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411’s UFC on ESPN+ 76 Report: Spivac Mauls Lewis

February 5, 2023 | Posted by Robert Winfree
UFC on ESPN+ 76 Image Credit: UFC

MAIN CARD (ESPN+, 1 a.m. ET)
#7 Derrick Lewis (265 lbs.) vs. #12 Serghei Spivac (255.5 lbs.)
Devin Clark (204.5 lbs.) vs. Da-un Jung (205 lbs.)
#15 Blagoy Ivanov (256.5 lbs.) vs. #10 Marcin Tybura (253.5 lbs.)
Dooho Choi (145.5 lbs.) vs. Kyle Nelson (145.5 lbs.)
Adam Fugitt (170.5 lbs.) vs. Yusaku Kinoshita (170.5 lbs.)

PRELIMINARY CARD (ESPN+, 10 p.m. ET)
Anshul Jubli (155.5 lbs.) vs. Jeka Saragih (155 lbs.) – Road to UFC lightweight tournament final
Jeong Yeong Lee (145 lbs.) vs. Yi Zha (145.5 lbs.) – Road to UFC featherweight tournament final
Toshiomi Kazama (136 lbs.) vs. Rinya Nakamura (135 lbs.) – Road to UFC bantamweight tournament final
Seung Guk Choi (125.5 lbs.) vs. Sung Hyun Park (124.5 lbs.) – Road to UFC flyweight tournament final
Mandy Bohm (125.5 lbs.) vs. Ji Yeon Kim (125.5 lbs.)
Junyong Park (185.5 lbs.) vs. Denis Tiuliulin (186 lbs.)
Jesus Aguilar (125 lbs.) vs. Tatsuro Taira (125.5 lbs.)

Well hello everyone, and welcome to 411mania’s LIVE coverage of UFC on ESPN+ 76. I’m Robert Winfree and I’ll be your host for the evening/early morning. If you’re curious about the odd broadcast time, this was originally set to take place in Seoul, South Korea with a broadcast designed to help out that location but things got moved to the Apex and the UFC was stuck with the same time slot. There’s not a whole lot to get excited about on this card, our top three fights are all either heavyweight or light heavyweight but there are still a few gems. The Korean Super Boy is back in action for the first time in a few years, top flyweight prospect Tatsuro Taira kicks off the whole card, and we’ve got the finals of the Road to UFC tournament fights which could bring some heat. Mostly it’s a lot of hoping this is better in practice than on paper though.

UFC on ESPN+ 76 comes to the world from the UFC’s Apex facility in Las Vegas, Nevada, USA. There’s a little history being made on the broadcast side of things as Laura Sanko becomes the first woman to call a UFC event since Kathy Long at UFC 1 when she joins John Gooden and Michael Bisping. Sanko has been very good as a color commentator on the Contender Series and it’s nice to see her get this shot. Nevada uses a hybrid rule set, adopting most of the newest rules but you still only need one hand on the mat to be downed and we have full use of instant replay. Keep in mind the Apex also uses the smaller 25 foot diameter Ocatgon.

Part of our opening bit is the news that the fight between Ji Yeon Kim and Mandy Bohm is off due to medical issues with Bohm.

Tatsuro Taira is undefeated including two wins in the UFC which have seen him emerge as the next flyweight prospect, now he’s looking to begin the difficult transition from prospect to contender. Jesus Aguilar is on an eight fight winning streak including the win on the Contender Series that earned him his UFC contract, now he’s trying to pull a big upset and prove he’s the rising flyweight people should be watching. Taira is the biggest favorite on the card at a prohibitive -1250 to a +800 comeback on Aguilar.

Flyweight Bout: Jesus Aguilar (8-1, 125 lbs.) vs. Tatsuro Taira (12-0, 125.5 lbs.)

ROUND ONE: Taira is three inches taller with a significant seven and a half inches of reach advantage. They touch gloves to get us going. Aguilar lands a hard calf kick, then jumps on a guillotine as Taira gets a takedown but Taira lands in half guard on the safe side. Aguilar keeps adjusting but he can’t get his guard in play yet. Taira seems pretty calm down there at the moment. Aguilar loses the grip but keeps the head wrapped for a bit. Taira pulls his head out and starts going to work on top. Some short punches from Taira as he looks to pass. Taira moves to full mount and starts landing some elbows. Mounted triangle from Taira, he rolls to tighten it up and angles to really lock it down. Taira switches to a triangle armbar and makes Aguilar tap.

