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November 5, 2022 | Posted by Robert Winfree
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MAIN CARD (ESPN+, 7 p.m. ET)
#3 Marina Rodriguez (115.5 lbs.) vs. #7 Amanda Lemos (114.5 lbs.)
#13 Neil Magny (170.5 lbs.) vs. #14 Daniel Rodriguez (170 lbs.)
Darrick Minner (146 lbs.) vs. Shayilan Nuerdanbieke (145.5 lbs.)
Nate Maness (125.5 lbs.) vs. #15 Tagir Ulanbekov (124.5 lbs.)
Grant Dawson (157.5 lbs.)* vs. Mark Madsen (155 lbs.)

PRELIMINARY CARD (ESPN+, 4 p.m. ET)
Miranda Maverick (125.5 lbs.) vs. Shanna Young (126 lbs.)
Mario Bautista (135.5 lbs.) vs. Benito Lopez (138.5 lbs.)*
Jinh Yu Frey (115.5 lbs.) vs. Polyana Viana (115.5 lbs.)
Johnny Munoz (135.5 lbs.) vs. Liudvik Sholinian (135.5 lbs.)
Carlos Candelario (128.5 lbs.)* vs. Jake Hadley (126 lbs.)
Ramona Pascual (137 lbs.)* vs. Tamires Vidal (134 lbs.)

Hello everyone and welcome to 411mania’s LIVE coverage of UFC on ESPN+ 72. I’m Robert Winfree and I’ll be your host for the event. Tonight the UFC is still keeping the machinery turning over but we’ve got a pretty decent co-main and main event. The main event sees strawweight contender Marina Rodriguez try to stake her claim for a title shot when she takes on Amanda Lemos. Only one main event featuring female fighters all year has ended in a finish (Andrade vs. Lemos) so let’s see if that particular trend continues. The co-main event is a battle of welterweight contenders, UFC veteran Neil Magny takes on Daniel Rodriguez in a fight with some pretty decent potential. Beyond that the flyweight debut of Nate Maness against Tagir Ulanbekov might be fun. We also had four fighters miss weight for this event, it was nearly a record of five but Shanna Young was able to make 126 after a hair cut. On he prelims Darrick Minner vs. Shayilan Nuerdanbieke might be fun, and Benito Lopez returns for the first time in two and a half years. We also lost a couple of fights, during fight week we lost Jailton Almeida vs. Maxim Grishin, then just a few hours ago Chase Sherman vs. Josh Parisian had to be called off for medical issues. Yeah I’m reaching here for good stuff and I know it, but let’s hope the action is better in practice than on paper.

UFC on ESPN+ 72 comes to the world from the UFC Apex facility in Las Vegas, Nevada, USA. We’ve got Brendan Fitzgerald wrangling the two DC’s, on commentary, Daniel Cormier and Dominick Cruz, with Charly Arnolt as the roving reporter. As for the rules we’re mostly under the newer ones, just remember you only need one hand on the mat to be downed and there is instant replay plus the ability of the ref to restart the fight after replay is used if that’s applicable. Keep in mind we’re in the smaller 25 foot Octagon set up as well.

Tamires Vidal brings a five fight winning streak into her UFC debut, now she’s looking to extend that streak and make a good first impression on the UFC audience. Ramona Pascual was one of the fighters to miss weight for this event, she’s 0-2 in the UFC and finds herself in pretty desperate need of a win just to get a degree of job security. The odds are with Vidal at -120 to an even +100 on Pascual.

Women’s Bantamweight Bout: Ramona Pascual (6-4, 137 lbs.) vs. Tamires Vidal (6-1, 134 lbs.)

ROUND ONE: Pascual missed weight and is an inch taller while Vidal has two inches of reach advantage. Southpaw for Pascual. Vidal shows kicks early, lands an inside leg kick. Pascual lands a couple of inside leg kicks. Both women block strikes then Vidal lands a body kick. Pasucal lands a left hand then a right hook and a knee to the body before Vidal gets a clinch. Vidal lands some knees to the thigh while they’re clinch fighting. Another knee from Vidal, then Pascual lands an elbow as they break. Inside leg kick from Vidal. Vidal misses some punches. Body kick from Vidal lands. Pascual lands a left hand to counter an inside leg kick. Vidal lands a knee in close, then a jumping knee to the body that crumples Pascual and the ref jumps in to stop things.

