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October 1, 2022 | Posted by Robert Winfree
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MAIN CARD (ESPN+, 7 p.m. ET)
#5 Mackenzie Dern (115.5 lbs.) vs. #6 Yan Xiaonan (115.5 lbs.)
Randy Brown (170.5 lbs.) vs. Francisco Trinaldo (170 lbs.)
Maxim Grishin (205.5 lbs.) vs. Philipe Lins (205.5 lbs.)
Raoni Barcelos (135.5 lbs.) vs. Trevin Jones (135 lbs.)
Don Shainis (146 lbs.) vs. #12 Sodiq Yusuff (145.5 lbs.)
Viacheslav Borshchev (155.5 lbs.) vs. Mike Davis (155 lbs.)

PRELIMINARY CARD (ESPN+, 4 p.m. ET)
John Castaneda (139.5 lbs.) vs. Daniel Santos (138.5 lbs.) – 140-pound contract weight
Ilir Latifi (253 lbs.) vs. Aleksei Oleinik (254 lbs.)
Jesse Ronson (155.5 lbs.) vs. Joaquim Silva (155 lbs.)
Brendan Allen (186 lbs.) vs. Krzysztof Jotko (185.5 lbs.)
Chelsea Chandler (140 lbs.) vs. Julija Stoliarenko (139.5 lbs.) – 140-pound contract weight
Guido Cannetti (135.5 lbs.) vs. Randy Costa (135 lbs.)

Hello everyone and welcome to 411mania’s LIVE coverage of UFC on ESPN+ 69, I’m Robert Winfree and I’ll be your host for the event. Tonight the UFC is keeping the machinery turning as this isn’t a terribly compelling card on paper. That said the main event is a very relevant strawweight fight between ranked contenders fighting for position in the title picture when Mackenzie Dern battles Yan Xiaonan. The winner might get the next title shot, or be only one more win away from one. Elsewhere on the card we’ve got bantamweight Raoni Barcelos trying to right the ship against Trevin Jones, and Sodiq Yusuff defending his ranking against Don Shainis. Beyond that it’s pretty slim pickings, but Brenan Allen vs. Krzysztof Jotko has some potential and Ilir Latifi vs. Aleksei Oleinik is pretty much guaranteed weirdness. Mostly we’re in hope the action delivers because on paper this doesn’t have a ton to get you too interested. Of not though, there are no fans or media in attendance for the event. Rumors have swirled about something to do with Mark Zuckerberg, whether this is purely personal for him or a business venture as they try to do something with the UFC and Metaverse remains to be seen.

UFC on ESPN+ 69 comes to us from the UFC Apex facility in Las Vegas, Nevada, USA. On commentary we’ve got Jon Anik, Paul Felder, and Dominick Cruz. This is just the third time we’ve had this particular commentary trio, but it was a solid booth last time. As for the rules we use most of the newer ones but you still only need one hand on the mat to be considered downed. We do have the use of instant replay as well as a ref outside the cage who can request it be used, and the fight can be restarted after replay is used if that’s applicable. Also keep in mind we’re in the smaller 25 foot cage.

Guido Cannetti just broke a three fight losing streak earlier this year, now he’s looking for his first UFC winning streak despite having been with the promotion since 2014. Randy Costa has gone 2-3 in the UFC and is on a two fight losing streak, now he’s trying to get his UFC record back to the .500 mark. The odds are with Costa at a notable -265 to a +225 comeback for Cannetti.

Bantamweight Bout: Guido Cannetti (9-6, 135.5 lbs.) vs. Randy Costa (6-3, 135 lbs.)

ROUND ONE: Costa is three inches taller with five inches of reach advantage. Southpaw for Cannetti. Costa pressures forward right away, both men are throwing kicks. Cannetti lands a couple of inside leg kicks. Costa lands a jab while backing up. Costa slips as they clash on kicks, then Cannetti jumps on the back, no hooks as Costa turtles but Cannetti locks up the choke and Costa taps.

OFFICIAL RESULT: †WINNER – Guido Cannetti via Submission, rear naked choke, at 1:04 of Round 1

The First Round Finish Club thanks Mr. Cannetti for his work this evening. Mic time for Cannetti who jokes with Felder about his age, then switches to Spanish for his Argentine fans and family back home. He’s enjoyed the process this time and feels younger than his age, he feels he’s improving each time and wants to fight better opposition as he knows he doesn’t have too much time to become a champion. He puts over his trainers for helping him dial everything in, then asks for his brother to be in the UFC as he feels his brother is the better of the two of them.

Here’s the finish. Cannetti doesn’t get hooks in, but he got the choke so deep in transition he doesn’t need them to force the tap. A nice example of a time to break the “position before submission” guideline, and here it leads to Cannetti finding the submission in short order.

Julia Stoliarenko just got her first UFC win back in July, she took this fight on short notice hence the catchweight, but she’s trying to get her first UFC winning streak up and running with a win here. Chelsea Chandler brings a four fight winning streak into her UFC debut, she’s trying to improve on that streak and capitalize on her only chance to make a first impression. The odds are with Stoliarenko at -125 to a +105 comeback on Chandler.

