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Join 411’s Live UFC 293 Coverage

September 9, 2023 | Posted by Robert Winfree
UFC 293 Image Credit: UFC

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MAIN CARD (Pay-per-view, 10 p.m. ET)
Champ Israel Adesanya (184.8 lbs.) vs. #5 Sean Strickland (184.9 lbs.) – for middleweight title
#6 Tai Tuivasa (265.6 lbs.) vs. #7 Alexander Volkov (262.95 lbs.)
Felipe dos Santos (125.4 lbs.) vs. #10 Manel Kape (126 lbs.)
Austen Lane (242.3 lbs.) vs. Justin Tafa (265.2 lbs.)
Tyson Pedro (205.45 lbs.) vs. Anton Turkalj (205.35 lbs.)

PRELIMINARY CARD (ESPNews/ESPN+, 8 p.m. ET)
Da Woon Jung (205.3 lbs.) vs. Carlos Ulberg (204.7 lbs.)
Jack Jenkins (145.85 lbs.) vs. Chepe Mariscal (145.85 lbs.)
John Makdessi (155.1 lbs.) vs. Jamie Mullarkey (155.35 lbs.)
Nasrat Haqparast (155.85 lbs.) vs. Landon Quinones (155.75 lbs.)

PRELIMINARY CARD (ESPNews/ESPN+, 6:30 p.m. ET)
Mike “Diamond” Mathetha (170.25 lbs.) vs. Charlie Radtke (170.3 lbs.)
Gabriel Miranda (144.95 lbs.) vs. Shane Young (149.75 lbs.)*
Kiefer Crosbie (170.85 lbs.) vs. Kevin Jousset (170.5 lbs.)

Hello everyone and welcome to 411mania’s LIVE coverage of UFC 293, I’m Robert Winfree and I’ll be your host for the evening. Tonight the UFC is back in Australia and they’ve brought a pretty weak card on PPV, everything outside of the main event doesn’t carry a whole lot of weight going forward but let’s see what we’ve got here. The main event is for the middleweight title, first ever two time middleweight champion Israel Adesanya starts his second reign here against Sean Strickland. Strickland is the beneficiary of the UFC’s schedule here, the rightful number one contender is Dricus Du Plessis but he fought back in July beating Robert Whittaker and a 2 month turnaround from that to fighting Adesanya here was never really going to be doable and the next man up was Strickland. Strickland isn’t being given much of a chance here but MMA is fundamentally crazy so we’ll have to see if he can pull off a major upset. After that things get a little less interesting, we’ve got heavyweights when Tai Tuivasa tries to rebound from his losing streak against Alexander Volkov, Manel Kape finally gets into the cage against a late replacement opponent, Justin Tafa and Austen Lane rematch from their No Contest, and I’m sure people are psyched for Tyson Pedro vs. Anton Turkalj right? The prelims have some potentially decent fights, Carlos Ulberg and Da Woon Jung might be fun, Jack Jenkins and Chepe Mariscal will probably be a slugfest at least, but we’re really hoping for a night of fights that exceeds what it looks like on paper.

UFC 293 comes to the world from the Qudos Bank Arena in Sydney, New South Wales, Australia. We’ve got Jon Anik, Daniel Cormier, and making her PPV commentary debut Laura Sanko. I like Sanko’s commentary quite a bit, I’m curious how she’ll blend with Daniel Cormier waxing poetic about food trucks and meandering stories bout watching training from someone in someone’s corner. We’re in the larger 30 foot cage, and if any specific rules interactions pop up I’ll try and update everyone.

Kevin Jousset brings a three fight winning streak into his UFC debut and hopes to make a good first impression. Kiefer Crosbie brings a two fight winning streak into his UFC debut and is likewise trying to capitalize on his lone chance to make a first impression. Jousset is the -180 favorite to +150 or Crosbie.

Welterweight Bout: Kiefer Crosbie (10-3, 170.85 lbs.) vs. Kevin Jousset (8-2, 170.5 lbs.)

ROUND ONE: Jousset is three inches taller with a notable five inches of reach advantage. Crosbie pushes forward right away looking to swing. Left to the body from Crosbie. Jousset lands a calf kick. Bit of a right from Crosbie, he’s able to close distance pretty reliably thus far. Left hook from Jousset lands. They trade lefts again. Jousset with a jab then a body kick. Hard calf kick from Jousset and Crosbie is playing around with southpaw now. One two from Crosbie but Jousset just eats it. Jousset is jabbing Crosbie back to the fence pretty reliably now. Short left hook from Jousset then a calf kick. Crosbie is really struggling with his lead leg now. Jousset with a right hand then a clinch on the fence. Elbow from Jousset as they break, Crosbie is bleeding from the nose and his left eye is swelling. Crosbie lands a body kick but eats a counter right. Body kick from Jousset whenever Crosbie is southpaw. Right from Jousset lands. Stiff jab from Jousset lands. Jousset lands another calf kick then they trade punches in close and clinch up. Short shoulder blows and elbows from Jousset then he counters a hip toss and gets the back, gets the choke, and Crosbie has to tap.

OFFICIAL RESULT: †WINNER – Kevin Jousset via Submission, rear naked choke, at 4:49 of Round 1

The First Round Finish Club thanks Mr. Jousset for his work this evening. Mic time for Jousset, he puts over City Kickboxing, his gym which has five more fighters coming out tonight and he hopes they’ll go 6-0. He knew Crosbie liked to brawl so he disciplined him with jabs and calf kicks to break him down. He talks us through the finish, and says he beat one of Conor’s training partners, now he’d like Conor’s fanboy Ian Garry. That seems unlikely.

