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March 30, 2024 | Posted by Robert Winfree
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MAIN CARD (ESPN, 10 p.m. ET)
#2 Erin Blanchfield (125 lbs.) vs. #3 Manon Fiorot (125.25 lbs.)
Joaquin Buckley (170 lbs.) vs. #11 Vicente Luque (170 lbs.)
Bruno Silva (186 lbs.) vs. Chris Weidman (186 lbs.)
Sedriques Dumas (185 lbs.) vs. Nursulton Ruziboev (185 lbs.)
Bill Algeo (146 lbs.) vs. Kyle Nelson (145 lbs.)
Rhys McKee (170.25 lbs.) vs. Chidi Njokuani (170 lbs.)

PRELIMINARY CARD (ESPN+, 7 p.m. ET)
Nate Landwehr (145.25 lbs.) vs. Jamall Emmers (145 lbs.)
#10 Loopy Godinez (115 lbs.) vs. #5 Virna Jandiroba (115 lbs.)
Julio Arce (147 lbs.)* vs. Herbert Burns (145 lbs.)
Dennis Buzukja (145.25 lbs.) vs. Connor Matthews (145 lbs.)
Ibo Aslan (205 lbs.) vs. Anton Turkalj (205 lbs.)
Viktoriia Dudakova (125 lbs.) vs. Melissa Gatto (125 lbs.)
Jacob Malkoun (185 lbs.) vs. Andre Petroski (186 lbs.)
Caolan Loughran (135 lbs.) vs. Angel Pacheco (135 lbs.)

Hello everyone and welcome to 411mania’s LIVE coverage of UFC on ESPN 54, I’m Robert Winfree and I’ll be your host for the evening. Tonight the UFC is on ESPN proper again, and they’re in a venue that actually sells tickets so we’ve got a card of at least decent quality on paper. The main event should crown the next title challenger at women’s flyweight when top contenders Erin Blanchfield and Manon Fiorot square up. We’ve got a pretty solid main card though it’s a little light on recognizable names if you’re not in the weeds on the current UFC roster, but Vicente Luque vs. Joaquin Buckley is fine, people still root for Chris Weidman, Nursulton Ruziboev might be turning into a rising force, and Bill Algeo vs. Kyle Nelson will probably be fun. On the prelims again, not much jumps off the page at you but it’s hardly the dregs we’ve been dealing with at the Apex cards lately. Call me cautiously optimistic, or at least not nearly as pessimistic as I’ve been on the last few cards.

UFC on ESPN 54 comes to the world from Boardwalk Hall in Atlantic City, New Jersey, USA. We’ve got Brendan Fitzgerald, Paul Felder, and Michael Bisping on commentary. I’m unaware of any unique quirks of the New Jersey State Athletic Control Board, the regulatory body in this case, but will update if something comes up. Lastly remember we’ll be in the regular 30 foot cage, though honestly given the frequency of Apex cards I’m unsure which cage is technically the more regularly used one at this point. For what it’s worth, seems like a decent crowd showed up for the first prelim which is usually a decent sign.

Angel Pacheco lost his last fight but is hoping to rebound and avoid his first ever losing streak by getting a win here. Caolan Loughran suffered his first professional loss in his UFC debut and now tries to get that all important first UFC win under his belt. Loughran is a heavy -485 favorite to +370 for Pacheco.

Bantamweight Bout: Caolan Loughran (8-1, 135 lbs.) vs. Angel Pacheco (7-2, 135 lbs.)

ROUND ONE: Pacheco has two inches of height and reach advantage. Some early jabs from Pacheco then he lands a calf kick. The “woo’s” have already started, not a good sign. Loughran looks very stiff on the feet, he eats a couple of jabs but does land a right hand. That lead hand from Pacheco is still very busy as he circles. Right hand from Pacheco. Pacheco lands a calf kick. Bit of a left to the body from Loughran. Pacheco with another calf kick. A lot of punches to the chest and body from Pacheco, designed to dissuade the takedown. Loughran lands a right hand, that got Pacheco’s attention for sure. Right hand from Loughran lands. A couple of body punches from Pacheco but he’s not got a lot of power behind these yet. Pacheco lands a calf kick. Right to the body from Pacheco but Loughran counters with a right uppercut then lands a follow up right hand that staggers Pacheco. Loughran looks to follow up but Pacheco is able to back him off with a couple of punches. Calf kick from Pacheco then they trade punches. A few jabs from Pacheco then a right to the body. Pacheco lands a couple of lefts but Loughran does land a counter right. Loughran is bleeding from the nose now. Pacheco seems to be finding things now and digs the body a couple of times to close out the round.

SCORECARD: 10-9 Loughran but Pacheco was coming on down the stretch

ROUND TWO: Pacheco gets back on pressure and lands a quick left hook. Loughran looks to fire back and they trade in the pocket. Right hand from Loughran. Pacheco lands a couple of jabs then a calf kick. Solid right hand from Pacheco, Loughran didn’t like that and shoots a takedown then gets on the back as they scramble to the fence. Loughran goes to a body triangle and lands some punches. Pacheco is hand fighting to avoid the choke. Pacheco to his knees, he’s able to try and base up but Loughran tips him over and they resume working on the mat. Loughran keeps throwing punches from the back then tries the choke again, then he switches towards mount but Pacheco catches half guard on the way. Pacheco works to wall walk, he’s upright and they break. A couple of body shots from Pacheco land. They trade in close then Pacheco avoids a trip. Pacheco checks a calf kick. Bit of a body kick from Pacheco. A couple of body shots from Pacheco, they clinch up and trade knees to close the round.

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

ROUND THREE: Both men come out swinging again, there’s something up with the left leg of Pacheco after he took a calf kick. Loughran is pushing forward and lands another calf kick but Pacheco is circling and trying to get his leg back. Left to the body then a right hand from Loughran. Loughran tries a double leg, that hits the fence though and Pacheco defends with elbows and knees then breaks free. Some jabs go back and forth now. Loughran with a combination of punches then a calf kick, that one hurt the leg and Pacheco is playing southpaw now to try and hide it. Pacheco stalks forward, he lands a jumping knee but Loughran clinches him after that. They trade in close then break. Loughran hits a double leg against the fence now. Pacheco works to stand, Loughran lands an elbow before they separate. Left to the body from Pacheco, Loughran counters with a couple of punches then a calf kick. Loughran lands a right hand. Right hand then a left hook from Pacheco wobbles Loughran, Pacheco lands a flying knee but Loughran gets a takedown to avoid further danger. Loughran is just holding the legs so Pacheco stands and they trade again. Both men land punches again as the round ends.

