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November 16, 2019 | Posted by Robert Winfree
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MAIN CARD (ESPN+, 8 p.m. ET)
#6 Jan Blachowicz (205 lbs.) vs. Ronaldo Souza (205 lbs.)
Paul Craig (205 lbs.) vs. #14 Mauricio Rua (206 lbs.)
Jared Gordon (156 lbs.) vs. #13 Charles Oliveira (155 lbs.)
Antonio Arroyo (185 lbs.) vs. Andre Muniz (186 lbs.)
Markus Perez (186 lbs.) vs. Wellington Turman (186 lbs.)

PRELIMINARY CARD (ESPN+, 5 p.m. ET)
James Krause (170.5 lbs.) vs. Sergio Moraes (171 lbs.)
Eduardo Garagorri (145.5 lbs.) vs. Ricardo Ramos (146 lbs.)
Bobby Green (156 lbs.) vs. Francisco Trinaldo (155 lbs.)
Warlley Alves (171 lbs.) vs. Randy Brown (171 lbs.)
Renan Barao (146 lbs.) vs. Douglas de Andrade (145 lbs.)
Isabella de Padua (130.5 lbs.)* vs. Ariane Lipski (125.5 lbs.)
Tracy Cortez (136 lbs.) vs. Vanessa Melo (136 lbs.)


Hello everyone and welcome to 411mania’s LIVE coverage of UFC on ESPN+ 22. I’m Robert Winfree and I’ll be holding down the coverage fort again, relaying all of the action to you just as I see it. The UFC is back in Sao Paulo tonight and they brought, well it certainly is a collection of fights. The main event is moderately interesting as perennial middleweight contender Ronaldo “Jacare” Souza moves up to light heavyweight to battle rising contender Jan Blachowicz. Aging legend and former champion Mauricio “Shogun” Rua returns to action against short notice replacement opponent Paul Craig. Beyond that this card is a little thin, Charles Oliveira is fighting again but not against ranked fighters, James Krause and Sergio Moraes has some potential as does Bobby Green vs. Francisco Trinaldo. Other than that I’m at a loss, but hopefully the action in practice makes up for the lack of hype on paper.

This event comes to us from Ginasio do Ibirapuera in Sao Paulo, Brazil. On commentary we have Brendan Fitzgerald and Michael Bisping with Laura Sanko handling sideline reporting. We are under the new rules, including the use of instant replay for fight ending sequences if so desired. The major changes to the new rules are around scoring, which encourage more 10-8’s, and what a downed opponent is as the newest definition says anything other than the soles of your feet on the ground means you’re down but that extra appendage has to be weight bearing.

Tracy Cortez brings a six fight winning streak into her UFC debut, she’s hoping to keep that going and score the all important first UFC win. Vanessa Melo just had a five fight winning streak snapped in her UFC debut, she’s trying to rebound and also get her first win in the UFC. The odds are with Cortez at -220 to +180 for Melo.

Women’s Bantamweight Bout: Tracy Cortez (6-1, 136 lbs.) vs. Vanessa Melo (10-6, 136 lbs.)

ROUND ONE: These two are the same height while Cortez has half an inch of reach advantage. They touch gloves to get us going. A bit of work with the lead hand from Cortez. Left hook then a right from Cortez, Melo just keeps walking straight into her punches. Cortez lands an inside leg kick. Calf kick from Cortez, then both women land punches. Melo is generally stalking forward, they trade rights without much coming of it. Cortez seems the more technical fighter so far but she’s leaving her head very open. Melo lands a right that off balances Cortez for a second. Cortez still circling, lands a bit of a calf kick. Melo lands a left, Cortez lands a right. Cortez lands an overhand right after landing a left to the body. Melo avoids a takedown attempt but eats a couple of rights. Right from Melo, Cortez returns it. Cortez lands a left hook. Melo still coming forward but she’s not finding much offense. Cortez lands a right. Melo still missing a lot of punches. Cortez lands a series of punches, Melo lands a counter right. Cortez with a left hook. Delayed right from Cortez, Melo still has pressure but no cage cutting so she’s just following Cortez around. Another couple of punches from Cortez will close out the round.

SCORECARD: 10-9 Cortez

ROUND TWO: They touch gloves again. Cortez lands a left hook, looks for a takedown but has to settle for a clinch on the fence. Cortez has a body lock, she’s landing a few knees to the body and head. More knees from Cortez to the body and thigh. Melo is kind of stuck, she’s really struggling to find much in the clinch. Both women with a couple of knees, Cortez lands a right as they break then instantly moves into the clinch again. Cortez is after a single leg, gets Melo to her knees against the cage then switches to a double leg but Melo keeps posted and winds up giving up her back. Still upright in the clinch, Cortez has a rear waist lock now and is still looking for a takedown. Cortez lands some hammer fists and has one hook in. Melo is able to get that hook out but can’t get free of the grip. Mat return from Cortez, Melo to her knees and wall walking instantly. Cortez has one hook in again, but loses it as Melo is mostly vertical. I’m a little surprised Cortez hasn’t tried a foot sweep, she’s muscling a lot of this position unnecessarily. The round ends in that spot.

SCORECARD: 10-9 Cortez, with a little more damage could have been 10-8, 20-18 Cortez overall

ROUND THREE: They touch gloves for the last round. Cortez with a leg kick then a left hook as Melo starts moving forward. Body kick from Cortez then a left hook. Melo lands a couple of rights, Cortez lands a left. Melo lands another couple of rights, Cortez’s lack of head movement is getting her caught. Cortez catches an ill-advised kick and gets a single leg to get on top in half guard. Cortez looks to posture up and land elbows. Body to head punches from Cortez. Melo is kind of stuck, she’s on a hip but her shoulders are almost flat on the mat. Cortez with some more short elbows and body shots. Melo is scooting herself to the fence and looking to start a wall walk but Cortez is keeping her at an awkward angle and punching her in the face. More lefts to the head from Cortez, she landed a series of them and Melo looks to tie up her arms. Short elbows from Cortez then a knee to the body. More body shots from Cortez, Melo kicks her off but Cortez dives back into half guard with punches and elbows as the clock runs out.

