back to a ride position as he couldn’t find the choke. Michailidis is up again but Fakhretdinov is dug in on his back like an Alabama tick. Michailidis grabs the fence again but he’s able to get free. They trade leg kicks then clinch and Fakhretdinov lands a right hand. More clinch work from Fakhretdinov, he’s working knees to the leg and body as they fight for position. Michailidis defends a single leg attack and they break. Michailidis slips on a wheel kick, and Fakhretdinov grabs a front headlock. Fakhretdinov is setting up an attack, they scramble and Michailidis gets the back briefly but Fakhretdinov fights up into another clinch. Fakhretdinov lands knees to the legs. Bit of an elbow from Fakhretdinov then a knee to the body. They end the round in the clinch.

SCORECARD: 10-9 Fakhretdinov

ROUND TWO: Fakhretdinov charges and hits a double leg right away. The pace these guys are keeping is pretty nuts for their size. Michailidis looks to close his guard but Fakhretdinov doesn’t let him close it and lands a couple of elbows. Fakhretdinov avoids a kimura attack and is almost passed into half guard. Another elbow from Fakhretdinov. Michailidis keeps trying to start a wall walk but Fakhretdinov is stripping his posting limbs and keeping him at an odd angle pressed into the fence. Some more blows from Fakhretdinov land and he looks to pass again, this time he gets to half guard. Michailidis is trying to wall walk again, he’s on a hip though and Fakhretdinov is nearly in the ride position again and lands some punches. Fakhretdinov is back in the half guard as Michailidis bails on his wall walk attempt. A few shoulder strikes from Fakhretdinov then he moves on to punches as Michailidis hip escapes to full guard. Fakhretdinov lands a few body shots, but Michailidis finally is able to wall walk but he’s still clinched. They trade knees in the clinch then break. Fakhretdinov avoids a spinning back fist to end the round.

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

ROUND THREE: Fakhretdinov comes forward quickly, he tries a double leg but Michailidis sprawls away this time. Michailidis tries his own double leg, poor decision as Fakhretdinov spins to his back and drives him to the mat. Fakhretdinov moves to the ride position with one hook, he lands left hands as Michailidis tries to regain his feet but he’s pretty gassed. Some more short blows from Fakhretdinov as he’s on top in half guard now. A few solid elbows from Fakhretdinov land. Fakhretdinov lands another couple of elbows, Michailidis hip escapes to full guard but one of those elbows seems like it popped the right ear of Michailidis. Yeah, that’s a pretty bad popped cauliflower I think, but I don’t have a good angle on it. Fakhretdinov moves towards the ride position and lands more punches. Michailidis looks to wall walk, he regains his feet but Fakhretdinovis on his back in the clinch and still working him over. Mat return from Fakhretdinov and he lands an hammer fist. Michailidis scrambles up but takes strikes the whole way, then Fakhretdinov lands a knee just before the round ends.

SCORECARD: 10-9 Fakhretdinov, borderline 10-8, 30-27 Fakhretdinov overall

OFFICIAL RESULT: †WINNER – Rinat Fakhretdinov via unanimous decision (39-27, 30-26 x2)

Mic time for Fakhretdinov, he’s here and hungry. He mentions being held up by visa issues but he fights with his heart and is ready for anyone in the division.

Jeff Molina is on a nine fight winning streak that includes two wins in the UFC, he’s begun to establish himself as a notable prospect in the division and he could start making the transition to contender with a win here. Zhalgas Zhumagulov has gone just 1-3 in the UFC and is coming off of a loss to Manel Kape, he needs a win here just to get a little bit of job security. Molina is your favorite at -180 while to a +155 payout on Zhumagulov.

Flyweight Bout: Jeff Molina (10-2, 125.5 lbs.) vs. Zhalgas Zhumagulov (14-6, 126 lbs.)

ROUND ONE: Molina is two and a half inches of height and reach over Zhumagulov. A lot of early feints from Molina as they circle. Molina lands an overhand right. Zhumagulov lands a right hand of his own. Molina is starting to switch his stance, he’s mostly orthodox but he’s not afraid to switch. Zhumagulov forces a clinch and gets the back standing. Molina is staying upright, he gets chest to chest but Zhumagulov moves to his back again rather quickly. Some knees to the leg from Zhumagulov, Molina works short punches to the head but he’s struggling to get free. Molina finally breaks the grip and gets free, barely avoiding a right hand on the way out. Zhumagulov misses a spinning back fist. They trade rights, Molina’s head movement is better and he’s not getting hit flush. Body kick from Molina. Molina lands a right hand. Bit of a right from Zhumagulov. Zhumagulov pushes into a clinch but this time Molina uses underhooks to turn him and land punches before they break. Zhumagulov lands a leg kick as the last blow of the round.