SCORECARD: 10-9 Pacheco but probably went the other way, 29-28 Loughran overall

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

Round 2 could have been 10-8, it’s a generous one but not exactly wrong. No interview for Loughran.

Andre Petroski just had a five fight winning streak snapped in a little over a minute last year, a loss that capped off some less than impressive outings from him but now he’s trying to rebound with a win here and remind everyone that he’s still a viable prospect in the division. Jacob Malkoun has gone 3-3 in the UFC but his most recent fight was a DQ loss in a fight he was handily dominating, he’s hoping to continue his upward trajectory here and avoid his first ever losing streak. Malkoun is your favorite at -245 to a +200 comeback on Petroski.

Middleweight Bout: Jacob Malkoun (7-3, 185 lbs.) vs. Andre Petroski (10-2, 186 lbs.)

ROUND ONE: Petroski is three inches taller but the reach is identical. They touch gloves to get us going. Petroski misses a low kick. Malkoun bounces back and forth a bit while Petroski switches stance as he moves around. A couple of stiff jabs wobble Petroski, he’s backing up now and might have been more off balance than anything. Malkoun keeps pressuring forward, he lands a left hand then avoids a high kick. Petroski is trying to find a way in but he seems a little unsure about what he’s doing. Malkoun avoids a few punches. again Malkoun intercepts Petroski with a jab, he’s reading him well and stifling his offense. Both men miss power hand punches. One two from Petroski lands and off balances Malkoun but he bounces right back up and eggs him on. Malkoun back to landing the left hand, then they tie up and Malkoun drives things to the fence. Petroski tries to fight off the clinch and eventually shoves Malkoun away. Malkoun avoids a high kick then lands a right to the body. Jab from Malkoun. Petroski tries a single leg, he gets it but Malkoun wrestles back up and out of a clinch. That’ll be the last real exchange of the round.

SCORECARD: 10-9 Malkoun but a close one

ROUND TWO: Petroski avoids a single leg to start the round but he looks a little fatigued. Malkoun pressures forward and lands a few jabs. Malkoun limp legs away from a single leg, something happened in there and Petroski drops to his knees, Malkoun then crushes him with a kick tot he body that prompts the stoppage. Not sure what happened there initially but nice killer instinct. OK, replay looks like maybe Petroski smacked his temple against the hip of Malkoun entering on that takedown and then lost his balance when he couldn’t hold onto him anymore.

OFFICIAL RESULT: †WINNER – Jacob Malkoun via TKO, body kick and punches, at :39 of Round 2

Given the finish Malkoun does get an interview, he thinks Petroski did hit his hip to stagger him but mostly he’s happy to have gotten the finish and move on to the next one. He acknowledges the boos but says fighting in front of any kind of crowd after all the Apex fights is great. He puts over Petroski a bit but feels he’s getting better and once he’s comfortable in here he’ll be a top flight guy.

I’m not sure if it’s hitting the hip or the glancing left hand that Malkoun lands as Petroski enters but something hit and wobbled him, then Malkoun follows up with a nasty punt to the ribs. I fully endorse more body kicks to downed fighters personally.

Well turns out our next fight is off, some medical issue with Dudakova. Hopefully nothing serious but I’m also not going to complain about 14 fights getting knocked down a bit.

Ibo Aslan brings a four fight winning streak into his UFC debut, a rematch from his last loss actually back in 2020 and the lone blemish on his record. Anton Turkalj has gone 0-3 in the UFC and could easily get cut from the promotion with another loss here. Close one here but the odds tilt towards Aslan at -125 to +105 for Turkalj.

Light Heavyweight Bout: Ibo Aslan (12-1, 205 lbs.) vs. Anton Turkalj (8-3, 205 lbs.)

ROUND ONE: Turkalj is an inch taller with half an inch of reach advantage. Both men probe with some calf kicks early, just getting a feel for things. A little bit of feinting now from both men. Turkalj with a front kick then misses a head kick. Aslan checks a calf kick then they trade rights. Turkalj lands a body kick but Aslan counters with a right hand. Calf kick from Aslan. Aslan lands a jab, then another one. They trade a little wildly and eventually clinch then break as they trade punches again. Aslan checks a calf kick again. Both men can’t quite connect with punches in close. Calf kick from Aslan. Turkalj tries to blitz but walks into punches. Aslan has a few punches blocked then lands a calf kick. Turkalj slips throwing a head kick, Aslan tries to fire some punches while standing over him as the round ends.

SCORECARD: 10-9 Aslan but could go either way

ROUND TWO: Turkalj tries front kicks as the round begins. Both men land hooks in close, sloppy brawling ensues but neither man will drop yet. Aslan gets the better of the brawling in general but his left eye is swelling up. We get a time out as Aslan took a kick to the groin, replay confirms it happened. Aslan takes 2:25 then we’re back to fighting. Leg kick from Aslan. Bit of a right from Aslan in close. Both men are swinging wild again, Aslan seems to bother Turkalj with a left hook. Uppercut from Turkalj. Aslan ducks under a head kick. Solid right hand from Aslan, but he misses the follow up and Turkalj is able to get a clinch on the fence. Nothing comes of the clinch and Aslan slips free. They trade clubbing rights, Aslan seems to have more firepower but Turkalj has slightly better technique. Aslan lands another right hand. Turkalj tries a takedown but Aslan easily blocks that one. Body shot then a calf kick from Aslan then Turkalj with some short uppercuts in close. Aslan might be tiring just a bit, but Turkalj is hardly a cardio freak either. Calf kick from Aslan. Aslan lands a right hand. Both men land again, defense is not much of a facet of either man’s game. One two from Aslan. Turkalj can’t find a takedown. Jab then a couple of calf kicks from Aslan. Turkalj misses a spinning back fist and gets punched a couple of times to end the round.