OFFICIAL RESULT: †WINNER – Tamires Vidal via TKO, knee to the body, at 3:06 of Round 1

The First Round Finish Club thanks Ms. Vidal for her work this evening. Vidal gets an interview with the translator, she says she’s only now realizing what happened and puts over her team and coach. She talks about living up to her nickname of Bulldozer to end the interview.

Vidal lands a pretty good knee out of the clinch, then follows up with a nice jumping switch knee to the body. Pascual clearly expects the knee to come higher and isn’t properly braced, the accuracy of the knee helps as it’s right to the liver.

Carlos Candelario missed weight for this fight, he also lost his UFC debut earlier this year and now looks to get that all important first UFC win under his belt. Jake Hadley suffered his first professional loss in his UFC debut back in May, now he’s likewise trying to get his first taste of success in the promotion. The odds are solidly with Hadley at -260 against +220 on Candelario.

Flyweight Bout: Carlos Candelario (8-2, 128.5 lbs.) vs. Jake Hadley (8-1, 126 lbs.)

ROUND ONE: Candelario is an inch taller while Hadley has two inches of reach advantage, plus Candelario missed weight. Both men fighting southpaw. Hadley lands a body kick. Candelario keeps coming forward and both men land some punches. Hard left from Hadley in close. Both men are seeking the fight, they’re just struggling a bit with the defense and getting through it. Leg kick from Hadley. Candelario lands a few jabs. Hadley lands a left to the body. A lot of body work from Hadley now. Candelario jabs the body, Hadley tends to raise his lead elbow when defending and it exposes his body, let’s see if Candelario gets a read on it. Body kick from Candelario. Both men land leg kicks then trade body shots. Bit of a right from Candelario. Candelario lands a body kick. Hadley lands a couple more jabs then a left hand. One two from Hadley, Candelario responds with a body kick. Candelario lands a one two. Hadley lands an uppercut in close then a left to the body. Really high pace here when it comes to the striking. Hadley lands a left hand then a leg kick, Candelario responds with a leg kick of his own. Candelario lands a left to the body. Elbow from Candelario, Hadley responds with a couple of punches. Candelario lands a knee in close but eats a couple of body shots, those body shots are adding up. Both men land body kicks. Hadley lands a leg kick. Bit of a left from Hadley, then they trade again to close the round.

SCORECARD: 10-9 Hadley

ROUND TWO: Hadley lands a body kick. Candelario lands a couple of punches then clinches up but not much comes of it and they break. Body kick from Candelario. They both land lead hand punches, then Hadley lands a one two. Body shot from Hadley. Hadley lands a leg kick, Candelario returns it. Jab then a left to the body from Hadley, his pace is starting to break down Candelario. Candelario hits a single leg but Hadley grabs a triangle choke on the way down. Elbows from Hadley as he’s tightening down the choke. Hadley keeps landing elbows, Candelario is bleeding from all those elbows, and Hadley keeps locking down the choke. Hadley hooks the leg and increases the compression on the choke and finally gets the tap.

OFFICIAL RESULT: †WINNER – Jake Hadley via Submission, triangle choke, at 2:39 of Round 2

Mic time for Hadley after that fun little fight, he wasn’t surprised by the fight and knew Candelario would be looking to make it a fight because he couldn’t match up skill for skill. He talks about his difficulties cutting weight this week before talking us through the finish.

Hadley had the triangle locked up for a while, but finishing details matter and he’s only able to get the tap when he hits the correct angle and further clamps things down.

Liudvik Sholinian dropped his UFC debut a couple of months back but he’s back in action here and looking to secure his first UFC win. Johnny Munoz has gone 1-2 in the UFC, he’s coming off of a loss and is trying to avoid his first ever losing streak. Munoz is your -255 favorite while Sholinian’s comeback sits at +215.

Bantamweight Bout: Johnny Munoz (11-2, 135.5 lbs.) vs. Liudvik Sholinian (9-2-1, 135.5 lbs.)