SCORECARD: 10-9 Molina but a close one

ROUND TWO: Molina lands a few solid calf kicks to start the round. Zhumagulov catches a body kick and gets a takedown but Molina wall walks right away but Zhumagulov is back on his back. Mat return from Zhumagulov, he looks to take the back but Molina is back up before he can get both hooks in. They resume clinch fighting. Zhumagulov lands a few lefts to the head as he thinks about a single leg. Molina smothers a single leg attempt and lands an elbow as they break. We get a brief time out when there’s tape off on the glove of Zhumagulov then we’re back to fighting. Molina lands a jab. Bit of a body kick from Molina. Zhumagulov lands a body shot then a left hook. Molina lands another calf kick. Both men avoid hooks, Zhumagulov tries a takedown but Molina avoids it. Zhumagulov lands a left hook that wobbles Molina for a second, but Molina recovers quickly. Zhumagulov forces a clinch on the fence and looks for a single leg. Now Zhumagulov finishes a double leg, Molina scoots to the fence and wall walks and the round ends in the clinch.

SCORECARD: 10-9 Zhumagulov, 19-19 overall

ROUND THREE: Zhumagulov avoids a right hand. Bit of a right from Molina. Zhumagulov lands a right hand. Molina lands a right hand. Zhumagulov misses a spinning back fist. Both men miss punches. They trade leg kicks. Zhumagulov lands a couple of body shots. Another left to the body from Zhumagulov. Molina lands a right to the body. Zhumagulov lands a left to the body, Molina lands a counter right. Bit of a jab from Molina. They’re both switching stances pretty regularly now. Zhumagulov lands a couple of more body attacks. Molina avoids a right hand. Zhumagulov tries a single leg, can’t get it but lands a left hand as they separate. Inside leg kick from Zhumagulov. Molina misses a high kick. Bit of a back fist from Molina, Zhumagulov lands a body kick. Zhumagulov tries a double leg, they hit the fence and Zhumagulov starts landing punches from the clinch. Zhumagulov moves to the back standing and works knees to the leg then gets a brief takedown, Molina fights up and they trade punches to close the round.

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

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

That 30-27 for Molina is definitely Clucky, no way he took the second, but 29-28 either way acceptable. No interview for Molina.

Johnny Munoz has gone 1-1 in the UFC but he’s coming off of a win and is looking to build his first UFC winning streak. Tony Gravely has gone 3-2 in the UFC but he’s coming off of a win and is looking to build another winning streak. This one is close by the odds but they lean towards Gravely at -125 to +105 for Munoz.

Bantamweight Bout: Tony Gravely (22-7, 135.5 lbs.) vs. Johnny Munoz (11-1, 135 lbs.)

ROUND ONE: Munoz is four inches taller with two inches of reach advantage. Circling to start, both men showing kicks early but nothing is landing yet. Munoz lands an inside leg kick, then a calf kick. Gravely is backing Munoz up, Munoz tries a double leg and Gravely catches him with a short uppercut that drops him then jumps on top and pounds him out with punches.

OFFICIAL RESULT: †WINNER – Tony Gravely via KO, punches, 1:08 of Round 1

The First Round finish Club thanks Mr. Gravely for his work this evening. Mic time for Gravely, he knew Munoz would shoot on him and was ready for it. He talks us through the finish, then when asked about the future he wants to fight a couple of more times this year then wishes his parents a happy anniversary and thanks his family and team mates for their work.

Here’s the finish, the ref is kind of in the way of the punch but you can still get a read on the short uppercut Gravely landed that dropped and basically ended things. The punch is accurate, Gravely clearly has power, and perhaps most importantly Munoz never saw it coming.

Benoit Saint Denis suffered a really bad beating in this UFC debut last year, but he’s back now and down at lightweight and looking for that all important first UFC win. Niklas Stolze has gone 0-2 in the UFC and needs a win pretty badly as an 0-3 start could end his current run with the promotion. Saint Denis is the favorite at -155 to +135 for Stolze.

Lightweight Bout: Benoit Saint Denis (8-1 1 NC, 155.5 lbs.) vs. Niklas Stolze (12-5, 156 lbs.)

