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Join 411’s Live UFC 281 Coverage

November 12, 2022 | Posted by Robert Winfree
UFC 281 Image Credit: UFC

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MAIN CARD (Pay-per-view, 10 p.m. ET)
Champ Israel Adesanya (185 lbs.) vs. #4 Alex Pereira (184.6 lbs.) – for middleweight title
Champ Carla Esparza (114.8 lbs.) vs. #2 Zhang Weili (114.8 lbs.) – for women’s strawweight title
#5 Michael Chandler (155.8 lbs.) vs. #2 Dustin Poirier (156 lbs.)
#12 Frankie Edgar (135.6 lbs.) vs. Chris Gutierrez (136 lbs.)
#12 Dan Hooker (155.8 lbs.) vs. Claudio Puelles (155.2 lbs.)

PRELIMINARY CARD (ESPNews/ESPN+, 8 p.m. ET)
Renato Moicano (155.8 lbs.) vs. Brad Riddell (155.6 lbs.)
#7 Dominick Reyes (205.4 lbs.) vs. #12 Ryan Spann (206.6 lbs.)*
#12 Erin Blanchfield (125 lbs.) vs. #15 Molly McCann (125.4 lbs.)
Andre Petroski (185.8) vs. Wellington Turman (185.2)

PRELIMINARY CARD (ESPNews/ESPN+, 6 p.m. ET)
Ottman Azaitar (155.6 lbs.) vs. Matt Frevola (154.8 lbs.)
Silvana Gomez Juarez (115.6 lbs.) vs. Karolina Kowalkiewicz (115.6 lbs.)
Seungwoo Choi (145.6 lbs.) vs. Michael Trizano (147.6 lbs.)*
Julio Arce (135.8 lbs.) vs. Montel Jackson (135.8 lbs.)
Nicolae Negumereanu (206 lbs.) vs. Carlos Ulberg (205.2 lbs.)

Hello everyone and welcome to 411mania’s LIVE coverage of UFC 281. I’m Robert Winfree and I’ll be your host for the evening, relaying all of the action just as I see it. After a couple of very uninspiring Fight Night events we’re back on PPV with a pretty stacked card as the UFC returns to Madison Square Garden. We’ve got two title fights and a sure fire fireworks featured bout, plus the final fight of a true legend of the fight game. In your main event UFC middleweight champion Israel Adesanya tries for his sixth title defense when he faces down his old kickboxing rival Alex Pereira. The co-main event is for the strawweight title when newly crowned champion Carla Esparza tries for her first ever successful title defense when she faces former champion Zhang Weili. We’ve also got a lightweight fight between Dustin Poirier and Michael Chandler, and frankly if I have to try and sell you on that fight beyond mentioning it’s happening I don’t know what to tell you. Former lightweight champion and two time featherweight title challenger Frankie Edgar has announced this will be his final fight, and he’ll be trying to go out on a win in this famous venue. Elsewhere on the card Renato Moicaion and Brad Riddell has serious violence potential, Dominick Reyes desperately tries to right the ship of his career against Ryan Spann, and rising contender Erin Blanchfield looks to take another step towards the top of the division when she battles Molly McCann. It’s a really strong card all around.

UFC 281 comes to the world from Madison Square Garden in New York City, New York, USA. Jon Anik, Joe Rogan, and Daniel Cormier will be calling the action with Megan Olivi as the roving reporter. As for the rules New York has adopted the newer set of rules so you need weight bearing palms or fists on the mat to be downed, and I’m not sure about instant replay but I imagine if it’s available it’ll only be used for fight ending sequences. We’re also in the usual 30 foot Octagon set up instead of the 25 footer installed at the Apex.

Carlos Ulberg has gone 2-1 in the UFC but he’s on a two fight winning streak and looks to further find his footing and build upward momentum with a third consecutive win here. Nicolae Negumereanu has gone 4-1 in the UFC and is on a four fight winning streak, he’s likewise trying to move towards contender status with an impressive fifth win in a row. Ulberg is a slight -130 favorite against +110 for Netumereanu.

Light Heavyweight Bout: Nicolae Negumereanu (13-1, 206 lbs.) vs. Carlos Ulberg (5-1, 205.2 lbs.)

ROUND ONE: Ulberg is four inches taller while Negumereanu has an inch of reach advantage. Both men come out probing with kicks. The “woo’s” are already going, God help us. A lot of circling from Ulberg, both men flashing the lead hand but neither man is doing much. Bit of a jab from Ulberg then a solid calf kick. Negumereanu makes fun of the circling of Ulberg. Some jabs from Ulberg as he circles, he’s picking up the output just a little now that he’s got more of a read on Negumereanu. Solid calf kick from Ulberg, those are already adding up and Negumereanu starts trying to force the issue. Negumereanu misses a right hand. A bit of stance switching from Negumereanu now, that left leg is in more trouble than I thought based on how he’s moving now. Bit of a right from Ulberg in close. A hard left hook from Ulberg drops Negumereanu, then he follows up to face plant him as he was trying to get up.

OFFICIAL RESULT: †WINNER – Carlos Ulberg via KO, punches, at 3:44 of Round 1

The First Round Finish Club thanks Mr. Ulberg for his work this evening. Mic time for Ulberg, he plays with the crowd then says he just does what he does and trusts God to take care of the rest.

Hooking off of the jab is valuable skill to have, Ulberg demonstrates the benefits here. Brutal follow up too.

Julio Arce has traded wins and losses while going 3-3 in his last six fights, he’s coming off of a win though and now looks for his first winning streak since 2018. Montel Jackson has gone 5-2 in the UFC and is on a two fight winning streak right now, he’s trying to build his second three fight winning streak in the UFC and begin transitioning towards being a contender instead of just a prospect. Jackson is the -200 favorite to a +170 comeback for Arce.

Bantamweight Bout: Julio Arce (18-5, 135.8 lbs.) vs. Montel Jackson (11-2, 135.8 lbs.)