Catchweight Bout: Chelsea Chandler (4-1, 140 lbs.) vs. Julija Stoliarenko (10-6-2, 139.5 lbs.)

ROUND ONE: Chandler is an inch and a half taller with two inches of reach advantage. Southpaw for Chandler. Stoliarenko comes out kicking. Double leg from Stoliarenko and she gets on top in side control. Knee on belly for Stoliarenko, then mount and she grabs at the armbar but loses the grip and Chandler winds up on top in full guard. They trade some punches on the mat, Chandler scoots things to the fence and avoids an armbar. Stoliarenko kicks Chandler off and stands up. Body shot from Stoliarenko then they trade hooks, Chandler seems to be the heavier puncher. Another body shot from Stoliarenko. Chandler lands a couple of hooks. Takedown from Stoliarenko, but Chandler sweeps on the mat and gets on top in full mount. Stoliarenko is able to slip out the back and they reset on the feet. Chandler punches into a clinch, then avoids a judo throw. Stoliarenko is visibly fading and Chandler is content to grind her down with punches. Chandlery avoids a head kick. Stoliarenko lands a jab, and eats a counter left. Stoliarenko tries a takedown, Chandler stalls that and shoves her over then gets on top in full mount. Chandler unloads with punches from the mount and gets the stoppage.

OFFICIAL RESULT: †WINNER – Chelsea Chandler via TKO, punches, at 4:15 of Round 1

The First Round Finish Club thanks Ms. Chandler for her work this evening. Chandler gets an interview, she’s happy with the win and could feel Stoliarenko fading as the fight went on. She expected the early shot, but messed up the takedown defense and had to deal with the bad position. Asked about the future she says she can technically make 135, but would rather fight at featherweight and specifically Norma Dumont.

Here’s a look at the finish. Chandler has a heavy mount, they’re pushed against the fence in a way that seriously limits Stoliarenko’s options, and the ground and pound is solid enough to prompt the stoppage.

Krzysztof Jotko has gone 5-1 in his last six fights and is on a two fight winning streak, if he can get another three fight winning streak up and running here it might earn him a shot at some ranked opposition next time out. Brendan Allen has gone 4-1 in his last five fights and is on a two fight winning streak, he’s likewise trying to earn a shot at ranked opponents while also starting to make good on the potential that’s long been seen in him. The odds are close but lean towards Jotko at -130 while the even +100 on Allen has to tempt a few bettors out there.

Middleweight Bout: Brendan Allen (19-5, 186 lbs.) vs. Krzysztof Jotko (24-5, 185.5 lbs.)

ROUND ONE: Allen is an inch taller while Jotko has two inches of reach advantage. Allen lands a body kick rather quickly. Another kick from Allen, but Jotko trips him down and gets on top. Omoplata attempt from Allen, Jotko rolls through and moves to half guard on top still. A few short punches from Jotko land. Sweep from Allen and he gets on top in full guard, very nicely timed from Allen there. Allen postures up and lands a couple of punches. Jotko is trying to wall walk, he’s upright but they’re still clinched up and Allen hits a lateral drop to get back on top. Full mount briefly for Allen but Jotko hip escapes to half guard. Allen has one of Jotko’s arms tied up in a gift wrap position, he uses that to land a few punches while threatening to pass into full mount. Now Jotko gives up the back rolling, Allen grabs the rear naked choke and gets the tap with one hook in.

OFFICIAL RESULT: †WINNER – Brendan Allen via Submission, rear naked choke, at 4:17 of Round 1

The First Round Finish Club thanks Mr. Allen for his work this evening. Mic time for Allen as he continues our string of first round finishes, he’s super happy and puts over Jotko as one of the best in the world. He wanted to get back to his grappling roots for this one and spent time focusing on being himself in the cage again. Asked about the future he puts over sponsors then says he’d like to fight Andre Muniz in Rio, or Anthony Hernandez if Muniz isn’t available. I’m very down for either of those fights.

Some impressive positional work from Allen, he uses the gift wrap to force the roll from Jotko when Jotko doesn’t have wrist control and can’t defend his neck which leads to the choke.

Joaquim Silva has been with the UFC since 2015 and has a record of 4-3 in the promotion, but he’s on a two fight losing streak and has been out of action for over a year. Silva needs a win here pretty badly as a three fight losing streak combined with inactivity and being finished in his last two fights could spell the end of his UFC tenure. Jesse Ronson has gone 0-1 with 1 No Contest in the UFC, he was last seen in April losing to Rafa Garcia. Ronson needs a win pretty badly as securing that first UFC win becomes more and more critical as time goes on. Silva is the slight -135 favorite against a +115 comeback for Ronson.

Lightweight Bout: Jesse Ronson (21-11 1 NC, 155.5 lbs.) vs. Joaquim Silva (11-3, 155 lbs.)