ROUND ONE: Stolze is two inches taller with one of reach over Saint Denis. Southpaw for Saint Denis, and they touch gloves to get us going. Stolze shows leg kicks early, Saint Denis had a high kick blocked. A knee from Stolze lands as Saint Denis grabs a single leg. Saint Denis works for a takedown against the fence and is able to muscle Stolze down then mounts the legs. Stolze looks to wall walk, that knee from Stolze has cut Saint Denis on the left cheek or lower orbital. Saint Denis keeps trying to mount the legs again but Stolze is blocking that. Saint Denis moves to side control, Stolze was a bit too slow trying to capitalize on the movement. We get a break as Saint Denis takes a groin strike when they fight up to the feet. Saint Denis takes about a minute then we’re back to fighting. Bit of a head kick from Saint Denis then he hits a body lock takedown into side control. Saint Denis lands punches and gets the back with one hook in. It takes a second but Saint Denis pulls Stolze back to the mat and locks in a body triangle. Stolze is hand fighting as Saint Denis keeps fishing for the choke. Some punches from Saint Denis, again just trying to open up a chance to get the choke locked up. The round will end just as Saint Denis gets a decent choke attack going.

SCORECARD: 10-9 Saint Denis, could be 10-8 though

ROUND TWO: Stolze lands a body kick. They trade power hand punches, Saint Denis didn’t like that and forces a clinch. Stolze grabs a standing guillotine and lands knees as Saint Denis gets his head free then Saint Denis hits a double leg against the fence. Saint Denis mounts the legs again and scoots towards full mount. Stolze is looking to sit up and wall walk, Saint Denis gets the back with one hook and grabs another rear naked choke and this time Stolze has to tap.

OFFICIAL RESULT: †WINNER – Benoit Saint Denis via Submission, rear naked choke, at 1:32 of Round 2

Mic time for Saint Denis, he’s here for the lightweight division and will climb his way up through the ranks then says he wants to fight on the upcoming London card. He talks us through the finish and mentions his past in the French special forces and using that to help stay ready for anything.

Damon Jackson has gone 3-1 since returning to the UFC in 2020, he’s on a two fight winning streak right now and if he can get to three in a row here it might lead to a bigger opportunity next time out. Daniel Argueta is undefeated coming into his UFC debut and a win over a respected veteran like Jackson would be a great way to get his UFC career going. Jackson is the biggest favorite on the entire card at -720 while the +475 payout for Argueta might tempt a few bettors who like the long shots.

Featherweight Bout: Daniel Argueta (8-0, 145.5 lbs.) vs. Damon Jackson (20-4-1 1 NC, 145.5 lbs.)

ROUND ONE: Jackson is four inches taller with three inches of reach advantage. Southpaw for Argueta, Jackson immediately clinches up and looks for a takedown. Bit of a fence grab from Argueta, the ref says nothing, but Jackson persists and hits a mat return to get on top. Jackson is on the back without hooks, he gets one hook in and starts looking for the the other. Argueta lands some punches but Jackson gets the other hook in. Jackson is looking to open up the choke but Argueta is hand fighting very well. Jackson finally punches the arm through and attacks the choke, he’s got the arm around but he can’t get his other hand in play and Argueta hand fights out of danger. A body triangle now for Jackson, he goes for the choke again and while he can’t finish it he does use the attack to spin his upper body away from the fence and get better overall position. Argueta is able to spin into Jackson and get on top in full guard. Jackson looks to come up on a single leg, Argueta moves to the ride position and lands a few knees as the round ends.

SCORECARD: 10-9 Jackson

ROUND TWO: Jackson lands a knee as Argueta goes for a takedown, then he spins to the back with a seatbelt grip but no hooks. The first hook goes in for Jackson then he gets the second hook and is back to fishing for the choke. Argueta is still throwing punches at Jackson, there’s a decent mouse under the left eye of Jackson forming. Jackson goes to the body triangle again and this time he’s got enough space to land some punches. Jackson is having more success with control and offense this round relative to last round. Argueta is trying to base up and regain his knees, Jackson rides him well and flattens Argueta out for a moment then lands some nasty elbows to the head before getting the body triangle again. Jackson grabs at the choke as Argueta stands, Jackson keeps the backpack position though. Jackson drags Argueta back to the mat, Argueta scrambles free and lands some punches before trying his own double leg. Argueta can’t finish the double leg and they trade elbows. Single elg from Argueta and Jackson sits and holds a front headlock as the round ends.

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

ROUND THREE: Jackson lands an inside leg kick. They trade punches in close, Argueta off balances Jackson with a left hand. Both men miss punches. Jackson lands an inside leg kick. Argueta is coming forward and they trade punches in close, Jackson is clearly fatigued. Argueta lands an uppercut and they clinch. Elbow in close from Argueta. They break then Jackson lands a bit of a head kick. That left eye is bothering Jackson at this point. Both men land punches in close, Argueta is backing up now. More kicks to the head and leg from Jackson. Argueta lands punches then gets the back in a clinch. Bit of a knee from Argueta, Jackson catches it and gets a takedown then fights to wind up on top in the half guard of Argueta. Jackson looks to attack an arm triangle, he’s slowly trying to develop the attack while Argueta is looking more to explode. Argueta blocks a pass attempt. Jackson postures up and lands elbows, they trade on the mat as the round ends.