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

ROUND THREE: Turkalj lands a jab to start the round. Both men swing punches again, Turkalj tries another spinning attack but Aslan ducks it and hits him with a right hand. One two from Aslan. Turkalj lands a right hand. They trade rights. A right hand from Aslan finally drops Turkalj and the ref jumps in right away, maybe a touch early but given how much abuse they’d dished to each other I’m not complaining too much.

OFFICIAL RESULT: †WINNER – Ibo Aslan via TKO, punches, at 1:32 of Round 3

The Final Round Finish Club thanks Mr. Aslan for his work this evening. Aslan gets an interview, he says Turkalj spent years running away from their rematch but now he caught him and knocked him out then says he’s always here to knock people out. He’s happy to represent Turkey in the UFC, he’s the only Turk in the UFC right now but was erroneously identified as the first Turkish fighter in UFC history but that was Alp Ozkilic years ago.

I’ve come around after seeing this a few times, good stoppage from the ref given how Turkalj fell and reacted to getting dropped.

Dennis Buzukja has gone 0-2 in the UFC including getting finished in short order his last time out, now he’s trying to salvage his time with the promotion by getting that critical first UFC win. Connor Matthews brings a two fight winning streak into his UFC debut and he’s hoping to make a good first impression on the wider audience with a win. Buzukja is a slight -120 favorite to an even +100 on Matthews.

Featherweight Bout: Dennis Buzukja (11-4, 145.25 lbs.) vs. Connor Matthews (7-1, 145 lbs.)

ROUND ONE: Buzukja is an inch taller with half an inch of reach advantage. Southpaw for Matthews. Body kick from Matthews then a left hand behind it. Matthews with a calf kick. Buzukja probes with kicks, trying to maintain distance. Matthews has started doing a bit of stance switching now. Buzukja misses a few overhand rights. Both men with some calf kicks but Matthews is the one pressuring forward and generally looking smoother. Front kick from Matthews then Buzukja lands a leg kick. Buzukja with a left hook in close. Matthews continues pressuring forward and lands a calf kick. Buzukja with a jab. Matthews lands a front kick. Solid front kick from Matthews. Both men land punches then Buzukja lands a right hand that gets Matthews backing up. In close Matthews tries a knee but the foot hits Buzukja in the groin so we’ve got a time out. Replay confirms the low blow but Buzukja only takes 26 seconds then we’re back to fighting. Counter left hand from Matthews lands. Stiff jab from Buzukja, well timed. Both men fall short with left hooks. Matthews avoids a high kick and lands a right hook. Jab from Buzukja, Matthews with a right hand. Buzukja lands a right hand then an inside leg kick. One two from Buzukja then he misses a head kick as the round ends.

SCORECARD: 10-9 Buzukja

ROUND TWO: Buzukja lands a leg kick to start the round. Matthews avoids a few kicks. Right hand from Buzukja lands. Matthews gets in close and they trade punches before Buzukja gets off the fence. Both men land in close but Buzukja is defending a little better at the moment. Calf kick from Matthews then a right hand. Front kick from Matthews. They trade punches in close but Buzukja has more firepower and Matthews hasn’t quite found a way to overcome that deficit. Both men land in close again, Buzukja landed a pretty good left hook. Bit of a right from Matthews. Matthews lands a jab, he’s still coming forward and Buzukja looks a little tired. Right from Matthews but Buzukja counters with a left hook. Both men land lefts again. Front kick from Matthews. Matthews lands a right hand then they split a few jabs. Buzukja with a clubbing right hand then tries to follow up but doesn’t land those clean and Matthews gets on his back in the clinch. They hit the fence then Matthews with a mat return. One hook in for Matthews, he rides Buzukja down to a knee and lands punches. Buzukja scrambles up into a clinch and they trade in there before separating. Front kick from Matthews then a right hand. Buzukja lands a couple of body shots. Matthews keeps pressing forward and lands a right hook. Buzukja avoids a takedown as the round ends.

SCORECARD: 10-9 Matthews but a close one, 19-19 overall

ROUND THREE: Matthews gets back to pressuring forward right away. Bit of a right from Buzukja, then a left hook that drops Matthews, Buzukja gets on top and unloads with hammer fists until the ref jumps in to stop things.

OFFICIAL RESULT: †WINNER – Dennis Buzukja via TKO, punches, at :22 of Round 3

The Final Round Finish Club thanks Mr. Buzukja for his work this evening. Mic time for Buzukja, he gives glory to God this Easter season and says this is the version of him that the UFC signed.

Julio Arce missed weight here in his return to featherweight, he’s also been trading wins and losses while going 4-4 in his last eight fights and he’s coming off of a loss so he’s hoping to avoid his first UFC losing streak. Herbert Burns hasn’t been seen since getting battered and quitting against Bill Algeo in July of 2022 which put him on a two fight losing streak, now he’s trying to return from that layoff and get a win. Arce is one of the bigger favorites tonight at -355 to +280 for Burns.

Featherweight Bout: Julio Arce (18-6, 147 lbs.)* vs. Herbert Burns (11-4, 145 lbs.)

ROUND ONE: Burns is two inches taller with three and a half inches of reach advantage. Southpaw for Arce and they touch gloves to get us going. Arce shows the jab as they both circle around. Burns misses a couple of rights. Arce avoids a takedown against the fence. A lot of pressure from Burns right now. Inside leg kick from Burns. Stiff jab from Arce. Double jab then a left hand from Arce. Burns misses a couple of rights. Arce lands a left to the body. Another body shot from Arce lands. Burns forces a clinch but then throws a knee that hits Arce low so we’ve got our third low blow time out of the evening. Replay confirms the shot but Arce only takes 21 seconds then they restart. Burns punches forward and gets a clinch on the fence. Arce is fighting off the level change and Burns throws a knee that once again hits the groin so we’ve got another break. Replay confirms the low blow once again and the ref takes a point for the second low blow in a row. They restart after one minute to sort all of that out. Arce blocks a high kick and lands to the body. Burns clinches again on the fence but Arce lands a knee and spins free. Left to the body from Arce. Bit of a right from Burns. Burns forces another clinch, Arce trips him down then stands free as the round ends.