OFFICIAL RESULT: †WINNER – Tatsuro Taira via Verbal Submission, triangle armbar, at 4:20 of Round 1

The First round Finish Club thanks Mr. Taira for his work this evening. Mic time for Taira and his translator, he knew the guillotine was strong but he was able to get safe and let him burn his arms out a bit. He says his top game is strong enough to beat anyone and he plans on making a run to the top. To close he switches to English to thank the crowd.

Sadly this clip doesn’t include the mounted triangle attack, but this transition from Taira once he realizes the arm is in serious danger because of position and angle is really slick. Taira is the best Japanese prospect in the UFC right now.

Jun-Yong Park has a pretty solid UFC record of 5-2 only losing to Anthony Hernandez and Gregory Rodrigues, he’s on a two fight winning streak now and looks to extend that here. Denis Tiuliulin has gone 1-1 in the UFC but he’s coming off of a win and now looks to build his first UFC winning streak. The odds are with Park at -215 while the +185 on Tiuliulin might tempt a few bettors out there.

Middleweight Bout: Junyong Park (15-5, 185.5 lbs.) vs. Denis Tiuliulin (11-6, 186 lbs.)

ROUND ONE: Tiuliulin is three inches taller with four inches of reach advantage. They touch gloves to get us going. Both men probe with the jab, Tiuliulin is walking forward. Park lands a leg kick. Calf kick from Park, then Tiuliulin lands a left hook to the body. Some more calf kicks from Park, and both men keep splitting jabs. Tiuliulin’s right eye might be swelling up a bit, then he digs a left to the body. Park forces a clinch, hits the fence, and looks for an outside reap eventually getting Tiuliulin down into full mount. Tiuliulin looks to use the cage to bridge and move, Park threatens a guillotine for control purposes. Park is after the one armed guillotine but the fence isn’t letting him leverage properly. Tiuliulin tries to use the fence again, but this time Park turns him away from the cage. Some elbows from Park land and Tiuliulin is bleeding from the hair line. Park is postured up and lands some more elbows, these are nasty blows and Tiuliulin isn’t really doing the right things from under the bottom of mount. Tiuliulin gives up the back, Park grabs the choke and Tiuliulin goes to sleep.

OFFICIAL RESULT: †WINNER – Jun-Yong Park via Technical Submission, rear naked choke, at 4:05 of Round 1

The First Round Finish Club thanks Mr. Park for his work this evening. Mic time for Park and his translator, he says this was just like he practiced and puts over his team. He talks about always training his ground and pound and it’s paying off in the cage. Asked about the future he jokes about wanting to fight Michael Bisping.

Sadly no elbows in this clip, Paul Felder disapproves. That said the choke is still nice, those elbows had battered Tiuliulin and he gave up the back to avoid them, the follow up choke is pretty academic.

Seung-Guk Choi is on a five fight winning streak overall including his Road to UFC fights, now he’s looking to extend that streak and make a good first impression on the UFC audience. Hyun-Sung Park is undefeated and stopped both of his Road to UFC opponents in the first round, he’s looking to win this tournament and remain perfect to kick off his UFC run. The odds favor Park at -205 against +175 on Choi.

Flyweight Bout: Seung-Guk Choi (6-1, 125.5 lbs.) vs. Hyun-Sung Park (7-0, 124.5 lbs.)

ROUND ONE: Park is an inch taller with two inches of reach advantage. They touch gloves. Both men feint a bit, Choi doing a bit more moving. They both miss kicks. More kicks are missed. Park starts moving forward, lands an inside leg kick. Choi misses a right hand. A couple of leg kicks from Park, Choi shoves him over onto his back on the counter and postures over Park. They trade leg kicks while Choi tries to move beyond the legs of Park. The ref makes them reset on the feet after a bit and Park gets back to pressure. Some more inside and outside leg kicks from Park. Park lands a left hand. Choi lands a leg kick. Left from Choi lands on the counter. Bit of a front kick from Park. Park lands a calf kick, that’ll be the last blow of the round.

SCORECARD: 10-9 Park but could go either way, wasn’t a great round

ROUND TWO: They touch gloves again. Choi circles again, he avoids a left hand. Both men land rights. Calf kick from Choi. Park with a couple of leg kicks, he’s a touch predictable with that sequence but Choi isn’t countering. Left hand from Park then a calf kick. Choi catches a kick and lands a right hand, that staggers Park and Choi gets a takedown into full guard. Park fights for wrist control, he’s trying to work his guard while Choi lands a few punches. Wall walk from Park and he gets free of Choi. Some jabs from Park, he seems to have found his flow. One two from Park. Choi grabs a clinch, he forces things to the fence but Park slips free and lands a couple of punches. More jabs from Park, they’re starting to land, and he lands a calf kick as well. Choi is pulling that lead leg back at every show of a calf kick, Park could land a head kick if he’s dexterous enough to do the question mark kick. Choi lands a couple of punches. Park with another stiff jab. Choi with another clinch, Park puts him on the fence and they both miss punches then break. Park with another calf kick. A few more jabs from Park close the round.

