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Join 411’s Live UFC on ESPN 61 Coverage

August 10, 2024 | Posted by Robert Winfree
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MAIN CARD (ESPN/ESPN+, 7 p.m. ET)
#8 Marcin Tybura (252 lbs.) vs. #9 Serghei Spivac (238 lbs.)
Damon Jackson (146 lbs.) vs. Chepe Mariscal (149.5 lbs.)*
Danny Barlow (171.25 lbs.)* vs. Nikolay Veretennikov (170.5 lbs.)
Chris Gutierrez (136 lbs.) vs. Quang Le (136 lbs.)
#14 Chelsea Chandler (141 lbs.)* vs. #12 Yana Santos (135.5 lbs.)
Charalampos Grigoriou (136 lbs.) vs. Toshiomi Kazama (136 lbs.)

PRELIMINARY CARD (ESPN/ESPN+, 5 p.m. ET)
#11 Pannie Kianzad (135.5 lbs.) vs. #8 Karol Rosa (135.5 lbs.)
Jhonata Diniz (258 lbs.) vs. Karl Williams (243 lbs.)
Jarno Errens (145.5 lbs.) vs. Youssef Zalal (145.5 lbs.)
Talita Alencar (115.5 lbs.) vs. Stephanie Luciano (115 lbs.)

Hello everyone and welcome to 411mania’s LIVE coverage of UFC on ESPN 61, I’m Robert Winfree and I’ll be your host. This card, well people it’s not good. It’s held together by duct tape and twine, had three weight misses including one that was 5-6 pounds depending on your perspective, features a main event that’s a rematch from a bad fight that took place four years ago, and really just lacks anything compelling. Marcin Tybura vs. Serghei Spivac is our main event and it’s mostly downhill from there. Damon Jackson vs. Chepe Mariscal could be action based but Mariscal also missed weight by 3.5 pounds or so. Really it’s just a content episode of weekly UFC from the warehouse, not much here matters on paper but the UFC has a minimum number of events to put out to get contracted revenue so come hell or highwater someone will fight in the UFC warehouse over the allotted timeframe. Let’s just hope the fights are good, because that always goes a long way towards helping things.

UFC on ESPN 61 comes to the world from the UFC Apex facility in Las Vegas, Nevada, USA. Brendan Fitzgerald will be the lead commentator and is supported by Michael Bisping and Paul Felder. Remember we’re in the smaller 25 foot cage set up and I don’t think Nevada has made a decision about the new rules that have been proposed yet. They do allow instant replay though, so that’s something.

Stephanie Luciano fought to a draw on the Contender Series last year but got a contract anyway, she’s had two fights fall out since then but now makes her UFC debut against the woman she drew with on the Contender Series. Talita Alencar is undefeated including a win in her UFC debut last year, she’s back in action here looking to remain undefeated and hoping to prove she’s a prospect in the division. The odds like Luciano at -155 to +130 for Alencar.

Strawweight Bout: Talita Alencar (5-0-1, 115.5 lbs.) vs. Stephanie Luciano (5-1-1, 115 lbs.)

ROUND ONE: Luciano is five inches taller with a serious seven inches of reach advantage. Both women do a little probing with the lead hand, Luciano doing a bit of stance switching. Alencar lands a head kick, Luciano just eats it but that landed flush. Leg kick from Alencar. Alencar falls short with a few punches. Luciano is keeping things long thus far but not landing a whole lot. Alencar is really struggling with the range right now. Luciano lands a left hook. Bit of a left hook from Alencar. Some sloppy punches kind of land for both of them. Bit of a right from Alencar. Luciano misses a few punches. Right hand from Luciano, Alencar forces a clinch and they hit the fence but nothing comes of it before they break. Luciano lands a knee to the body then eats a right hand. Front kick from Lucian. Jump kick from Luciano then Alencar ducks into a knee as the round ends.

SCORECARD: 10-9 Luciano

ROUND TWO: Alencar hits a knee tap to counter a leg kick, Luciano is able to fight up pretty quickly into a clinch. They break with a bit of an elbow from Luciano. Alencar tries to clinch, but can’t secure it. Alencar is just about out of ideas at this point. Luciano smothers a takedown and gets on top but then pulls free and makes Alencar stand. Leg kick from Luciano. A bit of almost shadow boxing from Luciano, she partially lands a few punches. Alencar fails on another takedown, she’s just got no drive on those attempts. Luciano lands a head kick. Alencar misses a few more punches, she just can’t navigate distance or mitigate the footwork of Luciano. Leg kick from Luciano. Alencar gets a clinch with a minute left, she can’t do much there though and Luciano gets free then lands a body kick. Bit of a front kick from Alencar. Luciano misses a few techniques then gives up a back clinch as the round ends.