ROUND ONE: Sholinian is an inch taller but the reach is identical. Munoz comes out jabbing and feinting. Both men miss rights. Munoz lands a right hand. A lot of stuff falling short for both men, they’re still getting a feel for each other. Front kick from Munoz lands. Munoz lands a one two. Leg kick from Munoz. Sholinian lands a jab but misses the right hand. Bit of a combination from Munoz. Munoz lands a couple of inside leg kicks. More pressure from Sholinian but he’s struggling to really corral Munoz. Munoz lands a right hand. Bit of a head kick from Sholinian. Glancing knee from Munoz then a calf kick. Munoz lands a right hand. They trade jabs, then Munoz lands a left hand out of the southpaw stance then a body kick to close the round.

SCORECARD: 10-9 Munoz

ROUND TWO: They touch gloves for the second round. Sholinian lands a right to the body. Both men miss power hand punches. Sholinian lands a left hand, but he eats a hard counter right hand. Munoz lands a counter right hand. One two from Munoz then he tries a takedown that stalls out on the fence. Sholinian spins free after a bit and resets. Single leg from Sholinian, Munoz defends and looks to take the back. Munoz does spin around towards the back but can’t secure the position so Sholinian comes up on a single leg against the fence. Munoz is defending with a front headlock right now. Sholinian keeps switching between single leg and double leg attacks while Munoz defends. Sholinian lands some upward elbows but Munoz keeps heavy on his head. Munoz blocks a double leg and tries to spin for the back but they wind up separated. Body kicks from Munoz now. One two from Munoz. We get a time out as they trade shots to the groin, Munoz tried a jumping knee but his foot went into the groin. Sholinian takes a little less than 20 seconds then we’re back to fighting. Both men miss punches. Munoz lands a right hand to close the round.

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

ROUND THREE: Both men come out punching again. Sholinian jabs the body. Munoz lands a jab. Bit of a right from Sholinian. Munoz backs up and avoids a flurry. Bit of a right from Munoz then he tries a double leg that stalls out on the fence. Sholinian lands elbows while defending but Munoz is able to finish the double leg. Sholinian is able to scramble free and they reset. Munoz falls short with some punches. Sholinian lands a right hand. Munoz misses a right hand. Bit of a jab from Munoz. Sholinian lands a jab. Munoz lands a right hand. A lot of circling from Munoz, he’s not running but he’s definitely mitigating risk as Sholinian gets more and more aggressive. Sholinian lands a right hand, he’s pushing things and knows he needs a big round. Munoz avoids a right hand and hits a double leg into mount. They trade on the mat for a bit, Munoz gets the back briefly and lands punches as the round ends.

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

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

Mic time for Munoz, he had fun in there tonight but knows there are plenty of things to improve on. He puts over Sholinian’s toughness and notes he worked hard on his jab and footwork for this camp. To close he says Elon Musk and Donny J are back and looking to make America Great Again, one Tweet at a time.

Polyana Viana has gone 3-4 in the UFC, she’s coming off of a loss and is trying to avoid another UFC losing streak. Jinh Yu Frey has gone 2-3 in the UFC, she’s coming off of a closely contested split decision loss and is trying to pull her UFC record back to the .500 mark. This one is close but the odds tilt towards Viana at -145 to a +125 payout for a Frey win.

Strawweight Bout: Jinh Yu Frey (11-7, 115.5 lbs.) vs. Polyana Viana (12-5, 115.5 lbs.)

ROUND ONE: Viana has two inches of height and reach over Frey. They touch gloves to get us going, southpaw for Frey. A bit of stance switching now from Frey as she lands a calf kick. Both women fall short with punches. Viana lands a knee to the body. Frey lands a left hand but Viana responds with a combination of punches that put Frey down and out.

OFFICIAL RESULT: †WINNER – Polyana Viana via TKO, punches, at :47 of Round 1

The First Round Finish Club thanks Ms. Viana for her work this evening. Mic time for Viana and her translator, she’s happy about this performance and says Frey came to fight. She talks us through the finish, then when asked about the future she wants to fight on the upcoming Rio de Janeiro card.

Here’s the finish. Viana steps back from orthodox to southpaw as Frey comes forward, then she comes back with a combination that Frey clearly isn’t ready for. Not pictured here is a nice knee strike that Viana landed which prompted the attack from Frey.