Here’s the finish. Crosbie doesn’t address the hooks, doesn’t address the choke, and that’s just not a good way to deal with the position he found himself in.

Shane Young has gone 2-4 in the UFC and is on a three fight losing streak, he also missed weight by a pretty notable amount here and will likely need a win to smooth over that particular gaff. Gabriel Miranda dropped his UFC debut a little over a year ago up at lightweight and now is back hoping to score that all important first UFC win in his more natural featherweight class. Despite the weight miss, or perhaps because of it, the odds are super close but with Young at -115 to -105 for Miranda.

Featherweight Bout: Gabriel Miranda (16-6, 144.95 lbs.) vs. Shane Young (13-7, 149.75 lbs.)*

ROUND ONE: Miranda is three inches taller while Young has an inch and a half of reach advantage. They touch gloves to get us going. Both men probe with jabs, Miranda lands a front kick then Young lands a punch. Miranda tries a knee tap then gets the back of Young and gets a body triangle as he’s ridden Young down to a knee against the fence. Some hand fighting from Young but Miranda gets the choke in and puts him to sleep.

OFFICIAL RESULT: †WINNER – Gabriel Miranda via Technical Submission, rear naked choke, at :59 of Round 1

The First Round Finish Club thanks Mr. Miranda for his work this evening. Mic time for Miranda, and impromptu translator Gilbert Burns, Miranda speaks some English first and says he’s a big problem for the featherweight division. Asked about Young missing weight, because the UFC is still salty about Stephen Thompson, he says he spent 28 hours getting here from Brazil and was always going to fight. He goes to Portuguese to say he’ll fight anyone at any time. When talking us through the finish he talks about how hard he trains and that jiu-jitsu is his game.

Young is hand fighting and trying to address the body triangle, but Miranda’s work here is quite good. Miranda is content to get a face crank first and use that for control, then slowly work the choking arm down under the chin and then put Young to sleep.

Mike “Blood Diamond” Mathetha has gone 0-2 in the UFC and might go down as one of those cautionary tales about getting to the UFC too quickly, but if he can get that first UFC win under his belt here it’ll help start turning that momentum around. Charles Radtke brings a four fight winning streak into his UFC debut and he’s hoping to extend that success here. The odds are with Radtke at -325 while +260 for Mathetha might tempt some bettors out there.

Welterweight Bout: Mike “Blood Diamond” Mathetha (3-2, 170.25 lbs.) vs. Charlie Radtke (7-3, 170.3 lbs.)

ROUND ONE: Mathetha is two inches taller with four inches of reach advantage. Southpaw for Mathetha. Bit of a body kick from Mathetha then he goes orthodox. Radtke pressures forward but runs into a hook. Hook from Radtke lands and he clinches up with Mathetha as they hit the fence. Radtke is on the back in the clinch and looks to get Mathetha down. Mathetha breaks the grip and looks to turn into him, Radtke lands a left hand as they get chest to chest. Another left from Radtke. A few knees from Mathetha land. They trade punches as they break the clinch. Bit of a head kick from Mathetha. Radtke lands a left hook. Double leg from Radtke, Mathetha bounces up but Radtke gets on his back again. Some short lefts from Radtke land as they get chest to chest again. Mathetha tries a judo toss, nothing doing and they wind up separated. Nothing happens before the round ends.

SCORECARD: 10-9 Radtke but a close one

ROUND TWO: Southpaw again for Mathetha, he’s been playing with orthodox but is mostly southpaw. Radtke pressures forward and they trade some punches. Mathetha might be fading a bit, and we get a time out as he kicked Radtke low. Radtke doesn’t take long and we’re back to fighting. A couple of left hooks from Radtke hurt Mathetha, he unloads along the fence but Mathetha fires back and seems to recover fairly quickly. Mathetha tries a takedown, Radtke defends and they clinch up again. Radtke spins Mathetha into the fence and starts working in the clinch. Radtke slips to the back in the clinch, he keeps going for a cheese donkey trip but Mathetha is hip to it. A few knees from Radtke land. Mathetha with a knee as they’re more chest to chest now. Radtke lands a left hand, but the ref breaks them up. Right hand from Radtke lands. A couple of left hooks from Radtke land, then he clinches again and pushes Mathetha into the fence from the back. They trade knees in the clinch now. More knees from Mathetha then Radtke with some lefts to the body and head before they break. Another left from Radtke, Mathetha lands a front kick then they trade rights as the round ends.

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

ROUND THREE: Radtke is looking for the left hook again. Mathetha eats a jab. A lot of orthodox now from Mathetha. Both men land lefts. Mathetha pushes into a clinch and lands a knee then an elbow. Radtke spins Mathetha into the fence and lands an elbow. A few more knees from Mathetha in close. We get another time out as Mathetha knees Radtke in the groin. We’re back to fighting after a minute. There’s some nasty swelling on the right eyebrow of Radtke. Mathetha with a spinning back fist that’s mostly blocked. They trade left hooks, then Radtke shoots to the fence. A left hook from Radtke lands before they break. Both men punch into a clinch again but nothing comes of it. Bit of a knee from Mathetha then he knees Radtke in the groin again so we’ve got another time out. Replay confirms the knee went into the groin, and the ref takes a point for the repeated groin strikes and we’re back to fighting after 30 some odd seconds. Both men land punches in close then Radtke gets Mathetha on the fence. Mathetha lands a knee but Radtke is landing some lefts to the head. A few body to head punches from Radtke then an elbow as they break, and he shoots again right away into the clinch. The round ends in the clinch.

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

OFFICIAL RESULT: †WINNER – Charles Radtke via unanimous decision (29-27 x3)

Mic time for Radtke, he insults the fans for booing the fight and him then flips them off as he walks out. OK then.