SCORECARD: 10-8 Arce after the point deduction but 9-9 wouldn’t shock me

ROUND TWO: They touch gloves again. Arce lands a body shot. Another left to the body from Arce. A counter right from Arce staggers Burns but Burns keeps pushing forward and misses a knee. Burns does get a clinch on the fence, some knees go back and forth while they fight for position, then Arce drops Burns with a knee and makes him stand back up. Combination then a head kick from Arce lands. Burns might be slowing, Arce backs him into the fence and lands a combination of punches then a left drops Burns and the ref jumps in to halt things.

OFFICIAL RESULT: †WINNER – Julio Arce via TKO, punches, at 2:00 of Round 2

Mic time for Arce, he says a lot has been going on including getting back from an ACL surgery and he really wanted to get this finish and apologizes for missing weight. He worked hard on body work and being patient to neutralize the jiu-jitsu attack of Burns, then he talks us through the finish and puts over his coaches.

Just a nice flurry of punches from Arce to put down Burns here.

Virna Jandiroba has gone 3-2 in her last five fights and is on a two fight winning streak, she’s trying to defend her ranking here and possibly move a little closer to a title shot with a win. Lupita Godinez is on a four fight winning streak including a couple of split decisions that were close affairs, she’s hoping for her biggest win to date if she can take out the number five contender here. The odds are with Godinez at -220 while a +180 payout on Jandiroba might tempt a few bettors out there.

Strawweight Bout: #10 Loopy Godinez (12-3, 115 lbs.) vs. #5 Virna Jandiroba (19-3, 115 lbs.)

ROUND ONE: Jandiroba is an inch taller with three inches of reach advantage. They touch gloves to get us going. Both women show the jab early. Jandiroba starts showing some stance switches as they move around. Bit of a left hook from Godinez. They split jabs. Godinez lands a right hand. Both women land in close. Jandiroba tries a single leg, that hits the fence though. Godinez fights up after a brief trip and lands a knee but can’t get out of the clinch yet. Some knees from Godinez land then Jandiroba tries to roll for a leg but Godinez grabs a front headlock and knees her then lands an elbow before separating. Some jabs go back and forth. Bit of a right from Jandiroba. Right hand from Godinez stumbles Jandiroba for a second. Jandiroba lands a one two. Left uppercut from Godinez lands. Front kick from Godinez then they trade punches. Jandiroba tries a single leg, that hits the fence again. Godinez defends against the fence, eventually Jandiroba drags things down but Godinez forces a scramble only for Jandiroba to get the back with both hooks in. There’s no time really for the position to develop and that’s where the round ends.

SCORECARD: 10-9 Jandiroba

ROUND TWO: Godinez comes out more aggressive here and lands a couple of punches. Bit of a right from Godinez. Left hook then a leg kick from Godinez. Jandiroba tries to get her jab working again but when they get close Godinez is landing a short flurry before they break. Solid right hand from Godinez. Jandiroba catches a single leg but winds up pulling half guard. Godinez blocks a sweep attempt and lands a few punches. They get tied up in a weird leg entanglement, Godinez lands a couple of hammer fists but Jandiroba tips things over to technically get on top. Godinez is trying to crank down some kind of ankle attack, it’s kind of a modified heel hook. They trade some hammer fists while fighting over the leg attack, Godinez keeps threatening the leg then they trade some punches here. Godinez is working a straight ankle lock now, she bails on that and they sit up then Godinez lands an elbow. Eventually Godinez moves to side control, then Jandiroba fights up and free and they reset. Both women miss hooks, then Godinez lands a jab, knee, and right hand to close the round.

SCORECARD: 10-9 Godinez, 19-19 overall

ROUND THREE: Jandiroba comes out jabbing and playing with stance switches. Godinez falls short with some punches and they clinch up again. Jandiroba is trying for a takedown on the fence, Godinez with some knees then switches her into the fence. Jandiroba jumps full guard but still standing then she bails on that and Godinez lands a couple of punches. Both women land lefts. One two from Godinez. They split some jabs. Godinez with knees in the clinch after blocking a takedown then she pushes Jandiroba into the cage. More knees from Godinez then an elbow as they break. Stiff jab from Godinez. Jandiroba tries to clinch but can’t control it. Godinez lands a right to the body. Left hook from Godinez. A second left hook from Godinez wobbles Jandiroba for a second. Knee from Godinez then a right hand. Jandiroba pushes close and they hit the fence again. Godinez tries to stay upright, Jandiroba is able to tip things to their knees but Godinez can’t keep the position and Jandiroba jumps to the backpack position as they stand. Neck crank from Jandiroba, she’s able to use that to ride things to the mat again. Jandiroba keeps fishing for the choke, Godinez stands again with Jandiroba on her back. Godinez can’t sling Jandiroba off and the round will end with Jandiroba on her back.

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

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

No real issues there with the scoring. No interview for the winner though.

Nate Landwehr just had a three fight winning streak snapped by Dan Ige in June of last year, he’s hoping to bounce back here and avoid his first ever losing streak. Jamall Emmers has traded wins and losses while going 3-3 in the UFC but he’s coming off of a win and is hoping to get his first UFC winning streak up and running. Emmers is your favorite at -180 while we’ve got another decent value payout on here at +155 for Landwehr.

Featherweight Bout: Nate Landwehr (17-5, 145.25 lbs.) vs. Jamall Emmers (20-7, 145 lbs.)

ROUND ONE: Emmers is an inch taller with two inches of reach advantage. Landwehr pushes forward right away. Emmers lands a right to the body. Left hook from Emmers then a right hand behind it both hurt Landwehr but he bounces up and resumes fighting. Body shot from Emmers. Emmers is really throwing hard but he’s landing a fair bit. Bit of a one two from Landwehr to counter a body shot. Emmers is doing a good job of hitting the body then trying to club up top. Landwehr lands a couple of punches in close. Another right to the body from Emmers but Landwehr is starting to move through the punches now. Landwehr with a double jab then a right hand. Knee and elbow from Emmers in close. Front kick from Landwehr. Pretty solid right from Landwehr. Short right from Landwehr in close wobbles Emmers, they tie up and he lands uppercuts then knees are traded before they hit the fence. More uppercuts from Landwehr before they break. Emmers lands a left hook. Bit of a right from Emmers but Landwehr is making his ugly and that favors Landwehr. Emmers misses a few rights. Landwehr is bleeding from the forehead but I don’t think it’ll be a real problem. Front kick from Landwehr. Emmers with a right hand. Short left hook from Landwehr. More pressure from Landwehr then a couple of right uppercuts that drop Emmers and that’ll prompt the stoppage.