Mario Bautista has gone 4-2 in the UFC and he’s on his second two fight winning streak during that time, if he can get to three in a row here it could indicate he’s ready for a step up in class next time. Benito Lopez missed weight here and has been out of action since July of 2019, he’s coming off of a win though and could get his first UFC winning streak up and running if he wins here. Given the layoff and weight miss it’s not surprising the odds are with Bautista at -345 while the +285 comeback for Lopez might make a tempting value bet.

Bantamweight Bout: Mario Bautista (10-2, 135.5 lbs.) vs. Benito Lopez (10-1, 138.5 lbs.)

ROUND ONE: Lopez is an inch taller with four inches of reach advantage, plus his weight miss of course. They touch gloves to get us going. Some leg kicks go back and forth, Bautista doing some stance switching and lands a body kick. Bautista lands a leg kick. Another body kick from Bautista. Some calf kicks from Bautista then Lopez blocks a combination of punches. Some jabs from Lopez are starting to show up. Bautista lands a calf kick. Leg kick from Bautista then a hard body shot, but Lopez counters with a left hook. Another leg kick from Bautista lands. A series of body shots from Bautista in close, Lopez is starting to wilt just a bit. Another combination from Bautista lands. Bautista with a couple of body shots then a double leg into full guard. Pass to half guard from Bautista. Lopez scrambles but can’t get up and has to settle for guard again. Bautista lands some punches then passes to half guard again. Lopez tries to get on a hip but Bautista forces him flat again. Bautista passes to full mount, Lopez scrambles but Bautista is riding him and landing punches while Lopez gets half guard. Full mount again for Bautista, then a straight armbar gets locked in though Lopez doesn’t tap. Bautista switches to a reverse triangle choke and lands some elbows to the head then extends the arm into a triangle armbar which gets the tap.

OFFICIAL RESULT: †WINNER – Mario Bautista via Submission, triangle armbar, at 4:54 of Round 1

The First Round Finish Club thanks Mr. Bautista for his work this evening. Bautista just bullied Lopez that fight, and he gets an interview. He knew Lopez wasn’t on his level right now and knew he’d come out here and perform given his momentum this year. He mentions working hard to improve and is learning how to train and practice which leads to these kinds of performances. Asked about the future he wants to fight a ranked opponent next if possible and aims for first quarter of 2023.

Bautista got to do pretty much whatever he wanted here, this is a nice reverse triangle into the triangle armbar to get the finish. Bautista seems to be really coming into his own since a rough UFC debut against Cory Sandhagen.

Miranda Maverick broke a two fight losing streak with a win in her last fight, now she’s trying to build another winning streak and begin the difficult transition from prospect to contender. Shanna Young almost missed weight here, but after a hair cut she made it on her third attempt, now she’s looking to remain unbeaten at flyweight and upset the remaining hype around Maverick. Maverick is the biggest favorite on the entire card at -730 to the +530 underdog Young.

Women’s Flyweight Bout: Miranda Maverick (10-4, 125.5 lbs.) vs. Shanna Young (8-4, 126 lbs.)

ROUND ONE: Young is three and a half inches taller but Maverick has half an inch of reach advantage. They touch gloves, Maverick fighting southpaw. Maverick lands a left hand. Young avoids a head kick. Bit of a leg kick from Maverick. Young lands a right hand. Solid right from Young. Maverick has a high kick blocked. Young lands a right hand again. Maverick lands a body kick. Young avoids some offense. Maverick lands a jab. Maverick fakes a takedown and lands a one two as Young defends. Leg kick from Maverick. Both women land punches in close. Maverick punches and kicks into a clinch that hits the fence. Little leg sweep from Maverick and she gets Young down. Maverick lands some body to head punches as Young tries to wall walk. Maverick moves to full mount, then gets the back, back to full mount. Punches from Maverick as she rides Young and the round ends.

SCORECARD: 10-9 Maverick

ROUND TWO: They touch gloves for the second round. Young looks to work her jab while circling. Maverick with a left hand then a body kick. They trade rights in close. Power leg kicks are traded. Maverick hits a takedown into half guard. Maverick looks to pass, Young is keeping her in half guard but isn’t able to build towards a stand up. Some rights from Maverick land and she passes to side control. Young looks to build a wall walk from her knees and Maverick moves to the ride position. One hook in for Maverick now. Young is trying to shake Maverick off over the side, she’s able to slip out the back and fight up but Maverick grabs a front headlock for control. Maverick lands a few knees then shoots for a single leg against the fence. Young gets her leg free but Maverick moves to a body lock and sweeps Young down. Maverick jumps to the ride position then into full mount and lands punches. A bevy of punches from Maverick, Young gives up the back and Maverick starts landing punches to open up the choke. Young is able to hang on and see the end of the round.