SCORECARD: 10-9 Cortez, arguable 10-8 down the stretch, 30-27 Cortez overall

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

That 29-28 is dubious, I don’t think Melo did enough to even edge out the first round. Mic time for Cortez, she feels amazing and puts over the crowd and hopes to fight in Brazil again. She talks about wanting to out strike Melo but also wanted to prove she can switch things up when necessary. She chokes up trying to talk about her brother and mother who she lost to cancer, her brother was also a fighter who’s dream was to fight in the UFC.

Ariane Lipski has gone 0-2 in the UFC and is very likely fighting for her spot on the roster in this bout. Isabella de Padua missed weight rather badly, no doubt in part because of the extremely short notice that she accepted the fight on, but brings a five fight winning streak into her UFC debut. Lipski is a -260 favorite to a +210 comeback on de Padua.

Women’s Flyweight Bout: Isabella de Padua (5-1, 130.5 lbs.) vs. Ariane Lipski (11-5, 125.5 lbs.)

ROUND ONE: Lipski has three inches of height and reach over de Padua. Lipski comes out firing straight punches and a body kick. A few punches wobble de Padua, a one two drops her and Lipsin is on top now. De Padua looks for full guard and has some posture control as Lipski pushes her head into the fence. Lipski lands some rights to the head. De Padua is closing her guard, Lipski responds with short elbows and punches. Lipski stands free and lands a few leg kicks before de Padua regains her feet. More rights from Lipski, de Padua has had enough of this and hits a double leg into the guard of Lipski. De Padua lands a couple of short punches. Lipski has closed her guard and is kind of just hanging out. Lipski is looking to get her hips and guard in play but isn’t have a ton of success. De Padua lands some punches. Armbar attempt from Lipski, she switches to a knee bar that might be getting close as the round ends.

SCORECARD: 10-9 Lipski

ROUND TWO: Both women come out looking to punch. Lipski lands punches, de Padua tries a single leg but winds up just pulling half guard. Elbows to the body/kidney from Lipski. De Padua is occasionally looking to get her legs in play but is mostly fighting to hold posture control. Lipski is keeping up steady if unspectacular offense from top position, she’s looking to pass to side control and she takes an illegal up kick to the face from de Padua. There’s time out for Lipski now, replay confirms the foul. The ref takes a point for the foul, it was a clear violation and one she should have known better than to throw. They get restarted in half guard on the ground. Lipski lands some hammer fists and de Padua gets full guard. Rubber guard now for de Padua, but Lipski passes over the other leg back to half guard. De Padua shrimps to full guard again. Lipski postures up and lands hammer fists as well as some body shots. De Padua looks to lock up a reverse triangle choke, she switches towards an armbar but bails on it as the round ends.

SCORECARD: 10-8 Lipski after the point deduction, might be 10-7, 20-17 Lipski overall

ROUND THREE: Lipski comes out pushing forward, lands a one two but misses a high kick and de Padua gets a takedown. Lipski inverts for a knee bar rather quickly, upsets the balance of de Padua and looks to lock it in. De Padua is keeping her leg bent at the knee, she lands a couple of punches and Lipski winds up closing full guard. De Padua lands a few elbows and passes to half guard. Lipski hip bumps and looks to spin under, then escapes out the back door and gets on top while De Padua looks for a guillotine choke. De Padua bails on the guillotine. Rubber guard for de Padua, Lipski lands a few weak body shots. Lipski lands a right, she could attempt a pass but decides against it. Lipski postures up and swings, passes to side control and lands more as the clock runs down.

SCORECARD: 10-9 de Padua but who knows with that one, 29-27 Lipski overall

OFFICIAL RESULT: †WINNER – Ariane Lipski via unanimous decision (29-27, 30-26 x2)

I can see Lipski taking the third, she ended stronger if nothing else. No interview for Lipski.

Douglas Silva de Andrade has gone 3-3 in the UFC but his losses have come against tough competition, now he’s coming off of a loss to Petr Yan and is hoping to avoid his first ever losing streak by moving up to featherweight. Renan “Barao” Pegado has had one of the more stunning falls from grace in recent memory, from a dominant champion in 2014 to a man who’s just 1-6 in his last seven fights and currently on a four fight losing streak that includes missing weight in his two prior fights. Barao is very likely fighting for his place in the promotion as a five fight losing streak would almost certainly end his time in the UFC. De Andrade is your -250 favorite while Barao’s comeback sits at +200.

Featherweight Bout: Renan Barao (34-8 1 NC, 146 lbs.) vs. Douglas de Andrade (25-3 1 NC, 145 lbs.)

ROUND ONE: De Andrade is an inch taller while Barao has an inch and a half of reach advantage. They touch gloves to get things going. De Andrade feinting his way forward early, Barao looking to circle. De Andrade avoids a kick and lands a right. Barao with a few front kicks to the body, he’s trying to manage distance. De Andrade lands a left to the body then an overhand right. Barao lands a left. Bit of a right from de Andrade. De Andrade swings a right to the body, Barao fires back though. Barao lands a leg kick. Jabs from Barao then a leg kick. Barao avoids a punch and gets a double leg into half guard. Barao keeps trying to set up an arm triangle, but there’s not much there and the ref winds up standing them up. I’m not sure I agree with that one. De Andrade back to pressing forward, lands a left hook and looks to unload along the fence but Barao clinches up to slow him down. Knees go back and forth then they break. De Andrade lands a left hook, he’s adding that after a front kick. Spinning back kick to the body from de Andrade. Both men land jabs. A glancing right from de Andrade ends the round.

