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411’s UFC on ESPN 13 Report: Kattar Wins

July 16, 2020 | Posted by Robert Winfree

MAIN CARD (ESPN, ESPN+, 10 p.m. ET)
#6 Calvin Kattar (146 lbs.) vs. #10 Dan Ige (145 lbs.)
Ryan Benoit (126 lbs.) vs. #13 Tim Elliott (125 lbs.)
Jimmie Rivera (145 lbs.) vs. Cody Stamann (145 lbs.)
#14 Molly McCann (125 lbs.) vs. Taila Santos (125 lbs.)
Abdul Razak Alhassan (174 lbs.)* vs. Mounir Lazzez (171 lbs.)

PRELIMINARY CARD (ESPN, ESPN+, 7 p.m. ET)
John Phillips (186 lbs.) vs. Khamzat Chimaev (186 lbs.)
Lerone Murphy (146 lbs.) vs. Ricardo Ramos (145 lbs.)
Modestas Bukauskas (205 lbs.) vs. Andreas Michailidis (206 lbs.)
Chris Fishgold (149 lbs.)* vs. Jared Gordon (145 lbs.)
Diana Belbita (125 lbs.) vs. Liana Jojua (126 lbs.)
Aaron Phillips (135 lbs.) vs. Jack Shore (136 lbs.)
Kenneth Bergh (OUT) vs. Jorge Gonzalez (205) – Bergh had medical issues during his weight cut

Hello everyone and welcome to 411mania’s LIVE coverage of UFC on ESPN 13. I’m Robert Winfree, your host for the evening relaying all of the action just as I see it. On this special Wednesday card the UFC brought a somewhat pedestrian card. The main event is a relevant fight between two top ten featherweights looking for signature wins to propel them into the top five when Calvin Kattar battles Dan Ige. Beyond that it’s kind of slim, two relevant bantamweights fight it out at featherweight when Cody Stamann tries for the biggest win of his career against Jimmie Rivera. Other than that it’s a lot of people looking for big wins or making their debuts. But there’s still the potential for this to be a lot better in practice than it is on paper.

UFC on ESPN 13 comes to the world from Flash Forum in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates. On commentary we have Jon Anik, Michael Bisping, and Paul Felder while Megan Olivi does the sideline deal. Fun side note, Felder will be stepping away from commentary for the Fishgold vs. Gordon fight as Gordon’s entire corner team tested positive for covid-19 and his teammate Felder and another unrelated corner man both agreed to step up and help him out for the fight. As for the rules, if we’re doing the same thing as UFC 251 the UFC will be using a hybrid set of rules. In this case they’ve adopted most of the changes but require only one hand down on the mat to be downed, and they only allow instant replay for fight ending sequences.

Aaron Phillips brings a five fight winning streak into his UFC return, he had an 0-2 run in the UFC several ago, and now looks to successfully reintroduce himself to the UFC audience. Jack Shore is undefeated including his UFC debut last year, now he’s looking to establish consistency in the UFC and start making his way up through the ranks. Shore is the biggest favorite on the card at -800 to a +550 payout on Phillips.

Bantamweight Bout: Aaron Phillips (12-3, 135 lbs.) vs. Jack Shore (12-0, 136 lbs.)

ROUND ONE: Phillips is an inch taller but the reach is identical. Southpaw for Phillips, and they touch gloves. Bit of a body kick from Phillips, both men just moving and getting a read on each other. Shore punches into a clinch and they hit the fence. They fight for the takedown, both men trying trips but neither can find an advantage and they break. Some kicks go back and forth, Shore then pushes into a takedown and gets the elevated double leg slam into full guard. Shore passes to half guard, then Phillips wall walks when he tries to pass again and they wind up clinched. Shore still has a body lock and is working hard to try and get Phillips down to the mat again. Some knees to the body from Shore, he’s still trying to break Phillips down but Phillips is based out. Phillips is finally pushed forward down onto his knees and Shore jumps to his back with a quick body triangle. Rights from Shore, Phillips trying to block and find a way back up. Phillips is up to his base and Shore bails on the back to avoid being shaken off and he resumes landing knees to the body and head in the clinch. Shore is able to get a takedown into the guard of Phillips as the round ends.

SCORECARD: 10-8 Shore, Phillips landed less than 10 strikes and lost by a wide enough margin for the 10-8 for me

ROUND TWO: Phillips trying to avoid the fence early. Shore lands an inside leg kick. Bit of a left from Phillips, then a left to the body. Shore lands a body kick. Phillips swings a left, Shore ducks under it and gets a double leg into half guard. Phillips hip escapes to full guard and closes it up. Shore lands a couple of elbows. Phillips gets to the fence and tries to wall walk, but he’s a little slow on the transition and Shore jumps onto his back with one hook in. Shore with punches, he’s after the choke, it’s under the chin and Phillips has to tap.

