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Join 411’s LIVE UFC on ESPN+ 48 Coverage

June 26, 2021 | Posted by Robert Winfree
UFC on ESPN+ 48

MAIN CARD (ESPN+, 4 p.m. ET)
#3 Ciryl Gane (245 lbs.) vs. #5 Alexander Volkov (265 lbs.)
Tanner Boser (240 lbs.) vs. Ovince Saint Preux (230 lbs.)
Raoni Barcelos (135 lbs.) vs. Timur Valiev (136 lbs.)
Andre Fili (145.5 lbs.) vs. Daniel Pineda (145 lbs.)
Nicolas Dalby (170 lbs.) vs. Tim Means (170.5 lbs.)
Jai Herbert (155.5 lbs.) vs. Renato Moicano (156 lbs.)

PRELIMINARY CARD (ESPN+, 1 p.m. ET)
Danilo Marques (205.5 lbs.) vs. Kennedy Nzechukwu (205.5 lbs.)
Michel Prazeres (170 lbs.) vs. Shavkat Rakhmonov (170.5 lbs.)
Warlley Alves (171 lbs.) vs. Jeremiah Wells (171 lbs.)
Marcin Prachnio (206 lbs.) vs. Ike Villanueva (205 lbs.)
#15 Julia Avila (135.5 lbs.) vs. Julija Stoliarenko (135.5 lbs.)
Justin Jaynes (145.5 lbs.) vs. Charles Rosa (146 lbs.)
Damir Hadzovic (155.5 lbs.) vs. Yancy Medeiros (155.5 lbs.)

Hello everyone and welcome to 411mania’s LIVE coverage of UFC on ESPN+ 48. I’m Robert Winfree and I’ll be your host. Tonight the UFC is keeping the gears turning, but has brought a few relevant fights. Our main event is a very relevant heavyweight fight when top contenders Ciryl Gane and Alexander Volkov meet. Gane has emerged as possibly the next big thing at heavyweight and might be in line for a title shot if he’s able to take out the durable veteran Volkov while Volkov is riding a good winning streak and could break into the title picture as well if he wins. Elsewhere on the card we’ve got a great bantamweight fight between Timur Valiev and Raoni Barcelos, and the bout between Nicolas Dalby and Tim Means could be good fun. On the prelims there’s a really great fight between Michel Prazeres and the surging prospect Shavkat Rakhmonov that I’m very much looking forward to. Beyond that it’s a lot more hoping though.

UFC on ESPN+ 48 comes to the world from the UFC Apex facility in Las Vegas, Nevada, USA. On commentary we have Brendan Fitzgerald, Daniel Cormier and Paul Felder. As for the rules we’re mostly under the new set except the definition of a downed fighter so you need only one hand on the mat to be downed but we’ve got the replay official outside the cage who can ask for the use of instant replay if necessary and the fight can be restarted after instant replay is used if that’s applicable.

Yancy Medeiros has gone 3-3 in his last six fights but finds himself on a three fight losing streak and was finished in two of those, now Medeiros needs a win badly just to get a little job security. Damir Hadzovic has gone 2-2 in his last four fights and finds himself on a two fight losing streak, he likewise needs a win just feel safe with his spot on the roster. Hadzovic is your favorite at -150 to +120 for Medeiros.

Lightweight Bout: Damir Hadzovic (13-6, 155.5 lbs.) vs. Yancy Medeiros (15-7 1 NC, 155.5 lbs.)

ROUND ONE: Medeiros is an inch taller and has five and a half inches of reach advantage. Hadzovic lands a calf kick. Another leg kick from Hadzovic. Bit of a right from Hadzovic then a calf kick. Medeiros misses a few punches. Hadzovic is really committing to attacking the calf. A right hand from Hadzovic lands then another calf kick. They clinch up and hit the fence. Both men land knees to the body before Medeiros spins free. Hadzovic lands a left hook in close. Medeiros lands a one two. Hadzovic lands a right and a left hook then a calf kick. Hard right from Hadzovic. Bit of a left from Medeiros. Another right from hadzovic, then a knee and a flurry of punches. Hadzovic trips Medeirso down, gets to the back standing. They get chest to chest, jockey for position then trade knees and break. Hadzivic lands a right hand then a jab. Combination from Hadzovic lands. Bit of a left from hadzovic, Medeiros lands a jab then a left to the body. They get close and trade again, then break. A Hadzovic calf kick closes the round.

SCORECARD: 10-9 Hadzovic

ROUND TWO: Medeiros lands a leg kick. Hadzovic lands a body kick. Left hook then a right from Hadzovic. Takedown form Hadzovic, Medeiros fights back up and gets free. A left hook from Hadzovic lands. Medeiros gets a bit of a right. They trade in close then clinch up. Hadzovic digs the body in the clinch then lands a right as they break. A hard combination of punches from Hadzovic, but Medeiros fires back and stays upright. Medeiros lands an elbow as they clinch up. Another flurry from Hadzovic then he exits the clinch. A lot of pressure from Hadzovic. Hadzovic might have punched himself out a bit. A left lands for Hadzovic, then a right hand. Another right from Hadzovic lands. Medeiros lands a body shot, but eats a right hand. Hadzovic lands another flurry of punhces along the fence but Medeiros just covers up and starts coming forward again. Medeiros lands a left to the body and they clinch. They break, then Medeiros lands an elbow. A final exchange of jabs closes the round.