SCORECARD: 10-9 de Andrade

ROUND TWO: They touch gloves for the second round. Barao is bleeding around the nose and eyes, at least that’s what it looks like though it might just be swelling and discoloration. De Andrade lands a stiff jab. Front kick to the body from de Andrade, Barao lands a body kick of his own. They clash on kicks, de Andrade took one to the groin but waves off the time. Barao lands a leg kick and resumes circling. De Andrade lands a counter right then swings a hard left to the body, he’s off balance though and Barao gets a single leg into his guard. De Andrade firing elbows from his back as he’s got his guard closed up. Barao looking to work body to head punches. De Andrade is trying to stall things for a stand up, Barao isn’t really getting a whole lot going on top yet. The ref stands them up, more warranted this time. De Andrade lands a right to the body. Bit of a head kick from de Andrade. Barao avoids a right and lands a jab. De Andrade blocks a double leg attempt with a knee strike and then they hit the fence. Barao is after a single leg, de Andrade defends and forces a clinch. Barao is bleeding around the eye for sure now, his left specifically and the ref wants the doctor to look at the cut. That cut is literally on the eye lid just under the brow, but it’s not too deep or long for the doctor so we’re back to fighting. De Andrade with kicks and they trade lefts. A knee from Barao and a missed punch close out the round.

SCORECARD: 10-9 de Andrade, 20-18 de Andrade overall

ROUND THREE: Both men breathing a little hard, but de Andrade clearly the more fatigued party. They hug for the last round. De Andrade lands a right. Barao with some kicks, then has a takedown attempt stuffed. Both men landing jabs, de Adnrade lands a right and a left hook. De Andrade lands a right then a left hook. Barao is backing up again, he’s out of sorts. De Andrade lands an uppercut, Barao hits a single leg but de Andrade scrambles up immediately. A right from de Andrade wobbles Barao, who’s putting himself on the fence. Uppercut from de Andrade then a straight right. De Andrade lands a left uppercut and avoids a takedown attempt. Barao’s defense keeps dipping his head into the uppercut of de Andrade. More uppercuts from de Andrade, Barao lands a one two. Barao after a double leg, de Andrade defending and forces a separation. De Andrade lands a standing elbow, then a right that drops Barao for a second. Spinning kick to the body and a left hook land for de Andrade. If de Adnrade had a top shelf gas tank he could finish this, but he’s kind of one or two at a time right now. De Andrade with another left to the body. Barao with a bit of a left hook, de Andrade hits him with another left to the body. De Andrade lands a right uppercut then a left to the body. Barao lands a leg kick. De Andrade avoids another takedown attempt. Right then a left from de Andrade, Barao’s face is quite messed up at this point. They both miss left hooks, de Andrade wit a leg kick then a spinning back kick to the body as time expires.

SCORECARD: 10-9 de Andrade, 30-27 de Andrade overall

OFFICIAL RESULT: †WINNER – Douglas Silva de Andrade via unanimous decision (30-26, 30-27 x2)

I can see a 10-8 argument for de Andrade in the third round. No interview for de Andrade though.

Warlley Alves has gone 3-3 in his last six fights, he’s coming off of a win and is hoping to get another winning streak up and running. Randy Brown has traded wins and losses while going 2-2 in his last four fights, he’s also coming off of a win and looking for a UFC winning streak. Alves is a slight -130 favorite while Brown’s comeback sits at -100.

Welterweight Bout: Warlley Alves (13-3, 171 lbs.) vs. Randy Brown (11-3, 171 lbs.)

ROUND ONE: Brown is four inches taller and has six inches of reach advantage. Alves comes out looking to kick, Brown lands a front kick to the chest but gets off balanced by a punch and Alves gets on top in half guard. Brown is looking to wall walk but Alves keeps him on a hip. Alves looks to pass, Brown fighting to keep him in guard. Brown is looking to stall out now, Alves lands a couple of lefts to the body. Brown kicks Alves off but can’t get up, Alves lands a leg kick and returns to the ground. Alves winds up in the ride position as Brown is on his knees, Brown fights to his feet and they’re clinched up on the fence. Full body lock for Brown, Alves hits a judo throw and lands in side control. Brown is able to threaten with his legs and Alves punches him a few times and moves towards the back. Turtle guard for Brown, Alves gets both hooks in and is after the choke, it’s across the face not under the chin. Alves switches this choking arm, this one is under the chine but he can’t get his other arm in play yet. Brown still hand fighting and finally gets the arm out from around his neck and spins into the guard of Alves. Alves kicks Brown off, stands up and they’re still clinched though. Brown with a bit of an elbow. Knees from Brown, then he gets his own judo throw into side control as the round ends.

SCORECARD: 10-9 Alves

ROUND TWO: Alves comes out hot, lands a body kick. Brown with a couple of punches. Flying knee from Brown off balances Alves. Alves is flat on his feet now, with his back on the fence. Alves catches a kick and gets a takedown, Brown immediately looking for a triangle choke. Brown gets his legs into choking position but Alves is defending so far. Brown grabs around the leg of Alves, changes the angle of the choke and Alves taps.

OFFICIAL RESULT: †WINNER – Randy Brown via Submission, triangle choke, at 1:22 of Round 2

Mic time for Brown. He says he had a slow start tonight but he found his rhythm in the second and hurt Alves before slipping but thankfully his jiu-jitsu was up to snuff. He calls out Michael Chiesa, joking that he doesn’t want to talk about his momma to get the fight, then thanks the crowd.

The basics of the submission are already in place here, that being leg position. But watch what Brown does with his hands, the elbows are more of a distraction to allow him to get his right arm to hook the left leg of Alves and alter the angle of the choke which winds up forcing the tap.

Francisco Trinaldo has been a perennial tough out at lightweight for a long time but he’s been trading wins and losses lately, he’s coming off of a loss and is looking to avoid what would be the first losing streak of his entire career. Bobby Green is on a rough skid, he’s 1-4-1 in his last six fights and is coming off of a loss to Drakkar Klose. If Green wants to salvage some relevance out of his career he badly needs a win. Trinaldo is your -145 favorite to +115 for Green.