OFFICIAL RESULT: †WINNER – Jack Shore via Submission, rear naked choke, at 2:29 of Round 2

Solid outing from Shore, probably time to step him up in competition. Mic time for Shore after that, he’s glad to have the opportunity to fight in this venue and is glad he can keep the finish train rolling despite feeling a little sloppy in the first round. He talks us through the finish, then says he’d like to fight again before the end of the year but more in the fall so he can work on improving his skills as well.

Fairly standard rear naked choke here, but Shore’s ability to take the back and to remain active on the ground the whole time is impressive.

Liana Jojua had a five fight winning streak broken in her UFC debut, now she’s trying to rebound and avoid her first ever losing streak. Diana Belbita also lost her UFC debut and is now trying to get that all important first UFC win. Belbita is a -210 to a +180 comeback on Jojua.

Women’s Flyweight Bout: Diana Belbita (13-5, 125 lbs.) vs. Liana Jojua (7-3, 126 lbs.)

ROUND ONE: Belbita is three inches taller and has six inches of reach over Jojua. They touch gloves to get things going. One two from Belbita to get things going. Belbita keeps pressing forward and gets a clinch on the fence. They fight for position in the clinch, neither woman finding a real advantage. Belbita finally gets a body lock takedown and lands in the guard of Jojua. Jojua is after an armbar, she gets it and extends the arm as Belbita tries to fight it off. Jojua has to sit up and try to full readjust her lower body from spiderweb control. Another armbar from Jojua and Belbita has to verbally tap as her arm popped audibly I think.

OFFICIAL RESULT: †WINNER – Liana Jojua via Verbal Submission, armbar, at 2:23 of Round 1

The First Round Finish Club thanks Ms. Jojua for her work this evening. Mic time for Jojua she tries English but it’s still a work in progress. She wasn’t surprised by the takedown or the result once they hit the mat. Talking us through the finish she really likes armbars and said she heard the arm break which was a first for her.

This is basically post adjustment from Jojua, she committed to spiderweb to attack from a better angle and with more control. You can see her sit back here, when Belbita tries to hitchhiker escape again this time she isn’t able to fully rotate around and Jojua follows her with her hips and breaks the arm.

Chris Fishgold has gone 1-2 in the UFC dropping fights to Calvin Kattar and Makwan Amirkhani, now he’s trying to bounce back from the Amirkhani loss and get his UFC record back to the .500 mark. Fishgold did miss weight for this fight, never a good thing. Jared Gordon has gone 3-3 in the UFC but is coming off of a loss to Charles Oliveira, now he’s trying to get his UFC record to be a winning one again. The odds are with Gordon at -150 to a +130 comeback on Fishgold.

Featherweight Bout: Chris Fishgold (18-3-1, 149 lbs.) vs. Jared Gordon (15-4, 145 lbs.)

ROUND ONE: Gordon is an inch taller but the reach is identical, and of course Fishgold missed weight. They touch gloves to get things going. High kick from Gordon is blocked. Both men still probing with feints and exploratory strikes. Body kick from Gordon. Fishgold lands a bit of a right, Gordon gets a takedown into the ride position though. Fishgold comes up on a single leg, Gordon threatening with a guillotine. Gordon sits for the guillotine, and uses that to force a scramble but Fishgold lands a knee as they break. They trade punches and clinch up, trade knees then hit the fence. Fishgold misses an elbow as they break. Gordon lands a couple of rights to the body then a calf kick. Body shots from Gordon again. Fishgold lands an uppercut on a takedown attempt, he gets an arm in guillotine attempt and sells out for it as they go down. Gordon is trying to defend and fight the grip, he moves to half guard on the dangerous side but the arm in helps make that safer. Gordon moves to half guard on the other side and Fishgold bails on the attempt. Fishgold is able to get full guard back. Some punches from Gordon, and hammer fists as well. The round ends with a few more blows from Gordon.

SCORECARD: 10-9 Gordon but could go either way

ROUND TWO: Fishgold jabs then lands a right, Gordon responds with a head kick. Knee tap from Gordon and Fishgold is after that guillotine again. Nice pass through from Gordon and he lands in side control. North-south now for Gordon, he’s got a double wrist lock position but can’t finish the kimura and Fishgold winds up getting full guard back. Punches to the body and head from Gordon. Fishgold is kind of stuck on the bottom here, Gordon is doing huge damage or anything but he’s working pretty consistently. Gordon moves to half guard, lands some short elbows to close out the round.

