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MAIN CARD (ESPN2/ESPN+, 9 p.m. ET)
#8 Josh Emmett (146 lbs.) vs. #10 Lerone Murphy (145.5 lbs.)
Joanderson Brito (146 lbs.) vs. Pat Sabatini (145.5 lbs.)
Chang Ho Lee (136 lbs.) vs. Cortavious Romious (139.5 lbs.)*
Gerald Meerschaert (185 lbs.) vs. Brad Tavares (185.5 lbs.)
Luis Gurule (125 lbs.) vs. Ode Osbourne (125.5 lbs.)
Torrez Finney (186 lbs.) vs. Rob Valentin (185.5 lbs.)

PRELIMINARY CARD (ESPN2/ESPN+, 6 p.m. ET)
Dione Barbosa (126 lbs.) vs. Diana Belbita (125.5 lbs.)
Daniel Frunza (170.5 lbs.) vs. Rhys McKee (171 lbs.)
Loma Lookboonmee (115 lbs.) vs. Istela Nunes (115 lbs.)
Pedro Falcao (136 lbs.) vs. Victor Henry (135.5 lbs.)
#15 Martin Buday (266 lbs.) vs. Uran Satybaldiev (222.5 lbs.)
Talita Alencar (115 lbs.) vs. Vanessa Demopoulos (116 lbs.)

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Hello everyone and welcome to 411mania’s LIVE coverage of UFC on ESPN 65, I’m Robert Winfree and I’ll be your host. We’re back in the warehouse for this one but there are a few decent fights to be had. The main event is a fairly relevant featherweight clash between Josh Emmett and the undefeated rising contender Lerone Murphy. Murphy has been quietly putting in good work in the UFC and now has a chance to step out of the shadows with a win while Emmett is 40 and cannot afford a loss if he still has title aspirations. Joanderson Brito vs. Pat Sabatini could be fun, we’ve got two veterans clashing with Brad Tavares vs. Gerald Meerschaert, and Torrez Finney finally got into the UFC after three wins on the Contender Series. The prelims have Loma Lookboonme who’s usually fun, and Victor Henry vs. Pedro Falcao has potential. We did lose Davey Grant vs. Daniel Santos when Santos failed to weigh in at all, and Kennedy Nzechukwu fell out of his fight with Martin Buday during fight week. Buday does have a replacement opponent in the form of Uran Satybaldiev though. So it’s not exactly a thrilling card but it’s hardly the worst I’ve seen on paper recently, now let’s hope the action at least meets expectations.

UFC on ESPN 65 comes to the world from the UFC Apex facility in Las Vegas, Nevada, USA. Brendan Fitzgerald, Dominick Cruz, and Michael Bisping will be on the call tonight. Keep an eye on anyone using the new rules, in particular some fighters are starting to get a handle on the new definition of a downed fighter. Also remember we’re in the smaller 25 foot cage.

Vanessa Demopoulos has gone 5-2 since returning to strawweight in 2022 but she is coming off of a loss and now looks to avoid her first losing streak in the UFC. Talita Alencar has gone 1-1 in the UFC but she is coming off of a loss and now tries to avoid her first ever losing streak. Very close fight here, -115 for Alencar to -105 on Demopoulos.

Strawweight Bout: Talita Alencar (5-1-1, 115 lbs.) vs. Vanessa Demopoulos (11-6, 116 lbs.)

ROUND THREE: Apologies, I had a real world thing which prevented me from watching the first two rounds. Joined with Alencar on top in half guard. Alencar moves towards full mount and drops some elbows. Demopoulos tries to scramble and get her legs in play, she’s able to stand but Alencar pulls her back down and resumes landing elbows while she’s got Demopoulos pressed into the fence. A few more punches from Alencar as Demopoulos gets full guard. Alencar stands then passes to side control and lands another elbow as the round ends.

SCORECARD: 10-9 Alecnar based on what I saw, commentary indicates 30-27 is likely

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

No interview for Alencar.

Martin Buday has gone 5-1 in the UFC and most recently got a split decision win over Andrei Arlovski, he was supposed to fight Kennedy Nzechukwu here but during fight week that fell apart and now he’s trying to build another winning streak as well as defend his ranking against a late notice opponent. Uran Satybaldiev is undefeated and normally fights at light heavyweight but he accepted the very short notice call up here and looks to make the most of the opportunity. The odds lean towards Buday at -165 to +140 for Satybaldiev.

Heavyweight Bout: #15 Martin Buday (14-2, 266 lbs.) vs. Uran Satybaldiev (9-0, 222.5 lbs.)

ROUND ONE: These two are the same height but Satybaldiev has two inches of reach advantage while Buday is likely north of 50 or so pounds heavier than the normally light heavyweight Satybaldiev. Both men probe with some leg kicks early, Satybaldiev is favoring the oblique kick. Bit of a right from Satybaldiev. Buday starts moving forward and punches into a clinch. A few lefts from Buday then a knee before Satybaldiev spins free. Satybaldiev with a flurry of punches but Buday seems OK with the power coming at him. Glancing right from Satybaldiev. Buday with a leg kick. Satybaldiev falls a little short with some punches. Buday clinches but Satybaldiev gets free pretty quickly. Leg kick from Buday. Satybaldiev fires a few punches but can’t quite connect, some body work might do well for him given how Buday’s guard is working. Right hand then a knee from Satybaldiev before Buday pushes things into the fence. They break without incident not long before the round ends.