Nasrat Haqparast has gone 2-2 in his last four fights and just broke a two fight losing streak by beating John Makdessi over a year ago and he’s looking for his first winning streak since 2021 here. Landon Quinones has a five fight winning streak going coming into this fight, he’s hoping for a memorable debut by taking out a fairly proven UFC talent. The odds are with Haqparast at -485 to +370 on Quinones.

Lightweight Bout: Nasrat Haqparast (14-5, 155.85 lbs.) vs. Landon Quinones (7-1-1, 155.75 lbs.)

ROUND ONE: Haqparast is an inch taller with two inches of reach advantage. Both men fight southpaw. Quinones pushes forward early and lands a body kick. Haqparast lands a right hand but Quinones responds with a calf kick. Bit of a body jab from Haqparast. Body kick from Quinones then he blocks a left hand. Haqparast with a double jab then a left hand, nothing really lands clean. Bit of a head kick from Quinones then a hard calf kick. Haqparast is working the jab now. Quinones lands another calf kick. Haqparast lands a jab. Haqparast with a left to the body, Quinones responds with a left hand then a front kick. Quinones lands a body kick. Haqparast gets close and lands a couple of body shots. Quinones lands another calf kick. Haqparast lands a left to the body, his body work is pretty diligent thus far. Both men land lefts. More calf kicks from Quinones, Haqparast doesn’t like those but he’s muscling through them. They trade lefts again. Haqparast with another couple of body shots, both men are bleeding at this point. They clinch up and Quinones pushes things to the fence. Bit of an elbow from Haqparast as they break. Quinones shows the front kick now, but that cut around the right eye of Haqparast might be a problem. Calf kick from Quinones, Haqparast counters with a left hand as the round ends.

SCORECARD: 10-9 Haqparast

ROUND TWO: OK the cut around the right eye of Haqparast isn’t bad, it just bled a lot early. Quinones lands a calf kick, then they clinch and trade elbows and knees. Body shots from both men, then they break. Quinones lands a leg kick then a body shot. Haqparast with a left hand but his right leg is not doing great as they clinch again. They break without incident. Both men land lefts. Haqparast with some lefts in the pocket then Quinones lands a jab and a calf kick. Haqparast has gone orthodox briefly to hid his leg. Quinones keeps landing jabs and leg kicks. Haqparast is a little less confident out of orthodox and he’s trying to make up for that with aggression. Quinones lands another leg kick then a knee. A left from Haqparast staggers Quinones backwards. Uppercut and a left from Haqparast, he’s got Quinones on the fence but lets him step off and then Quinones lands an uppercut. Body kick from Quinones then they trade lefts. Haqparast digs a left to the body. Both men weave in close and trade punches. Left hook then a body kick, and a calf kick from Quinones. That right leg of Haqparast is in trouble but he’s gutting through it. Bit of a left from Quinones. Haqparast lands to the body again. Head kick from Quinones lands but Haqparast just eats it and lands a body shot. More body shots from Haqparast in close, but Quinones lands a knee. Haqparast eats a couple of jabs but lands a left hand. All that body work from Haqparast has slowed Quinones a bit and Quinones didn’t seem to have a plan for dealing with Haqparast when Haqparast went orthodox. A couple of more power punches from Haqparast close the round.

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

ROUND THREE: Quinones with some inside leg kicks now. Haqparast lands a body shot. A left from Haqparast pushes Quinones into the fence. Another left from Haqparast and he avoids a clinch attempt. Quinones lands an inside leg kick. Haqparast with a body shot in close. Jabs from Haqparast, Quinones really wasn’t ready for him to go orthodox. Bit of a left from Quinones. Haqparast lands another stiff jab. Bit of a head kick from Quinones, Haqparast responds with a hard body shot. Left hand from Haqparast lands. Both men land in close again. Haqparast with a jab. Quinones digs a left to the body. Haqparast with another jab, then a left hook. Hard front kick from Quinones. Haqparast punches close and hits the body again, he’s bleeding from the nose now as well. Both men land in close again, this has been pretty nuts. Haqparast lands to the body again. Quinones with a front kick then a right hand. Back elbow from Quinones lands, Haqparast shrugs it off. Bit of a left from Haqparast, he just wont stop coming forward and swinging. Double leg from Haqparast, Quinones bounces up and they separate. Quinones with another left to the body. Haqparast gets close and we’ve got wild pocket brawling for the final 10 seconds of the round.

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

OFFICIAL RESULT: †WINNER – Nasrat Haqparast via unanimous decision (30-27 x3)

Well that’s our Fight of the Night frontrunner. Mic time for Haqparast, he’s asked about the 6.8 magnitude earthquake that hit Morocco and killed 2,000 people, and he dedicates the fight to Morocco and the people, plus his home country of Afghanistan which has been suffering for 40 or so years. He talks about the surgeries he’s had to deal with during the near year lay off but he loves the violence and hopes he made everyone proud with this performance.

Jamie Mullarkey has gone 2-2 in his last four fights but he’s coming off of a loss and will be trying to avoid his first losing streak since 2020 with a win in his home country. John Makdessi has been with the UFC since way back in 2010 but he’s just 1-2 in his last three fights and is coming off of a loss, Makdessi is trying to avoid his first losing streak since 2015 with a win. Mullarkey is your -300 favorite to +240 for Makdessi.

Lightweight Bout: John Makdessi (18-8, 155.1 lbs.) vs. Jamie Mullarkey (16-6, 155.35 lbs.)