SCORECARD: 10-9 Jackson but a close one, 30-27 Jackson overall

OFFICIAL RESULT: †WINNER – Damon Jackson via unanious decision (29-28, 30-27 x2)

No issues with Argueta getting the third, but no interview for Jackson.

Joe Solecki has gone 3-1 in the UFC but he’s coming off of that loss, now he’s trying to bounce back and avoid his first ever losing streak. Alex Da Silva has gone 1-2 in the UFC but he’s coming off of a loss to Brad Riddell that took place back in 2020, now he’s looking to avoid his first ever losing streak and get his UFC record back to the .500 mark. The odds are with Solecki at -160 to a +140 comeback on da Silva.

Lightweight Bout: Alex Da Silva (21-3, 155.5 lbs.) vs. Joe Solecki (11-3, 155.5 lbs.)

ROUND ONE: Solecki is an inch taller while Da Silva has two and a half inches of reach advantage. They touch gloves to get us going. Both men feint as they circle. They trade left hooks in close, Da Silva drops Solecki with his then gets on top in full guard. Solecki seems recovered, he’s working his guard pretty well. Da Silva looks to posture up, Solecki has pretty good control going from the bottom. Some body shots from Da Silva. Solecki grabs at a guillotine choke but Da Silva gets his head free. Now Da Silva starts isolating the right arm of Da Silva but Da Silva is keeping a tight grip around his waist. Solecki. starts fishing for the guillotine again but Da Silva gets his head free. Solecki tries the guillotine again, they scramble as Da Silva gets his head free and ultimately they wind up back on the mat with Da Silva on top in full guard. Some elbows from Solecki. Da Silva looks to posture up again but he’s still not comfortable doing so. The round ends on the mat.

SCORECARD: 10-9 Da Silva

ROUND TWO: Solecki gets a pretty quick takedown against the fence, Da Silva is looking to wall walk but he’s stalling out on a knee. Da Silva gives up the back and Solecki gets one hook in and starts looking for the choke. Solecki gets a body triangle, he’s methodically working towards the choke. Solecki can’t fully get under the chin but he’s got a pretty good squeeze going across the jaw. Some punches from Solecki and he rolls Da Silva away from the fence to limit the options Da Silva has. Body and head punches from Solecki as he tries to open up the choke. The ref takes a point from Da Silva, Da Silva kept grabbing inside the gloves and grabbing the fence with his toes and the ref finally had enough. They’ll end the round in that spot.

SCORECARD: 10-8 Solecki after the point deduction, 19-18 Solecki overall

ROUND THREE: They touch gloves again. Da Silva lands a front kick to the body. They trade punches in close then Da Silva lands a knee to the body. Solecki lands a right hand. Some jabs go back and forth. Bit of a one two from Solecki. Da Silva lands a right to the body. Double leg from Solecki, he winds up pulling half guard and looks for a sweep but Da Silva is able to stand free. Solecki lands a right hand. Left hook from Solecki stuns Da Silva for a second. Bit of a right from Solecki, Da Silva lands a left hook. They tie up, Da Silva gets a takedown into full guard. Solecki tries to work his guard high but Da Silva is content to control. Da Silva lands a couple of elbows then stands free and makes Solecki stand. Solecki lands a left hook, Da Silva responds with a right hand. Another right from Da Silva lands. Bit of an uppercut from Da Silva, Solecki lands a right hand in response. Solecki lands a couple of lefts. They split jabs to end the round.

SCORECARD: 10-9 Da Silva, 28-28 DRAW overall

OFFICIAL RESULT: †WINNER – Joe Solecki via majority decision (28-28, 28-27, 29-27)

Hm, odd one, either you gave Solecki a 10-7 in the second after the point deduction or gave Solecki the third which seems generous at best. No interview for Solecki.

Felice Herrig is on a three fight losing streak and hasn’t fought since 2020, coincidentally that 2020 fight ended a two year layoff much as this one does. Herrig needs a win badly just to remind the fans that she exists. Karolina Kowalkiewicz is on a five fight losing streak and one has to imagine she’s going to lose her spot on the roster if she loses again here. This one is very close by the odds, but they lean slightly towards Herrig at -115 against -105 for Kowalkiewicz.

Strawweight Bout: Felice Herrig (14-9, 115 lbs.) vs. Karolina Kowalkiewicz (12-7, 115.5 lbs.)