SCORECARD: 10-9 Buday but a close one

ROUND TWO: Satybaldiev with a bit of a right to start the round. A quick combination from Satybaldiev against the fence, nothing lands clean but he’s staying busy. Buday lands a leg kick. Bit of an uppercut from Satybaldiev. Buday thinks about a takedown but settles for another clinch on the fence. They just kind of hang out in the clinch for a bit before Satybaldiev slips free. One two from Satybaldiev, and apparently Buday weighed 285 on fight day so there’s 60 or so pounds different between these two. They trade some jabs. Glancing one two from Satybaldiev. Both men miss rights. Satybaldiev with a bit of a right hand but he misses the follow ups. Buday lands a leg kick. They trade leg kicks. Jab from Buday. Another couple of jabs from Buday into a clinch. They fight in the clinch a bit then break and Buday swings punches to close the round.

SCORECARD: 10-9 Satybaldiev but another close one, 19-19 overall

ROUND THREE: They touch gloves for the final round. Satybaldiev with a one two. Satybaldiev bulls forward with punches, then Buday lands a leg kick. Buday pushes into a clinch on the fence. Some foot stomps from Buday then Satybaldiev spins free and starts punching again. They trade leg kicks again. Buday avoids a few punches but then Satybaldiev lands a right hand. Another right from Satybaldiev wobbles Buday, Buday pushes into a clinch and stalls out the momentum though. They trade a few knees then Satybaldiev spins Buday into the fence and looks for a single leg but can’t find it so they resume clinching. A few knees from Satybaldiev and Buday is landing some lefts to the body. They break after a knee from Buday. Buday pushes into another clinch. Satybaldiev is unable to get off the fence but the ref breaks them up. Satybaldiev swings a few rights but can’t quite land. Bit of a one two from Satybaldiev. Buday with a bit of a counter uppercut. Buday with a right hand in close but he can’t follow up before the round ends.

SCORECARD: 10-9 Satybaldiev, 29-28 Satybaldiev overall but could go either way

OFFICIAL RESULT: †WINNER – Martin Buday via unanimous decision (29-28 x3)

I’m a little surprised that wasn’t split, but Buday getting the first two rounds isn’t out of bounds. No interview for the winner.

Victor Henry has gone 1-1 with 1 No Contest in his last few fights and most recently suffered a loss to Charles Jourdain, he’s trying to bounce back with a win and avoid his first UFC losing streak. Pedro Falcao suffered a loss in his UFC debut last year but that broke a five fight winning streak and now he’s trying to avoid his first losing streak since 2015. Henry closed at -205 to +170 for Falcao.

Bantamweight Bout: Pedro Falcao (16-4, 136 lbs.) vs. Victor Henry (24-7, 135.5 lbs.)

ROUND ONE: Henry is an inch taller with two inches of reach advantage. Both men feint early then Falcao lands a leg kick. Calf kick from Falcao. Henry with a right to the body. Leg kick from Henry. Double leg from Falcao and he winds up on the back in the clinch. Henry turns into him then lands knees to the body before tripping Falcao down. Henry stands over Falcao land lands a few leg kicks before Falcao finally regains his feet. Both men miss rights. Bit of a jab from Henry then a right hand. Falcao keeps moving forward and they trade leg kicks. A right hand from Henry drops Falcao then he gets on top and lands some hammer fists as Falcao tries to invert for a leg. Henry stands fee and lands leg kicks again before Falcao finally stands. Falcao pressures forward again and they trade in close. A couple of front kicks from Falcao. Henry lands a right hand. Left to the body from Falcao but Henry lands a counter right then Falcao tries a takedown but that stalls out on the fence. Elbow from Henry in close before they break. Both men land punches in close again. Henry checks a calf kick. Bit of a right from Falcao then Henry responds with a couple of body shots. Front kick from Henry after he had a couple of punches partially blocked to close the round.

SCORECARD: 10-9 Henry

ROUND TWO: Both men get right back into fighting. Falcao lands a calf kick. They trade leg kicks again. Bit of a body kick from Henry. Front kick from Henry then Falcao lands a calf kick. Both men counter leg kicks with body punches. Henry avoids a lunging left hook. Chopping right from Henry, he tends to just throw a couple more punches than Falcao in each exchange. Falcao tries a takedown and it takes a serious effort but he gets Henry down into half guard. Henry scrambles up but Falcao hits a mat return and tries to get the back but Henry spins into him to get on top in full guard. Falcao tries an armbar, Henry is able to defend though and lands a knee to the thigh then stands free and they trade again before Falcao clinches. Henry is able to spin Falcao into the fence then lands a solid left hook as they break. They trade rights. Henry with some nice body shots, his pressure and pace is relentless but Falcao isn’t falling apart yet. Falcao with a single leg, Henry gets half guard then he moves to his knees and transitions beautifully to kesa gatami to land punches before Falcao forces the scramble and they just reset on the feet. Right hand from Henry. Henry with a few punches in close then a couple of body shots. A body jab from Henry closes the round.