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

ROUND THREE: Fishgold comes out aggressively looking to brawl. Double leg from Gordon, Fishgold defends and Gordon winds up holding a front headlock as they snap down to their knees. Gordon spins to the ride position, but loses it trying to take the back and they wind up on the feet again. Fishgold coming forward still. They trade rights, bit of a combination from Gordon as well. Another exchange of rights. Fishgold tries a single leg, Gordon winds up on his back in the ride position again. Punches and hammer fists from Gordon as Fishgold moves to the full turtle guard. Gordon ties up the left arm of Fishgold with his legs and works to unload with punches. Fishgold tries to roll but Gordon smothers that and resumes working with offense. Gordon winds up in side control as Fishgold tried to roll. Some more punches from Gordon, then he gets the ride position again as Fishgold moves to his knees. Gordon looks to unload and prompt a stoppage. Fishgold is still trying to move but he’s kind of stuck in this spot taking punches. Fishgold starts fighting for wrist control, Gordon keeps punching but it’s not enough to get the stoppage before the round ends.

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

OFFICIAL RESULT: †WINNER – Jared Gordon via unanimous decision (30-26 x3)

The longer the fight went the further Gordon pulled ahead, solid all around performance from him. Mic time for Gordon who gives glory to God and dedicates the win to his partner who had a miscarriage recently, then his corner got covid-19 and talks us through the chaos he’s been dealing with a little more. He thinks the fight was a little boring despite winning, and feels good back down at featherweight. He apologizes for the boring fight, which seems unnecessary but I”m not exactly the standard fan.

Seriously, the strength of character and focus you need to have to perform like that after this kind of devastating loss and structural chaos is amazing.

Modestas Bukauskas brings a six fight winning streak into his UFC debut, he’s hoping to make an immediate impact in a fairly shallow division. Andreas Michailidis is also making his UFC debut, he’s likewise hoping to announce himself as a prospect of note in a division that still really needs them. Bukauskas is your favorite at -155 to a +135 comeback on Michailidis.

Light Heavyweight Bout: Modestas Bukauskas (10-2, 205 lbs.) vs. Andreas Michailidis (12-3, 206 lbs.)

ROUND ONE: Bukauskas is three inches taller and has two inches of reach over Michailidis. Some circling to start, and they clash on kicks early. Leg kick from Bukauskas. Michailidis lands a calf kick. Another calf kick from Michailidis. Neither man has found consistent offense yet. The leg kicks from Michailidis are starting to add up, Bukauskas needs a new angle of attack. Body kick from Bukauskas, Michailidis kicks the calf again. Right from Michailidis in close. Stiff jab from Bukauskas off balances Michailidis for a second. Right from Bukauskas in close. Michailidis lands a right in close. Bukauskas lands a left hook while backing Michailidis up. An exchange of lefts in close, then Michailidis lands a calf kick. Michailidis tries a double leg, elbows from Bukauskas though as the round ends, those hurt Michailidis and he might have been saved by the bell there.

SCORECARD: 10-9 Bukauskas

ROUND TWO: OK, the fight is over. The ref waved it off between rounds as Michailidis was too out of it between rounds to make it to his corner.

OFFICIAL RESULT: †WINNER – Modestas Bukauskas via TKO, elbows, at 5:00 of Round 1

The First Round Finish Club thanks Mr. Bukauskas for his work this evening. Seeing the replay, I can see the decision by the ref. Mic time for Bukauskas who feels this has been a long time coming and feels the finishing elbows were clean. He plans to build on this performance and keep going forward. He puts over Michailidis a little and says it was great to get to actually strike with an opponent for a bit rather than tons of wrestling. He verbally fellates the UFC and the government a bit and promises to keep getting better because he knows how much he has to work on.

You can take a look at the finishing sequence here, the elbows are almost all behind the ear, maybe 1 of them was a little suspect, and then Michailidis is hurt and tries to milk the situation a little bit. The ref wasn’t having any of that and waves the fight off as Michailidis is hurt and not responding the way he wants him to.

Ricardo Ramos has gone an impressive 5-1 in the UFC and is on a two fight winning streak, now he’s hoping to extend that streak and start making a move towards more recognizable competition. Lerone Murphy has yet to lose professionally but did fight to a draw in his UFC debut, now he’s looking for that first win at the expense of a fairly proven commodity in the UFC. Ramos is the -165 favorite to a +145 comeback on Murphy.

Featherweight Bout: Lerone Murphy (8-0-1, 146 lbs.) vs. Ricardo Ramos (14-2, 145 lbs.)

ROUND ONE: Theese two are the same height while Murphy has an inch and a half of reach advantage. They touch gloves to get us going. Both men moving early, Ramos feinting with spinning attacks. Murphy goes southpaw now. More stance switching from Murphy, Ramos lands a couple of calf kicks. Both men miss rights and Ramos gets the back standing and drives things to the fence. Ramos starts looking for mat returns, he lands a knee as Murphy gets chest to chest. Body shots from Murphy as Ramos holds a double collar tie. Ramos pushes free and we reset at distance. Ramos lands a calf kick. Murphy lands a calf kick of his own. Murphy avoids a tornado kick and gets a body lock takedown but Ramos reverses on the mat and lands in side control on top. Ramos to the back with one hook in. Murphy scrambles back up though, and we’re fighting in the clinch again. They separate without much incident. One two from Murphy then a takedown against the fence. Murphy lands some punches and elbows, Ramos might be hurt. Now Murphy stands over Ramos, punches going back into the guard. More punches from Murphy and he moves to half guard, unloads with more rights and the ref steps in to save Ramos.