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

ROUND THREE: Alencar catches a kick but can’t do anything with it. Luciano avoids a punch. Bit of an uppercut from Luciano. Luciano lands a right hand. A few punches land for Luciano. Alencar misses more punches, she’s head hunting on someone five inches taller when she should have been hitting the body from the start. One two from Luciano. Luciano lands a left hook but gets clinched. Alencar again can’t do anything with the clinch. They break then Luciano drops Alencar with a knee but lets her stand back up. Both women miss kicks. Alencar gets a clinch but can’t do anything with it before Luciano spins free. Luciano misses a spinning attack, then misses a jumping kick, then misses a spinning back fist. Alencar bulls forward with punches, then they trade in close. Not much happens for the last 30 seconds.

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

OFFICIAL RESULT: †WINNER – Stephanie Luciano via unanimous decision (30-27 x3)

Generic low level women’s fight, which is to say not all that good. Luciano gets an interview with the translator, she tries English to say hello and suck up to UFC brass then goes to Portuguese to express her desire to put on good fights. She thanks her team for all of their work.

Youssef Zalal has gone 4-0 recently and hasn’t lost since 2021, most recently he returned to the UFC in March and got a win to start his second stint with the promotion and now looks to continue building on that success. Jarno Errens has gone 1-2 in the UFC but he is coming off of a win and now looks to draw his UFC record to the .500 mark for the first time. Zalal is a rather heavy favorite at -500 while that +380 payout on Errens might tempt some bettors out there.

Featherweight Bout: Jarno Errens (14-5-1, 145.5 lbs.) vs. Youssef Zalal (14-5-1, 145.5 lbs.)

ROUND ONE: Errens has an inch of height and reach advantage. Both men probe with some leg kicks early. Zalal lands a leg kick. Both men have started showing a few stance switches now but seem to prefer orthodox. Right to the body from Errens then an uppercut. Zalal lands a leg kick. Errens with a one two to counter a leg kick. Zalal lands another calf kick. Errens badly misses a wheel kick. Zalal lands a left to the body but gets hit in return and complains of an eye poke. We’ve got a time out, and yeah there was some finger to the eye contact. We’re back to fighting after 30 seconds. Errens misses a few punches. Zalal tries a takedown, Errens defends as they hit the fence. Eventually Zalal can finish the takedown into full guard. Errens gives up the back and looks to stand, Zalal winds up grabbing a body triangle in the backpack position. Zalal is after the choke, he’s able to get enough of a squeeze to get the tap.

OFFICIAL RESULT: †WINNER – Youssef Zalal via Submission, rear naked choke, at 3:52 of Round 1

The First Round Finish Club thanks Mr. Zalal for his work this afternoon. Mic time for Zalal, he jokes about being a little slow tonight then plays with Michael Chiesa on the analyst desk. He talks about trying to change his life recently and wants to be world champion, he thanks God then puts over his team. He wants to fight bigger named guys next.

Jhonata Diniz is undefeated including a successful UFC debut back in April, he’s a decently decorated kickboxer and is trying to remain perfect in his UFC career with a successful sophomore outing. Karl Williams is on a seven fight winning streak including three UFC wins, if he can get that to four here it could easily set Williams up for a bigger named opponent next. It’s not surprising to see Williams as a -185 favorite against +155 for Diniz.

Heavyweight Bout: Jhonata Diniz (7-0, 258 lbs.) vs. Karl Williams (10-1, 243 lbs.)

ROUND ONE: Diniz is an inch taller with half an inch of reach advantage, he’s also 15 pounds heavier. They touch gloves to get us going. Some slow motion probing from both men. Bit of a jab from Williams. Diniz lands an inside leg kick. Williams moves forward and both men miss punches. Diniz lands a leg kick. Stiff jab from Williams backs up Diniz. Williams gets a little aggressive and Diniz cracks him with a left hook to send Williams backing up. A left hook from Diniz in close. Both men get back to probing with the jab. Diniz keeps showing some leg kicks as well, Williams doesn’t seem to have much offense going. Williams pushes into a clinch but can’t keep it, he just sort of fell into that one rather than deliberately entered it. Williams misses a right hand, that’ll be the last effort of the round.