ROUND ONE: Ronson is two inches taller with one inch of reach advantage. They touch gloves, southpaw for Ronson. Both men feint a bit as they circle. Side kick from Ronson. Silva has a head kick blocked. Neither man is finding much success yet. Ronson lands an inside leg kick, Silva responds with a body kick. Bit of a jab from Ronson. Silva blocks a high kick and lands a right hand. Ronson avoids a right and lands a counter punch. Body shot from Ronson, Silva keeps extending his arms when circling away so Ronson is hitting the body that becomes exposed as a result. Silva is showing some southpaw looks now. Inside leg kick from Ronson. Silva lands a couple of body shots. A couple of rights from Ronson land, he’s starting to blitz now. Ronson avoids a right hand then lands a body kick. Silva lands an inside leg kick. Inside leg kick from Ronson. Silva lands a right hand. Ronson lands a body kick and they trade punches in close. Both men land lead hand punches, then Silva lands a combination of punches and a jumping knee that wobbles Ronson as the round ends.

SCORECARD: 10-9 Silva

ROUND TWO: Ronson lands a right hook as he’s back to pushing forward. Silva lands a right hand. A couple of body shots from Silva, his stance switching is messing with Ronson when he does so in transition. Bit of a left from Ronson. Silva starts working a front kick. Silva blocks a high kick. Bit of a knee from Silva. Ronson lands a left hand. Silva lands a right hand then a leg kick. Leg kick from Ronson. Silva lands jabs from the southpaw stance, then follows up with a jumping knee that floors Ronson. Silva gets on top and unloads with punches and hammer fists, the ref takes his sweet time intervening but does eventually.

OFFICIAL RESULT: †WINNER – Joaquim Silva via TKO, flying knee and punches, at 3:08 of Round 2

Mic time for Silva and the translator, he gives glory to God and puts over his team in Florida at American Top Team and calls this win the result of all of their work. He talks us through the finish and notes the switch to southpaw was to help find the range, and he thanks his Muay Thai coach for calling the knees out. He talks about hard work paying out despite having to work through a ton of set backs and he can’t fully express his emotions right now.

You can see how confused Ronson is here, he reacts to the jab but his hands go all over the place, plus he’s slipping to the wrong side for a closed stance opponent. You also don’t see a lot of lead leg flying knees and Silva’s here is a thing of beauty.

Commentary informs us that Maxim Grishin vs. Philipe Lins is off due to medical issues.

Aleksei Oleinik just snapped a three fight losing streak back in April, now he’s looking for his first winning streak since 2020. Ilir Latifi has gone 1-3 in his last four fights, but he’s coming off of that win and is trying for his first winning streak at heavyweight. The odds are with Latifi at -190 while the +160 payout on Oleinik has to be a tempting value bet.

Heavyweight Bout: Ilir Latifi (15-8 1 NC, 253 lbs.) vs. Aleksei Oleinik (60-16-1, 254 lbs.)

ROUND ONE: Oleinik is four inches taller with a significant six and a half inches of reach advantage. They touch gloves to get us going. Oleinik lands an oblique kick to the knee. Both men miss punches. Leg kick from Oleinik but Latifi gets a takedown into full guard. Not much is going on here. Some body punches from Latifi as Oleinik has closed his guard. The ref could stand them up at this point, nothing’s happening. There’s a small cut around the right eyebrow of Oleinik that came via head clash on the mat. Things stay like that as the round ends.

SCORECARD: 10-9 Latifi

ROUND TWO: Bit of a right from Oleinik then a jab. Both men look a little tired, to the surprise of no one. Bit of a knee from Oleinik, Latifi lands a right hand. Latifi avoids a right hand and lands a right of his own. Left hook from Latifi. Leg kick from Oleinik. Oleinik lands a jab. A lot of pressure from Oleinik now, both men with some slappy punches in close. Front kick from Oleinik lands. Oleinik lands a couple of inside leg kicks, Latifi forces a clinch but then breaks quickly. Jab from Oleinik then a right hand. Latifi shoots, Oleinik sprawls away from him. Front kick from Oleinik is caught, and Latifi hits a takedown into side control. Latifi lands some punches and short elbows, Oleinik moves to his seat, Latifi just rides him back to side control as the round ends.

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

ROUND THREE: They touch gloves for the final round. Latifi lands a couple of punches. Oleinik is marching forward but he’s struggling to find offense. Latifi lands a left hand. Oleinik lands an inside leg kick. They punch into a clinch, Oleinik lands a knee but Latifi responds with an uppercut then breaks. Oleinik lands a few front kicks then they clinch and hit the fence. They trade short uppercuts in the clinch then break. Bit of a right from Oleinik, then a knee in the clinch. They hit the fence in the clinch and trade short punches then separate again. Bit of a right from Oleinik. Another clinch that hits the fence, Latifi hits an arm throw to snap Oleinik down then moves to the back as Oleinik stands. They end the round in the clinch.