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

ROUND THREE: They touch gloves for the final round. Hadzovic lands a calf kick. Both men probing with the lead hand. Hadzovic lands a right. Medeiros lands a body shot but he’s hurt by a counter right hand. Another flurry from Hadzovic along the fence but Medeiros has a chin of granite and wont fall. Hadzovic lands another combination, but Medeiros just wont go down. They clinch up, then break and Medeiros lands a couple of punches. Both men land in the clinch before they hit the fence. Medeiros moves to the back and drags Hadzovic down then gets the back. Medeiros loses the hooks and that allows Hadzovic to spin into him and get the ride position. They fight back up in the clinch. There’s a takedown for Medeiros and he lands a few elbows from half guard. Medeiros moves to full mount, he’s got the back again but no hooks means no choke and Hadzovic spins to give up side control. Hadzovic back up, but Medeiros gets his back again and rides him to the ground. Medeiros keeps fishing but he’s got no hooks and so can’t find the choke. Hadzovic to his knees, Medeiros gets a body triangle and tries the choke but there’s not enough time and the choke isn’t close enough to really get it.

SCORECARD: 10-9 Medeiros but given how much he took early not a 10-8, 29-28 Hadzovic overall

OFFICIAL RESULT: †WINNER – Damir Hadzovic via unanimous decision (29-28 x3)

Late heroics from Medeiros weren’t quite enough, his porous defense is still a huge problem. Hadzovic gets an interview, he says he expected a crazy fight with a Hawaiian warrior and thanks Medeiros for the fight. He felt he did enough to win despite gassing in the last half of the last round. To close he dedicates the win to his newborn son and wishes well to his family, and gets an update from Cormier on the score in the Euro soccer match Denmark is involved in and they’re up 2-0 so he celebrates that news.

Charles Rosa has traded wins and losses for his entire UFC career, a pattern he’s hoping will hold for at least long enough to avoid his first ever losing streak tonight. Justin Jaynes has gone 1-3 in the UFC, he’s on a three fight losing streak and needs a win rather badly if he wants to retain his spot on the roster. The odds are with Rosa a to -175 to a +140 comeback on Jaynes.

Featherweight Bout: Justin Jaynes (16-7, 145.5 lbs.) vs. Charles Rosa (13-5, 146 lbs.)

ROUND ONE: Rosa is two inches taller and has one inch of reach advantage. Both men feinting as the round starts, Rosa showing a lot of stance switching. Jaynes lands a hard combination of punches then a hard calf kick. Another left hook from Jaynes partially lands. Bit of a right from Jaynes. Rosa is throwing the one two but it’s blocked, and Jaynes lands a right hand. Body kick from Rosa. Jaynes lands a right hand. Calf kick from Jaynes. A flurry from Rosa is blocked. A few punches from Jaynes then a left to the body. Rosa lands a calf kick. Jaynes lands a right. Rosa lands a bit of a right. A flurry from Rosa then he gets a double leg along the fence. Rosa to full mount and lands punches, gets the back but Jaynes spins into him and they end the round with Jaynes on top.

SCORECARD: 10-9 Jaynes but could go either way

ROUND TWO: Jaynes comes out aggressively and lands a few right hands. Rosa lands a leg kick, Jaynes gets a double leg and fights off a guillotine attempt. Rosa back to his feet though still clinched with Jaynes on his back. Some knees from Jaynes, Rosa gets a front headlock and sprawls down looking to work the sequence. Rosa tries to spin to the back, Jaynes has a bit of a single leg though and the position is stalling just a little. Some hammer fists and elbows from Rosa as he’s got a bit of a crucifix going while Jaynes tries to adjust his grip around the legs. More of a full crucifix for Rosa now and he lands short blows. Jaynes explodes into top position, Rosa gets a triangle choke but the round ends before that can really develop.

SCORECARD: 10-9 Rosa, 19-19 overall

ROUND THREE: Rosa is circling away while Jaynes looks to engage. Single leg from Rosa and he’s got Jaynes down on his seat. Side control for Rosa now and he’s after an arm triangle choke. Jaynes gets his arm safe and starts looking to buck and move. Rosa sets up a north-south choke and starts working to lock it but can’t quite find the grip and Jaynes spins free then resets on the feet. Jaynes lands a few punches but his poor footwork is hurting him. Jaynes cracks Rosa with a left hook then a bit of a right to follow up but Rosa recovers quickly. Right from Jaynes then a left. Jaynes lands another right, he’s looking to unload along the fence but he gets a double leg along the fence in a weird choice. Jaynes is after an arm triangle but he’s kind of caught in half guard. Full mount for Jaynes, he moves to side control looking to finish the choke but Rosa is still trying to defend. Jaynes needs to get his shoulder closer to the mat, there’s still room and Rosa is able to slip free then get full guard. Rosa starts fishing for a kimura, Jaynes to his back as they stand and Rosa uses a front headlock to threaten a d’arce choke then lands blows as the round ends.

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

OFFICIAL RESULT: †WINNER – Charles Rosa via split decision (28-29, 29-28, 30-27)

Giving that last round to Rosa seems wrong to me, but 29-28 for either man is perfeclty acceptable. Mic time for Rosa who thinks it should have been 30-27 for him but he’s happy to be back to winning and fighting. He says he wasn’t hurt in the third round and never gets tired, but puts over Jaynes as a tough opponent.

Julia Avila has gone 2-1 in the UFC but is coming off of her first loss in the promotion, she’s trying to avoid her first ever losing streak and remind everyone that she’s a viable prospect in the division. Julija Stoliarenko just had a five fight winning streak snapped when she returned to the UFC, now she’s trying to find her first UFC win. Avila is a heavy favorite at -345 to +260 for Stoliarenko.

Women’s Bantamweight Bout: #15 Julia Avila (8-2, 135.5 lbs.) vs. Julija Stoliarenko (9-4-2, 135.5 lbs.)