ROUND ONE: Mullarkey is three inches taller with a significant six inches of reach advantage. They touch gloves to get us going. Both men showing the lead hand early as they circle. Inside leg kick from Mullarkey, then a jab. Both men probe with lead leg body kicks. Makdessi shows a few front kicks but nothing lands. Leg kick from Mullarkey. Mullarkey lands a left hook in close, then digs a left to the body and a leg kick behind it. Mullarkey is starting to up the tempo and output. Another leg kick from Mullarkey. We lose the broadcast for a bit, that’s a UFC side issue not ESPN player but it comes back. We’ve had some minor issues like that all evening but this is the first time it’s a real issue. The feed cuts again. When it comes back Mullarkey lands a leg kick. One two from Makdessi. Makdessi is bleeding from the bridge of the nose, not sure what caused it but I’m assuming a jab since Mullarkey is working that punch. They trade low kicks. Both men land lead hand punches to close the round.

SCORECARD: 10-9 Mullarkey based on what was broadcast

ROUND TWO: Makdessi keeps showing the lead leg now, then misses a spinning back fist. Mullarkey with some jabs. Bit of a right from Mullarkey. Mullarkey blocks a head kick and lands a cut kick to the standing leg. Leg kick from Mullarkey. Mullarkey lands another jab. Right to the body from Mullarkey, then a body jab as well. Solid jab from Mullarkey and he avoids the counters. Makdessi lands a left hook. Both men land left kicks. Mullarkey lands a leg kick then a jab. Both men land punches in close. Makdessi kicks Mullarkey low and Mullarkey doesn’t want to take much time. Mullarkey with a body kick. Bit of a one two from Mullarkey. Makdessi lands a front kick. More jabs from Mullarkey, he’s starting to bust up Makdessi’s face now. Glancing head kick from Mullarkey. Makdessi lands a jab. Another body kick from Mullarkey. They trade lefts in close. Makdessi with a body kick, then Mullarkey counters with a leg kick. They split jabs then Makdessi drops Mullarkey with a right hand. Mullarkey bounces up and they both swing punches as the round ends.

SCORECARD: 10-9 Makdessi, 19-19 overall

ROUND THREE: Both men block punches to start the round. Mullarkey lands a leg kick. Both men land rights. Mullarkey with a jab then a leg kick. Makdessi lands a spinning back fist. Right hand from Mullarkey then another one. Mullarkey is pressuring now and lands another leg kick then a jumping knee to stun Makdessi. Makdessi fires a right hand that partially lands. Body kick from Mullarkey. Mullarkey’s nose is bleeding pretty constantly now, but he lands a one two. Makdessi lands a jab. Combination from Mullarkey lands. Leg kicks go back and forth. Bit of a right from Mullarkey in close. Mullarkey lands a jab. Another jab from Mullarkey. Makdessi lands a jab of his own. Makdessi avoids a right hand and lands a left. They trade jabs again. Makdessi lands a left hand. Inside leg kick from Mullarkey. Makdessi seems to have a good read going and is countering Mullarkey. Right hand from Makdessi then he avoids a head kick to close the round.

SCORECARD: 10-9 Makdessi but a close one, 29-28 Makdessi overall

OFFICIAL RESULT: †WINNER – Jamie Mullarkey via unanimous decision (29-28 x3)

That being unanimous surprised me, but with how close the third was I can’t get too upset, though Makdessi is pretty pissed. Mullarkey plays with the crowd then puts over Makdessi and gets the crowd to politely applaud him. He worked hard on his outside game for this fight.

Jack Jenkins has a nine fight winning streak going that includes two wins in the UFC, he’s trying to hit the rare double digit winning streak here and start taking aim at some bigger names in the division. Chepe Mariscal is on a four fight winning streak including a win in his UFC debut back in June, a fight he took at lightweight but now he’s back at featherweight and looking to prove himself a worthy addition to the division. The odds are with Jenkins at -205 while +170 for Mariscal might prove a decent little value bet.

Featherweight Bout: Jack Jenkins (12-2, 145.85 lbs.) vs. Chepe Mariscal (14-6, 145.85 lbs.)

ROUND ONE: These two are the same height while Mariscal has an inch of reach advantage. They touch gloves to get us going. Both men show the lead leg early as they circle. Mariscal goes southpaw for a bit, not much comes of it. Jenkins with a left body kick then a leg kick behind it. Mariscal misses a head kick. Jenkins fires an inside leg kick, that goes into the groin of Mariscal but he doesn’t want much time and we’re back to fighting. Bit of a jab from Mariscal. Both men are playing with stance switches now, and Jenkins is content to kick whichever leg is in front for Mariscal. Mariscal lands a left hook then a knee, they get close and trade body shots then break as Jenkins lands a calf kick. Bit of a left from Mariscal. Jenkins lands a right hand. One two from Jenkins, Mariscal fires back and they clinch up. They break with a right hand from Mariscal. Bit of a knee from Mariscal, but Jenkins counters with a left hook then a leg kick. Mariscal lands a leg kick and then they trade in close again. Jenkins lands another leg kick. They clinch, then break without incident. Bit of a body kick from Jenkins, Mariscal returns it but also eats a jab. Jenkins lands a calf kick. Mariscal punches into a clinch and they hit the fence. A few lefts from Mariscal in close. Jenkins fires a knee but Mariscal returns it then they trade on the break as the round ends.

SCORECARD: 10-9 Jenkins

ROUND TWO: Mariscal lands a couple of rights, he’s starting to make this more of a brawl. Another right from Mariscal and he clinches up pushing Jenkins into the fence. A few knees from Mariscal land to the leg and body. More knees and some short lefts from Mariscal land. Jenkins is able to spin but Mariscal spins him right back and keeps working his clinch offense. More knees to the leg from Mariscal, then they break as Mariscal misses a left hand. Bit of a jab from Mariscal. Jenkins knees his way into another clinch but Mariscal pushes him into the fence. Mariscal’s left calf is bruising and swelling from just the first round. Jenkins avoids a single leg attack but Mariscal has him on the fence still and is working dirty boxing and knees. Mariscal with a whizzer kick, Jenkins tries to post but that’s a bad idea and his right elbow pops which will prompt the stoppage.