Lightweight Bout: Bobby Green (24-9-1, 156 lbs.) vs. Francisco Trinaldo (23-7, 155 lbs.)

ROUND ONE: Green has an inch of height and reach over Trinaldo. Trinaldo comes out southpaw, Green will do a bit of stance switching as he feels necessary. Green feinting early, lands an inside leg kick. Trinaldo misses a left hand then a left high kick. Green lands a jab and evades a couple of counters. Trinaldo avoids a punch and lands a left that wobbles Green, he gets a takedown and moves to the back, then winds up going for a kimura as he loses position then jumps on a guillotine attempt as Green gets on top. Green looking to keep the guard of Trinaldo from locking up, and he’s able to get his head free. Green passes to half guard and lands a couple of elbows. Trinaldo gets some motion going, looks to come up on a takedown but Green holds a front headlock to keep him on his knees. Knee to the chest from Green and he pushes Trinaldo into a sitting position on the fence. Trinaldo looking to wall walk, Green keeps him on his back. Green moves to north-south, he’s thinking about a kimura but Trinaldo comes up for a double leg but on the slam attempt Green reverses him and is still on top. Nice motion from Green there. Trinaldo is holding half guard, Green lands some body shots. Green to side control, and that’s where the round will end.

SCORECARD: 10-9 Trinaldo but a close one

ROUND TWO: Both men a little flatter to start this round. Green with an inside leg kick then a left hand that lands. Trinaldo lands a leg kick. Green is trying southpaw for a bit, he’s got a better feel for the defensive range in this stance. Trinaldo lands a leg kick, Green lands a body shot then a straight left. Green lands another left. High kick from Trinaldo misses, then he lands a couple of leg kicks. Jab from Green, Trinaldo lands a body shot. Green lands a front kick to the body. Body kick from Green lands. Trinaldo misses a few punches. Trinaldo lands to the body. Green lands a right then a front kick to the body. Trinaldo misses a few punches and eats a right. Green lands another punch at distance. Trinaldo has a high kick blocked. Leg kick from Trinaldo lands. They both land lefts. Trinaldo with another leg kick. Green lands a couple of straight rights then a body shot. A left from Green closes out the round.

SCORECARD: 10-9 Green, 19-19 overall

ROUND THREE: They touch gloves for the final round. Trinaldo comes forward and lands a left. Bit of a punch lands for Trinaldo, Green responds with punches of his own. Body kick then a right to the body from Green. Trinaldo misses a head kick. Both men land lefts in close. Trinaldo lands a left in combination. Green lands a leg kick then a straight right. A couple of punches then a knee land for Green. Green with a couple of jabs then he catches a kick and takes Trinaldo down. Trinaldo eats a few punches but he’s back up looking for a takedown against the fence. Green is defending, hits a switch and gets a double leg of his own. Trinaldo looking to wall walk, he’s back up and he fires some knees while holding a front headlock. Green finally gets free. Both men slip punches. Green with some kicks to the knee. Trinaldo lands a right hook then a left to the body as the round ends.

SCORECARD: 10-9 Green but all three of those were competitive round, 29-28 Green overall

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

Surprised by the unanimous, but a tough one to score in real time in a lot of ways. No interview for Trinaldo.

Ricardo Ramos has gone an impressive 4-1 in the UFC, he’s coming off of a win and looking to build himself up again up a division at featherweight. Eduardo Garagorri is undefeated including a successful UFC debut, now he’s looking to keep that momentum going and start making a name for himself in the UFC. The odds are with Ramos at -350 to a + 275 comeback on Garagorri.

Featherweight Bout: Eduardo Garagorri (13-0, 145.5 lbs.) vs. Ricardo Ramos (13-2, 146 lbs.)

ROUND ONE: These two are the same height while Ramos has two inches of reach advantage. Southpaw for Garagorri. Ramos with some leg kicks early. Garagorri doing stance switching and circling so far. Ramos misses a few overly fancy kicks. Garagorri lands a body kick. Ramos misses a wheel kick. Ramos pushing forward, lands a calf kick. Garagorri digs another left body kick. Ramos lands a leg kick then a one two combination. Both men miss punches, they tie up and Ramos gets an inside trip into the guard. Garagorri looks to wall walk, Ramos with a knee to the body as he does so. They remain clinched on the fence, Garagorri then escapes and blocks a spinning elbow. Ramos lands a body kick, avoids a punch and gets a rear waist lock. Elevated takedown from Ramos and he’s got the back with both hooks in. Garagorri stands and Ramos keeps the backpack position. Ramos is after the choke, he’s under the chine and pulls things down to the mat where Garagorri has to tap.

OFFICIAL RESULT: †WINNER – Ricardo Ramos via Submission, rear naked choke, at 3:57 of Round 1

The First Round Finish Club thanks Mr. Ramos for his work this evening. Ramos gets some mic time after that, he thanks the crowd as he’s from Sao Paulo and is grateful to display his skills and gives glory to God. He says his game plan was to win everywhere and feels well prepared for this fight wherever it went.

Here’s a look at the finish. Garagorri neglects his hand fighting for just a moment, and then can’t recover it before he has to tap.

Sergio Moraes is on a two fight losing streak and in need of a win if he wants to make a run towards ranked opposition. James Krause has been out of action for a little over a year but is currently on a five fight winning streak and looking to make his own move towards the official rankings if he can get to six in a row tonight. Krause is the -200 favorite while a Moraes win would payout at +170.

Welterweight Bout: James Krause (26-7, 170.5 lbs.) vs. Sergio Moraes (14-5-1, 171 lbs.)