ROUND ONE: These two are the same height while Avila has two inches of reach advantage. Avila comes out aggressive, then things slow down. Stoliarenko lands a couple of leg kicks while circling. High kick from Stoliarenko then a right hand to follow. Avila lands some punches in close and they trade punches in close before separating. Hard right from Avila and she’s coming forward with a long flurry and we get another brawl but Avila lands a front kick to the face. Stoliarenko is bleeding from the nose after that exchange. Stoliarenko lands a left hook. Avila avoids a double leg attempt. Leg kick from Stoliarenko. Another right from Avila seems to wobble Stoliarenko for a second. Bit of a body kick from Stoliarenko, things have slowed a fair bit. Avila lands a front kick to the body. They mostly circle away the final seconds.

SCORECARD: 10-9 Avila

ROUND TWO: Avila opens with a front kick to the hip. Stoliarenko lands a right, Avila gets annoyed and flurries back at her. Both women land rights. Double leg from Stoliarenko and she’s got Avila down. Avila uses a leg entanglement to sweep, Stoliarenko tries for a heel hook but has no control and they fight up but Stoliarenko lands a right and keeps the clinch. Stoliarenko is after a high crotch lift but Avila defends. Some punches from Avila, Stoliarenko tries to pull guard and Avila stands over he landing leg kicks before Stoliarenko gets up. A lot of forward pressure from Avila now, she lands punches before they clinch and hit the fence again. Stoliarenko has a body lock but can’t do anything with it. A few short rights from Avila. The round will end in that spot.

SCORECARD: 10-9 Avila but could go either way, 20-18 Avila overall

ROUND THREE: Head kick from Avila early and she pushes into a clinch, but Stoliarenko is able to spin her to the fence. They fight for position on the fence, Stoliarenko is holding but not doing much while Avila is struggling to get free but is finding a bunch of short blows offensively. Trip from Avila and she lands in knee drag landing short lefts to the head. Avila retains top position while Stoliarenko squirms to get a version of guard. Hammer fists from Avila as she settles into half guard. Stoliarenko is able to hip bump and sweep into top position, though Avila is able to scramble through and get the back as Stoliarenko was holding an ill advised headlock. Avila rides the position, keeps the back and is looking for the choke. Avila gets the choke and Stoliarenko taps.

OFFICIAL RESULT: †WINNER – Julia Avila via Submission, rear naked choke, at 4:19 of Round 3

The Final Round Finish Club thanks Ms. Avila for her work this afternoon. Mic time for Avila, she’s barely able to get words out given how emotional she is. She talks about all the hard work that’s gone into opening up her own gym and all the adversity she’s fought through. She talks about changing her mentality when she woke up today and starting to aim higher, then apologizes for getting some blood on Cormier’s suit but he laughs it off.

Hand fighting might seem boring, but it’s terribly important especially when someone is on your back. Avila just keeps attacking the choke and Stoliarenko falls behind in the hand fighter, this is the result.

Marcin Prachnio just got his first UFC win back in January, now he’s trying to prove he’s finally found his promotional footing and is ready to build his first UFC winning streak. Isaac Villanueva also just got his first UFC win and is trying for his first UFC winning streak. Prachnio is your favorite at -200 to a +160 payout for Villanueva.

Light Heavyweight Bout: Marcin Prachnio (14-5, 206 lbs.) vs. Ike Villanueva (19-10, 205 lbs.)

ROUND ONE: Prachnio has two inches of height and one of reach on Villaneuva. They touch gloves to get us going. Prachnio lands an inside leg kick. Villanueva is coming forward and looking to back Prachnio into the fence. Both men land lefts. Hard right from Villanueva hurts Prachnio, he unloads along the fence but Prachnio survives and circles free. Villanueva lands a left hook. Uppercut then a knee from Villanueva, Prachnio lands a body shot. Bit of a head kick and right from Prachnio. Villanueva with a bit of a combination along the fence, he’s walking Prachnio down and landing. Prachnio lands a right, Villanueva returns it. Body kick from Prachnio, Villanueva catches it and swings a right that’s blocked. Prachnio lands a calf kick. They trade rights, Prachnio keeps dipping his head and if Villanueva throws an uppercut second in his combination or feints out a reaction he could do serious damage with it. Bit of a combination from Prachnio. Villanueva lands a right in close, then an elbow. Prachnio lands a hard leg kick. That lead leg of Villanueva is hurt from that kick. Villanueva lands a right to counter a leg kick. Prachnio lands a body kick, then a leg kick. Villanueva’s left leg is toast, warm buttery toast. Villanueva lands a right and off balances Prachnio, he unloads in the clinch as the round ends.

SCORECARD: 10-9 Villanueva

ROUND TWO: Villanueva is coming forward again, Prachnio lands a leg kick and is circling. Bit of a body shot from Prachnio, after that early adversity he’s finding his footing. Prachnio lands a leg kick and a left hand. Body kick from Prachnio crumples Villanueva and we’re done.

OFFICIAL RESULT: †WINNER – Marcin Prachnio via TKO, body kick, at :56 of Round 2

Mic time for Prachnio, he’s very happy that his training is paying off with wins after his 0-3 start. He talks us through the finish, noting that Villanueva could take blows to the head so he focused on working the body and legs.

Take a listen. Prachnio goes southpaw, Villanueva moves predictably but doesn’t cover his body with his elbow and this one is full on shin to ribs/liver.

Warlley Alves has traded wins while going 2-2 in his last four fights, but he’s coming off of a win and is looking for his first winning streak since 2018. Jeremiah Wells took this fight on short notice but he’s on a two fight winning streak and could make a very good first impression if he’s able to take out a UFC veteran in Alves. Unsurprisingly Alves is the favorite at -240 to a +190 comeback on the newcomer Wells.