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

OFFICIAL RESULT: †WINNER – Ilir Latifi via unanimous decision (30-27 x3)

For what it’s worth, Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg and his wife were clearly sitting cage side during that last fight, and his presence no doubt contributes to the lack of fans or media in attendance. Of course heavyweights are the first fight that goes the distance. Mic time for Latifi, he puts over Oleinik pretty hard and knew the fight would be a tough challenge. He thanks a sponsor then puts over a couple of teammates before noting this was the last fight on his contract and he’s 40, so he doesn’t know exactly what’s next then thanks the UFC for the run whatever happens next. He admits he’s got a staph infection right now but felt he couldn’t cancel the fight again. He thanks the UFC brass again, asks for a bonus and says he’d like a bonus from Mark from Facebook as well.

John Castaneda has gone 2-1 in the UFC and is on a two fight winning streak, he’s trying to maintain that momentum here and start making the transition from prospect to contender. Daniel Santos lost his UFC debut earlier this year, now he’s trying to avoid his first ever losing streak and secure that all important first UFC victory. Castaneda is your favorite at -205 against +175 for Santos.

Catchweight Bout: John Castaneda (19-5, 139.5 lbs.) vs. Daniel Santos (9-2, 138.5 lbs.)

ROUND ONE: Santos is an inch taller while Castaneda has four inches of reach advantage. Southpaw for Castaneda. Santos pushes forward right away looking to engage. Some leg kicks from Castaneda as he circles. Santos lands a right hand and a couple of follow ups. Double leg from Santos, Castaneda uses the threat of a guillotine to fight to his feet in a clinch. They break and Santos misses an elbow. Santos lands an inside leg kick then a right hand. Head kick from Castaneda staggers Santos, Castaneda gets on top and looks for mount but Santos hip escapes to full guard. Armbar attempt from Santos, Castaneda defends and lands an up kick then regains his feet. Castaneda lands a left and Santos drops again, Santos tries a kneebar then an armbar, but Castaneda defends both and looks for mount again. Santos sets up a wall walk, he’s up and lands a knee as they break. Santos keeps walking forward, he lands a body kick. Solid right from Santos. They clinch, Castaneda gets a body lock takedown into side control, then he moves to half guard for control as Santos looked to scramble. Castaneda stands free and they reset on the feet. Santos lands a front kick to the body then a right hand. Castaneda lands another head kick, Santos is badly wobbled and Castaneda looks to flurry and finish. They trade punches in close but Santos stays upright. Knee from Santos looks to hurt Castaneda. They clinch up again then Santos lands an elbow as they break. Santos lands a combination. Santos misses a front kick and a couple of punches to close the round.

SCORECARD: 10-9 Castaneda

ROUND TWO: They touch gloves for the round. Both men miss power hand punches. Santos fires a front kick, this one hits the groin so we’ve got a time out. Replay seems like the kick didn’t hit the cup so much as dislodge it after hitting the hip, interesting ruling there from the ref but we’re back to fighting after around 50 seconds. Santos lands a body kick. A lot of forward pressure from Santos, he lands a body kick. Castaneda shoots, gets the back and drags Santos down but Santos scrambles back up and grabs at a guillotine, Castaneda trips him down and they fight back up then Santos misses a head kick. A couple of punches land for Santos, his pressure is getting to Castaneda now. High kick from Santos is partially blocked. Hard one two from Santos then a body kick. Castaneda lands a body kick. Santos lands a leg kick. Castaneda lands a body kick then a leg kick but Santos hits a double leg off of the second kick and then moves to the back in the clinch as Castaneda stands up. Castaneda slips free but Santos is all over him with a kick and a knee then another clinch. They break and Castaneda fires more kicks. Santos lands another body kick. Spinning back fist from Santos then a right hand. More punches from Santos and a few knees in close. Castaneda lands a left hand but he’s starting to melt under the barrage of offense. Head kick from Santos, Castaneda just eats it then forces a clinch. Santos spins free quickly and gets back on offense. Punches and elbows from Santos in close. More punches from Santos, he’s got Castaneda on the fence and is just abusing him. Santos lands body shots knee to the head and Castaneda finally falls to prompt the stoppage.

OFFICIAL RESULT: †WINNER – Daniel Santos via KO, punches and knee, at 4:28 of Round 2

That’s your Fight of the Night so far. Mic time for Santos and the translator, he says he got hit really hard in the first round but he gets hit a lot in training at Chute Boxe and he’ll always come back harder after getting rocked. He talks about training knees a lot and mentions Chute Boxe doesn’t hold back in training so he was prepared. Asked about the future he’d like to fight soon but he’s got a kid coming in November and gives love to his wife back home.

Here’s the finish. Santos does a smart thing by switching his targets as the punches to the head weren’t having the desired effect so he dug in body shots to drop the guard then grabs the head and fires a brutal knee. The sound in particular here is pretty gnarly.

That’s it for the prelims, onto the main card.

Mike Davis has gone 2-1 in the UFC but he’s on a two fight winning streak, though he’s been out of action since January of 2021 and now needs to remind the fans that he’s a rising prospect. Viacheslav Borshchev has gone 1-1 in the UFC but the is coming off of a loss and is now trying to avoid his first ever losing streak. The odds are with Davis at -170 to a +145 comeback for Borshchev.

Lightweight Bout: Viacheslav Borshchev (6-2, 155.5 lbs.) vs. Mike Davis (9-2, 155 lbs.)