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

ROUND THREE: Park gets back to forward pressure and working his jab. Choi avoids a few punches. Calf kick from Park but he misses the follow ups. Choi lands a calf kick. Single leg from Choi, Park defends and they wind up on the fence. They break and both miss strikes. Another single leg attempt from Choi, Park defends and gets things to the fence. Park moves to the back standing, hits a bit of a mat return then tries to take the back but loses position and Choi resumes fighting chest to chest. Hard knee to the body from Park, Choi didn’t like that and kind of sags down to his base. Park is on the back in the clinch, he’s after the back and forces things down to a knee and jumps to the backpack. Park goes for the choke, Choi sags to hand fight, Park attacks again with a different grip and Choi can’t get out this time and has to tap.

OFFICIAL RESULT: †WINNER – Hyun-Sung Park via Submission, rear naked choke, at 3:11 of Round 3

The Final Round Finish Club thanks Mr. Park for his work this evening, and is happy to finally be showing up in 2023. Mic time for Park and the translator, Bisping asks about having to comeback in the fight he says he’s a little jet lagged and is operating on 4 hours of sleep which he feels hurt his performance. He puts over Choi and only noticed late that Choi was getting tired and he could take advantage of that.

Toshiomi Kazama won his lone fight on the Road to UFC with the follow up bout being canceled, now he’s looking to win the tournament and get his first UFC win. Rinya Nakamura is undefeated and finished both of his Road to UFC fights in the first round, now he’s looking to keep that momentum going and announce his arrival in the UFC with a win. Nakamura is a heavy favorite at -475 to Kazama’s +380 underdog.

Bantamweight Bout: Toshiomi Kazama (10-2, 136 lbs.) vs. Rinya Nakamura (6-0, 135 lbs.)

ROUND ONE: These two are the same height while Kazama has half an inch of reach advantage. Southpaw for Nakamura. Kazama gets right after it, but Nakamura cracks him with a left hand. Kazama blocks a couple of head kicks but Nakamura drops him with a right hook. Nakamura is coming forward now, lands a few jabs and just looks to fight, he catches Kazama coming forward with a left hand that SLEEPS him and we’re done.

OFFICIAL RESULT: †WINNER – Rinya Nakamura via KO, punch, at :33 of Round 1

The First Round Finish Club thanks Mr. Nakamura for his work this evening. Mic time for Nakamura and the translator, he opens with English to thank his coaches and corner then everyone who’s helped him along his martial arts journey. His English isn’t too bad. He talks us through the finish and says he can’t remember anything as he was just inside himself very deeply but likes what he sees. To close he says he’s been dreaming about this moment for 15 years, and he wants to spread the news of Japanese MMA being good and jokes about wanting to spread the good news with Jiri Prochazka who’s in attendance.

Here’s a look at the finish. Nakamura came out like a bat out of hell and Kazama couldn’t deal with it. I don’t know how this same strategy will work against more talented fighters, but at a certain level sometimes just being on offense will carry you. The pull counter cross to finish things is nice work from Nakamura.

Jeong-Yeong Lee is on a six fight winning streak with four of those coming via first round finish including both of his Road to UFC fights, heck both of his Road to UFC fights lasted less than a minute. Lee is trying to extend that success and start his UFC career in similar fashion. Yi Zha is on a three fight winning streak including two Road to UFC fights, he’s likewise trying to make a good first impression on the UFC fans. Not too surprising to see Lee as the -230 favorite while the +195 payout on Zha might tempt a few gamblers.

Featherweight Bout: Jeong-Yeong Lee (9-1, 145 lbs.) vs. Yi Zha (22-3, 145.5 lbs.)

ROUND ONE: Lee has three inches of height and reach over Yi. Lee comes out aggressively and lands a right hand, Yi tries a takedown and gets a clinch on the fence. Some knees go back and forth in the clinch, Yi slips to the back but Lee is fishing for a kimura. Yi comes back around on a double leg, and finishes it. Lee looks to wall walk but Yi is attacking his posting limbs. Now Lee finishes the wall walk, Yi is on the back still though. Lee fights out of a takedown and gets Yi on the fence. Knee from Lee but Yi gets him on the fence. Yi is really after a takedown, he doesn’t want space between him and Lee. Lee lands a couple of short elbows. Yi lands an elbow of his own. Another elbow from Yi, then he ducks under a punch and tries a single leg though Lee defends and punches him back resulting in a break. Uppercut from Yi, that’s the last blow of the round.