OFFICIAL RESULT: †WINNER – Nate Landwehr via KO, punches, at 4:43 Round 1

The First Round Finish Club thanks Mr. Landwehr for his work this evening. Mic time for Landwehr, he gets loud and plays with the crowd to start. He invites anyone to try and kick ass so they can see what happens. Asked what he wants next, he admits he needs stitches so let him get healed up but he feels great physically then talks us through the finish.

Landwehr is a dog, it takes extra effort to put him down and Emmers landed early but Landwehr kept pushing and made it ugly. The uglier the fight the more it seems to favor Landwehr and his perseverance allowed him to find this uppercut and finishing combination.

Well that’s it for the prelims, onto ESPN for the main card.

Chidi Njokuani has gone 2-3 in the UFC but he’s on a three fight losing streak right now and badly needs to get things back on track with a win and this drop to welterweight. Rhys McKee lost both of his UFC outings in his first UFC run, then won three fights to get back here only to immediately lose to Ange Loosa last year. McKee badly needs to find that first taste of UFC success here as another 0-2 run could get him cut a second time. Fairly close one here, -150 for Njokuani to +125 on McKee.

Welterweight Bout: Rhys McKee (13-5-1, 170.25 lbs.) vs. Chidi Njokuani (22-10 1 NC, 170 lbs.)

ROUND ONE: Njokuani is an inch taller with two inches of reach advantage. Both men look very tall and long for the weight class and they fight very upright. A couple of leg kicks go back and forth for a bit. Njokuani lands a leg kick after checking one. More leg kicks and front kicks from Njokuani, just sniping and fighting long thus far. McKee keeps trying to time a counter right with those kicks but isn’t finding it yet. Bit of a combination from McKee. Njokuani avoids a right hand. Njokuani again with leg kicks and front kicks. Jab from McKee but his right hand is still not quite landing. Njokuani lands a leg kick. Jab then leg kick from Njokuani. They tie up and hit the fence. McKee has Njokuani on the cage and they fight for position for a bit. Bit of a knee from Njokuani. Not much going on here in the clinch and the ref eventually separates them, could have done that sooner to be honest. Njokuani back to showing leg kicks then he avoids a right hand. One last leg kick from Njokuani, McKee with a bit of a jab to counter and the round ends.

SCORECARD: 10-9 Njokuani

ROUND TWO: McKee avoids a leg kick to start the round. Njokuani is switching his stance now and is kicking to the body and leg still. Knee from Njokuani in close after he avoided some punches. Inside leg kick from Njokuani. They tie up again and hit the fence. Immediate boos from the crowd there. Some knees from Njokuani land. McKee isn’t doing much and eventually pulls free. Njokuani with a right elbow then a knee to follow up. Leg kick from Njokuani. Knees from Njokuani in close then he grabs a front headlock and lands a knee before McKee goes down to his knees. Njokuani spins towards the back, McKee scrambles up into a clinch but eats another knee. McKee tries to do something in the clinch, he’s after a double leg now but Njokuani defends and elbows him. McKee keeps trying for trips or sweeps but Njokuani is staying upright. Another elbow from Njokuani then a knee. Bit of a knee from McKee but he can’t level change and his clinch work is pretty limited overall. Njokuani with a knee. A few more knees from Njokuani land before the round ends.

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

ROUND THREE: They touch gloves for the final round. Njokuani with a leg kick then a front kick. Another leg kick from Njokuani. McKee avoids a double leg but they clinch up then break apart quickly. Bit of a body kick from Njokuani. Njokuani avoids a punch and lands a knee to the body. McKee ties up and forces things to the fence, but then he pulls free pretty quickly. Njokuani lands a left body kick then avoids a high kick. Knee from Njokuani again, he’s slipping the punches of McKee then landing those knees nicely. Right hand from Njokuani. Njokuani lands a leg kick and they trade punches. Right hand from Njokuani, then he ducks under a punch and hits a double leg. McKee quickly scrambles up with Njokuani on him in the clinch. McKee slips free and they trade punches. Elbow from Njokuani in close, then another one. McKee clinches again and pushes things to the fence. The ref breaks them up pretty quickly but at this point it’s justified. Njokuani with a leg kick. Both men miss punches then clinch, McKee slips to the back in the clinch though. Bit of a knee from McKee, then he tries for a double leg but Njokuani defends that. Knees from Njokuani then they break. Right hand then a knee from Njokuani. McKee is getting desperate and rushes into a punch. Body kick from Njokuani. Njokuani with a spinning elbow, then they both miss punches to close things out.

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

OFFICIAL RESULT: †WINNER – Chidi Njokuani via split decision (28-29, 30-27 x2)

How in the world could you give McKee either the second or third rounds? I might accept the first going to McKee even if I disagree but either of the other two is ridiculous. No interview for Njokuani.

Bill Algeo has gone 4-1 in his last five fights, only dropping a hotly contested split decision to Andre Fili during that time, and brings a two fight winning streak into this fight. Algeo is trying to prove he’s ready for a step up in competition with a third consecutive win here. Kyle Nelson had a really rough time to start his UFC run, going 1-4 in his first five outings but he’s now on a two fight winning streak and could prove he’s finally found his footing in the promotion with a win here over Algeo. The odds like Algeo at -250 to +205 on Nelson.

Featherweight Bout: Bill Algeo (18-7, 146 lbs.) vs. Kyle Nelson (15-5-1, 145 lbs.)