OFFICIAL RESULT: †WINNER – Chepe Mariscal via Verbal Submission, elbow injury, at 3:19 of Round 2

Mic time for Mariscal, he knew Jenkins was getting warmed up but made sure he had to go through fire before potentially getting to him. He talks us through the finish, and he heard the “pop” when it went out and mentions he hasn’t heard that in a long time of doing that move. Asked about the future he wants to fight in December or early 2024 as he’s got stuff to sort out.

You’ve got to be careful posting when going down, Jekins seems to either mistime or misjudge the angle and his arm is a bit too extended as they hit and the elbow will usually give under those conditions. We had a pretty good fight going before that, I hope Jenkins recovers quickly.

Carlos Ulberg has gone 4-1 in the UFC but he’s on a four fight winning streak with the last three being first round finishes, he’s hoping to prove himself worthy of a step up in class next time out with a fifth win in a row. Da Woon Jung has gone 4-2-1 in the UFC but is on a two fight losing streak and will be hoping to halt that skid here with his first win since 2021 at the expense of Ulberg. Ulberg is the favorite at -285 against +230 for Jung.

Light Heavyweight Bout: Da Woon Jung (15-4-1, 205.3 lbs.) vs. Carlos Ulberg (8-1, 204.7 lbs.)

ROUND ONE: These two are the same height while Jung has an inch and a half of reach advantage. Jung with an inside leg kick, then blocks a high kick and lands a leg kick. Ulberg keeps probing with left kicks and playing with his stance, though he’s mostly orthodox still. They trade calf kicks. Jung checks a calf kick. Bit of a jab from Ulberg. Jung jabs the body, he’s pressuring forward more now. Bit of a jab from Ulberg to counter a leg kick. Jung jabs the body again, then lands a leg kick as Ulberg threatens a counter right. Another leg kick from Jung, then another one. Ulberg is starting to get a touch more aggressive, he doesn’t have a great answer to those leg kicks and instead bulls forward then lands a right hand and a left that drop Jung for a second. Jung is back up and they separate. Leg kick from Jung. Knee from Ulberg as he avoids a clinch. Another leg kick from Jung. Ulberg just circles away as the round ends.

SCORECARD: 10-9 Ulberg

ROUND TWO: Jung lands a right hand. Leg kick from Jung, then another one. Jab from Ulberg, Jung counters with a right hand. Jung with a leg kick then a body jab. Some forward pressure from Jung and he avoids a head kick. Ulberg lands a jab. Inside leg kick from Jung. Jung lands another leg kick. Jab from Ulberg, Jung counters with a right hand then they trade in close. Jung is cut under the right eye now as Ulberg keeps jabbing and circling. Ulberg with another jab. A series of jabs from Ulberg land. Ulberg with a left hook. Jung lands a body kick. Leg kick from Jung. Another leg kick from Jung but Ulberg is landing lefts to counter. Ulberg with a few more jabs. Hard jabs from Ulberg land. That right eye of Jung is a mess, as Cormier makes another 90’s wrestling reference to close the round.

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

ROUND THREE: A few leg kicks from Ulberg to start the round. Jung is pushing forward but struggling to find real offense. More pressure from Jung, Ulberg lands a few jabs but not much going on here. Bit of a right from Jung. Ulberg with a few more jabs. Jung lands another right hand. Ulberg avoids a takedown and they clinch on the fence. Some knees from Ulberg land then Jung returns one as they break. Double leg from Jung, he’s got Ulberg down against the fence but Ulberg wall walks right away and they trade in the clinch before breaking. One two from Jung, he might be wearing down Ulberg at this point. Jung punches into a clinch, Ulberg looks for a takedown against the fence but Jung defends in the clinch. They trade knees then Ulberg gets to the back and hits a takedown. Ulberg into full mount and lands lefts. More lefts from Ulberg, Jung’s kind of stuck here but Ulberg isn’t in a great position to end things. OK, now Ulberg postures, lands more punches and grabs the choke but Jung holds on until the round ends.

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

OFFICIAL RESULT: †WINNER – Carlos Ulberg via Submission, rear naked choke, at 4:49 of Round 3

The ref missed the tap in real time, but replay caught it and they’ll announce it as the submission. The Final Round Finish Club thanks Mr. Ulberg for his work this evening. Mic time for Ulberg, he says he had to overcome a lot this camp but anything is possible. Asked about the future, he wants someone who’s fought for the belt before, and would love to fight Dominick Reyes when Reyes is ready to return. Interesting call out, but given how Reyes has slipped it’s not out of bounds.

Here’s the finish. I don’t blame the ref here, he’s more focused on the near hand and looking at the fighter in danger, but good on the review crew and officials for getting it right.

Well that’s the prelims, on to PPV for the main card.

Tyson Pedro has gone 2-3 in his last five fights and is coming off of a loss to Modestas Bukauskas, he’s shown potential at various points in his career but he’s rapidly approaching the point of no return if he’s going to make a legitimate run towards the top of the division and needs a win here to start heading in that direction. Anton Turkalj has gone 0-2 in the UFC and pretty badly needs to get that first taste of victory in the Octagon here. This one closed at a -115 for Turkalj to -105 for Pedro, so technically a pick ’em.

Light Heavyweight Bout: Tyson Pedro (9-4, 205.45 lbs.) vs. Anton Turkalj (8-2, 205.35 lbs.)