SCORECARD: 10-9 Falcao but could go the other way, 19-19 overall

ROUND THREE: Falcao quickly tries a takedown, Henry granby rolls but Falcao gets one hook in to try and slow things down. Henry rolls to his knees then turns into Falcao and gets back on top and lands punches from top position. They fight up and reset on the feet. Henry sprawls away from a takedown and grabs a front headlock then lands knees as Falcao stands into a clinch. Knee from Henry. Hammer fists and uppercuts from Henry before Falcao slips free. They trade body shots in close then Henry lands a good right hand. Front kick from Henry. Another counter right from Henry, then another one and Falcao might be fading. Henry eats a left hook but doesn’t seem bothered. Front kick from Henry then he counters a takedown with one of his own and gets on top. Falcao is trying to tie up a leg from 50/50 but there’s not much there and Henry stands then they clinch again. Henry spins free then cracks Falcao with a right hand. They trade punches then Henry blocks another takedown and lands punches from a front headlock before Falcao stands free. Falcao looks very fatigued now and Henry keeps up the pace. Henry lands a right hand then they clinch and break without incident. Some moving from Henry then he lands a stiff jab then a front kick to close the round.

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

OFFICIAL RESULT: †WINNER – Victor Henry via unanimous decision (29-28 x3)

Fun little fight and Henry does get an interview. He puts over Falcao’s ability and mustache. He kind of thought he’d get a finish with all the punches he landed and admits he needs to work on his power as with all the strikes he lands he should get a body in front of him.

Loma Lookboonme is on a three fight winning streak but she’s been out of action for over a year, still she could make a move towards fighting ranked opponents with a fourth win here and hopefully a more active schedule going forward. Istella Nunes has gone 0-4 in the UFC and really needs a win here as going 0-5 would almost certainly end her time with the promotion. Lookboonme is a prohibitive favorite at -950 to +625 on Nunes.

Strawweight Bout: Loma Lookboonmee (9-3, 115 lbs.) vs. Istela Nunes (6-5 1 NC, 115 lbs.)

ROUND ONE: Nunes is three inches taller with four and a half inches of reach advantage. Lookboonmee fires an early head kick which is blocked. Nunes shows a few stance switches as she moves a bit forward. Lookboonmee keeps firing kicks to the body and head mostly. Side kick from Lookboonmee. Bit of a front kick from Lookboonmee. Flurry from Lookboonmee partially lands. Lookboonmee with a body kick. Nunes blocks a head kick. Nunes catches a kick but misses the counter right. We get a time out, Nunes is complaining of an eye poke. Replay shows there might have maybe been one then we’re back to fighting. A few leg kicks go back and forth. Bit of a body kick from Lookboonmee. Lookboonmee with a front kick. Bit of a right hook from Nunes. Body kick then a left hand from Lookboonmee. Lookboonmee with that same sequence again. They tie up, Lookboonmee tries a takedown but gets countered and Nunes is on top in half guard. Lookboonmee sits up and gets full guard. Nunes avoids being swept and Lookboonmee fires elbows from her back. Nunes is able to move to half guard and then gets kicked free before the round ends.

SCORECARD: 10-9 Lookboonmee

ROUND TWO: Both women open with leg kicks. Lookboonmee with a body kick then they trade punches in close. Another body kick from Lookboonmee. Nunes shows some front kicks then takes a counter left. Bit of a leg kick from Lookboonmee. They clinch up and Lookboonmee lands a few knees then loses some position trying for a throw but very little comes of it. Some fence grabbing from Nunes. Lookboonmee with a knee. Judo throw from Lookboonmee and she winds up on top in kind of a 50/50 guard position. Nunes is trying to set up a leg lock of some kind. Bit of a straight ankle lock from Nunes but there’s nothing really there that’s a threat. Lookboonmee pushes through the position and Nunes tries to switch to a heel hook but Lookboonmee steps over and lands punches from on top as the round ends.

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

ROUND THREE: Lookboonmee with a right hand to start the round. Another right hand then left behind it for Lookboonmee. They clinch up and hit the fence. They jockey for position then Lookboonmee hits an outside trip to get on top in full guard. A few short elbows from Lookboonmee. Nunes is just tying up and looking to stall. Lookboonmee with a few body to head punches but there’s not much there and the ref is going to get involved at some point. Yep, there’s the ref standing them back up. Lookboonmee lands a left hand then they clinch up and trade knees before Lookboonmee hits a headlock throw to get on top in side control. Nunes shrimps to half guard and Lookboonmee lands a few more lefts. A couple more lefts from Lookboonmee land. Lookboonmee drops a few elbows now in addition to the punches. The round ends with Nunes wrestling up and holding Lookboonmee on the fence.

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

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

Nunes if flummoxed, which is kind of funny. Mic time for Lookoonmee and her translator, she feels like she’s improving as a fighter and is showing that. Asked about her goals and being one of the only Thai fighters in the UFC she talks about recovering from a broken hand and mostly wants to stay busier this year.

Rhys McKee has gone 0-4 in the UFC across two different stints with the promotion, most recently he’s on a two fight losing streak and badly needs to get that all important first UFC win under his belt. Daniel Frunza brings a five fight winning streak into his UFC debut and he’s looking to make a good first impression on the audience. Fairly close one here, -130 for Frunza to +110 on McKee.