ROUND ONE: Davis is an inch taller with three and a half inches of reach advantage. They touch gloves to get us going. Borshchev lands an inside leg kick. Davis is showing the jab, both men circling and feinting at fist. Davis lands a left to the body. Bit of an uppercut from Borshchev. Leg kick from Davis then he avoids a high kick. Uppercut from Davis lands. Borshchev lands a couple of jabs then a left to the body. Hard calf kick from Borshchev. Davis fires a combination that’s mostly blocked. Double leg from Davis and he’s got Borshchev down into butterfly guard. Borshchev kicks Davis off and stands, Davis dives back into the clinch and drags him back down then gets the back as they stand again. Davis keeps working from the clinch, lands a knee that badly hurts Borshchev and he tries to unload with punches, Borshchev fights to his feet again but again Davis rides him down. Davis drags Borshchev to the mat, Borshchev fights up and is able to separate this time. They trade lefts. Right hand from Davis. Borshchev lands a left to the body, then Davis takes him back down. Davis moves to full mount and lands some nasty elbows. More punches and elbows from Davis, Borshchev is in trouble here and can’t get out of the position. Davis keeps unloading, Borshchev gives up the back then full mount again. Very high mount now for Davis and he loses position, Borshchev gets on top as the round ends.

SCORECARD: 10-8 Davis but a marginal one

ROUND TWO: Borshchev lands an inside leg kick, Davis returns it. Davis looks a little more flat, he put a lot of effort into going for that finish. Borshchev lands a left to the body then a calf kick. Those calf kicks are adding up for Borshchev. Another body shot from Borshchev lands. Davis lands a jab. Bit of a knee to the head from Davis. Borshchev lands a right hand. Bit of a left from Borshchev. They split some jabs while circling. Borshchev lands a combination. Davis hits a takedown, this time Borshchev gets up quickly but Davis keeps after him with a knee tap and gets him down again. Full mount for Davis and he grabs an arm triangle, he bails on it to try and adjust and Borshchev gets his arm free. Davis lands elbows as he postures up again. Another arm triangle attempt, again Davis bails and lands more short punches and elbows. Borshchev gives up his back, Davis slips off over the top but he reshoots and gets Borshchev down again into guard as the round ends.

SCORECARD: 10-9 Davis but could go either way, 20-17 Davis overall

ROUND THREE: Both men work the lead hand as the round starts. Borshchev misses an uppercut. Davis lands a front kick to the body. Head kick from Borshchev is blocked but that was close. Borshchev lands a left to the body, he’s doing some stance switching now as well. Body kick from Borshchev. Davis lands a left hook. Borshchev lands another body shot. Bit of a left from Borshchev. Head kick from Davis is partially blocked. Davis lands a front kick, Borshchev responds with an inside leg kick. That right eye of Davis is swelling from an earlier left hand, it could get real bad. Davis hits a takedown into half guard. Full guard now for Borshchev, but Davis is content to just be on the mat right now. Davis lands a few elbows from the top, Borshchev is keeping up a pretty good stream of elbows from his back. Davis postures up and passes, Borshchev scrambles to look for a double leg and Davis counters with a double leg of his own and gets on top in half guard. Some elbows to the thigh from Davis. Now Davis moves to the ride position, then threatens a choke and moves to full mount as the round ends.

SCORECARD: 10-9 Borshchev but another relatively close one, 29-27 Davis overall

OFFICIAL RESULT: †WINNER – Mike Davis via unanimous decision (29-28, 30-26 x2)

The more I think about it the clearer that 10-8 in the first becomes. Mic time for Davis after the win, he puts over some sponsors and puts over Borshchev’s power. He puts over his team, then mentions he nearly had a finish in the first round and puts over Borshchev’s toughness. To close he says he’d like to fight more often but needs a social media following to help force the issue.

Sodiq Yusuff has gone 5-1 in the UFC, he’s coming off of a win over Alex Caceres and he’s looking to build another winning streak tonight as he defends his top featherweight ranking. Don Shainis took this fight on somewhat short notice but he’s on a five fight winning streak and held a respectable regional title before signing with the UFC, now he’s trying to make a good first impression and could shake things up in a notable way if he takes out a ranked contender in his first UFC fight. Yusuff is a prohibitive favorite at -1050 to a +700 payout for a Shainis win.

Featherweight Bout: Don Shainis (12-3, 146 lbs.) vs. #12 Sodiq Yusuff (12-2, 145.5 lbs.)

ROUND ONE: Yusuff is three inches taller with four inches of reach advantage. Yusuff fires a front kick to the face then they tie up and trade knees and uppercuts in the clinch. More knees from Yusuff, but Shainis gets things to the fence. Yusuff jumps for a guillotine, wraps things up and Shainis has to tap.

OFFICIAL RESULT: †WINNER – Sodiq Yusuff via Submission, guillotine choke, at :30 of Round 1

The First Round Finish Club thanks Mr. Yusuff for his work this evening. Mic time for Yusuff after that mugging, he speaks some Igbo (I think) for the Nigerians and family back home then says he was training for a bigger fight and a lot of people helped him prepare for this and even taking on a replacement fighter he had to fight. He talks about believing he can beat everyone in the UFC then talks us through the finish and warns people not to sleep on his jiu-jitsu. To close he’d love to fight the Korean Zombie, which I’m sure would be awesome, then puts over some sponsors.