SCORECARD: 10-9 Yi

ROUND TWO: Lee gets back on pressure, a little less reckless this time though. A few punches from Lee land. They trade rights. Yi tries a takedown, and settles for a clinch on the fence. Yi gets the double leg, jumps to the back but can’t keep it as Lee wall walks into the clinch. Lee stuns Yi with an elbow as they break. Hard right hand from Yi, but Lee just eats it. Another clinch hits the fence. Bit of an elbow from Yi, Lee responds in kind. Hard knee from Lee as they break. Bit of a jab from Lee, both men seem to be slowing down. Lee with a right hand. Both men miss power hand punches, Yi has started switching his stance just a bit. Left uppercut from Lee stuns Yi. Yi tries a takedown, poorly set up and Lee defends with relative ease. Another left from Lee. Takedown from Yi in the open and he lands in the full guard. Yi lands an elbow. Lee looks to kick off but one of the feet went into Yi’s face so we get a break for the illegal up kick. Yi is good and we’re back to fighting, wasn’t a bad kick from Lee. Lee lands a knee then a left. Yi tries a takedown, Lee defends and pushes Yi into the fence before landing a left hand. Lee avoids a right hand, and lands a stiff jab to close the round.

SCORECARD: 10-9 Lee, 19-19 overall

ROUND THREE: They touch gloves for the final round. Lee pressures forward lands an uppercut and a left hook. Right hand from Lee. Yi lands a body kick. Bit of a right from Lee to counter a kick. Yi lands a right hand. They trade in close, then Yi tries a takedown but Lee defends with a guillotine threat and they settle for a clinch before Lee spins free. Another clinch from Yi on the fence. Lee defends a single leg, then they break. Right hand from Lee staggers Yi, then another one prompts Yi to wrestle and force things to the fence. Yi jumps for the back, Lee slings him over the top and grabs an armbar attack. Lee goes belly down to continue the attack, but loses it as he never gets a leg across the head and Yi gets free. Yi lands a punch then moves to the ride as Lee wall walks. Both men are very tired here, Yi hits a double leg and Lee sits on the fence. Bit of an elbow from Yi. The ref wants work, and Lee is able to wall walk and get free. Lee lands a few jabs. Yi tries a takedown, he’s able to finish it against the fence and he sits on the ankle of Lee. Lee wall walks and they end the round in the clinch.

SCORECARD: 10-9 Lee but a close one, we might have a fourth round here as all tournament fights could get one, 29-28 Lee overall

OFFICIAL RESULT: †WINNER – Jeong-Yeong Lee via split decision (27-30, 29-28 x2)

That 30-27 is bogus, Lee clearly had the second but the third could have gone either way. Mic time for Lee who speaks a bit of English to call out Dan Ige, Max Holloway, and a few other top names. He switches to Korean after that and says he came into this fight with a torn ACL and now has to focus on healing.

Jeka Saragih is on a five fight winning streak with four of those being finishes, now he’s looking to get his UFC career started in similar fashion with a win in the Road to UFC finals. In a little bit of trivia, Saragih is the first Indonesian fighter to compete in the UFC, so cross another country off of the list. Anshul Jubli is undefeated coming into his UFC debut, he scored a split decision in his lone fight on the Road to UFC but a win here in his debut would start his UFC career off on the right foot. Another slightly odd bit of trivia, Jubli is the first Indian to make his way to the UFC as while Arjan Bhullar is of Indian descent he was born and raised in Canada. This is the closest Road to UFC finals according to the odds which favor Saragih at -125 to +105 for Jubli.

Lightweight Bout: Anshul Jubli (6-0, 155.5 lbs.) vs. Jeka Saragih (13-2, 155 lbs.)

ROUND ONE: Jubli is four inches taller but the reach is identical. Saragih opens with some nice leg kicks while backing up, aiming inside and outside. A few more calf kicks, then Jubli lands a right hand and forces a clinch on the fence. Jubli hits a single leg into full guard. They trade some strikes on the mat. Some elbows from Saragih. Jubli isn’t doing much on top, OK he lands a right hand. Saragih fires a few more elbows. Jubli lands a right hand. Finally Jubli is able to pass to side control, then quickly into full mount. Jubli attacks an arm triangle, it’s right but Saragih is able to bridge and scramble free then reset. Saragih lands a couple of more calf kicks, those can’t feel good. Jubli misses a few punches, he doesn’t look very spry at the moment. Saragih misses a spinning back fist as they break. Leg kick from Saragih closes the round.