OFFICIAL RESULT: †WINNER – Lerone Murphy via TKO, punches, at 4:18 of Round 1

The First Round Finish Club thanks Mr. Murphy for his work this evening. Interview time for Murphy, he’s happy to get the first round stoppage and mentions despite the perceived grappling disadvantage that he trains everything and was prepared. He talks us through the finish then mentions he’s been dreaming about winning in the UFC and loves the feeling.

There was an elbow before this sequence that seemed to briefly KO Ramos, Murphy remains composed and picks his shots deliberately, moves to half guard and unloads as Ramos just waits for the end.

John Phillips has gone 1-3 in the UFC but he is coming off of a win and is now trying to prove he can win consistently at the UFC level. Khamzat Chimaev is undefeated coming into his UFC debut and looking to make a crucial good first impression. Despite being the debutante Chimaev is a hefty -400 favorite over the +320 for Phillips.

Middleweight Bout: John Phillips (22-9 1 NC, 186 lbs.) vs. Khamzat Chimaev (6-0, 186 lbs.)

ROUND ONE: Chimaev is three inches taller but the reach is identical. They touch gloves, Phillips fighting southpaw. Immediate head kick to double leg from Chimaev, nice combo. Phillips is down but has full guard as they move to the fence. Chimaev looking for elbows and punches. Phillips to his base trying to wall walk, Chimaev unloading with lefts while riding a leg. More lefts from Chimaev, and Phillips is bleeding from the face somewhere. Phillips gives up his back, one hook in for Chimaev and he keeps unloading with punches. Chiamev to more of the ride position and lands more lefts to the body and head. Phillips is getting abused right now. Chimaev is still working a fairly high pace of ground and pound, Phillips is just kind of hanging on and getting wrecked. There’s a big hematoma on the forehead of Phillips, Chimaev still landing punches. Now some knees to the body from Chimaev. This is total one way traffic, Phillips hasn’t ever been rocked but he’s taken a lot of abuse. Chimaev with more punches as the round ends.

SCORECARD: 10-8 Chimaev

ROUND TWO: There was a 10-7 argument in the first round to be honest. Quick double leg from Chimaev and he moves to side control again. Now to the ride for Chimaev and they hit the fence again. Chimaev is fence wrestling him and landing blows at every opportunity. Chimaev pulls Phillips away from the fence and gets to knee on belly to land blows. There’s a d’arce attempt from Chimaev, he sits to a hip to tighten things up and Phillips has to tap.

OFFICIAL RESULT: †WINNER – Khamzat Chimaev via Submission, d’arce choke, at 1:12 of Round 2

Total mauling from Chimaev from start to finish. Mic time for Chimaev, he feels amazing and wants to fight next week and says he plans on being champion eventually and promises to smash his opponents. He puts over Phillips’ striking, then says a fight is just a fight and he works harder than everyone so he’s not worried about fighting anyone.

The finish here, just a totally dominant fight from Chimaev from start to finish.

That wraps up prelims, but we’re still on ESPN for the main card.

Abdul Razak Alhassan is on a three fight winning streak, all of them first round finishes to boot. Alhassan missed weight for this fight, never a good look, and will need a win to help smooth over that gaff going forward. Mounir Lazzez brings a two fight winning streak into his UFC debut, and has a legitimate opportunity to take out a dangerous opponent that the UFC seems to have high hopes for. The odds like Alhassan at -350 to a +285 comeback on Lazzez.

Welterweight Bout: Abdul Razak Alhassan (10-1, 174 lbs.) vs. Mounir Lazzez (9-1, 171 lbs.)

ROUND ONE: Lazzez has three inches of height and reach on Alhassan. They touch gloves to get going. Leg kick from Lazzez. Alhassan with a couple of punches as he backs up Lazzez. Both men land in close. A couple of rights from Alhassan, he’s looking to tee off and end things. Lazzez is moving well now and Alhassan resets. High kick from Lazzez is blocked. One two from Lazzez, Alhassan digs the liver with a left hand. Lazzez keeps moving well, he’s avoiding a lot of the bombs from Alhassan. They trade leg kicks, actually Lazzez checked that one. Alhassan lands a body shot, Lazzez with a couple of stepping knees to the body. Lazzez lands a front kick to the body. Leg kicks are traded. Lazzez is checking the leg kicks more now. Alhassan’s output has dropped off considerably. More leg kicks from Lazzez and jabs as well. Body shot and a head kick from Lazzez, then a couple of upward elbows. Bit of an uppercut from Lazzez. Alhassan doesn’t have a plan B since Lazzez didn’t get overwhelmed by his power shots early. Single leg from Lazzez and he lands in full guard. That is where the round will end.