ROUND ONE: Krause is two inches taller and has an inch and a half of reach over Moraes. They touch gloves to get us going. Moraes dives for a single leg, gets punched but he does complete it and gets into side control almost immediately. Moraes is struggling to do much with the position, he’s more waiting for Krause to open up something. Krause spins to his knees, and gets on top when Moraes tries to take his back. Full guard for Moraes. Krause lands a couple of hammer fists. Moraes is locked around the upper body of Krause looking to stall things out. Krause passes to half guard, Moraes looks to come up on a takedown of his own, and they wind up on the feet separated. Krause lands a calf kick. Jabs from Krause then another calf kick. Krause lands a left to the body. Moraes lands a right then a left hook. Krause defends a single leg, they hit the fence and that’s where the round will end.

SCORECARD: 10-9 Krause but could go either way

ROUND TWO: They touch gloves to get us going. Moraes looks tired already, Krause lands a calf kick. Krause showing some stance switches now. Krause blocks a high kick then lands a couple of jabs. Moraes is backing up, he lands a left after taking a left to the body. Krause lands a calf kick. Krause is backing Moraes towards the fence, he lands a right. Moraes swings a left that misses. Krause lands a right, he’s keeping constant pressure on Moraes. Jabs from Krause land. Krause lands a right then a left to the body. Moraes looks like he wants out of the cage, Krause lands a series of punches. Krause lands another calf kick then a few punches. Left hook from Krause drops Moraes, but he makes him stand back up. More punches from Krause, an uppercut and Moraes flops to his back hoping to force the grappling but Krause isn’t biting. Moraes takes his sweet time getting up and Krause is back in his face. Krause lands a couple of rights then a left to the body. Another calf kick from Krause then some punches while Moraes backs away. Krause lands a left to the body. Rights to the body and head from Krause, Moraes drops and this time Krause follows him down landing from his guard but Moraes is able to tie up his arms and wait out the final seconds.

SCORECARD: 10-8 Krause, 20-17 Krause overall

ROUND THREE: I’m kind of surprised Moraes is coming out for the last round, he doesn’t want any part of this fight. Krause with a leg kick and some jabs. More jabs from Krause then a calf kick. Moraes swings some punches but they either miss or are blocked. Krause lands a combination and a calf kick. Moraes with a looping left hook. Another calf kick from Krause. Left hook from Krause, then he digs the body and Moraes is back to wanting out of the cage. A few more punches land for Krause, Moraes swings back but misses. Krause with some punches and avoids a bad takedown attempt. Moraes tries to goad Krause onto the mat but Krause defers. Krause lands a calf kick and a right. Moraes is swinging again at least but Krause is working him from a technical perspective. Krause lands a right, and another one. Moraes looks for a leg scissor takedown, but not even close to finishing it. A right from Krause finally drops Moraes again, this time a couple of hammer fists prompt the stoppage.

OFFICIAL RESULT: †WINNER – James Krause via KO, punches, at 4:19 of Round 3

The Final Round Finish Club thanks Mr. Krause for his work this evening. Mic time for Krause, he says he feels great and puts over his coaches. He says he’s always wanted to fight in Brazil and hear them chant “you’re gonna die” and they seem to appreciate that.

Krause was technically superior on the feet all fight, and finally found the right punch to end things.

That will do it for preliminary action, though we’re still on ESPN+ for the main card.

Markus Perez has gone 2-2 in the UFC but is coming off of a win and could get his first UFC winning streak up and running with a win tonight. Wellington Turman just had a four fight winning streak broken when he lost his UFC debut, now he’s looking to rebound and score his first UFC win. Perez is a slight -120 favorite to -110 for Turman.

Middleweight Bout: Markus Perez (11-2, 186 lbs.) vs. Wellington Turman (15-3, 186 lbs.)

ROUND ONE: Perez has an inch of height and reach over Turman. They touch gloves to get us going, southpaw for Perez. Perez misses a kick. Turman coming forward, lands a right. Turman punches forward into a clinch that hits the fence. Single leg from Turman, Perez defends and spins him into the fence. Elbow from Perez but Turman gets his back standing and looks for a takedown. Perez is able to start fighting his grip as Turman looks for a mat return. Turman looking to elevate but can’t finish the takedown. Perez is able to get chest to chest and put Turman on the fence. Elbow from Perez then a spinning back fist on the break. Turman coming forward again. Perez has a left blocked. Turman avoids a few spinning attacks and lands a left hook. Perez misses a kick and avoids a few punches. Bit of a head kick from Perez, and he avoids a return one from Turman. Turman lands a right, and then a bit of a knee. Perez lands a body kick. Left hook lands for Turman, and Perez misses an up elbow. Turman avoids a spinning elbow. Turman punches into close quarters, both men miss punches as the round ends.

SCORECARD: 10-9 Turman

ROUND TWO: Turman with a bit of a right then a body kick. Perez tries a wheel kick that’s blocked, he’s bouncing a bit more now. Perez lands a body kick. Turman misses a jumping kick but he’s pressuring forward. Uppercut from Turman is partially blocked but he lands a left hook. Both men land elbows in close, Perez with a spinning elbow but Turman lands a couple of counter punches. Turman bulls into a clinch and gets a body lock takedown. Perez looking to wall walk, Turman to his back and lands knees to the thigh. Perez back up but still clinched. More knees from Turman to the thigh then a high kick as Perez turns him around. Both men miss elbows as they break. Turman doing stance switching now as well, he punches into a clinch. Perez swings a couple of lefts, Turman spins him to the fence and they break. Turman lands a left hook, Perez lands one of his own but Perez is bleeding around his right eyebrow. Another clinch on the fence. Turman is after another takedown, Perez defends and they break. Perez misses a spinning kick. Turman with a knee then a right as the round ends.