Welterweight Bout: Warlley Alves (14-4, 171 lbs.) vs. Jeremiah Wells (8-2-1, 171 lbs.)

ROUND ONE: Alves is two inches taller while Wells has two inches of reach advantage. Wells comes out swinging and gets Alves down after missing a left hook and lands in the full guard. Alves starts setting up a wall walk, Wells gets one of Alves’s arm handcuffed behind him and lands rights while Alves has just one hand free. Wells to half guard as Alves gets his arm back. Some short elbows from Wells, Alves backs him off with a body kick and regains his feet but Wells punches back into the clinch. They battle for position in the clinch, then break without incident. Bit of a one two from Wells to counter a leg kick. Alves lands a body kick. Wells is losing his accuracy and Alves has started countering him. Another body kick from Alves then a knee as Wells forces a clinch and they hit the fence. Alves lands an elbow. Alves threatens a guillotine, he jumps for it and uses it to roll to top position. Wells lands an up kick, Alves stands over him and lands an ax kick as the round ends.

SCORECARD: 10-9 Wells

ROUND TWO: Wells lands a stiff jab, but takes another body kick. Alves lands a leg kick, but gets clipped by a punch and Wells gets on his back and lands enough punches to put Alves out.

OFFICIAL RESULT: †WINNER – Jeremiah Wells via KO, punches, at :30 of Round 2

Mic time for Wells after that, he’s been waiting forever to get here but he’s learned a lot during some downtime and he loves being here. He mentions working hard on counters off the kick, and knows once he lands on someone he’s got the power to put people out.

This is a nice finish, Wells times a right hand as Alves is turning away after throwing a leg kick and drops him. From there it’s intelligent shot selection in the frantic chaos, which he does well and puts Alves to sleep.

Shavkat Rakhmonov is undefeated including a successful UFC debut when he choked out Alex Oliveira, now he’s trying to remain perfect and solidify himself as a rising prospect of note by taking out another UFC veteran. Michel Prazeres has been with the UFC since 2013 and is coming off of just his third ever loss which snapped an eight fight winning. Prazeres has been out of action for a little over two years and is hoping to derail a bit of the hype around Rakhmonov. Rakhmonov is the -305 favorite while Prazeres’s underdog status is at +235.

Welterweight Bout: Michel Prazeres (26-3, 170 lbs.) vs. Shavkat Rakhmonov (13-0, 170.5 lbs.)

ROUND ONE: Rakhmonov is seven inches taller and has nine and a half inches of reach advantage. They touch gloves to get us going. The size difference is obvious here. Prazeres lands a leg kick. Some jabs from Rakhmonov, then Prazeres lands a leg kick. Bit of a one two from Rakhmonov, Prazeres swings a left hook. Stiff jab from Rakhmonov. Another jab from Rakhmonov, he’s fighting very long and Prazeres is getting frozen up. Prazeres forces a clinch and they hit the fence. Trip takedown from Rakhmonov and he lands in full guard. Some body shots from Rakhmonov as Prazeres works to control posture. Things are kind of stalling out, Rakhmonov stands over Prazeres and lands a right then a few more punches. Prazeres scrambles to his knees, Rakhmonov tries to spin to his back but can’t clear the arms and Prazeres gets up though still clinched. Rakhmonov lands a knee to the body, and another one. Prazeres has a body lock, but can’t find a takedown and eats more knees to the body. More knees from Rakhmonov as the round ends.

SCORECARD: 10-9 Rakhmonov

ROUND TWO: Rakhmonov back to jabbing and keeping Prazeres at the end of his reach. Bit of a leg kick from Prazeres. Quick little combination from Rakhmonov, mostly missed but he’s got the timing down. A wheel kick from Rakhmonov wobbles Prazeres, then a stepping knee and he blocks a double leg attempt then pounds right hands over the prone Prazeres. Prazeres is struggling to wall walk, Rakhmonov lands more punches and hammer fists. Rakhmonov moves towards the back, he’s after the choke and gets it with just one hook in to win.

OFFICIAL RESULT: †WINNER – Shavkat Rakhmonov via Submission, rear naked choke, at 2:10 of Round 2

That’s the first time Prazeres has ever been finished, heck of a win for Rakhmonov. Rakhmonov gets an interview with his translator, he feels happy and is proud to represent Khazakstan on the world stage. Asked who he’d like next he wants someone in the top fifteen and notes his whole team will help make the final decision.

Prazeres is still wobbled, he’s too good a grappler to give up the choke like this if he’s got full control of his faculties, but Rakhmonov sneaks that choke in wonderfully as he gets his chest against the back of Prazeres.

Kennedy Nzechukwu has gone 2-1 in the UFC but is on a two fight winning streak and could move into legitimate prospect territory if he’s able to extend that to three in a row tonight. Danilo Marques has a four fight winning streak going 2-0 in the UFC, if he can push that streak further tonight he might be in line for some lower ranked opposition next. The odds lean slightly to Nzechukwu at -135 to +110 for Marques.

Light Heavyweight Bout: Danilo Marques (11-2, 205.5 lbs.) vs. Kennedy Nzechukwu (8-1, 205.5 lbs.)

ROUND ONE: Marques is an inch taller while Nzechukwu has six inches of reach advantage. Southpaw for Nzechukwu. Marques punches into a single leg and gets Nzechukwu down immediately then jumps to the back. Nzechukwu stands but Marques is on his back with a body triangle and starts working from that spot. Marques is fishing for the choke while Nzechukwu defends. Some punches to the body and head from Marques, Nzechukwu is just standing there waiting for divine intervention. Marques pushes off the fence to make space and fishes for the choke but again can’t find it. More punches from Marques, but he can’t quite open up the choke. Marques gets across the face with a crank, switches back and forth looking for the choke but wont find it. Some hammer fists from Marques but he wont find the choke yet. The round will end in that spot.