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

ROUND THREE: Maverick lands a side kick to get the round going. Jab then a body kick from Maverick. Maverick lands a couple of lefts. Young lands a jab. Both women miss in close. Maverick tries a double leg, settles for a body lock then trips Young down and lands in the ride position. Some short punches from Maverick land, she’s using a half nelson for added control. Now Maverick goes to elbows, she’s all over Young and now gets both hooks in. Young tries to scramble with a spladdle, but Maverick rolls through and gets full back mount. Choke attempt from Maverick, Young moves to her back so Maverick pounds on her from full mount. Young is able to fight to her feet but Maverick hits a mat return and gets back to working from the ride position. Maverick keeps landing punches from the back then grabs at the choke choke Young defends it. Young breaks the hooks of Maverick but Maverick keeps the back positionally and lands another punch as the round ends.

SCORECARD: 10-8 Maverick, 30-26 Maverick overall

OFFICIAL RESULT: †WINNER – Miranda Maverick via unanimous decision (30-26 x3)

Mic time for Maverick, she felt she was better on the ground and knows how much she’s improved but laments the lack of finish. She talks us through some highlights and is happy she could show off some of her new tools tonight. Asked about the future she wants to fight Molly McCann next. To close she thanks God, her family, her team, and some sponsors.

Well that’s it for prelims, though we’re still on ESPN+ for the main card.

Grant Dawson is on a 10 fight unbeaten streak and is 6-0-1 in the UFC, he’s looking to get a win to help smooth over his weight miss and begin to move up in class in the stacked lightweight division. Mark Madsen is undefeated including four wins in the UFC, he’s looking to earn a shot at some ranked opposition with a win here and at his age he doesn’t exactly have time to waste. Dawson is your -205 favorite to +175 on Madsen.

Lightweight Bout: Grant Dawson (18-1-1, 157.5 lbs.) vs. Mark Madsen (12-0, 155 lbs.)

ROUND ONE: Dawson is two inches taller and 10 years younger but the reach is identical, Dawson also missed weight. Dawson with some early leg kicks. Madsen lands a right hand that drops Dawson, Dawson reaches for a single leg and Madsen lands hammer fists while defending. Dawson is able to force a single leg and gets Madsen to his seat, then jumps to the back as Madsen looks to wall walk. Body triangle from Dawson. Dawson is trying to find an avenue for a choke, Madsen is hand fighting well though. Not much going on other than rinse and repeat hand fighting, gonna be curious to see how many judges argue this positional control wins the round when Madsen landed the only relevant blow of the round or how many argue the other way.

SCORECARD: 10-9 Dawson

ROUND TWO: Some kicks go back and forth to start the round. Dawson lands a calf kick. Single leg from Dawson, Madsen defends against the fence. Madsen is able to defend for a while but Dawson wont let go and eventually off balances Madsen and gets on top. Dawson moves towards the ride as Madsen sits against the fence. Dawson gets half guard as Madsen moves to his back to avoid having his back taken. Now Dawson passes towards full mount, but Madsen hip escapes to half guard. Dawson keeps landing some short punches while threatening passes. The round ends with Dawson landing some punches.

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

ROUND THREE: Dawson lands a calf kick. More kicks from Dawson at range. Dawson lands a hard calf kick then a right hand. More calf kicks from Dawson, Madsen’s left leg is toast. Front kick then a right hand from Dawson. Another calf kick from Dawson, Madsen cracks him with a counter right this time. Dawson lands the calf kick a few more times, the last one drops Madsen to the mat and Dawson gets on top in half guard. Full mount for Dawson after threatening a forearm choke. Madsen rolls to his knees, Dawson gets the back, gets the choke and forces the tap.