ROUND ONE: Jackson is three inches taller with a notable five and a half inches of reach advantage. They touch gloves to get us going, both men fighting southpaw. Jackson shoots a single leg and they wind up clinched on the fence. A few knees from Jackson to the body and thigh. Things are stalling out a bit as Arce avoids a body lock attack and the ref eventually breaks them up. Jackson parries some jabs. Arce lands a jab. Jackson misses a one two. Arce is backing Jackson up and they split a few jabs. Bit of a left from Arce, Jackson lands a couple of counters though. Jackson lands a right hook. They tie up and hit the fence, then Arce hits a body lock takedown just as the round ends.

SCORECARD: 10-9 Jackson

ROUND TWO: Both men come out jabbing to start the second round. Jackson lands a calf kick. Bit of a right hook from Jackson but he misses the follow up left. Arce lands an inside leg kick. A lot of pressure now from Arce, he lands a glancing left hand. They trade right hooks. Another right from Jackson in close. Arce has some punches blocked then eats a counter right hand. Stiff jab from Jackson. A few jabs go back and forth but Arce is still coming forward. Bit of a left from Arce. Arce lands a left to the body, then Jackson tries a takedown and they hit the fence. Jackson slips behind in the clinch and starts working knees to the leg. Arce gets back chest to chest and they end the round in the clinch.

SCORECARD: 10-9 Jackson but both rounds have been very close, 20-18 Jackson overall

ROUND THREE: Arce gets back on offense, and Jackson lands a right hook. Arce is off balanced by a jab and Jackson gets on top and lands some hammer fists. Jackson has Arce stacked up and lands a couple of punches. Arce is trying to get his guard working, he’s not really finding attacks but he’s disrupting Jackson pretty consistently. Arce is able to kick Jackson off and they reset on the feet. The left eye of Arce is swelling up, but it’s unlikely to cause a stoppage unless it gets really bad in a hurry. Some jabs go back and forth then Jackson avoids a combination. Bit of a right hook from Jackson. Jackson lands a right hook. Bit of a one two from Jackson. Arce misses a few wide punches. Arce punches into a clinch and they hit the fence. Jackson has Arce on the cage and they trade punches then break. Jackson with a one two then avoids an overhand left from Arce to end the round.

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

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

Mic time for Jackson after the win, he mentions Arce having a lot of head movement and he wrestled to settle him down then thanks some sponsors. He knew he’d hurt Arce in the third but as soon as they were on the mat he could tell Arce was looking to attack with submissions so he remained calm and took his time down there.

Michael Trizano has gone 3-3 in the UFC but he’s on a two fight losing streak in addition to missing weight for this fight, he needs a win pretty badly to smooth things over given those factors. Seung-woo Choi has gone 3-4 in the UFC and is on a two fight losing streak, he could use the win here just to get his UFC record back to the .500 mark. The odds are with Choi at -175 to a +150 comeback on Trizano.

Featherweight Bout: Seungwoo Choi (10-5, 145.6 lbs.) vs. Michael Trizano (9-3, 147.6 lbs.)

ROUND ONE: Choi is an inch taller and has three and a half inches of reach advantage. They touch gloves to get us going. Choi probes with some kicks and jabs early. They both land left hooks and both men drop but bounce up. Choi lands a couple of more left hooks but Trizano is marching forward. Bit of a combination from Choi, Trizano lands a left hook to counter. Trizano avoids a left hook and crushes Choi with a left of his own that drops him. Choi fights off of his back and they trade knees in the clinch then Choi lands an elbow. Right from Trizano, then Choi lands a left hook to counter. Choi is getting a little predictable with that left hook and Trizano has a decent read on it. They trade lefts again. Choi lands a right hand in close then misses a head kick. Trizano lands a right hand in close. Trizano lands a jab. Bit of a body kick from Choi, Trizano lands a jab to counter. Choi staggers Trizano with a left hook and starts to chase him down, both men swing punches as they move around then Choi ties up. Elbow from Choi as they break the clinch. Jab from Trizano, Choi counters with a right hand. Choi lands a glancing left hook. Trizano lands a right hand. Bit of a front kick from Trizano. Trizano avoids a hook and floors Choi with a left hook, this time he gets on top as Choi just kind of turtles up and he’s able to get the stoppage with just seconds left in the fight.

OFFICIAL RESULT: †WINNER – Michael Trizano via TKO, punches, at 4:51 of Round 1

The First Round Finish Club thanks Mr. Trizano for his work this evening. Trizano gets an interview after that wild round of fighting, he says he wasn’t going to be denied this week and calls out the production for taking away his American flag hat which he usually wears on walk outs. He says he came to win, references that he’s about to become a father in a couple of months, and reiterates he wasn’t going to be denied tonight.

Choi got more and more predictable with his left hook, and here Trizano has him dead to rights. If Choi’s throwing a right hand the angle Trizano takes is more of a gamble, but Trizano is confident that a left hook is coming so he slips and steps then counters with a brutal left hook of his own that lands flush as Choi doesn’t adjust his defense to the new angle of his opponent.

Karolina Kowalkiewicz just broke a five fight losing streak back in June when she beat and retired Felice Herrig, now she’s going for her first winning streak since 2018 while trying to build herself back up as a viable contender in the division. Silvana Gomez Juarez has gone 1-2 in the UFC but did score her first UFC win her last time out and now tries for her first UFC winning streak while also getting her UFC record to the .500 mark. This one is dead even, closing at a -110 pick ’em.

Strawweight Bout: Silvana Gomez Juarez (11-4, 115.6 lbs.) vs. Karolina Kowalkiewicz (13-7, 115.6 lbs.)