Yusuff looked every bit the 10-1 favorite here.

Raoni Barcelos had a long winning streak at one point and is 5-2 in the UFC, unfortunately for him he’s on a two fight losing streak and needs a win pretty badly if he wants to make a legitimate run through the stacked bantamweight division. Trevin Jones has gone 1-2 with 1 No Contest in the UFC, he’s on a two fight losing streak and needs a win badly just to get a little job security as a three fight losing streak is still a very bad look in the promotion. Barcelos is a notable -250 favorite against +210 on Jones.

Bantamweight Bout: Raoni Barcelos (16-3, 135.5 lbs.) vs. Trevin Jones (13-8 1 NC, 135 lbs.)

ROUND ONE: These two are the same height while Jones has three inches of reach advantage. Southpaw for Jones. Both men with some early feinting as they circle. Jones blocks a high kick. Barcelos lands a right hand. Both men show front kicks. Jones avoids a right punch then a high kick. Barcelos lands a right hand but misses the follow up head kick. Barcelos forces a clinch and they hit the fence, Barcelos lands a knee then they break. Body kick from Barcelos. Jones lands an inside leg kick. Barcelos lands a front kick. Jones lands an inside leg kick. Hard right from Barcelos. Bit of a head kick from Barcelos. Barcelos blocks a few punches. Barcelos tries a single leg, and trips Jones down then lands in side control. Jones tries to scramble, Barcelos moves towards the ride position the forces Jones onto his back and gets on top in half guard. Some punches to the body and head from Barcelos as Jones looks to tie him up. Barcelos passes to full mount and grapevines the legs of Jones. Some elbows from Barcelos, and he’ll end the round in full mount.

SCORECARD: 10-9 Barcelos

ROUND TWO: Barcelos gets back to showing the jab and moving. Bit of a high kick from Barcelos. Jones lands a one two. They trade front kicks. Barcelos lands a right hand. Body shot from Barcelos then a head kick that’s blocked. Barcelos lands a right, then a flying knee into a clinch. Jones gets chest to chest in the clinch then breaks as Barcelos lands a glancing right hand. Bit of a calf kick from Barcelos. Barcelos lands a body kick, he’s just keeping a consistent offensive pace while Jones isn’t throwing. A right from Barcelos drops Jones, he gets on top in half guard and lands elbows. Jones is fighting for wrist control, Barcelos lands a few elbows. Barcelos passes to side control with a punch, Jones tries to come up on a single leg, Barcelos spins to his back and gets one hook in. Jones rolls to half guard, Barcelos punishes him with elbows. Full guard now for Jones but he’s cut open from the elbows, the cut is up in the hairline though so not much of a concern. Barcelos postures and lands punches then a few nasty elbows as the round ends.

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

ROUND THREE: Barcelos comes out and gets back to the same output. Left hook from Barcelos. Jones lands a body kick but Barcelos lands a counter right. Barcelos lands a front kick. Bit of a front kick from Jones. Barcelos lands a body shot then a right hand. Combination from Barcelos, including uppercuts then a knee as he gets a clinch. Jones tries a single leg, Barcelos defends and hammers another right to the body. More punches from Barcelos, Jones is starting to wilt but fires back enough to get Barcelos to reset. Hard right to the body from Barcelos. Jones avoids a head kick. A knee from Barcelos goes low and we get a time out. Replay confirms the low blow, but Jones takes about 20 seconds then we’re back to fighting. Barcelos lands a right then hits a takedown into full mount. Elbows from Barcelos now. Jones is trying to scramble, Barcelos moves to leg drag to land an elbow then moves to side control. More elbows from Barcelos as Jones moves to a hip. Jones avoids a front headlock, Barcelos then lands another elbow. More punches from Barcelos but Jones will hold on and see the end of the round.

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

OFFICIAL RESULT: †WINNER – Raoni Barcelos via unanimous decision (30-25, 30-27 x2)

I don’t hate 10-8’s for Barcelos in there. Mic time for the winner and his translator, he’s happy to be back fighting and really wanted a finish but feels he did well overall. Asked about the future he wants to fight in Rio on the upcoming card.

Francisco Trinaldo is an old warhorse for the UFC, he’s been with the promotion since way back in 2012. Trinaldo has gone 2-1 since moving to welterweight and is on a two fight winning streak, a win here might even earn him a shot at some ranked opponents going forward. Randy Brown is on a three fight winning streak and if he can get that up to four in a row tonight it could easily signify that it’s time for him to step up in class for his next fight. Brown is a pretty big favorite at -320 to a +265 comeback on Trinaldo.

Welterweight Bout: Randy Brown (15-4, 170.5 lbs.) vs. Francisco Trinaldo (28-8, 170 lbs.)