Welterweight Bout: Daniel Frunza (9-2, 170.5 lbs.) vs. Rhys McKee (13-6-1, 171 lbs.)

ROUND ONE: McKee is an inch taller with five inches of reach advantage. Bit of a right from Frunza then a leg kick. McKee keeps coming forward early, they trade some calf kicks. McKee with a couple of jabs. Right hand from Frunza. They’re both able to land, it’s largely about who lands first and McKee drops Frunza with a left hook but Frunza is ale to fight back up. A right hand from McKee off balances Frunza, he gets in a clinch on the fence but then they break pretty quickly. Solid jab from McKee, he starts unloading on Frunza but Frunza is still throwing back enough to keep the ref out of things. Bit of a right from Frunza. McKee gets back to using his jab now. Right to the body from McKee. Leg kick from Frunza. Both men miss punches then Frunza with a bit of a right hand. The right eye of Frunza is a mess. McKee with a left hook then they clinch up. Elbow from Frunza before they break. Both men land rights again, Frunza is staring to land better flurries now. McKee with a calf kick. Right hand from Frunza. McKee avoids a few punches but then eats a bit of a head kick. They clinch up and Frunza with some punches in the clinch. They break without incident. Frunza with a leg kick. McKee fires a combination then they trade a bit. Bit of a left from Frunza then McKee slips away from the fence as the round ends.

SCORECARD: 10-9 McKee

ROUND TWO: That eye of Frunza is a problem, let’s see if he can continue, he’s also got a badly split upper lip. The doctor looks at that badly torn lip and has to stop things.

OFFICIAL RESULT: †WINNER – Rhys McKee via TKO, doctor stoppage due to cuts, at 5:00 of Round 1

The First Round Finish Club thanks Mr. McKee for his work. Mic time for McKee, he is happy to get his first UFC win and thinks more will follow. He calls himself the most underrated guy in the UFC then sends love to his family and team. He closes by asking for a bonus.

Diana Belbita has gone just 2-5 in the UFC and is on a two fight losing streak, she really needs a win here as another loss could spell her exit from the promotion. Dione Barbosa has gone 1-1 in the UFC and while she is coming off of a loss she still has a little bit of hype as a prospect for the division. To that point Barbosa is the biggest favorite on the card at -1000 while a Belbita win pays out at +650.

Women’s Flyweight Bout: Dione Barbosa (7-3, 126 lbs.) vs. Diana Belbita (15-9, 125.5 lbs.)

ROUND ONE: Belbita is an inch taller with an inch and a half of reach advantage. Bit of a right from Barbosa to start, then a stepping elbow as well. Barbosa with a calf kick. They trade in close, Belbita is willing to throw but her hands a little slower and she’s looping them. Barbosa with some jabs then a one two. Both women block high kicks. Bit of an uppercut from Barbosa to counter a Belbita right. Barbosa lands another right. Belbita lands a right hand to counter a jab. Pretty solid right from Barbosa. Another one two from Barbosa. Belbita jabs the body. Barbosa lands a couple of punches. Barbosa pushes into a clinch and lands a spinning elbow then hits a takedown pretty much into full mount. Now Barbosa does move to full mount and starts looking to open up an arm triangle attack. Barbosa gets the arm triangle, moves to side control and locks down the choke to force the tap.

OFFICIAL RESULT: †WINNER – Dione Barbosa via Submission, arm triangle choke, at 4:13 of Round 1

The First Round Finish Club thanks Ms. Barbosa for her work. Mic time for Barbosa, she knew the grappling would play in her favor and mentions working on her striking and wanted to use it to set up the rest of her game.

Dione Barbosa shuts it down in round one 💪 #UFCVegas105 pic.twitter.com/8odGLUUrfR

— ESPN MMA (@espnmma) April 6, 2025

Torrez Finney is undefeated including three wins on the Contender Series to finally get his shot in the UFC, now he’s looking to make good on arriving here and remain unbeaten. Robert Valentin dropped his UFC debut last year in a TUF finale, he’s hoping that his sophomore outing will bear better fruit. The odds like Finney at -310 to Valentin’s +250.

Middleweight Bout: Torrez Finney (10-0, 186 lbs.) vs. Rob Valentin (10-4 1 NC, 185.5 lbs.)

ROUND ONE: Valentin is a significant six inches taller with just an inch and a half of reach advantage. Finney presses forward early, Valentin fires a front kick. Double leg from Finney hits the fence but he lifts and then slams down Valentin. Quick wall walk from Valentin, Finney is still holding around his legs though and dumps him back down. Finney starts stripping the posting limbs from Valentin, but Valentin does get up with Finney on his back in the clinch. Valentin turns into Finney but Finney is still working to get him back down. Bit of a takedown from Finney, this time though he’s able to get into half guard and kind of slow things down. Valentin fishes for a kimura then wall walks but Finney takes him back down. They wind up clinched on the fence again with some small blows going back and forth. Finney gets a takedown but Valentin is sitting on the fence. A few punches from Finney but not much is on them as the round ends.