SCORECARD: 10-9 Diniz

ROUND TWO: Diniz back to circling and chipping away. They both partially land left hooks in close then Diniz lands a calf kick. The lack of wrestling from Williams is baffling, it’s his only real way to victory and he’s just kickboxing with a demonstrably superior kickboxer. Diniz lands a leg kick then a right hand. Bit of a right from Williams. Williams with a left hand then Diniz lands an inside leg kick. Double jab then a right hand from Diniz, he’s getting Williams onto the fence when he wants to now. Diniz is bleeding form the nose I think. Bit of a right from Diniz, he’s got Williams swinging at air now. Left to the body from Diniz. Right hand from Diniz then a calf kick. Williams might as well be a sparring partner here, he’s just not offering anything. They sort of clash in close again. Diniz misses a left hook but does land a calf kick. Another calf kick from Diniz, Williams didn’t like that one. They trade one last time to close the round.

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

ROUND THREE: Let’s see if this gets out of sparring mode in the last round. A few inside leg kicks go back and forth. Diniz lands a left to the body. Calf kick from Diniz. They both miss rights. Williams lands a body kick. Diniz lands another calf kick, then clubs and wobbles Williams with a left hook. Williams tries a takedown, they hit the fence and he’s able to get Diniz down then get his back as they stand. Mat return from Williams and he’s on top in half guard. Two minutes for Williams to find a finish now that he’s got things to the mat. Diniz looks to start a wall walk, Williams lands a few punches and is doing a good job of stripping his posting limbs. Bit of an elbow from Williams but he’s not getting much off. One minute left, Diniz looks like he’ll be able to ice out the round. A few lefts land for Williams. Fifteen seconds, Williams finally postures up for hammer fists but it’s too little far too late.

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

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

Bad heavyweight fights are bad. Diniz does get an interview with the translator because we’re short on fights overall I guess, he tries to answer in English and thanks his team and says he’s not scared to fight grapplers. He feels he’s ready for big fights and notes they only went the distance because he was a little apprehensive fighting a wrestler like Williams.

Karol Rosa has traded wins and losses while going 3-3 in her last six fights, she’s coming off of a loss though and is hoping that pattern holds long enough to avoid her first losing streak. Pannie Kianzad has gone just 1-3 in her last four fights and is on a two fight losing streak, she’s trying to get back on the winning side of things here. The odds like Rosa at -220 to +180 on Kianzad.

Women’s Bantamweight Bout: #11 Pannie Kianzad (16-8, 135.5 lbs.) vs. #8 Karol Rosa (17-6, 135.5 lbs.)

ROUND ONE: Kianzad is two inches taller while Rosa has an inch and a half of reach advantage. A little bit of feinting from both women then Rosa lands a calf kick. Another calf kick from Rosa. Kianzad lands a leg kick but eats a counter jag. Rosa has a much thicker frame than Kianzad and is chopping at her with calf kicks right away. They both miss punches. Rosa lands a jab. Inside leg kick from Rosa then a calf kick as well. Hard calf kick from Rosa. Those calf kicks are adding up quickly and Kianzad is struggling to read those kicks. Rosa lands a calf kick in close. Kianzad has started showing some stance switches. A few lefts go back and forth. Rosa lands a calf kick. Again they trade lefts. Kianzad is looking to flurry and dart out of range now. Short left hook then an inside leg kick from Rosa. More leg kicks are traded. Rosa lands a left hook that seems to stun Kianzad for a second. Kianzad land a right to the body. Rosa with a left to the body after an inside leg kick. Hard calf kick from Rosa. Kianzad’s left leg is starting to give out on her. They trade left hooks. Rosa again lands a calf kick. They get close and both sort of land punches to close the round.

SCORECARD: 10-9 Rosa

ROUND TWO: Rosa is doubling up her left hand attacks now, mostly body to head stuff along with leg kicks. Bit of an elbow from Rosa. Calf kick from Rosa. Rosa with an elbow. Kianzad tries to check a calf kick but her technique looked off. A lot of stepping elbows from Rosa now, she’s trying to close distance with them. Calf kick from Rosa. Stepping elbow from Rosa and Kianzad is cut in the hairline then Rosa lands a calf kick. Kianzad is trying to fight southpaw but she’s not very good from that stance. Rosa keeps coming forward, she lands a couple of punches. Jabs go back and forth then they clinch. They jockey for position then Rosa lands a few elbows before breaking. Kianzad lands a left hook. Bit of a left hook from Rosa. Rosa punches into another clinch on the fence. They both land elbows in close then break. Kianzad lands a left hook. Rosa lands a calf kick. Kianzad lands a stiff right hand. Rosa lands a couple of jabs. Calf kick from Rosa, Kianzad is gutting through those kicks but they’re adding up. Another calf kick from Rosa has Kianzad limping as the round ends.