ROUND ONE: These two are the same height while Gomez Juarez has an inch of reach advantage. They touch gloves to get us going. Both women start probing with the jab right away. Gomez Juarez is really keeping that jab working. Bit of a combination from Gomez Juarez. Kowalkiewicz is stalking forward, and lands a right hand to off balance Gomez Juarez then gets the back and has both hooks in. Body triangle now for Kowalkiewicz as she looks to attack the choke. Gomez Juarez is hand fighting well so far. Kowalkiewicz bails on the body triangle and transitions towards mount then retakes the back as Gomez Juarez is on a knee near the fence. Gomez Juarez stands on one leg, then bases up and tries to shake Kowalkiewicz off but Kowalkiewicz pulls her back down to her seat. Some strikes from Kowalkiewicz now but Gomez Juarez is able to stand along the fence. They fight up and free with 20 seconds left. Some jabs go back and forth. Bit of a left hook from Gomez Juarez to close the round.

SCORECARD: 10-9 Kowalkiewicz

ROUND TWO: Kowalkiewicz lands a jab and looks to push forward. Gomez Juarez lands a one two. Bit of a right from Gomez Juarez. Kowalkiewicz avoids some jabs as they both keep looking for openings. Kowalkiewicz blitzes but can’t find the clinch as Gomez Juarez circles away from the fence. Gomez Juarez lands a couple of jabs. They trade rights. Kowalkiewicz is slowly backing Gomez Juarez towards the fence, and Gomez Juarez cracks her with a right hand. Gomez Juarez lands a couple of body shots. Kowalkiewicz lands an inside leg kick. They both land punches in close, then Kowalkiewicz lands a body kick as they separate. Kowalkiewicz lands a right hand. Gomez Juarez lands a stiff right hand. They split more jabs then Gomez Juarez lands another right hand. Gomez Juarez jabs the body. Kowalkiewicz lands a few jabs of her own. Gomez Juarez lands a one two. Kowalkiewicz misses a spinning back fist. Gomez Juarez lands a left hook. They tie up and Kowalkiewicz lands a knee but can’t retain the clinch. Both women land jabs, then Gomez Juarez lands a right hand to close the round.

SCORECARD: 10-9 Gomez Juarez, 19-19 overall

ROUND THREE: They touch gloves to start the last round. Kowalkiewicz lands an inside leg kick. Gomez Juarez keeps the jab pumping as she circles. They trade rights, Kowalkiewicz is pushing here and feels she needs this round at a bare minimum. Bit of a combination from Gomez Juarez, then she lands a couple of lefts to the body. Right from Gomez Juarez, Kowalkiewicz lands a body kick. They trade more jabs as Kowalkiewicz keeps coming forward. Gomez Juarez has started going to the body more now, a nice way to predict and deter the takedown attempts. Gomez Juarez lands a stiff right hand in close that seems to stun Kowalkiewicz for a second. Kowalkiewicz keeps coming forward and lands a right hand. Both women miss rights. Gomez Juarez lands a stiff couple of jabs. Combination from Gomez Juarez. Gomez Juarez bangs the body a couple of more times. Kowalkiewicz keeps coming forward but a lot of it is on a straight line. Kowalkiewicz lands a couple of leg kicks. Gomez Juarez lands a right hand. Left hook from Gomez Juarez in close, then they trade again. Gomez Juarez lands a right hand then they split jabs. Both women land punches in close. Gomez Juarez lands some body shots then Kowalkiewicz lands a couple of knees to the body. Kowalkiewicz is able to off balance Gomez Juarez against the fence but Gomez Juarez bounces back up and spins Kowalkiewicz into the fence. They break without incident. Kowalkiewicz punches in close and lands a few knees. Gomez Juarez lands a right hand. Bit of a one two from Gomez Juarez then a leg kick to close the round.

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

OFFICIAL RESULT: †WINNER – Karolina Kowalkiewicz via unanimous decision (29-28 x3)

No issues with 29-28 either way. Kowalkiewicz gets an interview and plays with the crowd and says she feels she won the fight. She reiterates she did enough to win and puts over Gomez Juarez as a tough opponent. She mentions nearly retiring before moving to American Top Team which has revived her career and her personal life.

Matt Frevola has been very up and down in the UFC with an overall record in the promotion of 3-3-1, now he’s hoping to get that into the winning side of things and build another winning streak. Ottman Azaitar is undefeated and has two wins in the UFC, he’s looking for his third in a row here as he begins the transition from prospect towards legitimate contender. Azaitar is the -155 favorite while the +135 on Frevola might tempt a few bettors out there.

Lightweight Bout: Ottman Azaitar (13-0, 155.6 lbs.) vs. Matt Frevola (9-3-1, 154.8 lbs.)

ROUND ONE: Frevola is an inch taller while the reach is identical. They touch gloves to get us going. Frevola looks to pressure right away and misses a few kicks. Both men barely miss punches in close. Bit of a jab from Frevola. Frevola lands a right in close then a left hook. Azaitar avoids a wheel kick. Bit of a front kick from Azaitar. Azaitar lands a right hand. Frevola lands a right hand. Azaitar lands a left hook that backs Frevola up for a second. Body kick from Frevola then a jab to follow up. A right hand in close then a left hook from Frevola ENDS Azaitar.

OFFICIAL RESULT: †WINNER – Matt Frevola via KO, punches, at 2:30 of Round 1

The First Round Finish Club thanks Mr. Frevola for his work this evening. Mic time for Frevola, he plays with the crowd for a bit then says this feels like a dream right now. He talks us through the finish then says he’s coming for Paddy Pimblett next.

Some nice in fighting from Frevola here, he’s able to keep his feet a little mobile and finds an angle then crushes Azaitar as Azaitar is backing up a bit too square with his hands out of position.

Andre Petroski has gone 3-0 in the UFC, now he’s looking to get to four in a row and solidify his status as a prospect of note in a division that could use an injection of new talent. Wellington Turman has gone 3-3 in the UFC but he’s on a two fight winning streak now and if he can get to three in a row here it’ll prove he’s finally found his footing in the UFC and is ready to make a more serious run towards the top of the division. Petroski is a relatively solid favorite at -190 while that juicy +160 payout on Turman is a tempting value bet.