SCORECARD: 10-9 Finney

ROUND TWO: Valentin shows some jabs and front kicks then Finney hits a double leg and moves to half guard. Not much going on down here on the mat. Valentin is able to get full guard. Finney avoids a triangle attack and lands a few short punches. A few lefts land for Finney. Valentin tries an armbar, Finney slams his way out of it and lands a couple of blows before moving onto a hip. Valentin bases up but Finney keeps a ride position. Bit of a left from Finney but his offense leaves a lot to be desired. Finney jumps to the back with both hooks in but he’s high and Valentin is able to shake him off over the top but Finney wrestles up on a single leg and pushes Valentin back into the fence. Valentin avoids a level change but he can’t get off the fence. The round ends with them clinched up.

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

ROUND THREE: Valentin lands a right hand then a knee to the body. Bit of an elbow from Valentin, then Finney shoots a double leg that hits the fence. Finney hits a double leg against the fence but Valentin wall walks without too much difficulty. The ref breaks them up because nothing was happening. Oblique kick from Valentin then he sprawls away from a double leg but he can’t break contact and Finney pushes things into the fence again. Valentin tries a kimura attack but bails on it to land an elbow. Finney keeps him on the fence but he’s not doing much with it. A few elbows from Valentin land but the ref breaks them up again. Valentin tries a tomahawk elbow and misses so Finney gets on his hips and takes him down again. Wall walk from Valentin but Finney is still holding him there. Not much happens here and the ref breaks them up, the Finney immediately pushes into another clinch. Finney is still looking for a takedown but wont find one before the round ends.

SCORECARD: 10-9 Valentin, 29-28 Finney overall

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

OK, what the heck is Tony Weeks smoking to give Valentin all three rounds? Don’t get me wrong, Finney’s lack of offense in the first two was an issue but it’s not like Valentin had any meaningful offense there either. That’s just silliness. No interview for Finney.

Ode Osbourne has gone 4-6 in the UFC during which time he’s shown moments of real promise he is currently on a three fight losing streak and he really needs to get back on the winning side of things. Luis Gurule is undefeated coming into his UFC debut and looks to make a good first impression with his only shot at doing so. The newcomer Gurule is the -250 favorite to a +205 comeback on Osbourne.

Flyweight Bout: Luis Gurule (10-0, 125 lbs.) vs. Ode’ Osbourne (12-8 1 NC, 125.5 lbs.)

ROUND ONE: Osbourne is two and a half inches taller with a large nine inches of reach advantage. Southpaw for Osbourne. A few long range kicks from both men go back and forth. Gurule does a bit of stance switching to land a leg kick. Body kick from Osbourne and he blocks the counters. Osbourne blocks a high kick. Gurule lands a leg kick. Glancing high kick from Gurule. Osbourne fights off a takedown but Gurule gets a body lock and then elevates and takes down Osbourne into side control. A few short blows land for Gurule. Gurule moves to mount but Osbourne quickly hip escapes to half guard. Some short elbows from Gurule, he’s trying to set up an arm triangle attack but Osbourne is hip to it. Gurule drops some blows then Osbourne scrambles up and they separate. Left hand from Gurule after he failed on a single leg. Osbourne avoids a high kick then they trade kicks to close the round.

SCORECARD: 10-9 Gurule

ROUND TWO: Osbourne avoids a few strikes. Bit of a front kick from Osbourne. Right to the body from Osbourne but Gurule gets a single leg and runs him to the fence. Osbourne is able to spin free relatively quickly. Both men land punches in close but Osbourne has quicker hands. Counter left from Osbourne floors Gurule, he gets to the ride position and lands punches to get the stoppage.

OFFICIAL RESULT: †WINNER – Ode’ Osbourne via TKO, punches, at 1:54 of Round 2

Mic time for Osbourne, he talks about being patient with the finish and not wanting to hit Gurule and maybe wake him up when he was sleeping. He talks us through the finish and puts over his coaches and training partners for getting him ready for this. He then thanks his team for helping him, especially since he had a really bad weight cut, then thanks God for everything he has.

MASSIVE power from Ode' Osbourne 💥 #UFCVegas105 pic.twitter.com/kLfIIbM4PU

— ESPN MMA (@espnmma) April 6, 2025

Gerald Meerschaert is kind of an old war horse at this point with 22 UFC fights overall, he is 2-3 in his last five though and most recently lost to Reinier de Ridder, he’s trying to avoid another losing streak here. Speaking of UFC veterans, Brad Tavares has been with the UFC since 2010 and has had 25 UFC fights. Most recently Tavares has gone 1-4 in his last five fights and is on a two fight losing streak, he needs to halt that skid here and prove he’s still a worthwhile addition to the roster. The odds lean towards Tavares at -175 while +145 on Meerschaert might tempt some bettors out there.

Middleweight Bout: Gerald Meerschaert (37-18, 185 lbs.) vs. Brad Tavares (20-10, 185.5 lbs.)

ROUND ONE: These two are the same height while Meerschaert has a reach advantage of three and a half inches. Southpaw for Meerschaert and they touch gloves. Jab from Tavares. Bit of a jab from Meerschaert. Right hand from Tavares. Another right from Tavares mostly lands. Meerschaert shoots and they hit the fence in a clinch. They break with a right hand from Tavares. Looping left from Meerschaert partially lands. Tavares misses a couple of punches. Glancing right from Tavares then he fights off a single leg. Tavares with a bit of a right hand. Stiff jab from Tavares. Tavares with a right hand in close. Jab from Tavares. Meerschaert fails on a knee tap attempt. Bit of an inside leg kick from Meerschaert. Solid right hand from Tavares connects. Another right hand from Tavares stuns Meerschaert for a second but he recovers. Body kick from Tavares, Meerschaert then tries a head kick but that’s blocked. Tavares misses a spinning back fist to close the round.