ROUND ONE: Herrig has an inch of height and reach advantage. Both of them show jabs, then Kowalkiewicz lands a one two. A couple more rights from Kowalkiewicz land. Herrig starts showing a front kick, then they trade rights. Kowalkiewicz avoids a rush and lands a right hand. Bit of a right from Herrig. Kowalkiewicz lands a right hand then a couple of body kicks. They trade in close, Kowalkiewicz gets a takedwon then Herrig sweeps up and and they reset. Kowalkiewicz lands a combination of punches. They trade in close, Herrig is swinging a bit wilder and Kowalkiewicz is landing more precise punches. Hard right from Kowalkiewicz. Kowalkiewicz grabs a clinch and lands knees to the body then an elbow and pushes Herrig into the fence. Elbows from Kowalkiewicz then she breaks. Kowalkiewicz lands a right hand then knees to the body and slips to the back in the clinch. Herrig eats a knee to the face then Kowalkiewicz puts a hook in and looks for more control. Kowalkiewicz lands another knee to the head then a couple of elbows and resets. Herrig is fading already. Double leg attempt from Herrig, they tie up and Herrig can’t finish the takedown. Both women land knees in the clinch then they break. Kowalkiewicz lands a right hand then a jab to close the round.

SCORECARD: 10-9 Kowalkiewicz

ROUND TWO: Kowalkiewicz lands a right hand. Herrig lands a right but Kowalkiewicz responds with a combination. They trade calf kicks. Another calf kick from Kowalkiewicz. Herrig lands a left hook, Kowalkiewicz responds with a right hand. A right from Herrig lands. They get close and trade punches then Kowalkiewicz lands a knee and a punch before resetting. Kowalkiewicz lands a body shot then a jab. Herrig misses a few punches. They trade rights in close. Kowalkiewicz catches a kick but doesn’t do anything with it. Kowalkiewicz lands a one two, then another one. Herrig’s nose is busted up now. Herrig tries a double leg, Kowalkiewicz counters and gets on top landing elbows. Kowalkiewicz moves to the back, gets the choke and starts looking to finish. Herrig is fighting the choking arm and Kowalkiewicz bails on it to land elbows and get the second hook in. Punches from Kowalkiewicz, she goes nuts with punches to open up a choke attack. More punches from Kowalkiewicz, she’s content to try and pound this out, then grabs the choke and forces the tap.

OFFICIAL RESULT: †WINNER – Karolina Kowalkiewicz via Submission, rear naked choke, at 4:01 of Round 2

That’s Kowalkiewicz’s first finish in the UFC. Mic time for Kowalkiewicz, she feels great after the win and feels she’s back. She talks about changing her life to improve and thanks her new coaches at ATT for all of their work. She talks us through the finish to close.

They give Herrig an interview, she left her gloves in the cage indicating retirement, she calls fighting for the UFC an honor and she didn’t want to go out after two ACL surgeries. She wanted to prove she could still fight but knew if she wasn’t feeling it in the cage it was time to retire and while she’s sad because she gave 20 years to this she does know it’s time to move on to something else.

Here’s the finish, the way Kowalkiewicz uses punches to then punch through her choking arm is nice. There’s some technical things that could be tightened up in the choke itself but ultimately she gets the job done.

That’s it for the prelims, but we’re still on ESPN+ for the main card.

Alonzo Menifield has gone 4-3 in the UFC and is coming off of a loss, he’s trying to avoid another losing streak and prove he still has a decent upside. Askar Mozharov had some controversy spring up about his record this week, but he’s won his last three fights and spent most of 2021 having fights for his UFC debut fall through. Mozharov is trying to make a good first impression on the UFC audience and get that all important first win in the Octagon. Menifield is your -250 favorite while the +200 comeback on Mozharov might make for a tempting value bet.

Light Heavyweight Bout: Alonzo Menifield (11-3, 205 lbs.) vs. Askar Mozharov (19-12, 204.5 lbs.)

ROUND ONE: Mozharov is three inches taller but Menifield has two inches of reach advantage. Menifield lands a right hand then pushes for a double leg, which he finishes into half guard. Mozharov shrimps to full guard. Things are stalling out just a bit, Menifield lands a few short punches. More short punches from Menifield but he’s struggling nto posture and get power into these. Menifield is able to pass to half guard. Menifield tries to pass but Mozharov blocks it. Mozharov counters a pass attempt and fights up to his feet then misses punches. Bit of a head kick from Mozharov, Menifield lands a right hand. Mozharov lands a body kick but Menifield takes him down into half guard. Menifield lands elbows, moves to a mounted crucifix and starts dropping more elbows. Short punches from Menifield, now elbows as well. More elbows from Menifield and the ref steps in to wave this one off.