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

ROUND THREE: Kianzad is not only cut in the hairline, the bridge of her nose is cut as well. They come out and tie up quickly then trade some elbows as Rosa gets Kianzad against the fence. Elbow from Rosa. Kianzad lands an elbow of her own as they break, then Rosa lands a leg kick. Both women throw punches in close then Rosa lands a calf kick. Rosa grabs a clinch and trips Kianzad down then gets on top against the fence. Kianzad is able to get full guard. Left hand from Rosa. Rosa lands an elbow and looks to pass, Kianzad scrambles to a knee and Rosa gets her back as they stand. They get chest to chest and Rosa lands a few knees. Hard elbow from Rosa. Another elbow from Rosa lands. Rosa lands a spinning elbow then clinches back up as Kianzad tried to escape. A couple of punches then a knee from Rosa. Rosa with a left elbow, then misses a spinning attack. They break and brawl then Rosa lands a couple of knees to close the round.

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

OFFICIAL RESULT: †WINNER – Karol Rosa via unanimous decision (30-27 x3)

Solid performance from Rosa. Mic time for Rosa and the translator, she talked a lot about preparing for this fight and how much she’s trained the calf kick in particular.

Toshiomi Kazama has gone 0-2 in the UFC with both of those being first round finishes, he pretty badly needs to get things back on track here. Charalampos Grigoriou lost his UFC debut back in March after getting some hype coming off of the Contender Series, he’s trying to get some of that hype back and also score his first UFC win here. Grigoriou is the -250 favorite against Kazama’s +200.

Bantamweight Bout: Charalampos Grigoriou (8-4, 136 lbs.) vs. Toshiomi Kazama (10-4, 136 lbs.)

ROUND ONE: These two are the same height while Kazama has an inch and a half of reach advantage. Kazama quickly tries a takedown, that hits the fence and they clinch up. A few knees go back and forth then Kazama trips Grigoriou down, but Grigoriou bounces up into the clinch still. Kazama is nearly slipped around to the back in the clinch, he’s still working to hit mat returns or foot sweeps. You know, under the proposed new rules only a hand down isn’t downed and Kazama will be able to knee the head here. Oh, that was prescient as Kazama lands an illegal knee, Grigoriou had a fist still on the mat as that knee landed but it was kind of close as the hand did come up. We’ve got a time out while they sort this out, they’re erring on the side of it being illegal and the doctor comes in to check on Grigoriou. Grigoriou is messing with his jaw a bit but can continue, no point deduction and we’re back to fighting. By November you’ll need to have a knee down to be downed. Kazama attacks again and gets a clinch on the fence then slips to the back. Kazama is trying to climb the back of Grigoriou then rolls things to the mat and gets one hook in. Choke attack from Kazama, Grigoriou is able to get to his knees as Kazama gets both hooks in. Kazama gets tossed to the side, he thinks about an armbar but loses that. Grigoriou gets swept, nice butterfly work from Kazama, and Kazama is on top in side control. Kazama thinks about another armbar but has to settle for spinning to the back as Grigoriou gets to turtle position. Another armbar attack from Kazama with 10 seconds left, he wont find it before the round ends.

SCORECARD: 10-9 Kazama

ROUND TWO: Grigoriou lands a right hand, he’s on the attack right away and avoids a double leg. Left hook from Grigoriou drops Kazama and he gets on top. Grigoriou with elbows from full guard, he’s trying to unload and get the stoppage but Kazama is doing enough thus far. Things start slowing down now, Kazama is sort of working his guard then tries a triangle choke. That’s in a tough spot, he locks it up and Grigoriou taps.

OFFICIAL RESULT: †WINNER – Toshiomi Kazama via Submission, triangle choke, at 1:55 of Round 2

Much needed win for Kazama there, he gets an interview along with a translator and talks about being eager to show off his skills. He is also very happy to get the win.

Very standard, and if we’re being honest a little bit sloppy, work from Kazama here. He’s still hurt from getting bludgeoned but Grigoriou is so tired and out of it mentally he barely even fought to avoid the choke.

Yana Santos is on a three fight losing streak and pretty badly needs to get back on the right side of things if she wants to maintain a roster spot. Chelsea Chandler badly missed weight for this fight, her second time in a row failing to win the fight with the scale, and now needs a win just to try and smooth over that particularly bad gaff. Chandler has never actually successfully made bantamweight in the UFC, despite that she retains a top 15 ranking. Really that should tell you everything you need to know about the state of that division. The odds lean towards Santos at -140 against +120 for Chandler.

Women’s Bantamweight Bout: #14 Chelsea Chandler (6-2, 141 lbs.)* vs. #12 Yana Santos (14-8 1 NC, 135.5 lbs.)