SCORECARD: 10-9 Lazzez, I think he took that one back

ROUND TWO: Leg kicks to get things going for Lazzez as he moves around. Alhassan is trying to walk Lazzez down but there’s not much urgency there. Combination from Lazzez and Alhassan is hurt. Elbows from Lazzez, Alhassan fires back with bombs and Lazzez resets. Leg kick to a head kick from Lazzez then a stepping knee to the body. Double leg from Lazzez, Alhassan is holding a guillotine but loses it. Some knees to the body from Lazzez. The ref stands them up, BS call IMO. Back on the feet a knee from Lazzez lands. Lazzez angles away from Alhassan and lands blows then gets a double leg against the fence. Full mount for Lazzez as Alhassan holds an arm in guillotine to try and control posture. Lazzez moves to side control, Alhassan still holding the head. The ref stands them up again, another really dubious call. Back on the feet Alhassan lands a jab. Lazzez slips a hook and lands a left. A checked leg kick by Lazzez ends the round.

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

ROUND THREE: Lazzez lands a leg kick. Alhassan reaches for a double leg and Lazzez easily avoids it. They trade some jabs but Lazzez is technically superior thus far. More jabs from Lazzez. Alhassan tries a double leg, runs into a knee but gets the clinch on the fence off of the contact. Bit of a takedown from Alhassan, Lazzez wall walks immediately but is struggling to get free so far. Lazzez pummels in, and lands a knee to the body. More knees from Lazzez, and he spins Alhassan into the fence. Lazzez gets a double leg, Alhassan tries that guillotine again as he lands in side control. Lazzez gets his head free but he hasn’t shown much ground and pound yet. Some knees from Lazzez to the body and then an elbow. Alhassan tries to wall walk, Lazzez keeps him seated on the fence. Lazzez moves to side control again, Alhassan scrambles up to his feet and the clock will run down with some pocket brawling.

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

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

Really proficient performance from Lazzez, showed really good defensive and technical acumen. Mic time for Lazzez, he thanks everyone and puts over Alhassan for the fight and calls out Mike Perry. He promises you’ll see more and more of him going forward as he refines his skills and gets more experience.

Molly McCann is on a three fight winning streak and could start moving into the official rankings if she can get to four in a row here. Talia Santos just suffered her first career loss in her UFC debut about 18 months ago, now she’s trying to rebound and prove she’s still got a bright future ahead of her. The odds like McCann at -150 to a +130 comeback on Santos.

Women’s Flyweight Bout: #14 Molly McCann (10-2, 125 lbs.) vs. Taila Santos (15-1, 125 lbs.)

ROUND ONE: Santos is two inches taller and has a notable six inches of reach over McCann. McCann fighting southpaw and both women start throwing early. Leg kick from McCann but Santos counters with a one two. Santos with a body kick, bit of a left hook from McCann who’s switching her stance now. Leg kick from Santos. Left lands for McCann. Santos lands a knee and they brawl in close. There’s a warning to Santos for grabbing the hair of McCann. More leg kicks go back and forth. McCann lands a right. Another body kick from Santos, those will add up quickly. Leg kick from Santos then another body kick. McCann lands a right but eats a knee. Front kick from Santos, that prompts a McCann shot and they wind up on the fence. Thai clinch from Santos and she lands knees before McCann drops lower for a single leg attempt. Short elbows from Santos and she gets a double leg of her own int

Women’s Flyweight Bout: #14 Molly McCann (10-2, 125 lbs.) vs. Taila Santos (15-1, 125 lbs.)

ROUND ONE:o half guard. McCann is trying to wall walk, and she’s up but eating more knees from Santos. Short elbows from McCann now, but Santos gets around behind her then they wind up chest to chest again. A takedown from Santos, some body and head blows from her will close the round.

SCORECARD: 10-9 Santos

ROUND TWO: McCann comes out hooking, Santos backs her off with a head kick. Leg kick from Santos. Knee to the body from Santos. More body kicks from Santos, they clinch up and hit the fence again. Santos with more knees to the body. McCann is trying for a high crotch now, but Santos defends. Knee from McCann, Santos with knees to the head and body in reply. Both women land punches as they separate, Santos lands a body kick and McCann gets a clinch. Body lock takedown from Santos and she’s in side control. Full mount for Santos now. Elbow from Santos. Santos with more elbows as McCann gets quarter guard. D’arce attempt by Santos now, she’s got the arms locked but the fence is helping McCann prevent it getting really tight. Santos bails on the choke and lands blows as McCann looks to wall walk. Another knee landed by Santos and another takedown as well. Full mount for Santos yet again and she lands elbows. McCann to a hip, getting quarter guard again, now half guard. Santos looks for more elbows as McCann gets full guard. More elbows from Santos close the round.