OFFICIAL RESULT: †WINNER – Alonzo Menifield via TKO, elbows, at 4:40 of Round 1

The First Round Finish Club thanks Mr. Menifield for his work this evening. Mic time for Menifield, who is still very wound up, he says this is everything for him as this is how he provides for his family. He says he was a little angry about the record shenanigans around Mozharov, but knew he’d come out aggressive and he could beat him with MMA. Asked about the future he feels he’s still proving himself and is ready for anyone.

Here’s the finish. Menifield has heavy control on top and takes his time to really lock down the proper position before unloading with these elbows, there’s just nothing Mozharov can do and the ref has to stop it.

Zarruk Adashev has gone 1-2 in the UFC but he’s coming off of a win and will be looking to prove he’s found his footing in the promotion by getting his first set of consecutive wins under their banner. Ode Osbourne has traded wins and losses while going 2-2 in the UFC but he’s coming off of a win and is looking to build his first UFC winning streak. The odds are with Osbourne at -195 while an Adashev win pays out at +165.

Flyweight Bout: Zarrukh Adashev (4-3, 125.5 lbs.) vs. Ode Osbourne (10-4 1 NC, 126 lbs.)

ROUND ONE: Osbourne is two and a half inches taller with a whopping eight inches of reach advantage. Southpaw for Osbourne, and they touch gloves. Adashev is switching his stance. Bit of a leg kick from Osbourne. Adashev lands a couple of lefts. Osbourne sits Adashev down with a check right hook, then jumps on top and pounds him into unconsciousness with punches and hammer fists.

OFFICIAL RESULT: †WINNER – Ode Osbourne via KO, punches, at 1:01 of Round 1

The First Round Finish Club thanks Mr. Osbourne for his work this evening. Mic time for Osbourne, he puts over his coaches for all of their work and thinks he’s finally in position to find his stride with his camp and career. He talks us through the finish and knew he couldn’t just be clean because Adashev can counter that. Asked about the future he says he’d like to fight Jeff Molina, which I’d be down for. To close he gives glory to God and plays with the small crowd just a bit.

The lead hand is important in open stance match ups, Osbourne here slips back and at a slight angle then brings his right hook over the lead shoulder of Adashev and crushes him with the punch. Really nice stuff from Osbourne here.

Karine Silva brings a five fight winning streak into her UFC debut and now looks to capitalize on her only chance to make a first impression. Poliana Botelho has gone 3-3 in the UFC but she’s on a two fight losing streak and is now trying to elevate her UFC record above the .500 mark. The debuting Silva is a slight -120 favorite to and even +100 for Botelho.

Women’s Flyweight Bout: Poliana Botelho (8-4, 125.5 lbs.) vs. Karine Silva (14-4, 125 lbs.)

ROUND ONE: Botelho is three inches taller but the reach is identical. Silva lands a front kick to the body, Botelho lands a leg kick. Botelho with a front kick to the body. Bit of a left from Botelho. Botelho lands a calf kick. They trade front kicks again. Botelho lands a body kick. Body kick from Silva. Botelho lands a jab. Another jab from Botelho lands. They trade left hooks. Silva lands a right hand. Botelho jabs the body, Silva counters with a calf kick. Botelho avoids a right hand and lands an uppercut. Another calf kick from Botelho. Botelho lands an uppercut. Bit of a left from Botelho. Silva lands a right hand and gets a takedown off of it, she starts landing hammer fists from half guard but Botelho ties her up and stifles the offense. Silva moves to side control, then grabs a d’arce choke and sits for it forcing Botelho to tap with seconds left in the round.

OFFICIAL RESULT: †WINNER – Karine Silva via Submission, d’arce choke, at 4:55 of Round 1

The First Round Finish Club thanks Ms. Silva for her work this evening. Mic time for Silva and her translator, she’s very happy to be here and thanks God for the opportunity and calls this just another step. She talks us through the finish, and notes she didn’t know how much that punch she landed had hurt Botelho.

The real killer here is the left leg of Botelho, once Silva catches that leg it really prevents Botelho from being able to defend and move her body around to lessen the compression in the d’arce. This is a really solid finish from Silva.

Michael Trizano has gone 3-2 in the UFC but is coming off of a loss and is trying to avoid his first ever losing streak. Lucas Almeida is making his UFC debut here and he’s looking to make a good first impression to the wider UFC audience. Trizano is a surprisingly heavy favorite at -225 while the +185 payout on Alemida is a very tempting value bet.

Featherweight Bout: Lucas Almeida (13-1, 145.5 lbs.) vs. Michael Trizano (9-2, 145.5 lbs.)