OFFICIAL RESULT: †WINNER – Grant Dawson via Submission, rear naked choke, at 2:05 of Round 3

The Final Round Finish Club thanks Mr. Dawson for his work this evening. Mic time for Dawson, he says he’s been in the UFC for a few years now and is honored to be talking with Daniel Cormer and asks him to rate his wrestling which Cormier finds acceptable. Asked about the weight miss he says it’s a blot on this performance and says it’ll never happen again. When the future comes up he calls it an honor to take Tony Ferguson’s spot at around number 15 and wants Ferguson to come get it back, he then calls out Ferguson. Not sure how ballsy it is to call out Ferguson at this point.

Pretty standard stuff in the clip, but this is the end result of 12 minutes of hard work, grappling pace and pressure, calf kicks, and determination. If you can break down someone like Madsen this way it’s impressive.

Tagir Ulanbekov has gone 2-1 in the UFC, he’s coming off of that loss though and now tries to avoid his first ever losing streak while defending his ranking. Nate Maness is making his flyweight debut here, he’s gone 3-1 in the UFC but apparently the loss to Umar Nurmagomedov his last time out made him consider the brutal cut to flyweight (Maness has fought at lightweight in the past). Maness can make a good impression in his weight class debut and possibly earn a top fifteen ranking with a win. The odds are with Ulanbekov at -225 while Maness’s comeback sits at +190.

Flyweight Bout: Nate Maness (14-2, 125.5 lbs.) vs. #15 Tagir Ulanbekov (13-2, 124.5 lbs.)

ROUND ONE: Maness is three inches taller with two inches of reach advantage. They touch gloves to get us going. Both men showing the jab early, Ulanbekov lands a front kick. Maness misses a left hook. Bit of a body shot from Maness. Ulanbekov pushes forward, tries a single leg then trips Maness down into full guard. Some body to head punches from Ulanbekov. Ulanbekov keeps landing short punches and elbows while looking to pass. Maness scrambles to his knees, Ulanbekov grabs a high elbow standing guillotine and he’s able to clamp it down enough to force Maness to tap out.

OFFICIAL RESULT: †WINNER – Tagir Ulanbekov via Submission, standing guillotine choke, at 2:11 of Round 1

The First Round Finish Club thanks Mr. Ulanbekov for his work this evening. Mic time for Ulanbekov and his translator. Ulanbekov puts over the team at American Kickboxing Academy, he’s happy about the win and thanks God and his team. He says he expected a three round fight but his team mate who already beat Maness got him ready and showed him places he might be able to get a win. To close he asks for a post fight bonus.

Here’s the finish. This is a brutal guillotine and Ulanbekov does a nice job of adjusting his grip when he switches the force to more of a crank.

Darrick Minner has gone 2-3 in the UFC and is on a two fight losing streak, he’s shown some flashes of quality thus far but needs to avoid the dreaded three fight skid here. Shayilan Nuerdanbieke has gone 2-1 in the UFC but he’s on a two fight winning streak and if he’s able to get to three in a row here it could indicate he’s found his footing in the promotion. Nuerdanbieke is the -215 favorite to while the +185 payout on Minner might be a tempting bet.

Featherweight Bout: Darrick Minner (26-13, 146 lbs.) vs. Shayilan Nuerdanbieke (38-10, 145.5 lbs.)

ROUND ONE: Nuerdanbieke is an inch taller while Minner has half an inch of reach advantage. Minner lands a calf kick, then another one. Nuerdanbieke fires a few punches then a front kick. Nuerdanbieke fires a body kick, he lands but hurt himself doing so. Another kick from Minner but that left leg is messed up and Nuerdanbieke forces him down against the fence. Nuerdanbieke is on top in half guard and lands hammer fists and elbows until the ref intervenes.

OFFICIAL RESULT: †WINNER – Shayilan Nuerdanbieke via TKO, punches and elbows, at 1:07 of Round 1

The First Round Finish Club thanks Mr. Nuerdanbieke for his work this evening. Minner is down after the fight getting his left knee examined as Nuerdanbieke gets his interview with a translator. He saw the injury to Minner and knew the ref was looking carefully at what happened so he upped the aggression to force the ending. He notes this is his first finish in the UFC because everyone is so good but he’s happy to have finally gotten a finish. Asked about the future he notes he’s going home to China after 6 months in the US and thinks he’ll be back next year.

Here’s the finish, though whatever knee injury Minner was dealing with was much more important than the elbow technique.