ROUND ONE: Chandler is two and a half inches taller but Santos has half an inch of reach advantage, plus Chandler missed weight by 6 or so pounds. Southpaw for Chandler. Santos lands a leg kick then an inside leg kick. Body kick from Santos. Leg kick from Santos after a missed blitz attack. Again Santos lands that leg kick to punctuate the blitz. Chandler forces a clinch, Santos lands a knee then pushes free. That leg kick from Santos keeps landing. Bit of a right from Santos. Santos lands a body kick. Santos with a front kick to the face. They clinch up and hit the fence. Some knees go back and forth then they break. A little sloppy striking from both women, nothing really lands. Body kick from Santos. Bit of a high kick from Santos. Santos lands a leg kick. They clinch and Santos lands a knee to the body, bit of a left from Chandler before they hit the fence. Short elbow from Santos then a knee before they separate. Spinning back kick from Santos then a right hand behind it. Inside leg kick from Santos then a bit of a head kick to close the round.

SCORECARD: 10-9 Santos

ROUND TWO: Santos looks to pick up where she left off. Leg kick from Santos then a right hand off balances Chandler, she stands over Chandler land lands some leg kicks before Chandler is made to stand up. Body kick from Santos. Bit of a right from Santos then a front kick. Santos lands a leg kick. Inside leg kick from Santos. Santos just keeps chopping away at that lead leg of Chandler. Chandler misses some punches then clinches up. Santos with knees to the body then spins free. Another clinch, again knees go back and forth against the fence then Santos lands an elbow. Chandler forces another clinch and Santos gets her on the fence. Knee then an elbow from Santos as she pulls free. Front kick from Santos. Another clinch, Santos puts Chandler on the fence then lands an elbow as they break. Santos lands a front kick, she’s sniping and moving quite well so far. Leg kick from Santos. They clinch and trade knees then Santos lands some body shots. They break then Santos misses an ax kick to close the round.

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

ROUND THREE: Santos back to circling and sniping. Leg kick from Santos. Chandler forces a clinch that hits the fence. They both miss elbows as they break. Bit of a left hook from Santos. Leg kick from Santos. Santos lands a right hand then a knee. Inside leg kick from Santos. They tie up and hit the fence then break without incident. Chandler bulls forward and lands a couple of punches then clinches. Santos with knees to the body then body shots. More knees from Santos as she’s got Chandler on the cage. Eventually they break with an elbow from Santos. Santos with a front kick to the face. Chandler misses a few punches. Chandler pushes forward and gets another clinch, which I imagine she’ll once again do nothing with. Santos lands a few knees then a left hand as they break. Chandler gets close and does land a couple of lefts before they clinch. They break without incident. High kick from Santos partially lands. They tie up and both women hit the body then Santos lands an elbow as the last blow of the round.

SCORECARD: 10-9 Santos but the closest of the fight, 30-27 Santos overall

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

Chandler shouldn’t be in the UFC. Mic time for Santos after the win, she talks about finally feeling like herself now that she’s more removed from giving birth and her child is older now. She talks about being upset about Chandler’s big weight miss and getting to make her pay for that.

Chris Gutierrez has gone 4-2 in his last six fights but did drop his last bout when he fought Song Yadong, he’s trying to avoid his first UFC losing streak here while also proving he’s still a notable bantamweight. Quang Le is undefeated but is taking this fight on very short notice replacing Javid Basharat, but a win over a proven UFC veteran like Gutierrez would be a great way to begin his UFC career. Le is also, if memory serves, the first Vietnamese fighter to get to the UFC. The odds like Gutierrez at a big -575 to +425 on Le.

Bantamweight Bout: Chris Gutierrez (20-6-2, 136 lbs.) vs. Quang Le (8-0, 136 lbs.)

ROUND ONE: Gutierrez is two and a half inches taller while Le has three inches of reach advantage. Gutierrez stalks forward early with some feints. Le falls short with a few punches. Calf kick from Gutierrez. Le misses a right hand. Gutierrez avoids a few punches but Le is willing to be aggressive. Body kick from Gutierrez after a brief switch to southpaw. Gutierrez again lands that left body kick but Le catches this one and gets a takedown into half guard. Le with decent top pressure but Gutierrez is able to scramble up to his feet and they reset. A fair amount of stance switching from Gutierrez now, and he lands a calf kick. Calf kick then a jab from Gutierrez. Le misses a right hand but lands a body kick. Calf kick from Gutierrez. Again Gutierrez lands a calf kick, those are starting to add up now. Gutierrez blocks a few punches. Le falls short on punches then eats a couple of calf kicks. Gutierrez avoids a right hand then lands a leg kick. Le just misses a right hand. Gutierrez with a calf kick. Le trips up Gutierrez and ends the round on top in full guard.