SCORECARD: 10-8 Marques

ROUND TWO: Slow start from both men as they hand fight and circle. Marques lands a body kick. Nzechukwu has a few punches blocked. Single leg from Marques, Nzechukwu grabs the fence to avoid losing all of it but Marques gets the back and pulls Nzechukwu down to the mat. Body triangle again for Marques as he goes to work. Marques is fishing for the choke, he can’t quite find it yet. Nzechukwu to his knees and works to stand, he’s up and they separate. Both men land body shots in close. Marques gets a single leg, moves to the back along the fence. Both men land punches as they break and the round ends.

SCORECARD: 10-9 Marques but might go the other way, 20-17 Marques overall

ROUND THREE: Nzechukwu lands a couple of straight lefts, he’s backing Marques up to the fence. A long flurry from Nzechukwu prompts a stoppage, slightly early from where I sit.

OFFICIAL RESULT: †WINNER – Kennedy Nzechukwu via TKO, punches, at :20 of Round 3

The Final Round Finish Club thanks Mr. Nzechukuwk for his work this afternoon. Mic time for Nzechukwu, he wasn’t surprised by the takedowns but he’s been sick and that slowed him down before giving glory to God. He talks us through the finish and knew he had to rally through a hard time and keep going. Asked what he’d like next he doesn’t have a preference, he’s just focused on his skills.

Here’s the finish. Again, I think it’s a touch early but Marques didn’t help his own cause when the ref was telling him to fight back.

Renato “Moicano” Carneiro has gone just 1-3 in his last four fights and was stopped by strikes in his last fight when he was worked over by Rafael Fiziev. Moicano is trying to get back on the winning side of things and prove he can be a viable force at lightweight. Jai Herbert had a six fight winning streak stopped by Francisco Trinaldo about a year ago, now he’s trying to bounce back and avoid his first ever losing streak. Moicano is your favorite at -250 to a +195 comeback on Herbert.

Lightweight Bout: Jai Herbert (10-2, 155.5 lbs.) vs. Renato Moicano (14-4-1, 156 lbs.)

ROUND ONE: Herbert is two inches taller and has a whopping five of reach advantage. They touch gloves to get us going. Both men probing with leg kicks early. Moicano gets a clinch and then trips Herbert down to the mat. Moicano lands some punches as Herbert regains his feet but is mat returned and Moicano gets half guard. Herbert is trying to control his posture, but Moicano moves to side control. Moicano puts himself back in half guard then moves towards full mount, Herbert hip escapes to butterfly guard but Moicano moves over it into full mount. A few short punches from Moicano, Herbert is able to move the hips enough to get butterfly guard back. Herbert tries to stand but Moicano gets full mount again. Herbert shrimps up then they spin into a clinch. They break without incident. Herbert lands a right hand. Moicano lands a right of his own. Herbert lands a left hook then a leg kick. Double leg from Moicano and he moves to full mount again. Moicano lands punches from full mount while Herbert hip escapes to half guard. The round will end in that spot.

SCORECARD: 10-9 Moicano

ROUND TWO: Immediate double leg from Moicano and he moves to mount almost right away. Some punches from Moicano land as he keeps Herbert on the mat. Herbert shrimps towards half guard but Moicano is flowing with him and finding damage along the way. Herbert finally wall walks, Moicano gets his back standing though and drags him down then jumps to get both hooks in. Moicano is after a choke but can’t find it before Herbert gives up mount to avoid being attacked that way. Some more punches and elbows from Moicano, Herbert’s escapes are getting more and more labored and less successful. Moicano lands a few more punches, now short elbows and he hurts Herbert. More offense from Moicano, moves to the back again and gets a body triangle then the choke and forces the tap.

OFFICIAL RESULT: †WINNER – Renato Moicano via Submission, rear naked choke, at 4:34 of Round 2

Methodical deconstruction from Moicano, just broke things down over and over again and Herbert couldn’t keep up the longer things went. Mic time for Moicano, he’s happy because with this win he can pay off his house and hopes for a bonus so he could buy another one. He talks us through the finish, noting he’s been doing jiu-jitsu for his whole life but went away from it a bit as he fell in love with boxing but feels stupid for getting away from what he’s good at. He puts over his corner and coaches, and thanks God and his family.

Moicano sneaks in some brutal ground and pound to set this up, he’s a very accomplished grappler and Herbert just couldn’t keep up as things kept going.

Tim Means has enjoyed a bit of a career resurgence lately, he’s on a two fight winning streak and if he’s able to get that to three in a row he’ll have the second best winning streak of his entire UFC run. Nicolas Dalby hasn’t lost since returning to the UFC in 2019, he’s coming off of a solid win over Daniel Rodriguez and is looking to take out the durable veteran Means and possibly earn a shot at someone higher up the ladder for his next fight. The odds lean toward Means at -140 while a Dalby win would payout at +115.

Welterweight Bout: Nicolas Dalby (19-3-1 2 NC, 170 lbs.) vs. Tim Means (31-12-1 1 NC, 170.5 lbs.)

ROUND ONE: Means is three inches taller and has half an inch of reach advantage. Southpaw for Means. Dalby is bouncing a bit, Means lands a bit of a head kick but Dalby cracks him with an elbow in close. Both men are getting after things, they clinch up and Means hits a lateral drop into full guard. Means passes to side control. Dalby scoots to the fence and tries to wall walk. Means lands some body shots while Dalby wall walks to his knees. Dalby back up and they separate. Dalby fighting between both stances now, and lands an inside leg kick. Means lands a few body shots as they clinch up and hit the fence again. They break without incident. Means lands an inside leg kick, then a left to the body and left to the face that drops Dalby for a second. Both men land knees to the body and they break. Means avoids a double leg to close the round.