SCORECARD: 10-8 Santos but a marginal one, 20-17 Santos overall

ROUND THREE: McCann comes out swinging again, she knows she needs a finish. Santos lands a knee. Leg kick from Santos. More body kicks from Santos. McCann lands a bit of a left. There’s some swelling around the right eye of McCann. Santos keeps attacking the body at every opportunity. More Santos front kicks to the body. They trade rights, then a left from McCann. Santos after a takedown along the fence, she gets McCann down and lands in side control again. Punches from Santos, McCann tries to roll for a kneebar but winds up still on the bottom in side control. McCann gets to full guard, Santos stands over her and lands kicks to the legs. Another d’arce attempt from Santos, McCann is hand fighting but is now stuck on her knees. Santos circles to the back and lands blows as McCann moves to the fence for a wall walk. Full back mount for Santos now. Santos transitions to top position, nearly full mount. Now that’s full mount fo and she lands elbows and punches while McCann gives up her back again. McCann is going to see the final horn but she got wrecked down the stretch there.

SCORECARD: 10-9 Santos, 30-26 Santos overall

OFFICIAL RESULT: †WINNER – Taila Santos via unanimous decision (30-27 x3)

Surprised by the lack of 10-8’s in the second round, but she fought very well for the duration of that fight. Mic time for Santos after that one, she felt much better here than in her UFC debut and is glad to have put the jitters behind her. She puts over McCann to close her interview.

Jimmie Rivera has gone just 1-3 in his last four fights, a fact somewhat mitigated by those losses coming to the three best bantamweights in the world (Marlon Moraes, Aljamain Sterling, and new champion Petr Yan). Even the level of opposition argument will start to fall apart if he keeps losing though, and he’s in dire need of a win here. Cody Stamann has gone an impressive 5-1-1 in the UFC and scored a win in June, he’s looking for one of the bigger wins of his career over a former top contender in Rivera. The odds are close but favor Rivera at -120 to an even +100 comeback on Stamann.

Featherweight Bout: Jimmie Rivera (22-4, 145 lbs.) vs. Cody Stamann (19-2-1, 145 lbs.)

ROUND ONE: Stamann is two inches taller but Rivera has four inches of reach advantage. Both men feinting to start, then Rivera lands a hard inside leg kick. Stamann doing a lot of stance switching, every time he goes southpaw Rivera is hitting an inside leg kick so far. Rivera is backing up Stamann, the lands a body shot then a hook to the head. Inside leg kick from Rivera. Stamann lands a couple of lefts. Rivera lands a right to counter a leg kick and then gets Stamann down. Stamann wall walks after taking some knees to the thigh but is still in the clinch. They wrestle a bit, Stamann after a takedown along the fence now. Rivera is down to a knee now, Stamann to his back as they stand up. A few foot stomps from Stamann. The ref breaks them after they stall out. Leg kick from Rivera. Left hook from Rivera in close. Stamann blocks some punches, then Rivera lands another inside leg kick to close the round.

SCORECARD: 10-9 Rivera

ROUND TWO: Quick clinch, Stamann after the takedown and gets a mat return from the rear waist lock against the fence. Rivera wall walks almost immediately and Stamann holds the back. Rivera gets chest to chest and spins Stamann into the fence. Double leg from Rivera and he’s on the back now as Stamann tries to wall walk. Rivera lands lefts as Stamann regains his feet. Stamann gets Rivera on the fence again. Rivera gets free and they trade elbows on the break. Body shots from Rivera then a knee as well. Rivera lands an inside leg kick. Bit of a right from Stamann. Rivera is still kicking well, he’s trying to score consistently. Left hook from Rivera lands. Stamann lands a jab. Rivera with a head to body combination, Stamann lands a knee. A Rivera left hook closes the round.

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

ROUND THREE: Both men land lefts in close to start the round. Stamann avoids a few kicks but his offense has been really muted so far. Stamann ducks under a couple of punches and tries a takedown, they hit the fence though and wind up clinched. Some knees from Rivera and he gets a body lock. Rivera with more knees and they break. Right to the body from Rivera, bit of a counter left from Stamann. Calf kicks from Rivera both inside and outside. Rivera lands another couple of calf kicks. Stamann tries a single leg, Rivera defends and lands a couple of short uppercuts before they hit the fence. More short rights from Rivera, he’s got a standing guillotine going now as Stamann tries to level change. Stamann gets his head free on a single leg attempt but he’s still getting hit as Rivera spins free. Right from Rivera, Stamann with a one two. Body shots from Rivera then a calf kick. Both men miss punches. Rivera with another calf kick, and a left hook as the last blow of the round.

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

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

Rivera was just a little better everywhere than Stamann. Rivera gets an interview after that, he says he doesn’t feel all that good and isn’t happy with his performance since this fight came together on about 8 days. He says that winning is paramount but he’s a perfectionist then says he wants a rematch with Petr Yan. He says he can fight again in six weeks or so given how he feels right now and hopes that will also let him have a better performance. To close he mentions the UFC makeup person Suzy who’s fighting cancer and notes he’s linked her GoFundMe on his social media accounts.