ROUND ONE: Algeo is an inch taller with two inches of reach advantage. Southpaw for Algeo and they touch gloves. Both men look to get after things. Alego lands a body kick and avoids a right hand. Calf kick from Algeo, he’s already switching his stance constantly. Nelson fires a kick but it’s checked. Body kick from Alego, then things get wild as both men swing punches but nothing really lands before they clinch up and hit the fence. Nelson is holding Alego on the fence but neither man is doing much. A few knees go back and forth then Algeo slips free. Calf kick from Alego then a front kick. Nelson lands a calf kick of his own, then a bit of a counter right from Algeo. They trade calf kicks. One two from Algeo. Nelson lands a front kick. Bit of a flurry from Algeo. They split jabs then Algeo lands a calf kick. Algeo lands a wheel kick. Body kick from Algeo but Nelson counters with a left hand. Algeo lands another calf kick, he’s just keeping a high pace and looking to melt Nelson over time. Body kick from Algeo. Algeo with a calf kick, Nelson returns it. Nelson lands a right hand that wobbles Algeo, he looks to follow up and they both trade in close. Nelson keeps swinging but Algeo is there with him and punching back. Bit of a right from Nelson, then a left hook behind it and the ref jumps in as Algeo protests right away.

OFFICIAL RESULT: †WINNER – Kyle Nelson via TKO, punches, at 4:00 of Round 1

The First Round Finish Club thanks Mr. Nelson for his work this evening. Nelson gets an interview, he was having a good time and puts over Algeo’s toughness but he was going to keep attacking and feels the ref did his job. He thanks his team and family and advocates for 50/50 custody as the standard. Next he talks us through the finish and jokes he’s ready to defend that stoppage next week if anyone feels like taking it up with him. Asked about the future he says Nate Landwehr had a good finish earlier and they’d make for a good fight. I wouldn’t complain about that one.

I’ll let you guys decide if this was a good stoppage. Felt a touch early but not horrible to me.

Nursulton Ruziboev is on a nine fight winning streak that includes a successful UFC debut back in November, now he’s hoping to get that streak to double digits and fully cement himself as a player in the division. Sedriques Dumas has gone 2-1 in the UFC but he is on a two fight winning streak and hoping to get a truly signature win in the UFC here. Ruziboev is your -205 favorite while a Dumas win pays at +170.

Middleweight Bout: Sedriques Dumas (9-1, 185 lbs.) vs. Nursulton Ruziboev (33-8-2 2 NC, 185 lbs.)

ROUND ONE: Ruziboev is three inches taller but Dumas has three inches of reach advantage. They touch gloves to get us going. Dumas shows some early jabs, just range finding at the moment. Ruziboev lands a right hand after Dumas gets a little too predictable with his lead hand. Uppercut from Ruziboev lands. Both men swing in close and partially land. Dumas is trying to keep pressuring forward. Uppercut then a left hook from Ruziboev. Dumas shows some front kicks now, trying to re-establish distance. Bit of a right from Ruziboev. Ruziboev is leaning on that uppercut, might be getting a tad predictable with it. Right hand from Ruziboev, Dumas complains of an eye poke but the ref says fight on so Ruziboev clobbers him down with another right uppercut then pounds things out on the mat.

OFFICIAL RESULT: †WINNER – Nursulton Ruziboev via KO, punches, at 3:18 of Round 1

The First Round Finish Club thanks Mr. Ruziboev for his work this evening. For what it’s worth there did seem to be a bit of an eye poke, Dumas and Ruziboev briefly share respect but Dumas does want a rematch. Mic time for Ruziboev and the translator, he plays with the crowd in what I think is Uzbek but could be Russian then thanks the fans, his team, and the President of Uzbekistan. Asked about the finish he claims it was a fist that landed as video shows that’s clearly not what happened. Asked next about the future he calls out Gerald Meerschaert, which is reasonable and makes sense. To close he thanks everyone again for coming out.

Chris Weidman is a former middleweight champion but that was back in 2013-15 and his recent stretch of fights has been much less impressive. He’s just 1-4 in his last five fights, the last win coming back in 2020, one of his two recent losses being a horrific broken leg injury loss, and then losing his return bout last year after a 2 year lay off. Weidman is still hoping to taste success in the UFC at least one more time despite mounting age and injuries meaning the end of his career has to be very close. Bruno Silva has gone just 1-4 in his last five fights and is on a two fight losing streak, he’s trying to salvage his UFC time with a win over a former champion while proving he’s still a worthwhile addition to the roster. All things considered it’s not surprising to see Silva as the -200 favorite to +165 on Weidman.

Middleweight Bout: Bruno Silva (23-10, 186 lbs.) vs. Chris Weidman (15-7, 186 lbs.)

ROUND ONE: Weidman is two inches taller with four inches of reach advantage. They touch gloves to get us going, Silva doing a bit of stance switching already and he tries out southpaw. Weidman looks to press forward but Silva lands a one two. Front kick from Weidman. Silva avoids a tie up. A couple of front kicks from Weidman then a high kick and a couple of punches, nice combination. Weidman clinches up and lands a few knees from a front headlock position, then Weidman switches towards a takedown but Silva defends that. Takedown from Weidman, he jumps to the ride position as Silva bases up. Weidman is wrestling from the back right now and is trying to force Silva down to the mat. Not much offense from Weidman but he’s got control and is landing a few knees to the leg from the back. They’ll just end the round in that position.

SCORECARD: 10-9 Weidman

ROUND TWO: Weidman tries a leg kick to start but eats a counter left. Some southpaw for Weidman now and he lands a leg kick. Silva goes orthodox and lands a right hand. Both men are switching stance and Silva checks a leg kick then lands a body kick. Weidman lands a body kick. Bit of a blitz from Silva. Silva lands a couple of punches then Weidman lands a right. Silva avoids a takedown attempt. Both men miss punches. Silva takes an eye poke and we’ve got a time out. Replay confirms the thumb of Weidman went into the eye of Silva. Silva takes a minute but can continue so we’re back to fighting. Leg kick from Weidman. Silva blocks a high kick then falls short on a blitz attack. Weidman tries a takedown, Silva blocks that. They trade jabs, then Weidman lands a left hook. One two from Silva sends Weidman backwards, Silva tries to follow but Weidman isn’t as hurt as he thought. A couple of body kicks from Weidman. Silva lands a combination. Solid left hand from Silva, Weidman fires back with a right. Silva misses a couple of punches then lands a knee. Weidman lands a right hand. There’s a cut under the left eye of Weidman but he keeps throwing at Silva. Silva blocks some punches then they trade one last time as the round ends.