Neil Magny has been with the UFC since 2013 with a successful overall record, he’s 2-2 in his last four fights and is coming off of a pretty nasty loss to rising contender Shavkat Rakhmonov. Magny is looking to defend his ranking from a lower ranked fighter and avoid his first losing streak since all the way back in 2013. Danile Rodriguez has gone 7-1 in the UFC and is on a four fight winning streak, a win here would be arguably the best of his career and could push him a few places higher in the rankings as he eyes a move towards the title picture. The odds closed dead even at a -110 pick ’em.

Welterweight Bout: #13 Neil Magny (26-9, 170.5 lbs.) vs. #14 Daniel Rodriguez (17-2, 170 lbs.)

ROUND ONE: Magny is two inches taller with a significant six inches of reach advantage. Southpaw for Rodriguez while Magny will switch a fair bit. Both men work for lead hand position as they move around. Rodriguez lands a left hand. Magny tries to force a clinch but Rodriguez avoids it. Inside leg kicks go back and forth now, mostly range finding from both men. Bit of a left from Rodriguez, then another one. Hard body shot from Rodriguez lands. Magny lands a glancing right hand. Rodriguez lands another left to the body then they clinch up. They break pretty quickly and reset. Rodriguez slips a few punches then lands punches as Magny forces a clinch. Bit of a knee from Magny then they break. Rodriguez lands a left hand. Inside leg kick from Rodriguez, Magny responds with a body kick. Magny lands a right hand. Both men land punches at distance, but Magny’s volume is starting to become a problem for Rodriguez. Rodriguez lands a couple of hooks then they clinch. Magny lands a few knees then slips to the back in the clinch. Mat return from Magny, he moves to the ride position but Rodriguez wall walks. Magny moves to the back after forcing Rodriguez down to a knee. More punches from Magny as Rodriguez stands, then they break. Rodriguez lands a couple of powerful punches just before the round ends.

SCORECARD: 10-9 Rodriguez but probably went the other way

ROUND TWO: Magny lands a front kick. Rodriguez lands a left to the body. Head kick from Magny is partially blocked. Rodriguez lands another left to the body. Both men land leg kicks. Magny avoids a left hand. Rodriguez backs Magny to the fence and lands a left hand. Rodriguez avoids a few punches. Left to the body then a left to the head from Rodriguez, nice combination. Rodriguez lands another left to the head, he might have a read on the range now and Magny is struggling to counter. Magny lands a leg kick but eats a hard counter left. Magny comes forward and forces a clinch that hits the fence. Rodriguez spins free but eats a few punches along the way. Rodriguez lands a jab. Another body shot from Rodriguez lands. Jab from Rodriguez. Magny misses a few punches. Rodriguez lands a left to the body then a jab. Bit of a front kick from Magny. Rodriguez jabs Magny back to the fence. More jabs from Rodriguez, he’s finding that punch reliably. Bit of a combination from Magny. Rodriguez lands a left hook in close. Stiff jab from Rodriguez, Magny is starting to eat these more reliably. Rodriguez forces a clinch and lands some body shots. They break without incident. Rodriguez lands a jab, Magny with a counter right. Knee from Magny, he’s trying to force things now. Rodriguez lands a left hand. Another left from Rodriguez. One two from Rodriguez mostly lands. Magny forces a clinch, gets the back standing and holds it as the round ends.

SCORECARD: 10-9 Rodriguez, 20-18 Rodriguez overall but again, probably 19-19 officially

ROUND THREE: Magny comes out hot, and Rodriguez cools him down with a left hand. Jab from Rodriguez then a left to the body. Hard left from Rodriguez wobbles Magny, Magny winds up pulling guard after that punch. Some punches from Rodriguez land, then Magny kicks him off and they reset on the feet. Rodriguez lands a jab. Magny punches into a clinch, he slips to the back and forces Rodriguez down to his knees. Some short punches from Magny as he mounts the legs of Rodriguez. Rodriguez is able to wall walk but he’s mat returned right away and Magny gets the back with both hooks in. Magny is a little high and Rodriguez is able to slip free and stand but Magny grabs a front headlock then snaps him down from there. D’arce choke from Magny, that came quick and Rodriguez tries to fight free but has to tap.