Tim Elliott has gone just 1-3 in his last four and is on a three fight losing streak, he’s a very engaging fighter but even that is unlikely to save him from getting cut if he gets to four losses in a row here. Ryan Benoit has been trading wins and losses while going 3-4 in the UFC, he’s coming off of a loss and hoping that pattern holds long enough to get his record back to the .500 mark after this fight. Elliott is a slight -150 favorite to a +130 payout on Benoit.

Flyweight Bout: Ryan Benoit (10-6, 126 lbs.) vs. #13 Tim Elliott (15-11-1, 125 lbs.)

ROUND ONE: Elliott is two inches taller while Benoit has two and a half inches of reach on him. A lot of funky movement and stance switching from Elliott. Benoit opens southpaw but will do a bit of stance switching of his own. Elliott showing feints and long range attacks, he’s trying to look for a possible takedown entry more than trying to hurt his opponent yet. A lot of lead leg work from Elliott so far. Leg kick from Benoit. Head kick from Benoit lands and they clinch up but Benoit separates quickly. Benoit lands a right. Elliott back to front kicking the body. Another head kick from Benoit, partially blocked. Elliott forces a clinch, and lands an elbow as they break then lands a body kick. Benoit lands a couple of punches to the chest. Elliott showing the jab now, trying to keep things long. Benoit slams a left to the body then avoids a takedown attempt. Elliott ducks under a hook and gets a takedown but Benoit immediately scrambles and comes up on a single leg and forces a separation. Another single leg from Elliott, he gets on top this time and lands some hammer fists before the round ends.

SCORECARD: 10-9 Benoit but could go either way

ROUND TWO: Back to moving and picking from Elliott, Benoit lands a one two. Benoit lands a left body kick, then a right uppercut in close. Combination from Benoit, bit of a left from Elliott. Benoit avoids a takedown attempt and lands a right uppercut. Both men land in close then Benoit lands a straight right. Elliott coming forward, lands some punches and Benoit gets a double leg but Elliott grabs a guillotine. Elliott adjusts his grip and winds up sweeping into full mount. Benoit is trying to tie up Elliott, Elliott lands some body shots. Hip escape from Benoing and gets full guard. Benoit inverts for a kneebar, that’s tight and Elliott visibly grimaces but doesn’t tap. Elliott escapes and they wind up on the feet at distance again. Elliott is bleeding from around the left eye. Right then a left hook from Benoit. They trade in close, Elliott gets a single leg and they wind up tied up with Benoit technically having the back as the round ends.

SCORECARD: 10-9 Benoit but another close one, 20-18 Benoit overall

ROUND THREE: Benoit jabbing. Front kick from Elliott then a knee and elbows from a brief clinch. Benoit avoids a takedown but they tie up and both men unload in the clinch. Elliott moves around to the back in the clinch, lands knees as Benoit gets chest to chest. Power guillotine attempt from Elliott, that gets Benoit to separate and reset. Elliott jabbing, Benoit kicks his leg. Left hook from Benoit then a right hand. Elliott lands a right. They trade some jabs, then Elliott lands a front kick to the body. Benoit digs the body in close. Benoit lands a one two. Leg kick from Benoit. Elliott slips, but he’s back up and they trade lefts. Right from Benoit, and a left hook behind it. Benoit looks to unload, Elliott lands a punch to back him off. Elliott gets a clinch, Benoit lands to the body as they hit the fence. Both men land punches. Benoit flurries and lands a knee as the round ends.

SCORECARD: 10-9 Elliott, 29-28 Benoit overall but who knows

OFFICIAL RESULT: †WINNER – Tim Elliott via unanimous decision (29-28 x3)

No issues with Elliott getting the decision, fun little fight there. Mic time for Elliott, he feels great and feels he fights to the level of his opponent and thanks Benoit for being a good opponent. Asked a right hand issue in the third round he says his middle and ring finger on the right hand were possibly dislocated but feel good now. He mentions being worried about his normal takedown because Benoit had it scouted and thanks James Krause for getting him to have a jab that he leaned on for this fight. Asked about the future he puts over both of his camps and coaches and gives love to his daughter.

Calvin Kattar has gone 5-2 in the UFC and is coming off of a violent finish of Jeremy Stephens, and if he can best Ige tonight he could find himself very near the title picture. Dan Ige has gone 6-1 in the UFC and is on a six fight winning streak last scoring a big win over Edson Barboza, now he’s trying to take out another top featherweight and stake his own claim to a high profile next fight. Kattar is the -290 favorite to +245 for Ige.

Featherweight Bout: #6 Calvin Kattar (21-4, 146 lbs.) vs. #10 Dan Ige (14-2, 145 lbs.)