SCORECARD: 10-9 Weidman but a close one, 20-18 Weidman overall

ROUND THREE: Silva starts coming forward as the last round starts. Weidman misses a high kick. Silva lands a jab, but also takes another eye poke and we’ve got another time out. Replay shows there was an eye poke from Weidman while Silva threw a punch. The thumb of Silva landed but he had a closed fist so it should have been legal on his end. The ref warns them both and we’re back to fighting after 1:40 and change. Both men try high kicks. Both men land punches. Silva misses a head kick. Again they trade punches. Bit of a right from Weidman. Silva flurries forward, Weidman drops him with a counter punch then gets on top and lands strikes from the ride. The ref jumps in, Silva was complaining about another eye poke immediately as Weidman celebrates.

OFFICIAL RESULT: †WINNER – Chris Weidman via unanimous technical decision at 2:18 of Round 3

Replay does show two eye pokes from Weidman that led to the dropping of Silva, not sure what they’ll do about that. I feel awful for Silva, dude clearly got double poked on that last sequence. Mic time for Weidman he gives glory to God and mentions he’s 39 years old with 30 surgeries under his belt. He says he thinks he did poke Silva but you can’t drop like that, if the ref didn’t see the foul it’ll go poorly for you. Tonight he was able to throw kicks again, then gives love to everyone for showing up. Asked about the future he feels if he can hang with someone like Bruno Silva he still has something in him, he says you can do anything you want if you’re surrounded by good people and work hard.

OK, adjustment made officially so they’re ruling it a unanimous decision for Weidman as they scored the fight until the pokes. That’s fair.

OK, no point deduction even? That’s some BS. I’m happy for Weidman but this was handled poorly by pretty much everyone.

Vicente Luque has had a pretty impressive UFC run thus far, it dates back to 2015, and his only recent losses are to Stephen Thompson, Belal Muhammad, and Geoff Neal. Luque is coming off of a win and looking for his first winning streak since 2021. Joaquin Buckley has gone 2-0 since returning to welterweight last year, now he’s hoping for a fairly high profile win here to fully establish himself as a force in the division. Very close one here, -125 for Luque to +105 on Buckley.

Welterweight Bout: Joaquin Buckley (17-6, 170 lbs.) vs. #11 Vicente Luque (22-9-1, 170 lbs.)

ROUND ONE: Luque is an inch taller while Buckley has half an inch of reach advantage. Both men come out kicking early, Buckley fighting southpaw. Both men move around a bit as they look for reads. Luque blocks a high kick. Both men block kicks, there’s a lot of distance between them most of the time but both men are good about closing it quickly. Bit of a left hook from Luque, Buckley lands one of his own. Some stance switching from Buckley now as he’s circling. Luque lands a body kick and avoids the counters. Both men avoid punches. Counter one two from Luque, Buckley does land a bit of a punch though. Luque lands a body kick but Buckley fires a counter right hook. Buckley avoids a couple of rights. Both men miss punches again. Luque lands a right hand. Cut kick from Luque under a high kick lands. Luque lands a body kick. Buckley misses a few punches, they get close then Luque hits a single leg just as the round ends.

SCORECARD: 10-9 Luque but a real close one

ROUND TWO: Both men land punches in close. Luque avoids a flying knee and lands a left hand. Inside leg kick from Luque. Buckley mostly misses a blitz. Left hook from Buckley lands. Luque avoids a couple of hooks, Buckley is starting to miss bigger and bigger when he’s swinging hard. Another inside leg kick from Luque and he avoids the counter punches. Buckley lands an inside leg kick of his own. Solid left hand from Buckley lands. Luque lands a left hook. Bit of a right from Luque. Buckley smothers a takedown and gets on top in half guard. Luque gets full guard while Buckley tries to unload with punches. Most of these Buckley punches are blocked but a few are getting through. Buckley keeps unloading and the ref eventually steps in.

OFFICIAL RESULT: †WINNER – Joaquin Buckley via TKO, punches, at 3:17 of Round 2

Mic time for Buckley, he plays with the crowd and plans on continuing upwards towards the throne then thanks Luque for taking the fight as the only guy he called out who actually accepted. He talks us through the finish and promises he can get you out of here in any phase of the game. Asked about the future Buckley wants to fight on the upcoming St. Louis card and would just really like another ranked opponent next.

Luque seemed out of it by this point, just waiting on the ref.

Erin Blanchfield is on a nine fight winning streak with six of those being in the UFC, all of which has seen her climb very nearly to a title shot which would logically be hers with a win here. Manon Fiorot is on an 11 fight winning streak including six UFC wins and is in an identical position to Blanchfield in terms of fighting for the next shot at the title. The odds like Blanchfield here at -185 while +155 for Fiorot has to be a tempting little bet.

Women’s Flyweight Bout: #2 Erin Blanchfield (12-1, 125 lbs.) vs. #3 Manon Fiorot (11-1, 125.25 lbs.)

ROUND ONE: Fiorot is three inches taller while Blanchfield has an inch of reach advantage and is a full decade younger. Southpaw for Fiorot. Fiorot works the lead hand early, she lands a bit of a right hook. Blanchfield with a bit of a body kick. Fiorot lands a one two. Blanchfield tries to clinch but Fiorot shucks that off and lands a couple of punches. Body kick from Fiorot. They tie up and Fiorot with a takedown but Blanchfield grabs a guillotine on the way down. Fiorot flips free and stands, Blanchfield holds the guillotine as they clinch up. Blanchfield is adjusting the choke, it’s dangerous but not completely locked in. Eventually they settle for a clinch on the cage then break apart. Fiorot keeps looking for a right hook, and it’s landing a bit since Blanchfield keeps entering on straight lines. Left hand then a right from Fiorot. Again Fiorot lands a couple of punches. Blanchfield walks into a punch but lands a body kick. They trade power hand punches. Blanchfield gets a clinch but can’t do much and they both miss punches as they break. Bit of a side kick from Fiorot. Stiff jab from Fiorot. Blanchfield bulls forward, they trade punches then Blanchfield gets a clinch on the fence. Fiorot quickly spins Blanchfield into the fence, they start fighting for position and trade knees in the clinch. Fiorot lands a right hand as they break and the round ends.