SCORECARD: 10-9 Gutierrez

ROUND TWO: Gutierrez gets back to showing leg kicks and jabs. Calf kick from Gutierrez. Le misses a right hand. Bit of a body kick from Le. Le lands a calf kick, partially checked actually but still it’s not bad to throw leg kicks with Le. Gutierrez lands a calf kick. Southpaw for Gutierrez then he lands an inside leg kick. Le pushes into a clinch then slips to the back in the clinch. Le jumps to the backpack and gets both hooks in the switches to a body triangle. Gutierrez tries to sling Le off but can’t get him off so they just fall to the mat. Le loses the body triangle but still has hooks. Gutierrez breaks one hook and tries to turn but Le reads that and keeps top position in full guard. Le sneaks in a few strikes but he’s not shown much inclination to pass. Gutierrez tries an armbar, but Le avoids that though he can’t really get around the guard of Gutierrez. The round ends with Le still on top.

SCORECRAD: 10-9 Le but could go either way, 19-19 overall

ROUND THREE: Gutierrez shows some kicks as the round begins. Bit of a calf kick from Gutierrez. Gutierrez lands a jab. Le tries to close distance but he’s struggling ab it with the footwork and disruption of Gutierrez. Bit of a hook then a calf kick from Gutierrez. Right hand then a left from Gutierrez. Le pushes close and tries a single leg but Gutierrez gets free. Gutierrez lands a left to the body. Jab from Gutierrez. Inside leg kick from Gutierrez. Le eats a right hand but forces a clinch that hits the fence. Gutierrez spins Le then lands a calf kick after he breaks. Another calf kick from Gutierrez. Right hand from Gutierrez as Le was trying to push forward. Another calf kick from Gutierrez, Le doesn’t like those anymore. Bit of a wheel kick from Gutierrez. Gutierrez with a calf kick, Le is starting to limp on that leg just a bit. Jabs then a calf kick from Gutierrez. Le misses a right hand but he’s still trying. Left hook from Gutierrez, Le lands a right hand but then eat s calf kick and they clinch. Gutierrez avoids a level change in the clinch then tries a flying attack but slips and can’t finish it then Le lands an elbow on top as the round ends.

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

OFFICIAL RESULT: †WINNER – Chris Gutierrez via unanimous decision (29-28 x3)

Mic time for Gutierrez, he feels good with the win but always expects more of himself. He talks about taking the fight on short notice and does expect Le to be back. He switches to Spanish for a bit which goes untranslated.

Danny Barlow is undefeated and scored a win in his UFC debut back in February, he did miss weight by a quarter of a pound here though and that will bear watching as he tries to remain perfect with another win. Nikolay Veretennikov brings a three fight winning streak into his UFC debut, and while he did take this on fairly short notice replacing Uros Medic he’s still going to try to maximize his only chance at a first impression on the audience. Not surprising to see Barlow as a bigger favorite, -395 specifically while Veretennikov’s comeback sits at +310.

Welterweight Bout: Danny Barlow (8-0, 171.25 lbs.)* vs. Nikolay Veretennikov (12-4, 170.5 lbs.)

ROUND ONE: Barlow is an inch taller with four inches of reach advantage, plus he missed weight by a quarter of a pound. Southpaw for Barlow. Both men with some feinting as Barlow shows some inside leg kicks. Bit of a right to the body from Veretennikov. Barlow misses a knee as Veretennikov misses a right hand. Front kick from Veretennikov, then Barlow with a bit of a left hand, more of a hammer fist than a punch. Barlow with a glancing left hand. Veretennikov lands a front kick. Veretennikov lands a left hand. Both men miss power hand punches then they clinch up and hit the fence. They break without incident. Barlow overswings a few punches then Veretennikov almost lands a right hand. Veretennikov lands a front kick. Barlow shows a few kicks with mixed results. A couple of body kicks from Barlow mostly land. Veretennikov avoids a few punches, they clinch up and fight over a takedown but neither man concedes one before they separate. Right to the body from Veretennikov and they clinch, he lands a couple of knees from there as well. Barlow pushes things into the fence and tries an outside trip as the round ends.