Middleweight Bout: Andre Petroski (8-1, 185.8) vs. Wellington Turman (18-5, 185.2)

ROUND ONE: These two are the same height while Petroski has an inch of reach advantage. Both men come out jabbing and circling. Bit of a leg kick from Turman. Turman lands a right hand. Some leg kicks from Turman, he’s staying busy. Petroski lands a leg kick and goes southpaw. Turman lands a body kick and Petroski has started going a lot of stance switching. Glancing head kick from Turman. Petroski lands a left hook then a right hand. Turman lands a left hook in close. Leg kick from Turman, then another one. Another leg kick from Turman then a left hook in close. Petroski misses a couple of punches. Petroski lands a right hand, he’s doing more southpaw work now to protect the left leg. Body kick from Petroski. Turman avoids a single leg but Petroski switches to a double leg against the fence and gets Turman down. Petroski moves to the back as they stand. Turman spins chest to chest and they trade knees then break. Turman lands an inside leg kick then a blocked head kick. Petroski lands a left hand but he’s slowing down visibly. Front kick from Turman. Jab then a head kick from Turman. Turman lands a front kick, Petroski is hurt to the body but I’m not sure Turman realized it. Body kick from Turman. Turman with a right to the body then a left hook. They trade lefts. Petroski tries a single leg then slips to the back in the clinch. Single leg from Petroski, but Turman lands elbows as the round ends.

SCORECARD: 10-9 Turman but could go either way

ROUND TWO: They touch gloves again. Turman lands a front kick. Bit of a left from Petroski, who’s still southpaw. Petroski lands a body kick. Turman lands a leg kick, Petroski had been orthodox and then he goes southpaw right away. Turman grabs a guillotine as Petroski gets a takedown, he tries to switch to a different choke but Petroski is able to get his head free and settle into half guard. Full guard now for Turman. Petroski avoids a high guard and jumps at the back but can’t get the neck crank though he uses it to keep Turman from regaining his feet. Turman is able to wall walk and they trade in close then break. Turman digs a left to the body then a front kick to the body. Petroski clashes in close but Turman forces him down with a guillotine threat then gets on top in full guard. Turman passes to half guard, Petroski is able to force his way up to his feet but Turman is on his back now. Knees from Turman land then he mat returns Petroski. Petroski wall walks right away but Turman is making him work every step of the way. They wind up chest to chest, Petroski tries a throw and gets on top in full mount. Petroski moves to half guard for more control and lands a short elbow. The round ends with some punches from Petroski.

SCORECARD: 10-9 Petroski, 19-19 overall

ROUND THREE: Bit of a leg kick from Turman to start the last round. Petroski hits a quick takedown against the fence. Turman wall walks quickly but Petroski hits a mat return. Petroski sells out for a guillotine, that’s the seated arm triangle variant and he loses the grip but does get full mount as Turman defended. Turman is able to off balance Petroski but Petroski rolls with him and gets back to full mount. Petroski gives up half guard but he’s happy to keep control at the moment. Turman gets to full guard and throws a few elbows from his back. Petroski gets the ride position as Turman wall walks, but Petroski just mat returns him and gets back on top in the ride. Some rights from Petroski, Turman stands but he’s still struggling to get free. Body lock takedown for Petroski, he’s just riding Turman and is content to keep this going. Turman looks to tie up a leg but he’s got no control and Petroski lands some punches to close the round.

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

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

Solid enough win for Petroski, who does get an interview because who cares about run time with this many fights right? Petroski puts over some sponsors then says he’s not happy and knows he’s capable of more than this. Asked about the future he wants to fight Bo Nickal or Gerald Meerschaert.

Molly McCann finds herself on a three fight winning streak with her last two wins coming via stoppage stemming from a spinning attack, if she’s able to get another win here it could earn her a shot at someone in the top ten rankings. Eric Blanchfield has gone 3-0 in the UFC and is on an overall six fight winning streak which has seen her earn a top fifteen ranking, she’s looking to take out her highest profile opponent here and move on to fighting someone nearer the championship level. Blachfield is one of the bigger favorites on the entire card at -390 to a +320 comeback for McCann.

Women’s Flyweight Bout: #12 Erin Blanchfield (9-1, 125 lbs.) vs. #15 Molly McCann (13-4, 125.4 lbs.)

ROUND ONE: These two are the same height while Blanchfield has a notable 4 inches of reach advantage, Blanchfield is also 11 years younger. Both women show the jab as they get started. Blanchfield lands a couple of jabs then a body kick. Bit of a right from McCann. Blanchfield lands a right hand. A lot of pressure from Blanchfield then she hits a double leg into side control. Mounted crucifix attempt by Blanchfield, but she can’t secure it and instead lands elbows and punches. Now Blanchfield gets the mounted crucifix and lands punches and elbows to the head. McCann has no answer to the position beyond trying to buck and bridge, Blanchfield is able to ride easily and keeps landing more strikes. Elbows now from Blanchfield as McCann is nearly helpless on bottom. More elbows from Blanchfield then she attacks a kimura, nearly locks it up but as McCann defends Blanchfield gets the mounted crucifix again. Another kimura attack, this time she’s able to step over the head and complete the lock forcing McCann to tap.

OFFICIAL RESULT: †WINNER – Erin Blanchfield via Submission, kimura, at 3:37 of Round 1

The First Round Finish Club thanks Ms. Blanchfield for her work this evening. That was just a beating from Blanchfield, McCann was never in that fight. Mic time for Blanchfield she feels really good and feels the performance was worth a post fight bonus. She was surprised at the lack of stoppage from all the strikes she landed and talks us through the finish. To close she wants a top ten opponent next, naming specifically Andrea Lee.

Pretty textbook kimura from Blanchfield, she just ran over McCann here.