SCORECARD: 10-9 Jubli but there’s an argument the other way

ROUND TWO: Saragih lands a head kick right away, but Jubli gets a clinch off of it and then gets a foot sweep into top position. Jubli ate a ton of that head kick but went through it. Jubli moves to the ride position as Saragih looks to wall walk, Jubli gets one hook in and lands some right hands. Both hooks in now for Jubli, he’s able to flatten out Saragih and starts landing punches. Saragih gives up mount and Jubli gets a gift wrap grip and lands punches to the head then some elbows. Full mount for Jubli now, Saragih is not doing much here and he gives up the back again. Jubli just rides Saragih here and finds places to sneak in some punches. Elbows from Jubli and Saragih is just kind of done, Jubli keeps landing until the ref steps in.

OFFICIAL RESULT: †WINNER – Anshul Jubli via TKO, punches and elbows, at 3:44 of Round 2

Mic time for Jubli, he claims India is here in the UFC and Captain India is here. He plans on going all the way to the top. He says the game plan was distance then takedowns and he proved that Indian fighters deserve to be in the UFC. Asked about being the second Indian fighter ever, depends on how you feel about Bhullar as I mentioned above, but he feels proud to represent his country and will make his people proud.

Well that’s it for prelims, though we’re still on ESPN+ for the main card.

Yusaku Kinoshita brings a two fight winning streak including a Contender Series win into his UFC debut, he’s never seen the judges and his lone loss is a Disqualification and now he’s looking to keep that finish streak alive in his UFC debut. Adam Fugitt lost his UFC debut in July of last year and now looks to bounce back by avoiding his first ever losing streak. The odds are with Kinoshita at a rather heavy -350 while the +290 comeback on Fugitt might be a tempting value bet.

Welterweight Bout: Adam Fugitt (8-3, 170.5 lbs.) vs. Yusaku Kinoshita (6-1, 170.5 lbs.)

ROUND ONE: Fugitt is an inch taller, has five and a half inches of reach advantage, and is 12 years younger. They touch gloves, both men fighting southpaw. Fugitt comes out kicking, Kinoshita fires a head kick of his own. Leg kick from Kinoshita. Fugitt lands a leg kick of his own. Right hand from Kinoshita but they wind up clinched, then break pretty quickly. Kinoshita catches a kick and lands a few punches. They trade rights. Calf kick from Kinoshita. Head kick from Kinoshita then a right hand, but Fugitt just eats it and gets a takedown then moves to the ride position. Kinoshita wall walks, then Fugitt lands an elbow and tries another takedown, it takes a second or two but he’s able to get it. Another wall walk from Kinoshita, Fugitt is on his back in the clinch. Fugitt lands a knee to the head. Another knee from Fugitt lands. Mat return from Fugitt, Kinoshita wall walks right away and they break. Some jabs are traded as Kinoshita keeps stalking forward. Some lefts from Kinoshita, then Fugitt lands a left hand that drops Kinoshita and a right hook as he stands, Fugitt looks to unload but winds up just clinching. Fugitt with a takedown into the ride position and lands some punches. Fugitt is out wrestling Kinoshita here and lands some punches as he gets the back. Elbows from Fugitt, he’s unloading and Kinoshita can’t address the position or defend himself beyond covering up and the ref has to step in.

OFFICIAL RESULT: †WINNER – Adam Fugitt via TKO, elbows, at 4:36 of Round 1

The First Round Finish Club thanks Mr. Fugitt for his work this evening. Mic time for Fugitt after the win, he’s happier with this performance than his UFC debut and got to show off his violent side a bit tonight. Asked about the head kick he ate he says he’ll have to rewatch things as he doesn’t remember it but hopes it didn’t look too bad. He talks us through the finish and notes that refs don’t like watching people eat elbows.

Here’s the finish, Fugitt had positional dominance pretty much anytime they hit the mat and at the end was able to really balance and posture up then unload with elbows from hell. Nice stuff from Fugitt.

Doo-ho Choi has a hard earned reputation for action fights but he’s been out of action since losing a third fight in a row back in December of 2019, now he’s back and looking for his first win since he knocked out Thiago Tavares way back in 2016. Kyle Nelson has gone 1-4 in the UFC, he’s on a two fight losing streak and badly needs a win for the sake of his career. In fact Nelson’s entire UFC career has taken place after Choi’s last win if you enjoy little trivia nuggets like that. Choi is your favorite at -195 to +165 for Nelson.

Featherweight Bout: Dooho Choi (14-4, 145.5 lbs.) vs. Kyle Nelson (13-5, 145.5 lbs.)