ROUND ONE: These two have identical heights and reaches. Both men come out kicking, then Almeida lands a jab to the body. Trizano avoids a one two. Almeida lands a left hook. Bit of a one two from Almeida, he’s got fast hands. Trizano lands a leg kick. Almeida lands a body kick. Some long range kicks from Almeida, he’s staying busy. Trizano forces a clinch and they hit the fence. Almeida goes for a double collar tie and is able to use that to spin free. Left to the body then a leg kick from Almeida. Trizano forces another clinch on the fence, then misses an elbow when Almeida slips free. Almeida lands a body shot. Bit of a left hook from Trizano. Almeida lands a calf kick. A left hook from Trizano wobbles Almeida, then a knee to follow up drops him and Trizano gets on top in half guard. Trizano lands punches and elbows, Almeida gets full guard and will roll for a leg lock as the round ends.

SCORECARD: 10-9 Trizano

ROUND TWO: Almeida seems to have regained himself between rounds. They trade jabs while circling. Trizano lands a front kick to the body. Almeida misses a few punches. A lot of leg kicks from Almeida then he lands a right to the body and a left hook. Almeida lands a left to the body then an inside leg kick. They trade rights in close. Trizano is stalking forward, he lands a jab. The patience and shot selection from Trizano is solid thus far but he’s getting out worked. They trade lefts, Almeida landed the better punch. Almeida lands a left hook. A left from Almeida drops Trizano and he gets on top in full guard. Trizano quickly goes to control, he doesn’t seem too hurt but he’s stuck on bottom. Some elbows from Trizano, Almeida works body punches. Trizano scoots to the fence and looks to wall walk, Almeida stands over him and lands a leg kick before going back into the guard but they knock heads and Trizano is cut around the right eyebrow. Almeida moves to the ride position, that cut on Trizano is bleeding pretty badly. Trizano tosses Almeida over the top and we get a break to check the cut on Trizano. The cut is above the eyebrow, it’s not great but isn’t a fight stopper according to the doc so we’re back to fighting. Both men land rights. Almeida lands a body shot but Trizano lands a counter left. They both try jumping knees as the round ends.

SCORECARD: 10-9 Almeida, 19-19 overall

ROUND THREE: That cut on Trizano is still leaking, it’s a bit deeper than I thought but again not a fight ender yet. They trade leg kicks to start the round. Trizano checks a leg kick. Almeida lands a left to the body. Bit of a right from Almeida. A left hook from Almeida drops Trizano again and he gets on top in half guard and unloads hammer fists until the ref has to step in.

OFFICIAL RESULT: †WINNER – Lucas Almeida via TKO, punches, at :55 of Round 3

The Final Round Finish Club thanks Mr. Almeida for his work this evening. Mic time for Almeida and his translator, he thanks God and the UFC brass and plans on clearing out the division. He knew the fight would be tough but also knew he’d get the knockout.

This is a pretty standard counter combination from Almeida, he slips to the outside of Trizano’s right straight then comes back with a loaded left hook as Trizano can’t get his hand back into defensive position quick enough.

Dan Ige has gone just 1-3 in his last four fights, which is somewhat mitigated by the level of opposition he’s been facing during that time. If Ige wants to prove he still belongs near the top of the division he needs to avoid a three fight skid here and turn back one of the rising forces at featherweight. Movsar Evloev is undefeated including five wins in the UFC, but Ige represents a significant step up in competition for him and if he’s able to remain perfect here he’ll find himself in the top ten of the division and closing in on the title picture. Evloev is a rather heavy favorite at -425 and the +320 comeback on Ige is a very tempting payout.

Featherweight Bout: #13 Movsar Evloev (15-0, 146 lbs.) vs. #10 Dan Ige (15-5, 145.5 lbs.)

ROUND ONE: These two are the same height while Evloev has an inch and a half of reach advantage. They touch gloves to get us going. Both men feint a bit as they range find. Evloev lands an inside leg kick. Ige lands a right hand. Leg kick from Evloev. Evloev lands a jab. Ige lands a bit of a left to the body. Evloev lands a right hand. Evloev lands a right to counter a leg kick. Ige misses a right hand, then avoids a spinning back kick. Both men block punches, but there’s some swelling around the right eye of Ige. Ige avoids a right hand. Both men land punches in close. A couple of body shots from Ige. Evloev lands a jumping knee that stuns Ige. Ige is backing up, Evloev pushes forward and lands a right hand. Evloev misses another knee attack, Ige is bleeding from the forehead now. Another right from Evloev partially lands. Double leg from Evloev and he jumps to the back of Ige. Ige fights up but Evloev is holding a rear waist lock. Mat return from Evloev, Ige bounces up but he’s still locked up. Evloev trips Ige down and starts working from the ride position. Ige is up again, and gets chest to chest with Evloev. Evloev is looking for a throw but winds up just separating. Body kick from Evloev then a jab that closes the round.