Dominick Reyes was once thought to be the future of the division, but after losing a controversial decision in his first title fight against Jon Jones he’s been struggling to get his career on track. Reyes is on a three fight losing streak and was stopped pretty violently in his last two losses, that’s somewhat mitigated by his opponents being Jan Blachowicz and Jiri Prochazka but that loss to Prchazka in particular was a bad knockout. After over a year recovering from that loss now Reyes finds himself at a crossroads, a fourth consecutive loss here could mean he never gets back to the title level. Ryan Spann has traded wins and losses while going 2-2 in his last four fights but he’s coming off of a win and if he beats Reyes it’ll easily be the biggest win of his career and could put him pretty close to the title picture. The odds are with Reyes at -215 while Spann’s underdog status sits at +185.

Light Heavyweight Bout: #7 Dominick Reyes (12-3, 205.4 lbs.) vs. #12 Ryan Spann (20-7, 206.6 lbs.)

ROUND ONE: Spann is an inch taller with two inches of reach advantage plus his weight miss. Reyes fighting southpaw. Circling from Reyes, both men miss kicks while they’re trying to range find. A right from Spann wobbles Reyes but he recovers quickly. Spann with a right hand that off balances Reyes as Reyes was kicking then Reyes fights up and free. Reyes lands a body kick but he’s starting to get countered every time. Spann lands a one two. Hard left from Spann absolutely sleeps Reyes and we’re done.

OFFICIAL RESULT: †WINNER – Ryan Spann via KO, punches, at 1:20 of Round 1

The First Round Finish Club thanks Mr. Spann for his work this evening. Mic time for Spann, he jokes that he’s finally started training for his fights and puts over his coaches for getting him ready. He talks us through the finish then puts his coaches over again and notes he wasn’t afraid of getting tired in this fight and that’s kind of a first for him, then apologizes for missing weight. Asked about the future he says he’ll be back in the gym Monday and he’d like a top five opponent but preferably not 5, 4, 3, or 2.

The timing is what’s key here, Spann catches Reyes stepping in and not expecting the punch. It’s also placed incredibly well.

Brad Riddell has gone 4-2 in the UFC but he’s on a two fight losing streak and needs to get back on the winning side of things if he wants to make another move towards being a ranked lightweight. Renato “Moicano” Carneiro has gone 3-2 in his last five fights but he’s coming off of a pretty lopsided and brutal beating at the hands of Rafael dos Anjos earlier this year, now he’s making his third appearance this year and is looking to get back on the winning side of things and move towards ranked opponents again. This one is relatively close but the odds tilt towards Moicano at -125 to +105 on Riddell.

Lightweight Bout: Renato Moicano (16-5-1, 155.8 lbs.) vs. Brad Riddell (10-3, 155.6 lbs.)

ROUND ONE: Moicano is four inches taller with an inch of reach advantage. They touch gloves to get us going. Moicano stalks forward, both men doing a lot of feinting already. Jab from Moicano. Riddell lands a right hand. Moicano lands a knee. Calf kick from Riddell. Bit of a head kick from Moicano, Riddell lands a right hand in response. They punch into a clinch that hits the fence. Moicano spins Riddell then separates. Riddell lands a left hook. Moicano avoids a few punches. Riddell lands a body shot then an inside leg kick. Moicano lands a jab. Riddell lands a body kick but eats another left hand in response. Moicano lands another jab. Riddell lands a right hand and they tie up, Moicano tries a takedown and while Riddell defends Moicano is able to slide around and get the back. Rear naked choke from Moicano, that’s pretty tight and Riddell has to tap.

OFFICIAL RESULT: †WINNER – Renato Moicano via Submission, rear naked choke, at 3:20 of Round 1

The First Round Finish Club thanks Mr. Moicano for his work this evening. That was a great performance from Moicano, one needed after that brutal loss to Rafael dos Anjos. Mic time for Moicano, he yells a bit at first and plays with the crowd then puts over Joe Rogan for interviewing him. He says he was nearly the best featherweight but now at lightweight he’s here to takeover and feels he’s only lost to the best but now he calls himself the best. He says he’s got to be ranked after this especially since he showed his balls when he fought RDA. When talking us through the finish he says he can beat anyone in the division anywhere the fight goes.

Here’s the finish. There’s a real lack of hand fighting from Riddell, which is a problem, but Moicano is a darn good grappler to begin with and it might only have delayed the inevitable. Moicano looked good here and should be facing some ranked opposition next.

Well that’s it for preliminary action, onto PPV for the main card.

Dan Hooker has gone just 1-4 in his last five fights, the three of those losses taking place at lightweight were against a very high level of opposition in the form of Dustin Poirier, Michael Chandler, and current lightweight champion Islam Makhachev, most recently he lost a return bout to featherweight. Hooker now returns to lightweight and is trying to defend his top ranking as well as get his career moving back in a positive direction. Claudio Puelles has gone 5-1 in the UFC and is on a five fight winning streak, he’s taking a big step up in class here but that means a win would also be the biggest of his career to date. The odds are with Hooker at -150 against the +130 of Puelles.

Lightweight Bout: #12 Dan Hooker (21-12, 155.8 lbs.) vs. Claudio Puelles (12-2, 155.2 lbs.)

ROUND ONE: Hooker is two inches taller with three inches of reach advantage. They touch gloves to get us going, southpaw for Puelles. Hooker starts feinting, then lands an inside leg kick. Another inside leg kick from Hooker. Both men are fighting a bit with the lead hand for position. Puelles misses a head kick. Hooker keeps chipping away with inside leg kicks. Bit of a left hook from Hooker. Puelles with an Imanari roll, he’s got the leg tied up and starts fishing for the heel hook as Hooker fights to the ride position. Hooker figure fours his own leg to prevent the leg being attacked and he’s technically on the back of Puelles now. They’re all kinds of tied up, Puelles grabs at the inside heel hook again, this one’s getting a little dangerous but Hooker seems to find a decent position to relax in and lands some body shots. Puelles tries to adjust the attack again, but Hooker is able to get his leg free and get on top. Hooker lands some punches then stands free and makes Puelles stand. Puelles tries another Imanari roll, nothing doing this time though. Hooker lands a straight right. Puelles flops to his back to avoid some pressure as the round ends.