ROUND ONE: Nelson has an inch of height and reach over Choi. They touch gloves to get us going. Both men with some feinting, then Choi lands a calf kick. Another calf kick from Choi. Choi keeps landing calf kicks, then tries a front kick which Nelson catches and forces a clinch then hits a takedown. Nelson looks to mount the legs as Choi sits against the fence. Choi is looking to wall walk but Nelson is keeping a grip around the legs. Nelson moves to the ride position as Choi gets to his base and looks to stand. Nelson transitions from a power nelson stack to a rear naked choke attack but Choi scrambles, gets on top and grabs a mounted crucifix. Choi can’t keep the crucifix but he’s got side control. Some short punches from Choi as Nelson looks to get his legs in play. Nelson keeps reaching for the half guard with his legs, he finally gets it but he’s still stuck on his back. Choi lands a few body punches. Nelson gets full guard as Choi lands a few elbows. They’ll end the round with Choi landing a right hand.

SCORECARD: 10-9 Choi but could go either way

ROUND TWO: They touch gloves for the second round. Choi returns to kicking the legs and body. Nelson lands a body kick, then eats a calf kick. Choi lands a few jabs. A right from Nelson staggers Choi then he fires a knee but can’t keep a clinch. Choi lands another leg kick. Nelson lands an elbow in close. Bit of a right from Choi. Nelson lands a leg kick. Choi lands another calf kick then they trade rights. Nelson tries a double leg, Choi sprawls then moves to the ride position for a few punches before getting up. I think Nelson is cut on the forehead as they move into a clinch. Choi lands a right hand as they break. Choi tries another calf kick, this one is mostly checked. Nelson misses a right hand, he might be slowing down as he’s usually struggled with the cardio. Choi lands another calf kick, then another one. Body kick from Nelson but that left leg of his is getting chewed up. Choi kicks the calf again, that one hurt visibly. Right hand lands for Choi. Nelson misses a right hand and Choi lands a left to the body. They trade calf kicks. Choi jabs the body, then Nelson lands a body kick. Right hand from Choi, Nelson partially rolled with it. Choi lands a hard calf kick. A final calf kick from Choi closes the round.

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

ROUND THREE: Choi comes out and lands a few hard punches to the body, Nelson tries a takedown and moves to the back standing. Nelson looks to transition to a double leg, he gets Choi to his knees against the fence and moves to the back standing as Choi regains his feet. Choi is fighting the grip, but Nelson is able to transition to a double leg and hit it. Choi looks to wall walk right away, Nelson is just holding on and if they separate he’s going to look like death. Nelson looks for some control but Choi sneaks in elbows while working to wall walk. Choi is up, and Nelson winds up just pulling guard to keep the fight close. We get a time out, the ref claims there was a headbutt from Choi as he was looking to land strikes, replay confirms there was a clash of heads while they were fighting over wrist control positions, can’t say if it was deliberate but definitely happened. The ref calls it intentional and takes a point from Choi for the headbutt. Wow. They restart on the feet, and Choi apologizes. Choi lands a calf kick. Bit of a right hand from Choi, and Nelson tries a takedown that stalls out on the fence. Choi defends a single leg and lands punches. Nelson is just holding on as Choi elbows the body while Nelson is holding the leg. More body shots from Choi, he’s unloading with these and elbows as Nelson holds on as the round ends.

SCORECARD: 9-9 Choi after the point deduction, 29-27 Choi overall

OFFICIAL RESULT: †WINNER – Majority DRAW (29-27 Choi, 28-28 x2)

I can see Nelson winning the first, frankly I don’t even disagree with the point deduction, it’s just unfortunate overall.

Marcin Tybura has gone 6-1 in his last seven fights and was last seen handing Alexander Romanov his first loss, now Tybura looks to defend his top ranking and keep his career plugging along. Blagoy Ivanov has gone 1-2 in his last three fights but he’s coming off of a win and could get his second UFC winning streak up and running here. The odds lean towards Tybura at -135 to Ivanov’s +115.

Heavyweight Bout: #15 Blagoy Ivanov (19-4 1 NC, 256.5 lbs.) vs. #10 Marcin Tybura (23-7, 253.5 lbs.)

ROUND ONE: Tybura is four inches taller with a notable five inches of reach advantage. They touch gloves to get us going, both men fighting southpaw. Tybura starts switching his stance as Ivanov circles. Bit of a body kick from Tybura. Leg kick from Tybura. Ivanov avoids a few punches. Body kick from Tybura lands and he avoids a clinch. Ivanov starts pressuring forward, and blocks a right hand. Front kick from Tybura. Bit of a left from Tybura. Ivanov lands a left hand. Some rights from Tybura, Ivanov counters with a left. Uppercut and a right hand from Ivanov, he’s got deceptively fast hands. Tybura lands a leg kick. A right from Tyubra staggers Ivanov, but Ivanov is still able to fire back and get Tybura to reset. Ivanov blocks a high kick. Bit of a right hook from Ivanov then Tybura lands a body kick to close the round.