SCORECARD: 10-9 Veretennikov but a close one

ROUND TWO: Veretennikov back to moving forward while Barlow circles. Front kick from Veretennikov. Both men are probing again with leg kicks. Very respectful work from both men, this has been fairly low activity. A few jabs go back and forth. Bit of a front kick from Veretennikov. Barlow lands a left hand. They tie up and Veretennikov pushes things into the fence. Knee from Veretennikov, Barlow spins things around as they start fighting for position. We get time out as Barlow complains of a low blow, replay feels inconclusive to me but they’re keeping the low blow ruling. They restart in the clinch on the fence after a minute and we’re back to fighting. They fight over a throw again but again neither man drops and they separate. Right hand to the body from Veretennikov. Jab from Barlow, bit of a right hand from Veretennikov. A right hand from Veretennikov closes the round.

SCORECARD: 10-9 Barlow, 19-19 overall

ROUND THREE: Veretennikov is showing the jab a lot as the round begins. Barlow is still showing the jab but not landing a whole lot. They tie up and hit the fence. Veretennikov threatens a standing guillotine and they break without further incident. Bit of a left hand from Barlow. Veretennikov jabs the body. A couple of punches land for Veretennikov. They trade power hand punches. Veretennikov lands a few jabs then a one two. Right to the body from Veretennikov. Barlow is starting to get out worked a bit this round. Some jabs go back and forth then Veretennikov lands a right to the body. Left hook from Veretennikov. Barlow avoids a right hand. Another Veretennikov jab lands, then Barlow lands a body kick. Bit of a left hook from Veretennikov. Both men miss punches to close the round.

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

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

Honestly all three rounds were close so can’t be upset. Barlow gets mic time and says he can’t complain because judges can be crazy. He says this has been a hard camp and he still has stuff he needs to get fixed physically.

Damon Jackson just broke a two fight losing streak when he got a split decision over Alexander Hernandez, he’s looking for his first winning streak since 2022 while also continuing a bit of a late stage career renaissance. Chepe Mariscal has gone 3-0 in the UFC and has an overall six fight winning streak but he did miss weight here by a non-trivial margin, he’ll need a win to help smooth that over and then might have to reevaluate his future at featherweight if the cut is becoming that much of a problem. The odds like Mariscal at -185 against +155 for Jackson.

Featherweight Bout: Damon Jackson (23-6-1 1 NC, 146 lbs.) vs. Chepe Mariscal (16-6 1 NC, 149.5 lbs.)*

ROUND ONE: Jackson is four inches taller with two inches of reach advantage, and of course Mariscal missed weight rather badly. Southpaw for Jackson who lands a body kick. Both men do a bit of switching as they clinch up and trade body shots. Mariscal with a left to the head while Jackson is firing more knees to the body. Judo throw from Mariscal and he gets in top but Jackson scrambles up with a front headlock pretty quickly and they resume clinch fighting. Knees go back and forth as they fight for position. Mariscal gets Jackson on the fence and lands a few more knees. Jackson is working for a clinch takedown but Mariscal is remaining upright so far. They break and trade punches then clinch again. These two are fighting a high pace in a grueling style. Mariscal lands some lefts to the head in the pocket then Jackson lands a knee as they clinch. Mariscal with a couple of uppercuts before they break. Jackson tries a takedown but Mariscal throws him down and lands punches before Jackson fights up with Mariscal on his back. Takedown from Mariscal, Jackson threatens a guillotine then fights up on a single leg and they clinch again. Both men are bleeding by now, these two are willing to just batter each other. Mariscal avoids a throw and lands a few punches before Jackson gets back upright into a clinch. Jackson lands a knee to the body before they break. Mariscal lands a high kick then a right hand, they start fighting in the clinch again and Mariscal is doing good work here. They tie up and fight over a takedown, Mariscal with body shots as Jackson then tries a takedown, that’s where the round will end. Pretty bonkers first round.

SCORECARD: 10-9 Mariscal

ROUND TWO: Mariscal lands a right hand to start the round. Jackson pushes into a clinch and they resume attacking each other there. Jackson lands a low blow so we’ve got a time out. Mariscal only takes 20 seconds then they restart in the same position. Bit of a right from Mariscal as they fight for position. Jackson lands a knee to the body. Both men keep attacking the body as they fight for position along the fence. Both men are just pulverizing each other to the body with knees when they throw them. More knees from Jackson, he’s staying a little bit busier this round. Throw from Mariscal and he’s on the back now, only one hook though. Mariscal blocks a roll attempt but Jackson keeps working to wrestle on a single leg, Mariscal is kind of working from a crucifix position and lands punches and hammer fists. Elbows now from Mariscal as well, he’s placing these well and none of these have been illegal. Jackson tries to slip out the back but Mariscal gets on top in half guard. Mariscal blocks an octopus guard attempt but Jackson does wrestle up to his knees but Mariscal gets back on top and lands punches and hammer fists. Jackson to his knees, Mariscal abuses him from the ride position and just keeps firing strikes. Mariscal is doing a bit of damage from the ride position now, he lands some elbows as well before the round ends.