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

ROUND THREE: They hug to start the last round. Turman lands a right. Turman with a left hook, he’s pushing forward and lands a knee to the head. Perez lands a right but eats a couple of counter punches. A series of left body kicks land for Perez, Turman gets a clinch and lands a knee to the head right to the cut on Perez’s eye. They jockey for position, Turman gets the back and forces Perez down but Perez is back up to his feet. Turman with knees to the head while he’s looking for another mat return. Full mat return away from the fence for Turman and he’s looking to land blows from the ride position. Turman gets to full mount, Perez looks for a heel hook but Turman spins free. Turman goes into the guard of Perez and passes rather quickly. Perez tries for rubber guard, Turman gets his head free and moves to side control. Short elbows from Turman land. North-south now for Turman, Perez works to his seat but Turman is landing blows as he does so. They’re back up in the clinch, Turman with some short uppercuts and Perez lands an elbow. Perez lands a spinning elbow, Turman keeps the clinch though. Perez swings from the pocket, Turman fires back as they break. A bit of sloppy brawling closes out the fight.

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

OFFICIAL RESULT: †WINNER – Wellington Turman via unanimous decision (30-27 x3)

Well that fight existed, not the worst of the evening but hardly memorable. Mic time for Turman, he jokes that the Joker (who Perez cosplayed as at the weigh ins) always loses. He says he was confident in the fight but knows he’s young and still has a lot to learn then promises a better version of himself next time.

Antonio Arroyo brings a five fight winning streak into his UFC debut as well as a successful outing on the Contender Series, he’s looking to make the most of his position on this card. Andre Muniz has had two successful outing on the aforementioned Contender Series in addition to a four fight winning streak coming into his UFC debut. Muniz is a slight -125 favorite to a -105 comeback on Arroyo.

Middleweight Bout: Antonio Arroyo (9-2, 185 lbs.) vs. Andre Muniz (18-4, 186 lbs.)

ROUND ONE: Arroyo is two inches taller but Muniz has four and a half inches of reach advantage. Southpaw for both men, but Arroyo is showing more stance switching. Arroyo lands a body kick and a flurry of punches before Muniz gets a clinch and wands up spinning to pull guard. Muniz is after an armbar, it’s getting tight but Arroyo is trying to pull free. Arroyo is keeping his arm bent, Muniz keeps working to extend the arm, it’s getting extended but Arroyo is able to pull free. Muniz comes up on a double leg and has Arroyo down near the fence. Arroyo is working to wall walk, decides against giving up his back and settles for full guard. Muniz with body shots and now a few punches to the head. Arroyo to his knees, Muniz looks to grab a front chancery position and fires a knee that hits the face but on replay I think Arroyo’s knees were off of the ground and the knee went more to the chest while the thigh hit the face. Looking at the replay again I’m definitely thinking that the knees weren’t on the ground and that blow was legal. The doctor double checks Arroyo who’s good to continue, no point deduction and we restart on the feet. Both men land body kicks, Muniz dives for the legs and Arroyo avoids the takedown attempt. Muniz lands a body kick. A few front kicks from Arroyo land then an uppercut. High kick from Muniz then a couple of lefts that land flush and Arroyo is backing away. Muniz tries a double leg, Arroyo defends and lands a body kick. Bit of a pull back counter right from Arroyo. Arroyo lands a calf kick. Muniz lands a body kick then a straight right. A front kick from Arroyo glances through the body and chin, that wobbles Muniz as the round ends.

SCORECARD: 10-9 Muniz

ROUND TWO: Arroyo working kicks to open the round. Muniz lands a body kick. Forward pressure from Muniz, Arroyo has a few punches blocked then eats a body kick. More punches from Muniz into a double leg attempt along the fence. Muniz slings Arroyo down and gets the back with one hook in then looks for the choke. Both hooks for Muniz, he’s got the arm across the jaw and is cranking as much as he can. Arroyo is hand fighting, and gets that choke attempt to break. Loose body triangle now for Muniz, he’s landing some short punches to try and open up choke attempts. Arroyo is looking to turn into Muniz, Muniz reads the attempt and moves to full mount instead. Arroyo shrimps and uses a leg lock attempt to force Muniz to his back. Arroyo now standing over him, they just kind of futz around there for a bit before Arroyo goes into his guard. Muniz quickly trying to work his guard high, he hits a near sweep but can’t quite finish it. Elbow from Arroyo lands. The ref stands them up but they’ll take the final five seconds or so to do so.

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

ROUND THREE: They touch gloves for the last round. Body kick from Muniz, Arroyo returns it. Another body kick from Muniz, then he hits a double leg takedown into the guard of Arroyo. Muniz looking to pass but Arroyo keeps him in guard. Arroyo is looking to wall walk, Muniz lands some body shots and pushes hi mover to his shoulder along the fence. Muniz lands some more lefts, he’s technically in half guard or leg drag now. More leg drag than half guard as he switches his hip position, and Muniz is nearly in side control. Arroyo rolls to his knees, Muniz jumps to the back but only has one hook in. Muniz is going to get shaken off, but Arroyo can’t keep his base under him and winds up on his knees in turtle position. Arroyo slips free and stands over Muniz. Again Arroyo is standing over him, he lands a leg kick and decides to go into the guard of Muniz. Bit of right from Arroyo, Muniz tries to com up on his legs but Arroyo gets free. Why Arroyo isn’t making him stand back up is beyond me. Muniz blocks some punches. The ref finally intervenes and we’re on the feet again. Body kick from Muniz, and they stare away the final ten seconds.

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

OFFICIAL RESULT: †WINNER – Andre Muniz via unanimous decision (30-27 x3)

Mic time for Muniz, he says fighting on the same card as some of his idols is surreal then feels he started slow but plans on being better next time.

Charles Oliveira is currently on the best run of his UFC career, he’s won his last five fights and is looking to make a move on the ranked contenders if he can get that streak to six. Jared Gordon just broke a two fight losing streak and is looking to score the biggest win of his career against the decorated veteran Oliveira. The odds are with Oliveira to the tune of -410 while Gordon’s comeback sits at +320.