SCORECARD: 10-9 Tybura but could go either way

ROUND TWO: Tybura starts pressuring forward this round. Ivanov lands a left hand, then Tybura counters with a right hook in close. Long jab from Tybura. Bit of a right from Tybura. Ivanov misses a few counters. A few jabs from Tybura land. Bit of a right from Ivanov in close. Tybura lands a front kick. Body kick from Tybura, Ivanov with a counter left. Ivanov lands a right to the body. Body kick from Tybura strays into the groin of Ivanov so we’ve got a time out. Ivanov takes a little over 20 seconds then we’re back to fighting. Tybura avoids a left hand and lands a counter right. Short right from Tybura and Ivanov misses his counters. Ivanov does land a left hand in close. Tybura keeps going to a front kick but Ivanov’s stance is deflecting it and not allowing Tybura to really dig in and push him back with it. Body kick from Tybura, Ivanov fires some counters. Both men land punches in close, Ivanov is a tank who just absorbs and fires back every time. Tybura with a calf kick. Neither man land in close. Ivanov lands a left to the body, Tybura responds with a body kick. Another body shot from Ivanov. Tybura closes the round with a front kick.

SCORECARD: 10-9 Tybura but again there’s an argument for Ivanov, 20-18 Tybura overall

ROUND THREE: Tybura forces a clinch right away and rides Ivanov to his knees against the fence. Tybura moves to the ride position and lands some punches. Ivanov looks to wall walk but Tyubra is a large man and works to keep him down. Tybura gets Ivanov’s hips to the mat now and lands short rights before taking the back fully. Ivanov keeps moving and breaks the hooks but Tybura is on his hip and still working to control and land some punches. Tybura keeps working from the ride, he’s landing lefts when he gets the chance while Ivanov is struggling to wall walk. Again Tybura gets the back, Ivanov rolls and breaks them but can’t get free. Tybura keeps working from the ride, he gets both hooks in again and lands a few short punches. Ivanov is able to get towards a seated position, Tybura retains control and lands punches. The round ends as Ivanov wall walks but can’t get free.

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

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

Mic time for Tybura, he thought Ivanov would be harder to take down but he saw Ivanov getting tired and went for it after his coaches told him to do so. Asked what he wants next as he’s on a good streak, he knows he’s not fighting for the belt next but does mention maybe rebooking his fight with Jairzinho Rozenstruik.

Da-Woon Jung just had his first UFC loss when he got knocked out by Dustin Jacoby, but now he’s looking to rebound with a win while avoiding his first losing streak since 2015. Devin Clark has gone 1-3 in his last four fights, he’s coming off of a loss and is trying to avoid another losing streak. Jung is your -275 favorite against +230 on Clark.

Light Heavyweight Bout: Devin Clark (13-7, 204.5 lbs.) vs. Da-Woon Jung (15-3-1, 205 lbs.)

ROUND ONE: Jung is four inches taller with three and a half inches of reach advantage. Clark throws a right hand and forces a clinch on the fence. Some knees to the leg from Clark as they fight for position. Jung is building a frame across the neck to try and build space. Some knees from Jung then he gets Clark on the fence. Jung gets a takedown, looks for the back but has to settle for the back in the clinch as Clark stands. Jung keeps looking to mat return Clark, Clark is kind of fighting those off but he can’t get Jung off of him. They finally get chest to chest and Jung lands a hard elbow. Another elbow from Jung, then Clark fires a head kick as they break. Clark lands a calf kick. Jung lands a right hand, Clark tries a takedown but Jung is able to immediately bounce up against the fence. Some knees from Jung, then he misses an elbow on the break. Bit of a right from Jung, Clark has gone southpaw and lands a left hand then tries a takedown but again Jung is a brick wall and pushes him into the cage. Jung tries a takedown but Clark stifles him and gets on top in half guard. Some punches from Clark, Jung builds back to his knees as the round ends.