ROUND ONE: Turkalj is an inch taller while Pedro has an inch of reach advantage. Turkalj misses a front kick to start things off, then lands a leg kick. Bit of a calf kick from Pedro. Calf kicks now from Turkalj. They clash on kicks, then Turkalj punches into a clinch but nothing comes of it and they break. One two from Pedro hurts Turkalj, he follows up with a body kick but doesn’t get reckless. Another right from Pedro, then another. A final combination from Pedro drops Turkalj and we’re done.

OFFICIAL RESULT: †WINNER – Tyson Pedro via KO, punches, at 2:12 of Round 1

The First Round Finish Club thanks Mr. Pedro for his work this evening. Mic time for Pedro, he’s been imagining this and knew he was going to bring it home and says Turkalj shouldn’t have brought up his wife. He talks us through the finish and notes his right hand has been on point all camp. He notes he still feels like a beginner now that he’s at City Kickboxing and then plays with the crowd and puts over his after party.

Justin Tafa is coming off of a No Contest after getting poked in the eye by his opponent tonight back in June, he hasn’t lost since 2021 though and is hoping to continue his positive momentum here. Austen Lane has a seven fight unbeaten streak dating back to 2020, his UFC debut ended in a No Contest but now he and Tafa are running that one back and he’s once again hoping to get that first UFC win under his belt. The odds are with Tafa at -200 to +165 for Lane.

Heavyweight Bout: Austen Lane (12-3 1 NC, 242.3 lbs.) vs. Justin Tafa (6-3 1 NC, 265.2 lbs.)

ROUND ONE: Lane is a significant six inches taller and longer than Tafa. Southpaw for Tafa. Lane with jabs then a body kick right away. We get a time out as Tafa complains of an eye poke. Replay shows there was some finger contact to the eye and Tafa is good to continue after 30 seconds. Lane with a front kick then an inside leg kick. Tafa bulls forward but misses a left hand. Tafa blocks a head kick. One two from Tafa mostly lands. Lane fires a hook kick that goes over the head of Tafa. They trade rights, then Tafa drops Lane with a left hand, gets on top and pounds things out.

OFFICIAL RESULT: †WINNER – Austen Lane via TKO, punches, at 1:22 of Round 1

The First Round Finish Club thanks Mr. Tafa for his work this evening. Tafa gets an interview, he asks for a post fight bonus first and foremost. Asked about the repeat eye poke he smiles and then puts over Lane in general but he’s happy to have done this in his home country. He talks us through the finish to close.

Manel Kape had three fights fall out before finally getting into the cage here, he’s on a three fight winning streak that has seen him crack the top ten rankings and he’s looking to continue that streak here and take aim at someone ranked above him next. Felipe dos Santos is undefeated coming into his UFC debut, and he could send some pretty serious shock waves through the division if he can upset Kape here. The odds are with Kape at -425 to +330 for dos Santos.

Flyweight Bout: Felipe dos Santos (7-0 1 NC, 125.4 lbs.) vs. #10 Manel Kape (18-6, 126 lbs.)

ROUND ONE: Dos Santos has two inches of height and reach advantage. Both women probe with kicks early, Kape mostly southpaw and firing inside leg kicks. Bit of a right hand from dos Santos. Kape lands a left hand. Jab from dos Santos but Kape floors dos Santos with a right hook then gets on top in full guard. Kape with some short punches and elbows then they stand and reset. Uppercut from Kape, dos Santos fires back though and backs him off. Leg kick from Kape, he’s gone orthodox for a bit then back to southpaw. Bit of a front kick from dos Santos. Kape lands a left hand in close. Dos Santos catches a kick and trips Kape, but Kape sweeps him and gets on top then lands hammer fists from half guard before standing. Right hand from dos Santos. Kape is really playing with his stance now, and lands a right hand. More front kicks from dos Santos, then Kape lands a calf kick. Kape lands a left hand, then a knee in close. Spinning elbow from Kape lands. Bit of a body kick from Kape, dos Santos catches it and clinches but they break pretty quickly. Kape with a right to the body. Left hook from Kape then a body kick. Kape with a right in close, and they both trade punches to close the round.

SCORECARD: 10-9 Kape

ROUND TWO: Dos Santos with more front kicks, he’s favoring that weapon a lot. Kape lands a left hand. Dos Santos misses a few strikes. Both men land power hand punches, dos Santos got the better of that though. Inside leg kick from dos Santos, Kape then lands a hard calf kick. Kape lands a left hand then a right hook. Dos Santos lands a jab then shows more front kicks. Bit of a right from dos Santos, Kape responds with a left of his own. Dos Santos misses a spinning elbow. Kape lands a jab. A couple of punches from Kape in close then a leg kick. Kape lands a left hook. Front kick from dos Santos but Kape responds with a one two. Kape with a short right hand, dos Santos walked into that one. Combination from Kape, they both land in close then Kape lands an elbow before breaking away. Both men land rights, but Kape seems to have more power. Dos Santos bulls forward but eats an elbow. Left hook then a right hand from Kape. They stare away the final seconds.

ROUND TWO: 10-9 Kape, 20-18 Kape overall

ROUND THREE: Dos Santos pushes forward looking to jab. Kape with a jab, then slips a counter and off balances dos Santos with a right hand. Kape seems to have a read on dos Santos at this point and he’s evading then countering. Bit of a right from dos Santos. Kape lands a left hand. Bit of a one two from dos Santos, Kape responds with a hard left then a body shot. Another left from Kape lands. They trade power hand punches along the fence. Dos Santos tries uppercuts but Kape counters with hooks that wobble him just a bit. They trade in close again. Kape lands a combination, dos Santos has a heck of a chin. Elbow from Kape, good read if he can’t drop him with punches. Another punch from Kape drops dos Santos to a knee for a moment. Jab from Kape. Dos Santos lands a jab, he’s still trying to push the fight. Kape lands a right hand. Dos Santos jabs forward, and eats a counter right. They trade rights. Kape lands punches, eats a right hand counter though. Dos Santos misses a few kicks. Kape lands a right hand. Another right from Kape lands. Front kick from dos Santos. Kape with a right hand then a takedown into full guard. They both trade strikes on the mat to close the round.