Lightweight Bout: Jared Gordon (15-3, 156 lbs.) vs. #13 Charles Oliveira (27-8 1 NC, 155 lbs.)

ROUND ONE: Oliveira is an inch taller but has six inches of reach advantage. They touch gloves to get us going. Gordon coming forward early, Oliveira lands a leg kick. Bit of a right from Gordon. They tie up and Oliveira goes for an armbar in transition but can’t get it and they separate. Oliveira coming forward now, Gordon lands a right. Oliveira lands a body shot then a leg kick. Gordon comes forward and Oliveira clips with a right, then an uppercut that drops Gordon and this one is over.

OFFICIAL RESULT: †WINNER – Charles Oliveira via KO, punches, at 1:26 of Round 1

The First Round Finish Club thanks Mr. Oliviera for his work this evening. Mic time for Oliveira after that one, he says he doesn’t care who he fights because whoever they are they’re going to have a bad night. He talks us through the finish, then says he’d love to fight Conor McGregor. That’s the most hilarious callout he could have made. He also says he’d like to run it back with Paul Felder, the last man to beat him.

This puts Oliveira in second place for most finishes in UFC history with 15 behind only Donald Cerrone at 16. Gordon keeps his head on the center line as he enters the pocket, Oliveira stuns him with a right then hits a really nice uppercut that ends the night for Gordon.

Mauricio “Shogun” Rua is one of the all time greats of his division but injuries have slowed him down in addition to the raw accumulation of damage starting to come due. Rua is 4-1 in his last five fights though and while he’s been out for nearly a year a win here could propel him towards ranked opposition next. Paul Craig took this fight on short notice but could score his first UFC winning streak at the expense of the biggest name he’s ever stepped into the cage with. Rua is the -275 favorite to +225 or Craig.

Light Heavyweight Bout: Paul Craig (12-4, 205 lbs.) vs. #14 Mauricio Rua (16-11, 206 lbs.)

ROUND ONE: Craig is two and a half inches taller but the reach is identical. Craig comes out looking to pressure forward, he lands a left body kick. Wheel kick from Craig is partially blocked then a front kick to the body. Rua starting to feint, lands a counter right as they clinch up but Craig off balances him and they clinch up. Knees from Craig, Rua turns him into the fence. Craig puts Rua on the fence, then they start jockeying for position. A few rights from Craig land, Rua has a body lock and gets free but eats a right on the way out of the clinch. Craig keeping his kicks going at distance, Rua shoots forward and looks for a single leg along the fence. Now Craig uses a guillotine threat to force that to break and they trade, with Craig landing a big flurry of blows before going back into the clinch. They separate without incident. Left hook lands for Craig then a front kick to the body. Body kick from Craig lands. Another clinch, Rua is after a takedown along the fence but can’t get it and they break. They trade left hooks then Rua misses a right. Jabs from Craig now, Rua’s face is swelling up visibly. Rua misses a couple of punches. Right from Rua lands a right, and they clinch up. That’s where the round will end.

SCORECARD: 10-8 Craig

ROUND TWO: Rua still looks very slow. Craig still looking to jab and stay long at distance. Body kick from Craig lands. Rua is stalking forward but falls short with his punches. Rua misses an uppercut. Craig with a leg kick then a jab. Craig swings a body kick that lands, but Rua catches it and takes him down. Rua with hammer fists from the guard of Craig, now looking to pass but Craig keeps full guard. Rua passes for a moment but Craig gets full guard again. Craig lands an up kick, Rua goes into his guard with a right. Rua working in the guard of Craig, then stands free. Craig still on his back, Rua punches to pass into half guard. Craig gets to full guard as the round ends.

SCORECARD: 10-9 Rua, 19-18 Craig overall

ROUND THREE: both men open up the last round with inside leg kicks. Crait with a front kick to the body. Another body kick from Craig then he misses a wheel kick. Rua is coming forward, and eats a few jabs. Craig lands an uppercut. Craig tries a single leg, and winds up pulling guard. Serious tactical error on the part of Craig there. Craig nearly hits a sweep but Rua retains top position. Rua is looking to pass, decides to stand and tries to punch down into the guard but misses the blows. A few punches from Craig off of his back, Rua stands and again tries to punch into the guard but misses the punch. Rua stands up again, they’re back up and Craig looks to swing, he lands blows then gets a takedown into side control but time runs out before anything comes of it.

SCORECARD: 10-9 Craig, 29-27 Craig overall

OFFICIAL RESULT: DRAW, Split (28-29, 29-28, 28-28)

I’m OK with the draw, Craig should have had a 10-8 first. Craig on the mic, he says the draw isn’t good enough and isn’t happy with his performance. Over to Rua, he felt he won the second and third rounds (one judge agreed).

Jan Blachowicz has been moving up in the world lately, he’s 5-1 in his last six fights with the lone set back coming against Thiago Santos. Blachowicz is coming off of an impressive KO win over former middleweight champion Luke Rockhold and now he’s trying to turn back another top middleweight looking to jump up to light heavyweight. Ronaldo “Jacare” Souza has been one of the top middleweights in the world for a lot of years now, so many in fact that he’s now trying to move up to help spare his body the weight cut. Souza has been trading wins and losses lately, going 3-3 in his last six fights and coming off of a loss to Jack Hermansson earlier this year. Souza is trying to rejuvenate his career up a weight class as well as avoid what could be the first losing streak of his entire career. Blachowicz is a slight -170 favorite to +140 on Souza.

Light Heavyweight Bout: #6 Jan Blachowicz (24-8, 205 lbs.) vs. Ronaldo Souza (26-7 1 NC, 205 lbs.)