SCORECARD: 10-9 Jung but a close one

ROUND TWO: Jung comes out looking to kick, Clark tries a takedown and he’s able to get it near the fence. Clark looks to scoop the feet but Jung hits a switch and scrambles up into a clinch on the back. Jung lands a knee to the head, Clark with a duck through and they get chest to chest. A few short punches from Jung as Clark keeps up the clinch. Elbow from Jung as they break. Clark is moving well enough, he fires a head kick that’s blocked. Bit of a right from Clark, who has begun switching his stance. Jung stalks forward and avoids a head kick. Right from Jung. They clinch up then break. Clark tries a takedown, that stalls out on the fence. Jung lands some knees to the body in the clinch as they jockey for position. Elbow from Jung lands. Some shoulder blows from Clark. They end the round in the clinch.

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

ROUND THREE: Clark lands an inside leg kick. Jung starts showing the jab as he’s backing up Clark. Clark tries a takedown, Jung stops him and they resume clinching. They break and Clark lands a left hand. Jung blocks a takedown. Clark lands a jab. Jabs from Jung now. Jung blocks a takedown and hits an outside trip from the clinch to land on top in half guard. Von Flue choke attack from Jung, Clark is able to get his arm out from around the head but Jung is still going for an arm triangle. Some punches from Jung, but Clark scrambles free and gets the back standing. Jung fights to stay upright, then spins into Clark. Clark pulls free, and Jung lands a right hand. Jung blocks a head kick, then stops a takedown attempt and pushes Clark into the fence again. Some knees go back and forth, Clark lands an elbow. Jung lands a knee to the head then they break. Right hand from Jung. They clinch again and Jung lands a spinning elbow but Clark fires back with a left hand and they clinch. Some knees are traded in the clinch, then they trade in close after a break and Clark hits a final takedown to end the round.

SCORECARD: 10-9 Clark as he landed a hard punch at the end there, but a third close round, 29-28 Clark overall

OFFICIAL RESULT: †WINNER – Devin Clark via unanimous decision (30-27 x3)

Feels like control got more weight than it should have there, I figured Jung would get a round at some point. Mic time for Clark, who won because his wife said he could only get a puppy if he won and he wants a golden retriever. He puts over Jung as a tough opponent who stopped almost everything he was trying to do. To close he thanks the fans.

Derrick Lewis has gone just 1-3 in his last four fights and he’s been stopped in all three of those losses, now he’s trying to halt his current two fight skid and defend his ranking. Serghei Spivac has gone 5-1 in his last six fights with both wins on his current winning streak being stoppages, now he’s after his biggest win to date against longtime contender Lewis. The odds are solidly with Spivac at -275 while the +230 payout on Lewis might tempt some bettors given the volatility around Lewis fights.

Heavyweight Bout: #7 Derrick Lewis (26-10 1 NC, 265 lbs.) vs. #12 Serghei Spivac (15-3, 255.5 lbs.)

ROUND ONE: These two are the same height, Lewis has an inch of reach advantage but he’s also 9 years older. They touch gloves to get us going. Spivac shows the jab then avoids a few counters. Some more jabs from Spivac, he’s just measuring Lewis right now. Lewis misses a left hook and they tie up then Spivac hits a hip toss into the scarf hold position. Spivac bails on that for traditional side control and lands a left hand. Lewis tries to stand, Spivac moves to the ride and lands punches then moves to full mount and unloads with punches and hammer fists. Spivac is riding Lewis as Lewis moves around and landing punches when he can, but Lewis stands only to get slammed back down. Again Lewis stands but Spivac rides him back down and resumes landing punches. Lewis stands again, Spivac is on his back in the clinch and drags Lewis back down to land more punches. This cycle from Spivac is brutal and relentless, he’s returning Lewis over and over, making him stand and eat punches along the way. Lewis rolls on the mat, Spivac grabs an arm triangle and Lewis has to tap. That was shockingly one sided.

OFFICIAL RESULT: †WINNER – Serghei Spivac via Submission, arm triangle choke, at 3:05 of Round 1

The First Round Finish Club thanks Mr. Spivac for his work this evening. Mic time for Spivac and the translator though Spivac does speak English though doesn’t understand it well, he puts over Lewis as a two time title challenger and says he’s a legend. He calls for a top five opponent, Bisping wants a name but Spivac says it’s not like him calling out Jon Jones or Ciryl Gane will get him that fight, but when Bisping presses the issue he shrugs and says Jon Jones. Next he calls for a bonus which continues to elude him. Asked about the apparent ease of the fight he just puts over his training, partners, and coaches for getting him ready.

Here’s the very end of the fight, this was a mauling from start to finish and Lewis officially landed no strikes.

Well on that note UFC on ESPN+ 76 comes to a close. We’ll break down all the action from this card on the 411 Ground and Pound MMA Podcast plus look ahead to UFC 284 when we get the two best pound for pound fighters in the sport going at it with Islam Makhachev vs. Alexander Volkanovski. I’ll be back here for that event next week 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.

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