ROUND ONE: Brown is a significant six inches taller with a whopping eight inches of reach advantage. Southpaw for Trinaldo, and they touch gloves to get us going. A lot of lead hand activity form both men as they fight for position. Both men probe with leg kicks. Brown has a combination fall short, then Trinaldo lands an inside leg kick. Both men miss kicks. Bit of a body kick from Brown. Trinaldo lands an inside leg kick. Brown lands a jab. Front kick from Brown. Hard inside leg kick from Trinaldo. Brown lands a front kick. Both men miss power hand punches. Hard right from Brown drops Trinaldo, but he lets him stand back up. Trinaldo misses a left hand. Bit of a left from Trinaldo. Trinaldo lands a right hand in close and gets a clinch. Brown grabs the fence to stop a takedown, no word from the ref on that one. They fight out of the clinch. Trinaldo avoids a knee and hits a mat return, he jumps for the back then attacks an arm as Brown shakes him off over the top. Trinaldo moves to full mount briefly, Brown scrambles and reverses position to stand over Trinaldo. Brown lands a few leg kicks then a right hand. Trinaldo looks to come up on a single leg, Brown attacks with a ninja choke but he wont be able to finish it before the round ends.

SCORECARD: 10-9 Brown

ROUND TWO: Trinaldo starts backing up Brown, Brown lands a front kick and avoids a left hand. The range disparity here is obvious. Trinaldo lands an inside leg kick. Brown lands a few jabs while circling. Right hand from Brown. Trinaldo lands a left hand. Brown lands some more lefts then avoids the counters. Bit of a knee from Trinaldo. Solid right from Brown. Trinaldo lands a leg kick. Bit of a left from Trinaldo. Front kick to the face from Brown, he’s starting to flow quite nicely. Bit of a head kick from Trinaldo. Brown fires a head kick that’s blocked. Trinaldo lands an inside leg kick. Solid left from Trinaldo. Brown lands an uppercut after avoiding a left. Bit of a knee from Brown. Trinaldo misses some punches then Brown lands a front kick. Both men land punches in close. Trinaldo eats a punch but gets the back standing and pushes things to the fence. Brown uses the fence to remain upright, Trinaldo lands a few knees to the thigh. Brown tries a kimura roll but loses the grip as the round ends.

SCORECARD: 10-9 Brown but a closer one, 20-18 Brown overall

ROUND THREE: Trinaldo lands a left hand. Brown is circling and lands a stiff few jabs. Bit of a high kick from Trinaldo. More jabs from Brown. Trinaldo avoids a spinning hook kick. Brown lands a body kick. Side kicks to the leg from Brown as he circles. Bit of a left from Trinaldo, he’s starting to push the pace. Calf kick from Trinaldo lands and drops Brown, then he gets on top in full guard. Trinaldo lands some short elbows then body shots. Another elbow from Trinaldo, Brown looks to be slowing. More elbows from Trinaldo. Brown is looking to work his guard up high and attack with it but Trinaldo is hip to it and postures through it. Trinaldo passes to half guard. Brown is able to hip escape to full guard. Some more body shots and short elbows from Trinaldo. Brown tries a triangle choke, again Trinaldo postures through. The round will end in that position.

SCORECARD: 10-9 Trinaldo, 29-28 Brown overall but the second round is the key

OFFICIAL RESULT: †WINNER – Randy Brown via unanimous decision (29-28 x3)

Mic time for Brown, he feels great and mentions some sponsors before mentioning he’s doing a giveaway on his Instagram for his fight kit if you’re interested. He puts over Trinaldo and feels he didn’t put out his best work here, but fighting a legend was an honor and he thanks him for the fight. Asked about the future now that he’s on a four fight winning streak he’s happy to keep increasing his winning streak while people keep ducking him as long as the UFC checks keep clearing.

Mackenzie Dern has gone 5-1 in her last six fights and was last seen getting a win back in April, she’s trying to build another winning streak here and potentially look at a number one contenders fight for her next bout. Yan Xiaonan had a long winning streak in the UFC broken last year and now finds herself on a two fight losing streak, but if Yan can beat Dern here it could put her in the title picture. The odds are with Dern at -240 while the +200 payout on Yan might tempt a few bettors out there.

Strawweight Bout: #5 Mackenzie Dern (12-2, 115.5 lbs.) vs. #6 Yan Xiaonan (15-3 1 NC, 115.5 lbs.)

ROUND ONE: Yan is an inch taller while the reach is identical. Yan comes out with side kicks, then avoids a punch and lands a right hand. Another side kick from Yan, she’s looking to keep distance. Dern lands a leg kick. They trade rights in close and Yan avoids a clinch. Another side kick to the leg from Yan. Dern misses a head kick. They trade punches in close. Bit of a right from Dern. Yan lands a side kick to the body. Both women miss punches. Bit of a leg kick from Dern. Yan misses a side kick and eats a left hook. Dern tries a takedown, they hit the fence then Dern tries a single leg but can’t quite get Yan off balance. Yan remains upright but can’t get out of the clinch yet. They fight for position, Yan lands a knee to the body then separates. A few leg kicks from Yan. Dern lands an inside leg kick. Dern tries a single leg again, Yan defends and Dern tries to pull guard but Yan gets away. Yan lands a side kick to the leg. Both women land flurries in close then they clinch up. Hip toss from Dern, she technically gives up the back and scrambles to full guard. They fight up to their knees and Dern lands punches and a knee as the round ends.