SCORECARD: 10-9 Tavares

ROUND TWO: Tavares gets back to work early and lands his right hand. Another right from Tavares puts Meerschaert down for just a second and he makes him regain his feet. Meerschaert falls a little short with his punches. Tavares lands a couple of front kicks then Meerschaert punches his way into a clinch. They break and Meerschaert lands an elbow. Bit of a right hand from Tavares. Tavares lands a right hand in close then a front kick towards the face. Bit of a one two from Tavares. Meerschaert lands a left hand of his own. Jab from Meerschaert. Tavares lands an uppercut then Meerschaert grabs a clinch on the fence. Tavares spins free and they reset at distance. They trade power hand punches then Meerschaert lands a body kick. Front kick from Tavares then he avoids a takedown attempt. Another front kick from Tavares then a hard right to the body. Body kick from Tavares then a front kick. Meerschaert lands a left hand in close. One two from Tavares off balances Meerschaert for a second but he remains upright. Side kick to the knee from Tavares will close out the round.

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

ROUND THREE: Tavares lands a right hand then avoids a takedown attempt. Counter jab from Tavares then Meerschaert avoids a right hand. Left to the body from Meerschaert then Tavares lands a body kick. Meerschaert tries a takedown, he can’t really secure it and they wind up clinched on the fence again. Meerschaert has slipped towards the back and is trying to drag things down but Tavares is staying upright. Eventually Tavares is able to get chest to chest. Knee from Tavares. Not much going on here, Meerschaert is half working for a single leg but winds up losing that and the ref breaks them up. Tavares lands a jab. Both men miss power hand punches. Meerschaert pushes into a clinch on the fence again. Tavares spins free after a bit. Meerschaert fires a few kicks that don’t land to close the round.

SCORECARD: 10-9 Meerschaert, 29-28 Tavares overall

OFFICIAL RESULT: †WINNER – Brad Tavares via unanimous decision (29-28 x3)

Mic time for Tavares, he puts over Meerschaert and knew he was in for a tough fight. He jokes around with Bisping that with one more win he’ll overtake Bisping’s record for most middleweight wins in the UFC then says he’s pretty injury free and would like to stay a bit active. To close he dedicates the win to some family members.

Cortavious Romious dropped his UFC debut last year and then missed weight for this fight, that’s a pretty bad sequence of events and he needs a win to try and smooth things over a little bit. Chang Ho Lee has a four fight winning streak going including his UFC debut last year when he won a Road to UFC tournament, he’s looking to extend that streak and start establishing himself as a rising prospect. Lee is the slight favorite at -150 to +125 on Romoius.

Bantamweight Bout: Chang Ho Lee (10-1, 136 lbs.) vs. Cortavious Romious (9-3, 139.5 lbs.)*

ROUND ONE: Lee is four inches taller with an inch of reach advantage, plus of course Romious missed weight. They touch gloves, both men are fighting southpaw. Jab from Romious then they trade leg kicks. Both me land jabs then Lee pushes close and clinches things on the fence. Lee is looking for a takedown and eventually hits an outside trip then lands in full mount. Romious tries to control posture, Lee lands a few punches before Romious wall walks into a clinch. Body lock takedown from Romious into half guard. Lee scoots to his knees then spins on top of Romious and lands punches. Now it’s Romious who gives up the back and Lee gets a body triangle working. Lee with some punches while working to try and open up a choke attack, Romious is cut somewhere but it doesn’t look bad. The punches from Lee aren’t super hard but he’s diligent in throwing them while trying to open up a choke. Romious goes belly down and Lee goes for the choke again but loses it and instead lands more punches. Lee just keeps unloading but Romious is able to off balance him and turn into him to get on top in full guard. Lee moves to his knees and gets back on top of Romious then lands a couple of punches before the round ends.

SCORECARD: 10-9 Lee

ROUND TWO: Lee fires a knee early but it goes low so we’ve got a time out. No doubt about that one but replay confirms it. That cut on Romious is on the outside corner of his right eyebrow. The ref gives Lee a solid warning through a translator then Romious is ready to continue after 1:25. They touch gloves on the restart. Both men swing punches in close then Romious lands a head kick, Lee tries a takedown but Romious smothers it and gets to the backpack position. They move to the mat and Romious looks for a choke as Lee bases up and looks to shake him off. Now Romious transitions to an armbar but Lee pulls his arm free and gets on top in half guard. Lee with a few elbows. Romious is able to wall walk with some brute force and they clinch up again. Lee with a takedown, Romious is after an armbar on the way down though. Lee is able to get free and get on top in side control this time. Some hammer fists from Lee then he gets the back as Romious rolls to his knees. Lee starts dropping punches and elbows as he’s got back mount, he switches to mount and drops more elbows and punches while floating between mount and back mount until the ref steps in to halt the fight.