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

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

Fun fight, might take over Fight of the Night honors. Kape and dos Santos share a moment in Portuguese. Mic time for Kape, he puts over dos Santos and thanks him for taking the fight since everyone else ranked above him refuses to fight him and brings up he was supposed to fight Kai Kara-France who’s in the crowd and they trade words over distance. Kape says he’ll fight Kara-France next, and if Kara-France pulls out again he’ll come to his gym and fight him there.

Tai Tuivasa is on a two fight losing streak with both of those being finish losses, now granted he was facing Ciryl Gane and Sergei Pavlovich in those fights so the level of opposition matters but he needs a win here if he’s going to be a serious title contender or just a guy who puts on entertaining fights regularly. Alexander Volkov is on a two fight winning streak with both of those being first round finishes, he’s looking to make one more run towards the title level and needs a win here to facilitate that goal. The odds are with Volkov at -225 to +185 on Tuivasa.

Heavyweight Bout: #6 Tai Tuivasa (14-5, 265.6 lbs.) vs. #7 Alexander Volkov (36-10, 262.95 lbs.)

ROUND ONE: Volkov has a notable five inches of height and reach on Tuivasa. Volkov looking to jab and front kick right away. Tuivasa is showing leg kicks already but Volkov seems ready for them. Tuivasa is trying to close distance but Volkov keeps hitting him with body kicks. Left to the body from Tuivasa. One two from Volkov then an inside leg kick. Tuivasa is bleeding from the nose already. Volkov’s lead leg is very active, he keeps landing body kicks with it. Tuivasa tries to bull forward but can’t quite find an angle he likes. Volkov with a right hand to counter a leg kick, he off balanced Tuivasa but Tuivasa bounces up pretty quickly. Calf kick from Tuivasa. Volkov with a combination to counter a leg kick. Volkov with a right hand, then a left inside leg kick then a left head kick. Tuivasa misses a right hand. Leg kick from Tuivasa. Combination from Volkov again. Volkov lands a body kick then an uppercut. Tuivasa misses a right hand. A right from Volkov drops Tuivasa, Tuivasa comes up but Volkov then lands elbows in close before Tuivasa backs him away with a right hand. Bit of a head kick from Volkov, then he checks a calf kick. Volkov with a left hook, then a long combination staggers Tuivasa, he unloads on him against the fence just as the round ends.

SCORECARD: 10-9 Volkov, might be a 10-8 argument in there

ROUND TWO: Volkov circles as the round starts, and avoids a right hand. Tuivasa is looking to kick and lands a calf kick but Volkov lands a counter. Volkov with a right hand to counter another calf kick but his lead leg is a little compromised. Volkov with an uppercut in close. Tuivasa lands another calf kick. Hard knee to the head from Volkov then a right hand, Tuivasa just eats it but that man’s head is made cement I guess. One two from Volkov then a follow up right hook. Tuivasa slips on a kick, Volkov hits him on the way down then gets on top in half guard. Volkov grabs at a choke but loses it and lands a knee as they stand. Right hand from Volkov. Tuivasa keeps looking to brawl but he’s struggling to land. Volkov lands a right hand to counter a calf kick then he gets on top and into full mount. Elbows from Volkov on top. Hammer fists now from Volkov, then he gets the back and keeps punching. Tuivasa can’t get out of this position, he’s trying to move but Volkov is riding him and landing strikes. Volkov is after an Ezekiel choke, it’s pretty tight and Tuivasa has to tap.

OFFICIAL RESULT: †WINNER – Alexander Volkov via Submission, Ezekiel choke, at 4:37 of Round 2

Mic time for Volkov, he puts over Tuivasa’s toughness and kicks then notes he was prepared for the leg kicks and he’s OK with taking them so he can land counters because of his background. He talks us through the finish and notes Alexei Oleinik taught him that choke many many years ago.

Sean Strickland is on a two fight winning streak and is coming off of his first finish win since 2020, now he’s getting his first title shot base on being the next man available and healthy on the UFC’s rather nutty schedule and he’s hoping to pull a significant upset in the same vein as Michael Bisping over Luke Rockhold or Matt Serra over Georges St-Pierre to get his first UFC belt. Israel Adesanya just made history by becoming the first ever two time middleweight champion in UFC history when he knocked out Alex Pereira back in April, now he’s trying to get his second reign up and running with another successful title defense. Adesanya is the biggest favorite on the card at -675 to Strickland’s +490.

Middleweight Title Bout: (c) Israel Adesanya (24-2, 184.8 lbs.) vs. #5 Sean Strickland (27-5, 184.9 lbs.)

ROUND ONE: Adesanya is three inches taller with four inches of reach advantage. Both men open orthodox, but Adesanya will play around with southpaw. Adesanya with a front kick as he’s already going southpaw. Strickland plods forward and blocks a few kicks. Adesanya mostly southpaw, he lands a left hand then goes orthodox. Bit of an inside leg kick from Strickland. Strickland checks an inside leg kick then blocks a high kick. Adesanya starts probing with the left hand when he’s orthodox, and lands a calf kick. Strickland keeps moving forward, and misses a right hand. Adesanya lands a body kick. Jab from Strickland but he misses the follow up. A lot of little feints from Adesanya here, he’s getting a read on Strickland. Left hand from Adesanya. Right hand from Strickland lands. Strickland just keeps coming forward, he lands a bit of a right hand but Adesanya’s guard is high. Some body jabs from Adesanya as he circles. Bit of a head kick from Adesanya. Strickland drops Adesanya with a right hand, Adesanya is hurt and Strickland looks to unload along the fence with more lefts but Adesanya survives and gets back to space just before the round ends.