SCORECARD: 10-9 Means

ROUND TWO: Means avoids a single leg, eats a right to the head but he lands a couple of body shots before they clinch up. Some knees from Dalby before they break. Body kick from Dalby then they trade punches in close. Glancing left from Means. Means lands a one two, Dalby lands a right then takes a head kick and they clinch. Both men land punches then Means lands a few elbows before they break. Means lands a left to the body. Means avoids a takedown and lands a left to the body. Dalby lands a head kick and a left then they trade punches in close. Front kick to the body from Means. Means lands a head kick then a left to the body and a few elbows in close. Dalby gets dropped with an inside leg kick, and Means gets on top in side control. They just ride out the last bit of the round there.

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

ROUND THREE: Means lands a left. Dalby lands a couple of rights and wobbles Means, then they clinch up. Some knees in the clinch from Dalby but he can’t find a takedown or a meaningful strike. Both men land knees while they jockey for position. They break then fall back into a clinch as Dalby lands a few rights. Dalby lands a short uppercut but Means is keeping things close and not giving him any space. They break and Dalby misses a right then has a head kick blocked. Dalby lands a few punches as Means gets a clinch on the fence. Means is just running clock with this clinch, but Dalby needs a finish so I’m not going to blame him. A few body shots from Means, Dalby gets free and punches but Means right back to the clinch and looks for a single leg. Dalby spins free and ladns a flurry of punches but wont find the finish he needs.

SCORECARD: 10-9 Dalby, 29-28 Means overall

OFFICIAL RESULT: †WINNER – Tim Means via unanimous decision (29-28 x3)

Mic time for Means, he notes he had to just grind things out in the third but he’s happy to win and notes he took over the wrestling coach job at a local high school and has fallen back in love with wrestling. Asked who he’d like next he says a lot of young guys have showed up lately, he’s happy with anyone as fighting pays his bills.

Andre Fili has gone 3-2 in his last five fights but he’s coming off of a loss and is mostly trying to avoid his first ever losing streak while trying to retain a bit of relevance in a very stacked division. Daniel Pineda has gone 1-1 in his return to the UFC, he’s coming off of a loss and is hoping to avoid another losing streak while scoring arguably his biggest win to date. The odds are with Fili at -225 to a +185 comeback on Pineda.

Featherweight Bout: Andre Fili (21-8, 145.5 lbs.) vs. Daniel Pineda (27-14 2 NC, 145 lbs.)

ROUND ONE: Fili is four inches taller and has five inches of reach advantage. Pineda clocks Fili with a couple of rights early. Fili lands a hard couple of lefts to stagger Pineda. Pineda lands a calf kick and gets a clinch on the fence. They break without incident. Fili lands a right that wobbles Pineda, he tries to follow up but Pineda recovers. Double leg from Pineda stalls out on the fence. They break without incident. Hard calf kick from Pineda. Another calf kick from Pineda. Fili has gone southpaw, lands a left then a head kick and hits a lateral drop as Pineda tries a takedown. Fili makes Pineda stand up, and Pineda lands a hard calf kick, those are adding up quickly. Pineda is bleeding from the left eyebrow, I can’t see where specifically. Fili is working a lot of southpaw now, he lands a body kick that locks up Pineda and he gets on top in full guard. That cut on Pineda is right on the eyebrow, a really bad spot. Fili wont find any more offense before the round ends.

SCORECARD: 10-8 Fili

ROUND TWO: Pineda coming forward again, misses a few punches. Fili lands a body kick, he’s almost exclusively southpaw now, and avoids a double leg. Bit of a combination from Pineda. Fili pokes Pineda in the eye and we’ve got time for him to recover. The doctor is in to check on the eye, Pineda thinks he can continue but he can barely open that eye right now. They’re giving the muscle time to stop twitching, but that eye isn’t opening up and they have to call it.

OFFICIAL RESULT: †WINNER – No Contest via Accidental Eye Poke, at :46 of Round 2

They decide to give Fili an interview, he says this is super disappointing as he did everything right apart from poking Pineda in the eye and would never do that on purpose. He says he’s been working on gratitude in his life and even with this kind of result there’s no where he’d rather be. Asked about the future he think the first round was a 10-8 and he’d love to say something cool or exciting but he’s gutted and can’t.

Pineda gets an interview as well, he wishes he’d gotten the full 5 minutes but the still can’t open that eye right now though he claims he can see. He says it sucks but Fili was messing him up and he hopes to get this one rescheduled.

Raoni Barcelos is on a nine fight winning streak including being 5-0 in the UFC, if he’s able to turn back a rising talent like Valiev he might finally take the next step up in competition and battle ranked opponents. Timur Valiev hasn’t lost since 2016 when he dropped a split decision, he’s coming off of a win and is looking to continue building his momentum by proving himself a rising contender in one of the deepest divisions in the sport. Barcelos is a surprisingly heavy favorite at -230 while the +180 payout on Valiev has to tempt a few bettors.

Bantamweight Bout: Raoni Barcelos (16-1, 135 lbs.) vs. Timur Valiev (17-2 1 NC, 136 lbs.)

ROUND ONE: Barcelos is an inch taller while the reach is identical. Both men feinting and circling early, Valiev misses a body kick. A few jabs from Valiev sneak through, Barcelos lands an inside leg kick. Valiev lands a leg kick. Barcelos gets a clinch on the fence. Valiev lands a knee to the body and they break. Both men fire kicks at distance. Bit of a left from Valiev in close. Barcelos is getting out worked more than anything at this point. They trade body kicks. Superman punch lands for Valiev. Barcelos lands a leg kick, Valiev returns it. Valiev tries a single leg, that stalls on the fence but he keeps the clinch. Some knees are traded and they break just before the round ends.