OFFICIAL RESULT: †WINNER – Chang Ho Lee via TKO, punches and elbows, at 3:48 of Round 2

Mic time for Lee and the translator, he was ready for the grappling heavy fight and thanks his coaches and team for getting him ready. Asked about his nickname being “the Korean Khabib” he feels he could have done better tonight and says he might start looking to be the Korean Merab.

A ground and pound leads to a W for Chang Ho Lee 💪 #UFCVegas105 pic.twitter.com/YnDz4ZHkOG

— ESPN MMA (@espnmma) April 6, 2025

Joanderson Brito has gone 5-2 in the UFC and just had a five fight winning streak snapped via a split decision loss, he’s trying to bounce back and avoid his first losing streak. Pat Sabatini has traded wins and losses while going 3-2 in his last five fights, he is coming off of a win and now looks for his first winning streak since 2022. Brito is a rather notable favorite at -200 while +165 for Sabatini might be a tempting value bet.

Featherweight Bout: Joanderson Brito (17-4-1, 146 lbs.) vs. Pat Sabatini (19-5, 145.5 lbs.)

ROUND ONE: These two are the same height while Brito has two inches of reach advantage. They touch gloves to get things going. Sabatini does some early stance switching while moving around. Body kick from Brito but Sabatini gets a takedown off of it into half guard. Brito is trying to fish around for his guard, he’s got the head wrapped and is in danger of the Von Flue choke if Sabatini can get back to side control. Sabatini gets his head free and just settles into half guard. Brito throws an elbow from his back. Some punches from Sabatini land as Brito works to start a wall walk. Sabatini pulls Brito away from the fence and looks for mount, Brito scrambles and gets up with Sabatini holding a front headlock. Knee from Sabatini then Brito gets his head free only for Sabatini to take him down again into side control. Again Brito has wrapped the head and now Sabatini commits to the Von Flue choke attack. Sabatini slowly works to get his shoulder more in play but then loses some of the grip, his hands aren’t together and he bails on the attack to secure side control. Brito gets to half guard and they trade some strikes on the mat. Again they trade some strikes on the mat as the round ends.

SCORECARD: 10-8 Sabatini but a marginal one

ROUND TWO: Leg kick from Brito to start the round. They trade punches in close. Sabatini tries a single leg and gets Brito to his seat then works a cradle for control out of half guard. They scoot towards the fence and Brito tries to start building for a wall walk. Sabatini lands a few lefts. Brito is really struggling to get anything going under Sabatini. Some short elbows from Sabatini now as well. Sabatini has some impressive control going, and he’s putting in enough damage to keep the ref firmly out of the equation thus far. Bit of a flurry from Sabatini and that’s where the round will end.

SCORECARD: 10-9 Sabatini, 20-17 Sabatini overall

ROUND THREE: Sabatini avoids a right hand. Glancing right from Brito then they trade and Sabatini hits a takedown, he’s in a guillotine but he’s in half guard on the safe side. Brito is really squeezing but there’s no choke here and he bails on it after a bit. Sabatini looks to pass but Brito blocks it. Some punches from Sabatini land, he’s going body to head pretty solidly. Brito scoots towards the fence but Sabatini lands punches as they move. Sabatini moves to mount and lands punches then gets the back and starts looking for a choke. Back to mount and Sabatini lands more blows as he’s on Brito’s hip. Sabatini with more strikes as he gets the back again. Sabatini goes for the choke with short time but wont find it before the round ends.

SCORECARD: 10-8 Sabatini, 30-25 Sabatini overall

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

Mic time for Sabatini, he is happy with the win then says he wants to climb the mountain in front of him. Boy they clearly wanted him to deliver something interesting or memorable and he just didn’t.

Josh Emmett has gone 10-4 in the UFC and scored one of the most brutal knockouts in UFC history his last time out against Bryce Mitchell, that was in December of 2023 though and now he’s finally back in action looking to defend his ranking. Lerone Murphy has gone 7-0-1 in the UFC against a steadily increasing level of opposition, his last time out he bested Dan Ige and now he’s trying to move further up the rankings against a UFC veteran in Emmett. The odds are rather heavily with Murphy at -325 and that +260 payout on Emmett is a really tempting bet all things considered.

Featherweight Bout: #8 Josh Emmett (19-4, 146 lbs.) vs. #10 Lerone Murphy (15-0-1, 145.5 lbs.)

ROUND ONE: Murphy is two and a half inches taller with three and a half inches of reach, Emmett has also hit the 40 year old mark. Both men with some early feinting as they circle. Some stance switching from Murphy as they move, Emmett prefers to stay orthodox. Bit of an intercepting elbow from Murphy. Emmett with a right to the body, bit of a counter right from Murphy. Jab from Murphy. Murphy lands a right hook in close as Emmett fires some short blows in close. Emmett is cut on the forehead it looks like, the elbows from Murphy already doing work. Murphy has a head kick blocked. Front kick from Murphy. Bit of a left hook from Emmett then Murphy lands a calf kick. Murphy blocks a few punches then lands a front kick. Emmett avoids a body kick. Calf kick from Murphy. Emmett swings in close but doesn’t land anything of relevance. Emmett catches a kick and off balances Murphy but he can’t do anything with that before Murphy is up and at distance. They feint away the final seconds of the round.