OFFICIAL RESULT: †WINNER – Neil Magny via Submission, d’arce choke, at 3:33 of Round 3

The Final Round Finish Club thanks Mr. Magny for his work this evening. Mic time for Magny now that he’s got the most wins in UFC welterweight history, he feels the hard work is paying off and thinks he’s just getting started. He puts over Rodriguez as a tough competitor but Magny still thinks he can get a shot at the title (he really can’t). Asked what he’d like next he wants Gilbert Burns, well if he wants a title shot that’s the kind of call out you’d have to make.

Marina Rodriguez is on a four fight winning streak and her only loss in the UFC was a controversial split decision to Carla Esparza, if she can extend her four fight winning streak here she could easily find herself next in line for a title shot. Amanda Lemos is coming off of a win but a title shot is a little less likely for her given how badly she lost to Jessica Andrade just two fights ago, still a win here would move Lemos closer to the title picture going forward. Rodriguez is your favorite at -230 against +195 for Lemos.

Strawweight Bout: #3 Marina Rodriguez (16-1-2, 115.5 lbs.) vs. #7 Amanda Lemos (12-2-1, 114.5 lbs.)

ROUND ONE: Rodriguez is two inches taller but the reach is identical. Circling to start, both women feint some kicks as well. Rodriguez lands a body kick. Lemos has a kick blocked. Both women miss punches, neither has a feel for the range. Rodriguez lands a leg kick. They trade rights. A lot more circling and feinting. Lemos avoids a punch. Calf kick from Lemos. Rodriguez lands an oblique kick to the leg. Both women miss punches in close. Bit of a body kick from Lemos, Rodriguez lands a leg kick to counter. Lemos misses a wheel kick. Rodriguez falls short with a combination. Lemos misses a few punches. Rodriguez with a jumping knee to the body, Lemos tries a takedown but Rodriguez counters and gets on top then lands some punches to close the round.

SCORECARD: 10-9 Rodriguez

ROUND TWO: Lemos resumes walking forward to start the round. Some jabs are shown but none land. Front kicks are traded, then Rodriguez walks into a right hand but basically no sells it. Bit of a right from Rodriguez. Rodriguez lands a front kick, Lemos returns it. Lemos goes southpaw, avoids a head kick, then goes back to orthodox. Bit of a calf kick from Rodriguez. Lemos misses a hook. Front kick from Lemos, then they clinch and hit the fence. Some knees go back and forth, then Lemos spins and trips Rodriguez down then gets the back with both hooks in. Choke attempt from Lemos, she’s not under the chin yet though and Rodriguez is able to break the grip. Body triangle for Lemos now. Lemos loses the body triangle but spins into top position in half guard. Rodriguez might be thinking about an Ezekiel choke from the bottom, but she bails on that. Lemos looks to posture up but winds up just holding position. A few body shots from Lemos will close the round.

SCORECARD: 10-9 Lemos, 19-19 overall

ROUND THREE: Rodriguez avoids a few punches to start the round. Lemos lands a front kick. Rodriguez lands a right hand. They trade rights, then Lemos lands a jab. Rodriguez lands a calf kick. Right from Lemos hurts Rodriguez, she pushes things to the fence and fires enough punches to prompt the stoppage. Not sure I agree with that one but it’s not the worst either.

OFFICIAL RESULT: †WINNER – Amanda Lemos via TKO, punches, at :54 of Round 3

Mic time for Lemos and the translator, she says the fight started slow but she worked hard and knew that Rodriguez would lead with her back hand and she’s meet her power for power when that happened. She talks us through the finish, then DC shamelessly shills to set her up to call out the champ and she obliges saying she’ll be a backup for the title fight next week.

Looking at the finish again I’m more OK with the stoppage, Rodriguez wasn’t doing the things necessary to indicate she’s there and capable. Well on that note UFC on ESPN+ 72 comes to a close. Next week is a big one, UFC 281 with two title fights and the guaranteed violence of Dustin Poirier vs. Michael Chandler. I’ll be back here to cover that next week, plus that card will get a preview tomorrow on the 411 Ground and Pound MMA Podcast. I hope you’ll be back here next week, but until then I thank you for listening, encourage you to stay safe out there, and remind you to keep checking 411mania for all of your pop culture needs.

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