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

ROUND TWO: Hooker lands a front kick then a left hand. Puelles misses a superman punch. They trade body kicks but Hooker is pushing Puelles back regularly. Bit of a head kick from Hooker then a right hand and he avoids a reach for the legs. Puelles keeps reaching for the legs and Hooker is avoiding him. A couple of punches from Hooker, he seems to be taking over now and Puelles is wilting. Left hook from Hooker, Puelles grabs a leg and they clinch up where Hooker grabs a guillotine and forces things down then stands free. Inside leg kick from Hooker. Puelles fails on an Imanari roll. Hooker lands a right hand. Puelles fails on another low single leg and this is getting a bit frustrating for everyone. Front kick from Hooker. Puelles tries a single leg, Hooker sprawls on him and lands body shots while Puelles is hugging his leg. Hooker gets free and they reset. Bit of a left from Puelles, then Hooker hurts him with a front kick to the body. Another front kick from Hooker and Puelles tries to close then takes his sweet time standing back up when the ref calls him on. A front kick from Hooker drops Puelles again and this time the ref steps in and calls it.

OFFICIAL RESULT: †WINNER – Dan Hooker via TKO, front kick to the body, at 4:06 of Round 2

Mic time for Hooker after that, he says God believes in them then says he can make nails look soft. He wants to be on the upcoming Perth card and says anyone walking the Earth can come and get it.

Frankie Edgar is one of the true legends of the sport, a former lightweight champion, two time featherweight title challenger, and a man who could potentially be the first to log 8 full hours of fight time in the UFC cage if this fight goes past the first round. Edgar is making the walk for the final time tonight as he’s on the older side of things, just 1-4 in his last five fights with back to back nasty knockouts, but if he’s able to get one final win this close to his home town it’ll be as close to a story book ending as MMA careers get. Chris Gutierrez is on a seven fight unbeaten streak with his only loss in the UFC coming up at featherweight in his UFC debut, now he’s got a chance to break a lot of hearts but also score the biggest win of his career by taking out a legend. Gutierrez is the favorite at -240 to a +200 payout on Edgar.

Bantamweight Bout: #12 Frankie Edgar (24-10-1, 135.6 lbs.) vs. Chris Gutierrez (18-4-2, 136 lbs.)

ROUND ONE: Gutierrez is three inches taller while Edgar has an inch of reach advantage, though Gutierrez is also a full decade younger. Both men start feinting right away as they circle. A little stance switching from Gutierrez. Gutierrez avoids a few punches. Edgar slips a few jabs, both men are still getting a feel for things. Bit of a calf kick from Edgar. Gutierrez lands a leg kick then a spinning back fist which seems to stun Edgar. Calf kick then a jab from Gutierrez all land. Edgar stars pressuring forward but he’s struggling to corral Gutierrez. Gutierrez lands a knee to the head, Edgar falls stiff as a board and we’re done here.

OFFICIAL RESULT: †WINNER – Chris Gutierrez via KO, knee, at 2:01 of Round 1

The First Round Finish Club thanks Mr. Gutierrez for his work this evening. Gutierrez gets an interview, he’s visibly emotional and mentions his mother is fighting cancer as is one of his coaches but he’s been able to use that as motivation. He knows he’s not supposed to be here given his life situation but he’s here and this is a dream come true to win here. To close he puts over sponsors then speaks Spanish.

Frankie Edgar gets an interview as well, he feels OK to talk. Rogan puts over his career and Edgar says he loves the sport and he didn’t want to go out like that but the sport can be a bitch like that, but his family is here and that’s what really matters at this point. He puts over Gutierrez and thanks the fans for making this awesome.

We’ve now tied the UFC record for most first round finishes at 7, let’s see if we can actually set the record with two fights left.

Dustin Poirier is coming off of his second failed bid to capture the UFC lightweight title, but he’s lost just twice since 2017 and both of those were title fights. Now if Poirier wants to get another crack at the belt he can’t afford a losing streak here as a win would help his position around the title since the immediate title picture is a little cloudy at the moment. Michael Chandler has gone 2-2 in the UFC but he’s coming off of one of the best knockouts of the year when he front kicked Tony Ferguson back in May, now he’s looking for his first UFC winning streak and possibly his second crack at the lightweight title. The odds are with Poirier at -210 while that +180 comeback on Chandler looks like a tasty value bet.

Lightweight Bout: #5 Michael Chandler (23-7, 155.8 lbs.) vs. #2 Dustin Poirier (28-7 1 NC, 156 lbs.)

ROUND ONE: Poirier is an inch taller and has half an inch of reach advantage. Southpaw for Poirier. Both men come out looking for lead hand position. A lot of feinting from both men. Chandler lands a right hand. Bit of a left from Poirier. Chandler lands a couple of body kicks. Poirier lands a jab then avoids a takedown attempt. Chandler lands a right to the body. Poirier checks an inside leg kick, that looked unpleasant. Chandler lands a right hand but Poirier avoids the follow up offense. Another right from Chandler, then he follows with a second but Poirier remains upright. Chandler lands a couple of body shots but Poirier fires back and gets him to back off a bit. Poirier lands a couple of lefts, Chandler lands a right hand. Poirier avoids some wide hooks from Chandler. Right hook from Poirier lands. There’s a clash of heads that seems to rattle Poirier and Chandler looks to follow up, he lands bombs against the fence then hits a double leg into half guard. Chandler thinks about a kimura but Poirier gets away from that and looks to wall walk, Chandler gets to his back in the clinch as they stand. Poirier misses a switch and Chandler hits a German suplex then they trade while standing. Poirier starts coming forward and lands an uppercut but Chandler counters with some bombs that hurt him. A right from Poirier staggers Chandler and they start swinging again. Straight lefts from Poirier land, Chandler throws back and sees the end of the round.