SCORECARD: 10-9 Fiorot

ROUND TWO: Fiorot back to sniping at distance. Jabs from Fiorot land, she’s a step ahead on the feet thus far. Blanchfield fires a kick that’s blocked. Blanchfield ducks a punch and ties up, she tries a trip but Fiorot counters and is able to stand free very quickly. Jab from Fiorot. They tie up again, Blanchfield with a couple of knees to the body then they break and trade punches. Fiorot lands another right hook but she might be slowing just a bit. Some side kicks now from Fiorot, she’s aiming at the legs when Blanchfield tries to charge in. Blanchfield misses an elbow in close. Another right hook from Fiorot then a side kick. Blanchfield with a bit of a jab but then walks onto a counter punch. Fiorot avoids a few body kicks then lands a right hand. Blanchfield presses forward and ties up, but Fiorot gets free and fires a body kick. Body kick from Blanchfield. Fiorot lands a knee in close. That cuffing right hand from Fiorot is well timed, Blanchfield keeps eating it as she closes distance. Side kick from Fiorot then a right hand. Bit of a left from Fiorot. Blanchfield clinches but it’s broken quickly. Blanchfield avoids a high kick then they trade punches. A final right hook from Fiorot closes the round.

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

ROUND THREE: Blanchfield comes out and lands a couple of punches. Fiorot lands a right hand. Blanchfield lands a body kick. Side kick from Fiorot. Both women fall short with punches. They trade power hand punches in close. Blanchfield tries a takedown but Fiorot tosses her aside. Left hand then a right from Fiorot. Another left hand then a right hook from Fiorot. Bit of a right from Fiorot. Blanchfield lands a body kick. They clinch up and hit the fence, then Fiorot pulls free. Right hook from Fiorot. They clash then briefly clinch but mutually break quickly. Fiorot keeps landing that right hand, and Blanchfield only enters on straight lines so she’s getting a little chewed up by that. There’s a cut around the corner of the right eyebrow of Blanchfield. Blanchfield lands a body kick. Fiorot lands a one two. Bit of a right from Blanchfield in close after she ate a right hand. Side kick from Fiorot. Blanchfield blocks a high kick. Right hook from Fiorot. Bit of a one two from Fiorot. Blanchfield avoids an uppercut, then Fiorot lands a knee to the body. Jabs from Fiorot then a right hook will close the round.

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

ROUND FOUR: Fiorot lands a right hand. Blanchfield with a bit of a body kick, but her lack of adjustment and depth of planning is becoming a serious issue. Fiorot is just able to jab and counter combo while angling as Blanchfield moves on straight lines. Combination from Fiorot lands but Blanchfield does land a left hand. Blanchfield tries to force a brawl but Fiorot is sniping and angling away from her. Bit of a left from Blanchfield. Fiorot lands a side kick then a right hook. More rights from Fiorot land as she’s circling. Blanchfield tries to clinch but Fiorot tosses her aside, the strength differential is real. They clinch, Fiorot thinks about a takedown but then just shoves Blanchfield off. Blanchfield keeps coming forward but walks into another right hand. They trade a few jabs. Fiorot with a left hand then a right hook. That lead hand from Fiorot is just making Blanchfield’s life miserable at this point. Bit of a body kick from Blanchfield. Fiorot with a couple of side kicks then a right hand. Blanchfield eats another right hook, she’s a step behind in the footwork and she’s never caught up there. Blanchfield lands a leg kick. Fiorot with a one two. Left hand from Fiorot. Blanchfield blocks a head kick. Knee in close from Fiorot then another right hand. Another cuffing right hook from Fiorot lands to close the round.

SCORECARD: 10-9 Fiorot but the closest of the fight probably, 40-36 Fiorot overall

ROUND FIVE: Fiorot back to jabbing as the last round starts. Left hand from Fiorot. Bit of a head kick from Blanchfield then they trade in close. Fiorot back to timing that right hand and avoiding Blanchfield’s charges. Right hook from Fiorot. A jab from Fiorot off balances Blanchfield for a moment. More jabs from Fiorot. Fiorot lands a right hook. Blanchfield lands a leg kick but eats a right hook for it. Blanchfield is cut under the left eye, not bad but it’s there. Fiorot lands another right hook. Left hand for Fiorot connects. Side kick then a left hand from Fiorot. Fiorot lands a right hook. Blanchfield with a bit of a knee in close. Fiorot lands a left hand. Blanchfield lands a couple of punches in close but she can’t follow up. Fiorot lands a right hook then a jab. Hard one two from Fiorot. Left hand then a right hook from Fiorot. Blanchfield forces a clinch and they hit the fence. Fiorot spins free and lands a knee to the body. Side kick from Fiorot. Blanchfield has 30 seconds left to finish this. Fiorot lands a right hook then avoids a high kick. Bit of a wheel kick from Fiorot but mostly missed, Blanchfield tries to tie up but can’t as the round ends.

SCORECARD: 10-9 Fiorot, 50-45 Fiorot overall

OFFICIAL RESULT: †WINNER – Manon Fiorot via unanimous decision (50-45 x3)

Heck of a performance from Fiorot, and a probable leaning experience for Blanchfield. Mic time for Fiorot, she has fought everyone else in the weight class and wants a shot at the champion. She doesn’t care if it’s Grasso or Shevchenko she wants the shot she’s earned. She puts over Blanchfield’s toughness but she was very well prepared for her.

Well on that note UFC on ESPN 54 comes to a close. Not a great night but not a bad one either, I’d give it a mild passing score if I did that here. We’ll be unpacking all of the fallout from this event tomorrow on the 411 Ground and Pound MMA Podcast, plus looking ahead to our next set of warehouse fights with UFC on ESPN+ 98. I’ll be back for that event next week and I hope you will as well. Until then thank you as always for reading, stay safe out there, and keep checking 411mania for all of your pop culture needs.

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