ROUND ONE: Blachowicz is an inch taller but has a whopping six inches of reach advantage. They touch gloves to get us going. Souza feinting a bit early. Blachowicz lands a leg kick. Souza after a takedown against the fence, Blachowicz defending so far. They’re settled into the clinch right now, Souza occasionally looking for an outside reap or trip. Blachowicz is fighting well in the clinch so far, Souza can’t get a lot of traction on his takedown attempts. Blachowicz pummels a hand in and separates. Souza has a leg kick checked. Southpaw shown for Blachowicz, who’s going to do a bit of stance switching as he gets more comfortable. Blachowicz lands a calf kick. High kick from Blachowicz is blocked. Souza misses a right and clinches up again. They’re back on the fence battling for position. A few knees go back and forth. Elbow lands for Blachowicz in close. Blachowicz lands a knee to the body, but the round is going to run out in the clinch.

SCORECARD: 10-9 Souza but a close one

ROUND TWO: They touch gloves again. Blachowicz lands a body kick. Souza lands a right, and eats a left hook. Blachowicz lands a leg kick. Some jabs coming from Blachowicz, then they trade rights. Blachowicz back to jabbing. Souza lands a heavy leg kick. Blachowicz lands a calf kick. Bit of a one two from Blachowicz to counter a leg kick. Souza bulls into a double leg attempt that winds up on the fence in the clinch. Blachowicz blocks a double leg transition attempt and retains the clinch. Knees from Blachowicz land. Souza fires a couple of body shots then Blachowicz spins free. Blachowicz lands a body kick. More jabs from Blachowicz, Souza needs an answer to that weapon. Leg kick from Souza, Blachowicz lands a couple of counter punches and a calf kick of his own. Souza lands a leg kick and a right behind it. Calf kick from Blachowicz lands. A jab from Blachowicz closes out the round.

SCORECARD: 10-9 Blachowicz, 19-19 overall

ROUND THREE: They touch gloves for the round to start. Blachowicz tries stalking forward, and lands a leg kick then a jab to the body. Souza lands a leg kick. Blachowicz pumping the jab again, but still not following up yet. Calf kick from Blachowicz lands. Souza misses a punch and gets a clinch on the fence. Not much is happening in the clinch, a few body shots go back and forth. Blachowicz spins free and separates. Leg kick from Blachowicz lands. Blachowicz checks a leg kick. More jabs and a calf kick from Blachowicz. The mutual respect they have is becoming a detriment rather than a useful thing. Blachowicz lands a body kick and uppercut as Souza forces a clinch. Blachowicz puts Souza on the fence then pushes free. Another checked Souza leg kick. Souza is still coming forward, they trade punches then Blachowicz lands a combination. A blocked Blachowicz right closes the round.

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

ROUND FOUR: Another touch of gloves. Blachowicz lands a leg kick. Souza circling now, he avoids a few kicks. Blachowicz lands a jab. Souza is the one coming forward for a bit, but neither man is doing a whole lot. Blachowicz with some jabs and avoids a left hook. Left to the body from Blachowicz and a few punches to follow up but Souza gets a clinch off of it. Blachowicz with some knees to the body, Souza knees the thigh and throws in a few foot stomps. Bit of an elbow from Blachowicz. Blachowicz spins free and we’re at distance again. Souza lands a calf kick, Blachowicz returns it and that one stumbled Souza for a second. Blachowicz stalking forward, lands a left body kick. Another calf kick from Blachowicz, he’s building a bit of confidence now. Souza blocks a high kick. Blachowicz with some jabs then an inside leg kick. More pressure from Blachowicz, he has a high kick blocked. Another body kick lands for Blachowicz, which will be the last blow of the round.

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

ROUND FIVE: Blachowicz’s left foot is badly swollen, and his right is getting there. Leg kick from Blachowicz lands. Another leg kick, Souza has checked enough of them to damage the feet but Blachowicz is still throwing them. Souza is showing southpaw at the start of the round, and he forces a clinch but can’t finish the takedown. Blachowicz lands a few short lefts then punches out of the clinch. Souza still kind of coming forward, Blachowicz is punching more this round. Double leg from Souza stalls out on the fence again. Blachowicz’s takedown defense has been on point all fight. The ref breaks them up this time and restarts us at distance. Circling from both men, Blachowicz has a high kick blocked. Blachowicz firing more leg kicks as they circle each other. Souza avoids a kick and eats a jab. Blachowicz lands an uppercut and blocks a takedown then knocks Souza down with a punch but doesn’t follow him to the mat. Souza is backing up a lot now, he might be a little rattled after that combination landed. Blachowicz has a high kick blocked then lands a jab. Leg kicks from Blachowicz to break up the staring. Souza circles away, both men posture and time expires.

SCORECARD: 10-9 Blachowicz, 49-46 Blachowicz overall but this thing has split written all over it

OFFICIAL RESULT: †WINNER – Jan Blachowicz via split decision (47-48, 48-47, 48-47)

Sure, terribly dull fight. Mic time for Blachowicz, he feels good and thinks he won the fight but notes he never got going and Souza caused him problems but he won so he feels good. Asked about the swelling to his feet as well as a possible next opponent he says his feet always look like this, and hopes for a title shot next as he’s got maybe 3 years left and feels that now or never is coming up.

Souza also gets an interview, he says he never wins close decisions and notes he nearly had to pull out of the fight with illness.

On that deeply anti-climactic note, UFC on ESPN+ 22 comes to a close. Thank you for being here, I needed the company for this one. We’ll be breaking down all of the action from this card as well as news of the week Sunday on the 411 Ground and Pound MMA Podcast, which you can find at any of the following links.

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There’s a rare Saturday off next week due to the proximity to Thanksgiving, I have no idea what I’ll do with myself. Probably waste it in all honesty. But in two weeks the UFC is back in DC for UFC on ESPN 7 and Jairzinho Rozenstruik steps in on short notice to battle veteran Alistair Overeem. It’s not a bad card really, though I said that about this card and look how wrong I was. I’ll be back in a couple of weeks for that event, and I hope you will be as well. Until next time stay safe out there, and keep checking 411mania for all of your pop culture needs.

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UFC on ESPN+ 22, Robert Winfree