SCORECARD: 10-9 Chandler but a close one

ROUND TWO: Chandler’s face is kind of a mess after that last minute or so. Poirier lands a left hand. Chandler lands a right hand then hits a double leg into full guard. A few short rights from Chandler land. Chandler’s nose is still leaking blood, that thing is pretty visibly damaged. Poirier tries a triangle choke, Chandler slips free and gets the back with one hook in. Chandler starts fishing for a choke while Poirier looks to build his base and stand back up. Both hooks in for Chandler now and he grabs at the choke again. That’s not quite under the chin but Chandler is getting closer and closer to the finish. Poirier is able to defend and break one of the hooks but he’s still on the mat with Chandler on his back. Poirier gets to his seat and looks to wall walk with Chandler on top in his guard. Chandler forces Poirier down to a shoulder and lands a couple of rights. Poirier lands an elbow but Chandler is all over him. Some hammer fists from Chandler then punches. Poirier has to give up on the wall walk to more fully secure his guard and get his right arm back as Chandler had it trapped. The round ends with Chandler on top.

SCORECARD: 10-9 Chandler, borderline 10-8 in some ways, 20-18 Chandler overall

ROUND THREE: Poirier misses a left to start the round. Chandler goes southpaw and eats a leg kick, then returns to orthodox. A lot of pressure from Poirier, he lands a right hand. Poirier avoids a takedown attempt and lands a jab. Chandler misses punches then lands a body kick, he tries a takedown and hits a lifting takedown but loses control on the way down and Poirier spins to get on top. Poirier gets the back as Chandler moves to his knees, and Poirier gets a body triangle now. Neck crank from Poirier, he switches to the choke and Chandler has to tap out.

OFFICIAL RESULT: †WINNER – Dustin Poirier via Submission, rear naked choke, at 2:00 Round 3

The Final Round Finish Club thanks Mr. Poirier for his work this evening. Mic time for Poirier after your presumptive Fight of the Night, he says he was definitely in trouble in the first and was saved by Chandler throwing looping punches instead of straight. He talks us through the finish then puts over Chandler’s durability as being a bit of a surprise. And he jokes about having jiu-jitsu chops to close.

Zhang Weili is a former strawwight champion and is coming off of a pretty spectacular knockout win over Joanna Jedrzejczyk, now she’s trying to reclaim the title and begin her second reign as champion. Carla Esparza is in her second title reign as she was the inaugural strawweight champion then reclaimed it earlier this year in one of the absolutely worst fights you’ll ever see, now she’s trying to get her first ever successful title defense and is looking to actually establish a title reign rather than just having a couple of interesting historical bits of trivia attached to her name. The odds are with Zhang at a big -380 to a +310 underdog champion Esparza.

Strawweight Title Bout: (c) Carla Esparza (19-6, 114.8 lbs.) vs. #2 Zhang Weili (22-3, 114.8 lbs.)

ROUND ONE: Zhang is three inches taller but the reach is identical. They touch gloves to get us going. Zhang starts working long range jabs early, then lands an inside leg kick. Bit of a right from Esparza. Zhang lands a jab then they trade rights. Inside leg kick from Zhang. They trade jabs. Zhang lands another inside leg kick. Esparza misses a few punches. Body kick from Zhang. Stiff jab from Zhang then an inside leg kick. Esparza blocks a head kick but Zhang is marching her down. Zhang lands a right to the body. Esparza misses a few punches by a pretty wide margin. Zhang lands another inside leg kick. Right hand from Zhang lands, then a head kick which Esparza catches but Zhang counters the takedown and they scramble around with Zhang getting the back eventually and flattening Esparza out. Esparza is able to scramble on top into the guard of Zhang. Zhang looks to elevate with her guard, Esparza lands an elbow. Zhang kicks Esparza off and regains her feet. Right hand from Zhang lands. Esparza isn’t cracking yet, but she eats an uppercut after reaching for a takedown. Zhang lands a body kick then defends a takedown and gets on top in side control. Elbows from Zhang land. Esparza hip escapes to full guard as Zhang drops another elbow. Zhang stands free and they end the round on the feet.

SCORECARD: 10-9 Zhang

ROUND TWO: Zhang gets back to forward pressure. Inside leg kick from Zhang. Zhang lands a jab then a right hand which stuns Esparza. Esparza is wilting a bit now, she tries a double leg but Zhang defends and they scramble with Zhang grabbing a crucifix choke attempt. Zhang grabs the choke and Esparza has to tap.

OFFICIAL RESULT: †WINNER and NEW UFC Strawweight Champion – Zhang Weili via Submission, rear naked choke, at 1:05 of Round 2

That went pretty much exactly as expected. Mic time for the new champion and her translator, she starts with some broken English to say this feels like a dream to get her belt back. She thanks her supporters then thanks the fans in attendance for the love she feels from them. She feels she had a lot of ways to win this fight, then to close she says everyone experiences failure but it’s important to persevere as the victory will come back around to you.

Carla Esparza gets an interview as well, she expected Zhang to be good everywhere and physically strong and knew she could expect to fight the best. Well that was a good use of air time.

Breaking news: Yair Rodriguez will fight Josh Emmett at UFC 284 for the interim featherweight title, that’s the same night as Volkanovski and Makhachev for the lightweight belt.

Alex Pereira is on a six fight winning streak including being 3-0 in the UFC, but it’s his kickboxing history with the current middleweight champion more than anything else that’s earned him this first crack at UFC gold. Pereira is hoping to remain undefeated against Adesanya and begin his UFC title reign. Israel Adesanya is undefeated at middleweight, is the reigning middleweight champion, and tonight looks for his sixth title defense to further solidify his status as one of the best to ever do it in this weight class. The champion is favored with -215 for Adesanya against +185 on Pereira.

Middleweight Title Bout: (c) Israel Adesanya (23-1, 185 lbs.) vs. #4 Alex Pereira (6-1, 184.6 lbs.)