SCORECARD: 10-9 Murphy but could go either way

ROUND TWO: Emmett comes out and misses a right hand. Murphy looks to get his jab working. Emmett ducks a punch and tries a takedown, he lifts and drops Murphy then gets on top in full guard. Murphy looks to wall walk then uses a guillotine threat to initiate a scramble then he lands in the clinch before they break. Solid spinning back kick from Murphy. Emmett tries another takedown, this one stalls out a bit on the fence. Knee from Murphy then he fights off a level change but he’s still clinched. Short knee from Murphy then he spins Emmett into the fence and knees him again. Emmett tries a single leg, Murphy defends and lands a couple of punches before they break. Emmett looks like he’s slowing just a bit. Murphy with some side kicks to the knee. Body jab from Murphy. Murphy with a calf kick. Both men miss hooks in close. Leg kick from Emmett. Bit of a left to the body from Murphy. Emmett has punches fall short, Murphy is moving very well thus far. Murphy lands a body kick. Bit of a high kick from Murphy then Emmett fires a right hand that doesn’t quite land before the round ends.

SCORECARD: 10-9 Murphy but another close one, 20-18 Murphy overall

ROUND THREE: Emmett bulls forward and looks to brawl, he can’t land cleanly then Murphy lands a counter blow. Calf kick from Murphy then he side kicks the knee a couple of times. Bit of a right from Murphy. Emmett fires a right hand that partially lands then he takes a body kick. Calf kick from Murphy. Glancing high kick from Murphy. Murphy slips throwing an elbow, Emmett grabs a front headlock then forces a clinch on the fence while Murphy lands a couple of elbows. Emmett looks for a high crotch but Murphy is defending. They both throw elbows as they break. Murphy blocks a right hand. Bit of a side kick from Murphy then he avoids a right hand but there’s an eye poke to Emmett so we’ve got a time out. Replay confirms there was some finger near the eye and Murphy is told another poke will result in a point deduction before they restart. Murphy shows a few kicks. Emmett looks to get close and lands a one two but then Murphy lands a hard body kick. A few side kicks to the knee from Murphy then Emmett trips him up and gets on top in full guard. Murphy quickly tries to get his guard working then wall walks with Emmett holding a clinch. They break and Murphy gets on pressure, he lands a glancing right hand. Emmett avoids a spinning back kick. Front kick from Murphy will close the round.

SCORECARD: 10-9 Emmett but again fairly close, 29-28 Murphy overall

ROUND FOUR: They both trade in close to get the round started. Murphy jabs the body. Hard calf kick from Murphy. Emmett blocks a high kick. Murphy avoids a jumping knee. Jab from Murphy. Side kick to the knee from Murphy then a solid left body kick. Bit of a right from Emmett, he looks to follow up but Murphy throws back and gets him to back off. Again Emmett wit ha bit of a right hand but he’s not following up. Calf kick from Murphy. Murphy with a front kick. Emmett has a few punches blocked, seriously the defense of Murphy is quite good. A few side kicks to the knee from Murphy, Emmett is getting annoyed by those. Bit of a body kick from Murphy. Right hook from Murphy in close. Emmett still can’t land but he’s starting to throw more now at least. Murphy with a stiff jab but misses the follow up. Front kick from Murphy then he stifles a takedown attempt until they hit the fence. Elbow from Murphy cuts Emmett’s head again as he defends the takedown and they end the round in the clinch.

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

ROUND FIVE: They touch gloves for the final round. Emmett looks to push forward. Bit of a jab from Murphy then he shows a head kick which partially lands. Murphy blocks a right hand then lands a counter. Jab from Emmett. Murphy with a side kick to the knee then fires a head kick which is blocked. They both miss punches in close. Solid left hand from Murphy connects. Another left from Murphy. Emmett gets close and tries to punch, that’s blocked then Emmett tries a takedown on the fence. Murphy defends then they break apart. Front kick from Murphy. A few more jabs from Murphy and he avoids a counter right. Side kick from Murphy. Both men miss punches then Murphy cracks and wobbles Emmett with a left hand. Murphy doesn’t get too eager in following up as Emmett swings back at him. Another side kick to the knee from Murphy. Emmett tries to encourage a brawl but Murphy isn’t that foolish and lands a jab. Murphy avoids some punches. Spinning back kick from Murphy. Emmett tries one last Hail Mary punch but it wont land and the round ends.

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

OFFICIAL RESULT: †WINNER – Lerone Murphy via unanimous decision (49-46, 48-47 x2)

Mic time for Murphy he admits the handful of drunkards in the stands are booing and he plays with them a bit before putting over Emmett’s power and danger. He knows he couldn’t make any mistakes against Emmett. He talks us through some highlights then when asked about what’s next he wants a title fight but will take anyone ranked above him and he’ll be ready to fight in July.

On that note UFC on ESPN 65 comes to a close. We’ll be unpacking all the fallout from this event tomorrow on the 411 Ground and Pound MMA Podcast, plus looking ahead to UFC 314. I wont be able to cover 314 live, my apologies for that, but I will have a report for it after it’s done. So while I wont see you all live next week I do hope you’ll check out the report once it’s done. Until then thank you for reading, stay safe out there, and keep checking 411mania for all of your pop culture needs.