ROUND ONE: Kattar is four inches taller but has just an inch of reach advantage. Both men feinting with the hands early. Some jabs from Ige, just range finding right now. Bit of a left hook from Ige. Ige lands a right to the body. Kattar getting his reads, he’s a bit of a slow starter in that respect. Ige lands a leg kick. Kattar is backing Ige towards the fence. Both men still working jabs, Ige lands a right to the body but there’s a left hook from Kattar. Kattar lands a right hand and a left uppercut. Body shots from Ige, then he tries a double leg but Kattar sprawls free and winds up standing over him. Kattar lands to the body, and Ige stands back up and resumes circling. Front kick from Kattar, partially lands. Ige slips a jab and lands a right. They clash on lefts, Ige landed to the body. Kattar avoids a takedown and lands body shots as Ige is on his back. Body shots from Kattar as Ige stands, then Ige lands a body shot of his own. Kattar lands a side kick to the body. Ige counters a left hook with a straight right, Kattar just eats it. Jumping knee and a flurry of rights from Kattar close the round.

SCORECARD: 10-9 Kattar

ROUND TWO: Kattar backing Ige up again. Both men still working the lead hand a bit. Ige lands a left to the body then a left to the head. Kattar jabbing Ige back to the fence. One two from Kattar. Both men starting to show some stance switches now. They trade hooks, Kattar landed cleaner. Ige lands a right to the body but eats a counter left hook. Kattar took a left to the nose in that exchange and his nose is leaking already. Ige again lands a right to the body and a left hook to the head. Kattar lands a couple of jabs. Body shots from Ige. Combination from Kattar, Ige lands a left hook. They feint away the final seconds.

SCORECARD: 10-9 Ige, 19-19 overall

ROUND THREE: Kattar’s nose is almost certainly compromised if not broken. Both men showing the jab, Kattar lands a left to the body. Front kick from Kattar. Kattar lands a hard leg kick. Another left to the body in close from Kattar. Ige lands a calf kick. Left from Kattar and a right behind it. Ige digs to the body again and lands a left hook to the nose. Kattar with some jabs. Ige to the body again, he’s investing in that heavily. Kattar returns the body shots now. Glancing right from Kattar. Ige lands a right to the body. They trade inside leg kicks. Bit of a right from Ige. Kattar lands a combination. Ige falls a little short with a counter combination and eats a right. Kattar lands another leg kick. They trade in close again, and Kattar lands to the body as well. Inside leg kick from Kattar closes the round.

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

ROUND FOUR: Both men showing the lead hand again. Ige after a double leg, Kattar defends but eats a punch as they break. More jabs from Kattar, then a right hook. Jumping body kick from Kattar, Ige slips along the fence and Kattar gets on top of him with elbows to the head and body. Ige back up and separates quickly. More jabs from Kattar. Ige falls a little short with a superman punch. Overhand right from Ige is blocked. Stiff jab from Kattar, might have been more of an elbow. Bit of a right from Ige but his pace has slowed. Kattar lands a leg kick. Hard inside leg kick from Kattar. Ige lands a right. Kattar with some lefts and a right, he’s slowly but surely taking over the fight. Leg kick from Kattar. Kattar avoids a takedown and lands a right. A spinning back kick to the body from Kattar lands to close out the round.

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

ROUND FIVE: They touch gloves for the final round. Jabs from both men early. Kattar lands a left to the body. Ige lands a right. Pull back counter right from Kattar lands flush. Ige misses a wheel kick. More jabs from Kattar, Ige is visibly wearing those. Kattar blocks a right. Leg kick from Kattar. Both men land rights but Kattar is throwing in combination rather than single shots. Ige eats a leg kick, tries a takedown but Kattar defends. A couple of body shots land for Ige but his right eye is swelling visibly. Ige with a left to the body. Kattar gets a clinch and lands a knee to the body. More jabs from Kattar, Ige lands one of his own. Right to the body from Ige, Kattar lands a left hook. Kattar avoids a takedown attempt. Knee from Kattar, and another one then Ige falls down and Kattar tries to swarm him on the mat as the clock runs down.

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

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

Fun technical fight there. Ige gets the first interview, he puts over Kattar and notes that Kattar’s jab was killing him but he had fun testing himself against one of the best in the world and plans to grow from this. He feels his gas tank held up over five rounds but feels he just has to get some minor technical things better but plans to be back and winning soon.

Kattar next, he feels like he just went through a five round fight and puts over Ige but feels he’s a different breed of fighter. Asked about the nose he says he’ll take it holding up as well as it did, but also feels it’s nearly impossible to avoid damage fighting. Asked about the future he says everyone is calling out the champ so he’ll do the same.

That wraps up UFC on ESPN 13, thanks for being here everyone. Some good fights tonight, despite the late run time. I’ll be back on Saturday for Benavidez vs. Figueiredo on ESPN+ and until then stay safe out there and keep checking 411mania for all of your pop culture needs.

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