SCORECARD: 10-9 Yan

ROUND TWO: Dern checks an inside leg kick. Right hand from Dern. Yan lands a right of her own. Body kick from Dern, then she tries to scoot forward and tie up, she pulls Yan into guard and attacks a leg. Dern has a hold of a leg, Yan is trying to get heavy on top and stall this out. Yan lands punches but Dern is still trying for the leg. Dern is able to invert, she switches to an omoplata and cranks it. That omoplata is locked in, Yan isn’t flat on her stomach so the torque isn’t quite there for a finish but Dern has control and is starting to crank the arm up then switches to an arm triangle attack. Dern begins tightening down the arm triangle as Yan tries to defend, she looks to switch for full mount then attacks an armbar to open up full mount. Punches from Dern, then Yan gives up the back. Dern has both hooks in and starts landing punches to the head to open up a choke attack. More punches from Dern as Yan hand fights. Dern transitions to spiderweb control, then full mount again. Back mount again for Dern, she’s flowing incredibly well here. More punches from Dern but Yan has defended well enough to see out the round.

SCORECARD: 10-9 Dern, 19-19 overall

ROUND THREE: Yan lands an inside leg kick. Dern shows some jabs. Front kick from Yan. Dern lands a right hand, then Yan circles off of the fence. They trade punches then Yan lands a knee but Dern grabs an arm and pulls guard with that. Yan stands free rather quickly and resets. They trade some leg kicks, both women look a little fatigued and flat already. Dern lands a right hand. Hard body kick from Dern. Yan lands a leg kick. Both women miss strikes, this is getting sloppy. Yan avoids a takedown attempt. Leg kick from Yan. Dern backs Yan to the fence, then eats a front kick. Both women miss jabs. Leg kick from Dern. They trade punches in close, Yan lands a left hook that wobbles Dern. Yan pushes forward for a bit but misses an uppercut and decides to reset. Dern catches a kick but can’t get anything from it before Yan gets her leg back. Yan lands a leg kick. Bit of a head kick from Dern. Dern lands a left hook but all of her attacks are in a straight line and Yan can circle away from her without too much difficulty. Yan lands a right hand. Dern lands a body kick. Bit of a leg kick from Dern, Yan lands an inside leg kick in response. They clinch up, Dern hits a headlock throw and gets full mount just as the round ends.

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

ROUND FOUR: Both women come out jabbing. Dern lands a leg hook. They trade in close, then Yan lands a side kick. Bit of a right form Yan, Dern responds in kind. Dern tries a double leg that hits the fence, she switches to a single leg but Yan is able to spin free. Yan lands a right to the body. Dern lands a body shot and they trade hooks. Right from Yan stuns Dern for a second. Another right from Yan. They trade in close then Dern forces a clinch. Yan is able to break the clinch and reset. They trade some jabs then trade rights and brawl in close with Yan getting the better of things. Dern lands a couple of punches but can’t secure the clinch. Yan lands an inside leg kick. Side kick from Yan. Dern lands a left hook. They clinch up, Dern is looking for another headlock throw and winds up just pulling half guard. Dern fights to full guard. Dern works her guard up high but Yan defends. Some body shots from Yan. Dern looks for an armbar, there’s not enough time though as she gets it pretty close before the round ends.

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

ROUND FIVE: Dern starts pushing forward right away, she knows she needs a finish. Yan lands a right hand but Dern forces a clinch. Dern hits a judo arm throw and moves into side control. Dern looks for full mount, she’s after the armbar and uses that grip threat to solidify full mount. Hammer fists from Dern as she’s looking to open up the offense. Yan gives up the back, Dern has both hooks in and resumes landing punches. More punches and hammer fists from Dern. Yan is trying to clear the hooks but Dern is putting them right back in without incident thus far. More hammer fists from Dern but Yan is hand fighting and keeping clear of a choke potential. Dern lands more punches but she is struggling to muster for a finish. Dern switches to an armbar attack, she’s fighting to extend the arm but Yan gets her arm free and ends the round on top.

SCORECARD: 10-8 Dern, 47-47 DRAW overall

OFFICIAL RESULT: †WINNER – Yan Xiaonan via majority decision (47-47, 48-47 x2)

Mic time for Yan, she talks about all the grappling preparation she did for this fight. She worked hard on not throwing high round kicks for this fight and picked specific techniques to limit Dern’s ability to close distance. She says her cardio is always on point because of how hard she trains. To close she thanks her coaches.

Well on that note UFC on ESPN+ 69 comes to a close. The UFC is off again next week but in two weeks we’ll get the major PPV UFC 280 with two title fights. We’ll unpack all of the fallout from this card tomorrow on the 411 Ground and Pound MMA Podcast. Until next time everyone I thank you for reading, remind you stay safe out there, and keep checking 411mania for all of your pop culture needs.

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