SCORECARD: 10-9 Evloev

ROUND TWO: Both men get back to feinting. Evloev lands a head kick. Ige lands a left hook. Evloev sticks a few jabs, Ige has started switching his stance. Bit of an uppercut from Evloev. Ige blocks a takedown attempt. A right from Evloev lands, Ige’s offense seems very muted right now. One two from Evloev stuns Ige for a second. Ige digs the body in close, Evloev then lands a jumping knee. Ige’s face is becoming a bit of a mess. Bit of a jab from Ige. Evloev avoids some punches. Leg kick from Ige. Evloev lands a right hand. They trade in close, then Evloev lands a stiff jab. Ige lands a right hand. Evloev lands a right in close. Body shot from Evloev lands then a jab. Evloev clubs Ige with a right hand. Ige misses a right hook. Bit of a body kick from Ige. Evloev hits a double leg in space and gets on top in full guard. Body shots from Evloev then a couple of elbows. Ige’s right eye is bleeding now, that side of his face is kind of a mess. Evloev postures up and lands some rights then an elbow and Ige is bleeding more now. Evloev ends the round on top.

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

ROUND THREE: Ige opens southpaw this round. They clash and tie up then Evloev hits a mat return to get on top. Evloev gets the back with both hooks in and starts landing punches. Ige fights to his knees and looks to wall walk, Evloev lands punches the whole way as Ige tries to wall walk. Evloev sticks to the back as they get up and he works knees to the leg as he tries for a mat return and gets it. Ige tries to wall walk again, he gets up but Evloev hits a double leg and spins to the back again. Evloev is just wrestling Ige to death, he moves to the ride position as Ige stands then takes Ige back down. Ige tries to come up on a single leg, Evloev lands hammer fists to the head while defending. Eventually Evloev gets on top in full guard and lands an elbow. Ige tries a triangle choke but Evloev pulls free and lands more strikes from teh ride position before taking the back. They scramble back up and reset. Evloev lands a right hand. Double leg from Evloev and he’s back on top in half guard. Evloev unloads with strikes as the round ends.

SCORECARD: 10-9 Evloev, borderline 10-8, 30-27 Evloev overall

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

Total wipeout for Evloev who gets some mic time, he feels great and thanks everyone for coming out as well as his coaches and team mates. He puts over Ige as a guy who was dangerous the whole way through and thinks they should get Fight of the Night. He calls himself the next champion and wants to fight a big name next time out. Felder asks if there’s any specific name for him, and he acknowledges that everyone is busy but thinks Arnold Allen is still afraid of him and he’s willing to fight Allen in London.

Alexander Volkov has been a bit up and down lately, he’s 3-2 in his last five fights with losses to Ciryl Gane and Tom Aspinall. He’s coming off of the loss to Aspinall and is trying to avoid his first losing streak since 2015. Jairzinho Rozenstruik has traded wins and losses going 3-3 in his last six fights, he’s coming off of a loss to Curtis Blaydes and needs a win here to prove he’s able to win at the upper levels of the division. The odds are with Volkov at -155 against +135 for Rozenstruik.

Heavyweight Bout: #7 Alexander Volkov (34-10, 256.5 lbs.) vs. #8 Jairzinho Rozenstruik (12-3, 259 lbs.)

ROUND ONE: Volkov is five inches taller with two inches of reach advantage. Early kicks from Volkov, inside leg kick then a body kick. More leg kicks from Volkov then a front kick to the body. Rozenstruik blocks a head kick. Volkov jabs the body then lands an inside leg kick. A lot of long range sniping from Volkov, Rozenstruik is struggling to find offense. Volkov lands a right hand then an inside leg kick. Rozenstruik catches a leg kick and lands a left hand but he gets a bit wild trying to follow up and Volkov resets. Volkov cracks Rozenstruik with a right hand then lands more punches along the fence and as Rozenstruik drops to a knee the ref jumps in.

OFFICIAL RESULT: †WINNER – Alexander Volkov via TKO, punches, at 2:12 of Round 1

The First Round Finish Club thanks Mr. Volkov for his work this evening. Mic time for Volkov, he feels happy to get the win and he’s waiting for his next fight already. He gives love to his family and team both here and back home. Asked about the stoppage he felt he’d have knocked Rozenstruik out if the ref hadn’t intervened and knew that Rozenstruik had poor defense when he was against the fence so when he got there he knew he could unload. Asked what he wants next he’s willing for any challenge but knows the division is in a bit of upheaval at the moment.

Well on that note UFC on ESPN+ 65 comes to a close. Some solid action this time around, and we’ll break it all down on the 411 Ground and Pound podcast tomorrow plus look ahead to UFC 275 which takes place next week. I’ll be back for that event and I hope you will as well, until then thank you all for reading, stay safe out there, and keep checking 411mania for all of your pop culture needs.