SCORECARD: 10-9 Valiev

ROUND TWO: Valiev still circling and sniping, he lands an inside leg kick. Leg kick from Valiev. Barcelos is coming forward more now, he misses a right but shucks off a takedown attempt. Bit of a right to the body from Valiev. Valiev avoids some punches, alnds a leg kick and they trade rights. Right from Valiev and Barcelos misses an uppercut. Valiev tries a single leg, but can’t finish it and they break apart. Valiev lands a right uppercut in close. Barcelos lands a bit of a jab. Barcelos lands a counter right. Some jabs from Valiev then a right in close lands. Barcelos lands an uppercut in close but he’s showing that punch a lot. Valiev lands a right to the body and a calf kick. Barcelos lands a left that off balances Valiev for a second. Valiev lands a right and a jab then they trade body kicks. Barcelos avoids a takedown attempt. A counter left hook from Barcelos drops Valiev and he’s on top working ground and pound from half guard. Back up Valiev gets dropped by an uppercut but he’s still working his guard. Barcelos lands hammer fists from half guard again but Valiev gets control over the posture and can recover. The round ends in that spot.

SCORECARD: 10-9 Barcelos, might be 10-8, 19-19 overall

ROUND THREE: Valiev back to circling. Valiev lands a left hook and a body kick. Barcelos avoids a takedown attempt and barely misses a right uppercut. Valiev lands a right. Leg kick from Valiev. Barcelos shrugs off a clinch attempt. Bit of a right from Valiev, Barcelos lands a calf kick. Valiev lands a jab and inside leg kick, he’s still got a high work rate. Solid right from Valiev lands. Leg kick from Valiev. Barcelos misses a left. A left hook from Valiev lands. Valiev tries a double leg, that stalls on the fence and they break. Barcelos lands a right. A left hook from Valiev lands then a spinning back fist stuns Barcelos for a second. They trade in close, both men landed there. Valiev lands a right and leg kick. Barcelos with a calf kick but he’s just not doing a whole lot. Valiev lands a series of kicks then a lunging left elbow. They trade rights in close, Valiev is just working more and landing more as the fight goes on. They stare away the final seconds.

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

OFFICIAL RESULT: †WINNER – Timur Valiev via majority decision (28-28, 29-28 x2)

No issues with the 28-28 as a 10-8 second isn’t out of line at all. Mic time for Valiev, he thinks he did enough to win but notes he got dropped and hurt in the second round but he trains with Frankie Edgar and they don’t give up. He mentions he doesn’t care about getting knocked down, you’ll have to cut his head off to get him out of here. Asked who he’d like next, he says Sean Shelby waited 2 years to sign him and he almost got old, now he wants the toughest opponents and plans on killing everyone, he just handed Barcelos his first UFC loss and wants a top fifteen opponent.

Tanner Boser has gone 2-2 in his last four fights but is on a two fight losing streak and needs a win rather badly if he wants to be a relevant player at heavyweight. Ovince Saint Preux has gone 2-4 in his last six fights across both heavyweight and light heavyweight, he’s coming off of a loss at light heavyweight when he also missed weight so now he’s back at heavyweight and trying to prove he’s not quite as washed up as his recent record would indicate. Boser is a slight -175 favorite to +140 for Saint Preux.

Heavyweight Bout: Tanner Boser (19-8-1, 240 lbs.) vs. Ovince Saint Preux (25-15, 230 lbs.)

ROUND ONE: Saint Preux is an inch and a half taller as well as having four and a half inches of reach advantage. Southpaw for Saint Preux. Boser lands an inside leg kick. Another inside leg kick from Boser. Boser lands a body kick. Saint Preux goes orthodox now and Boser cracks him with a right hand then lands a leg kick and Saint Preux goes southpaw again. Another inside leg kick form Boser, he’s starting to chew up Saint Preux at distance. Boser lands another body kick then a glancing right hand. Saint Preux has never been a volume guy and he’s getting seriously out worked here. Boser lands another leg kick. Bit of a left hook from Boser. Boser lands a body kick, and a couple of inside leg kicks. Right from Boser then a blocked head kick. Another overhand right from Boser then a body kick. Boser lands a body kick but misses some follow up punches. Saint Preux lands a body kick, Boser returns it. Boser lands a leg kick to close the round.

SCORECARD: 10-9 Boser

ROUND TWO: Bit of a flurry from Boser. Saint Preux lands a front kick to the body but he’s still getting out worked. Boser lands a hard leg kick. Bit of a left hook from Boser, then a body kick to follow up. Saint Preux tries a takedown, Boser defends and pushes Saint Preux into the fence. Saint Preux gets an outside reap from the clinch and is working from side control. Boser gets half guard and then full guard. They get to the fence and Boser looks to wall walk, he’s up and then sprawls away from a single leg attempt. Knee from Boser, then a right drops Saint Preux and he clubs him one more time on the ground to force the stoppage.

OFFICIAL RESULT: †WINNER – Tanner Boser via TKO, knee and punches, at 2:31 of Round 2

On replay that fence grab didn’t look quite bad, and there’s some dispute over if it even happened. Mic time for Boser, he says he had to right the ship after losing a close decision and feels he saved his summer with this one. He knew his pressure and pace would be a problem for Saint Preux, his pace is a problem for the entire division. Asked what he’d like next, he jokes he needs a training camp but he doesn’t want to wait too long.