SCORECARD: 10-9 Strickland

ROUND TWO: Strickland gets back to moving forward, Adesanya with some kicks to keep distance though. Adesanya keeps circling, lands a bit of a jab. Strickland with a body kick. Adesanya lands a left hand. Jab from Strickland. Adesanya keeps circling, he’s not really found a rhythm or timing for Strickland yet. Strickland is avoiding or checking most of Adesanya’s leg kicks at this point. They split jabs while moving around. Adesanya misses a one two. Jab from Adesanya. Bit of a right from Adesanya then a calf kick. Strickland checks a calf kick and keeps coming forward. Adesanya lands a calf kick. Strickland avoids a kick and pushes forward with his own body kick. They split jabs. Solid right hand from Adesanya. Strickland keeps coming forward and then avoids a right hand. Bit of a body kick from Adesanya. That’ll be the last real blow of the round.

SCORECARD: 10-9 Adesanya, 19-19 overall

ROUND THREE: Strickland gets back to walking forward, and checks an inside leg kick. Adesanya looks to get his jab working but Strickland is blocking them thus far. Bit of a front kick from Strickland. Adesanya has a few kicks fall short. Bit of a left from Strickland, then he lands a front kick. Glancing left from Adesanya. Adesanya jabs the body but his follow up offense is all blocked. A few jabs from Strickland land. Both men miss rights. Strickland with a bit of a jab. Sort of a left hook from Strickland then he misses a right hand. Adesanya keeps showing the jab now. Strickland lands a jab. They get close and trade hooks. Bit of a right from Strickland. Both men miss rights. Strickland lands a stiff jab. Adesanya avoids a few strikes to close the round.

SCORECARD: 10-9 Strickland but a very close one, 29-28 Strickland overall

ROUND FOUR: Strickland pushes forward again as the round starts. Adesanya is trying to jab, then lands a bit of a right hand. Strickland keeps coming forward, and checks a leg kick. Cross check from Strickland to block an inside leg kick, that hurt me just watching it. Bit of a left from Strickland. Adesanya lands a left to the body but Strickland keeps pushing forward and lands a right hand. A couple of lefts from Strickland land in close, he might have stunned Adesanya for a moment there. Right hand from Strickland partially lands. Adesanya lands a right hand of his own. Body kick from Adesanya. Strickland is just a tank, he wont stop coming forward. Strickland blocks a few punches then lands a body kick. One two from Strickland then a few follow ups. Leg kick from Adesanya. Adesanya lands a right hand. There’s some swelling around the right eye of Adesanya, not a fight ender but it’s there. Strickland with a front kick, he just wont go away. Bit of a jab from Strickland. Strickland checks a leg kick and pressures forward. Front kick from Strickland. A few jabs from Strickland then both men land glancing rights in close. Bit of a counter left hook from Strickland then a jab behind it. Adesanya blocks a couple of punches. Strickland with a jab then a front kick to close the round.

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

ROUND FIVE: Adesanya might need a finish, or at least a big round. Strickland checks a leg kick. More pressure from Strickland then lands an inside leg kick. A few left leg kicks from Adesanya are blocked. Right from Strickland, Adesanya lands a left about the same time. Front kicks from Strickland as he’s marching forward, then he lands a bit of a right hand. Poking jab from Strickland, then a front kick. Strickland lands a jab. Adesanya has a head kick blocked. Strickland checks another leg kick. Front kick from Strickland then a jab. Adesanya has a few punches blocked. Strickland lands another front kick then a one two. Right from Adesanya, Strickland responds with one of his own. They split lefts. Strickland resumes marching forward, and Adesanya lands a jab. Some movement from Adesanya but Strickland is getting him on the fence regularly. Bit of a one two from Strickland. Adesanya lands a calf kick, then eats a counter right. One two from Strickland, then a follow up right that seems to bother Adesanya. Adesanya misses a few hooks. Strickland just keeps coming, he lands another front kick. Bit of a right from Strickland. They both miss punches in close. A couple of rights from Strickland partially land, then a front kick. Another front kick from Strickland. Adesanya keeps evading but we’re short on time. Strickland wants some wildness, and he closes the round with a left hand.

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

OFFICIAL RESULT: †WINNER – and NEW UFC Middleweight Champion Sean Strickland via unanimous decision (49-46 x3)

Never saw that one coming. Mic time for the new champion, he can’t believe the belt is around his waist and asks if he’s dreaming and just got knocked out and is about to wake up. He’s obviously emotional and puts over Adesanya and notes he’s beaten a lot of people easily and thanks the fans for supporting him and being loud all fight. He says he trains hard and notes he’s sacrificed a ton of brain cells to the MMA gods for this moment. To close he expresses love to the crowd and says the title means nothing, your home life and family life is so much more important.

Well on that incredibly improbable note I’d like to remind everyone that MMA is fundamentally and institutionally insane in ways both good and bad. We’ll be breaking down all the fallout from this event tomorrow on the 411 Ground and Pound MMA Podcast and look ahead to UFC Noche next week when we get the rematch between Alexa Grasso and Valentina Shevchenko for the women’s flyweight title. I hope you’ll be back for that one as well. Until next time thank you for reading, stay safe out there, and keep checking 411mania for all of your pop culture needs.

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