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

ROUND THREE: Front kicks from Mariscal to start the round. Jackson ties up and gets tossed down but he bounces up into a clinch. Mariscal with body shots in the clinch. Jackson with a knee to the body. Elbow from Jackson in the clinch then they trade punches and break. Mariscal with a high knee then hits a double leg slam to get on top. Mariscal into the ride position pretty quickly then tries the back but Jackson spins into him and gets on top, poor decision from Mariscal there. Jackson tries to take the back but Mariscal slips free and they wrestle up along the fence. Mariscal is trying to block a double leg, but Jackson is able to get his hands together and hit it into full guard. A few elbows from the back from Mariscal. Jackson tries to posture up, Mariscal threatens a triangle choke then kicks Jackson up and wrestles to get on top. Mariscal starts landing short punches from the ride position. Jackson tries to stand but Mariscal wrestles him down and gets back into the ride. Bit of a crucifix again for Mariscal and he lands hammer fists. Mariscal with punches to the head as he’s got Jackson stuffed against the fence. Jackson just wont go away though and wall walks with Mariscal on his back. Mariscal with a knee to the head, nice and legal, then starts landing more strikes from the ride. Jackson is trying to hold on for the final 25 seconds, Mariscal has full mount though and switches to the back then unloads but the round will end and save Jackson.

SCORECARD: 10-8 Mariscal but a marginal one, 30-26 Mariscal overall

OFFICIAL RESULT: †WINNER – Chepe Mariscal via unanimous decision (30-26, 30-25 x2)

10-8’s in the second round feel a little generous but not unfairly so. Mic time for Mariscal, he apologizes for missing weight first and puts over Jackson for taking the fight. He says in the cage he’s a reckless bit of dynamite and is happy to have put on a show. Considering that’s the only fight all night so far that’s been worth anything I personally thank him for the effort.

Marcin Tybura has gone 3-2 in his last five fights, only losing to Alexander Volkov and Tom Aspinall. Tybura is coming off of a win and is looking to remain a tough roadblock in a division that frankly is rather stagnant and kind of a mess at the top for a number of reasons. Serghei Spivac just had a three fight winning streak broken in September of last year when he got kind of run over by Ciryl Gane, he’s trying to avenge a 2020 loss here and prove he’s ready to make a serious run up the heavyweight ranks. The odds tilt towards Spivac at -150 to +125 on Tybura.

Heavyweight Bout: #8 Marcin Tybura (25-8, 252 lbs.) vs. #9 Serghei Spivac (16-4, 238 lbs.)

ROUND ONE: These two have the same height and reach measurements, Spivac is 9 years younger though and Tybura is 24 pounds heavier. They touch gloves. Southpaw for Tybura, but he’s doing a bit of switching already. Spivac lands a left hook then a right hand. Spivac pushes into a clinch and gets the back standing. Tybura gets ridden down to a knee and Spivac lands a few punches from the ride position. Tybura picks an ankle but Spivac pulls him down and gets the back briefly but Tybura wrestles up and gets on top in full guard. A few punches land for Tybura. Spivac is half thinking about armbars but Tybura is hip to it thus far. Spivac does grab an armbar and forces the tap. Thankfully this one ended early.

OFFICIAL RESULT: †WINNER – Serghei Spivac via Verbal Submission, armbar, at 1:44 of Round 1

The First Round Finish Club thanks Mr. Spivac for his work this evening. Mic time for Spivac and the translator, he trained hard for the armbar but also notes he’s been dealing with an injury that hampered his training for the last 3 weeks. He talks about getting better since the loss to Tybura 4 years ago, then when asked about the future he plays a little coy with Bisping on the mic before saying he’ll fight anyone ranked above him.

Fun fact, this is the first armbar at heavyweight in the UFC since Fabricio Werdum caught an armbar against Alexander Gustafsson in 2020.

Well on that note this relatively poor card comes to a close. Thanks for reading, if you’re looking for recommendations I can only recommend Mariscal and Jackson, the rest is just kind of not great. But we’ll still be breaking it all down on the 411 Ground and Pound MMA Podcast, plus we’re looking ahead to next week and UFC 305 when Dricus du Plessis defends the middleweight title against former two time champion Israel Adesanya. I hope you’ll be here next week for UFC 305, but until then stay safe out there and keep checking 411mania for all of your pop culture needs.

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