Here’s a look at the finish. Listen and you can hear a pretty gnarly clash of heads as they get up, Boser just keeps pouring on offense and eventually finds the right combination to put Saint Preux down and out.

Ciryl Gane is undefeated including five wins in the UFC, he’s looked a little bit like the next big thing at heavyweight and if he can get another win here he’ll be the presumptive next title challenger for the heavyweight title. Alexander Volkov brings a two fight winning streak into this fight, both of them finishes and if he can hand Gane his first professional loss Volkov will be firmly in the title picture and might even get a shot at the belt next depending on how a few things play out. The odds are close but favor Gane at -155 to a +125 comeback on Volkov.

Heavyweight Bout: #3 Ciryl Gane (8-0, 245 lbs.) vs. #5 Alexander Volkov (33-8, 265 lbs.)

ROUND ONE: Volkov is three inches taller but Gane has an inch of reach advantage, Volkov is also a bit over 20 pounds heavier. They touch gloves to get us going. Volkov comes out kicking to the leg and body. Gane does a bit of stance switching, he might prefer southpaw against Volkov. Both men working the jab, Gane bouncing a bit on his feet as Volkov stalks forward. Volkov lands a leg kick. Gane lands a jab, he’s been working to establish that. Body kick from Gane, Volkov lands a leg kick. They trade inside leg kicks. More stance switching from Gane, I’m not sure what he’s looking for when he switches but he’s playing around. Gane lands what I know of as an inverted roundhouse, it’s a little slap kick but it made contact. They trade right hands, Gane tries a takedown but Volkov defends and they separate. More leg kicks from Volkov. Volkov lands a front kick, then they trade inside leg kicks again. Bit of a left from Gane. They feint away the final 10 seconds.

SCORECARD: 10-9 Volkov but a close one

ROUND TWO: Volkov lands a front kick to the body. Gane is jabbing a bit more, he lands a few jabs to the body. Another jab from Gane. Volkov lands a body kick and a leg kick. Gane is the one stalking forward now, he avoids a head kick but takes a leg kick. Volkov lands a bit of a left then Gane lands a leg kick. Gane lands a right then they trade lefts. Volkov lands a front kick to the body. Gane has a high kick blocked and takes an inside leg kick. Bit of a right from Volkov. Volkov takes an eye poke, but he only wants a couple of seconds before we’re back to fighting. Gane lands a knee to the body. Left hook thena right from Volkov, and a leg kick behind it. Gane has a few punches blocked. Jab from Gane, Volkov lands a bi tof a short uppercut to counter. Volkov lands a jab. Both men feint away the final seconds again.

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

ROUND THREE: They touch gloves for the round. Volkov lands a jab to counter a leg kick. High kick from Volkov almost lands. Bit of a right from Gane along the fence. Gane lands a left. Volkov lands a series of leg kicks. Gane lands a body kick, and takes a left hook for his troubles. Both men with lead hand hooks. Volkov lands a right. Stiff jab from Gane, he avoids the counters and lands a knee in close. Gane is upping the output, he lands a jab and a left to the body. Volkov lands a front kick to the body. Gane lands a body shot. Volkov lands a leg kick. Gane with a couple of punches, and he eats a knee on the way out but Volkov is bleeding from the nose now. Another body kick from Volkov. Gane lands a body kick. Gane lands a couple of jabs to close the round.

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

ROUND FOUR: Gane jabbing as the round starts. Volkov lands a leg kick and a right hand. Gane misses a few punches. They fight out of a clinch and Volkov lands a right hand. Gane lands a jab. Volkov lands a right, he’s starting to punch with Gane and is finding some success. Gane can’t find a single leg and Volkov lands an uppercut. Volkov lands a right hand and a leg kick. They get close and trade punches before breaking apart. Stiff jab from Gane. Leg kick from Volkov, Gane lands a body kick. Volkov checks a leg kick. Bit of a left hook from Volkov. Gane lands a right, and eats a counter right in return. Some more leg kicks go back and forth to close the round.

SCORECARD: 10-9 Gane but a close one, 39-37 Gane overall

ROUND FIVE: Gane is pressing forward again, if nothing else he’s been on the front foot most of the time. Volkov lands a bit of a jab. Leg kick from Volkov. Gane lands a body kick and eats a counter punch. Both men land punches in close, then Volkov lands a right. Gane lands a body kick. They trade punches in close again. A few rights from Volkov land. Gane lands a leg kick. A few lefts land for Gane. Body kick from Gane, then we get an eye poke as he was trying to frame so we’ve got time. Replay confirms the poke, that was a pretty bad one. The doctor is in to check things, Volkov says he can continue and the doctor confirms he can still see and Gane gets a stern warning as we restart after 2 minutes. High kick from Gane is blocked. Both men firing kicks as the clock runs down.

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

OFFICIAL RESULT: †WINNER – Ciryl Gane via unanimous decision (49-46, 50-45 x2)

Wonderful performance from Gane, active and dangerous while managing distance and splitting timing. Mic time for Gane, he feels really good and puts over Volkov as a great opponent. He says he feels good and didn’t take too much damage, and calls the fight a top level striking game. Asked what he wants next he wants the belt, and at this point it’s hard to argue as he’s very highly ranked.

Well on that note UFC on ESPN+ 48 comes to a close. Thanks for reading, be that live or after the fact. We’ll unpack the results from this event Sunday on the 411 Ground and Pound MMA Podcast. There’s no UFC event next Saturday due to proximity to July 4th, but in 2 weeks there’s the monster that is UFC 264 when Conor McGregor meets Dustin Poirier to settle their trilogy. I’ll be back for that event, and I hope you will as well. Until next time thanks for being here, stay safe out there, and keep checking 411mania for all of your pop culture needs.

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