ROUND ONE: These two are allegedly the same height while Adesanya has an inch of reach advantage. Pereira looks to be bigger, not just taller but broader, though he also had a tough weight cut yesterday. Adesanya opens orthodox and avoids a jumping kick. Leg kick from Adesanya. Already Adesanya is switching a lot and throwing calf kicks while avoiding the counters. Calf kick from Adesanya, Pereira is switching a bit now but mostly fighting orthodox. Both men land some leg kicks as they circle. Adesanya jabs the body, Pereira lands a couple of leg kicks. Jab from Adesanya backs off Pereira. Adesanya lands a body kick. Pereira blocks a head kick. Right hand from Adesanya sends Pereira backwards, he timed it well. Inside leg kick from Adesanya. Pereira misses a left hook. Bit of a body kick from Pereira. Inside leg kick from Adesanya. Pereira blocks another head kick but there’s some swelling around his right eye, not bad but you can see it. Adesanya lands a hard calf kick. Body kick from Adesanya. Pereira lands a body kick, Adesanya responds with an inside leg kick. Jab from Adesanya. Pereira lands a body kick then misses a jumping knee. Pereira pushes into a clinch. Adesanya gets a body lock, Pereira lands a few body shots then a knee. Knees from Adesanya now then they break. Adesanya lands a hard right and a left hook that badly staggers Pereira just at the bell for the round.

SCORECARD: 10-9 Adesanya

ROUND TWO: Pereira still looks a little out of sorts but comes forward. Adesanya lands a calf kick. Front kick from Adesanya lands. Pereira keeps coming forward. Adesanya lands a jab. More jabs from Adesanya then a knee but Pereira lands a body shot. Stiff left from Adesanya, he’s timing Pereira well so far. Both men land jabs. More jabs from Adesanya, he’s baiting Pereira into a lot of these punches. Adesanya lands an inside leg kick then a jab. Pereira lands a jab of his own. Stiff left from Pereira and he gets close but Adesanya catches him with an uppercut then spins him into the cage. Knee from Adesanya then he thinks about a takedown but bails on it. They break without much incident. Right hand from Adesanya lands flush. Adesanya is flowing nicely right now. Both men avoid punches. Pereira lands a left hand. Another left from Pereira lands. Adesanya lands a calf kick then they split jabs. They clinch up and Adesanya gets Pereira on the fence. Some knees go back and forth, Adesanya gets a body lock then breaks and avoids a punch. Head kick from Pereira partially lands. Adesanya lands a right hand. Pereira tries a takedown, gets one into full guard as the round ends.

SCORECARD: 10-9 Pereira, 19-19 overall

ROUND THREE: Adesanya looks to get the jab working again as the round starts. Jab to the body from Adesanya. Adesanya lands an inside leg kick then they both miss head kicks. Calf kick from Adesanya then a right hand. Adesanya lands a right to the body. Pereira misses a left hook but lands a knee to the body. Adesanya catches a body kick and gets a lateral drop into side control. Pereira gives up the back and Adesanya lands punches from the ride position. Adesanya lands more punches but can’t quite find his hooks yet. One hook in for Adesanya now and he lands more punches. Pereira tries to wall walk with Adesanya on his back but Adesanya forces him to his knees again. There’s blood coming from the left ear of Pereira. Adesanya lands a few more lefts then gets one hook in to continue his ride. Pereira finally gets up but Adesanya rides him back to all fours. Adesanya pulls Pereira back down and winds up in leg drag. Pereira gets full guard but he looks very tired as Adesanya lands a few punches. Elbow from Pereira. Adesanya lands an elbow of his own. Left hand from Adesanya then he looks to posture up. Adesanya stands over Pereira and looks to pass the guard, he lands an ax kick to the body and then punches as the round ends.

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

ROUND FOUR: Pereira looks a little flat as the round starts. Adesanya lands a jab then a jab to the body. Leg kick from Adesanya. Pereira is getting the bounce back in his step now. Bit of a head kick from Adesanya. Pereira misses a left hook. Calf kick from Adesanya. Stiff jab from Adesanya. Right from Adesanya lands. Pereira starts coming forward again and misses a left hook. Adesanya lands a right hand then a calf kick and a body kick behind it. Body jab from Adesanya, who seems to be building at this point. Adesanya lands a body kick. Pereira avoids a right hand but eats a calf kick. Adesanya lands a couple of lefts. They tie up, Adesanya gets Pereira to the fence and lands some knees to the leg and body. Adesanya gets the body lock again but bails on it to land some lefts. They break without incident then Adesanya lands a right hand. Pereira lands a right of his own and starts coming forward again. Jab from Pereira. Adesanya slips a couple of punches then ties up again. Pereira lands a few knees. Adesanya looks for a single leg, uses that to slip to a better angle and lands a few body shots then they break. Bit of a right hand from Pereira closes the round.

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

ROUND FIVE: Calf kick from Adesanya then a body kick. Pereira keeps coming forward and lands a left to the body and they clinch. Adesanya lands a knee and they break. Some jabs from Adesanya then Pereira lands a leg kick. Pereira lands a right hand and clinches again. Adesanya forces him onto the fence again then they break. Calf kick from Adesanya but he slips and Pereira tries to swarm him and they wind up trading in the clinch again. Bit of an elbow from Adesanya as they break then he lands a calf kick. Pereira lands a right hand then a left hook in close and an uppercut. Adesanya is hurt and tries to tie up but Pereira keeps throwing punches and the ref steps in to give him the standing TKO.

OFFICIAL RESULT: †WINNER and NEW UFC Middleweight Champion – Alex Pereira via TKO, punches, at 2:01 of Round 5

The Final Round Finish Club thanks Mr. Pereira for his work this evening. Mic time for Pereira and his translator, he feels very good and trained his whole life for this moment. He talks us through the finish and says the fight was hard but his training prepared him and he’s ready for the next opponent. To close he thanks everyone for their support.

Well on that note UFC 281 comes to a close. We’ll be unpacking all of the fallout from this event tomorrow on the 411 Ground and Pound MMA Podcast, plus we’ll look ahead to next week when Derrick Lewis meets Sergey Spivak in the main event. I’ll be back here for that event and I hope you will as well. Until next time thanks to all of you for reading, stay safe out there, and keep checking 411mania for all of your pop culture needs.

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