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December 9, 2023 | Posted by Robert Winfree
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MAIN CARD (ESPN+, 10 p.m. ET)
#7 Song Yadong (136 lbs.) vs. #14 Chris Gutierrez (136 lbs.)
#8 Anthony Smith (205.5 lbs.) vs. #11 Khalil Rountree (204 lbs.)
Nasrat Haqparast (156 lbs.) vs. Jamie Mullarkey (156 lbs.)
Tim Elliott (136 lbs.) vs. Su Mudaerji (136 lbs.)
Andre Muniz (186 lbs.) vs. Jun Yong Park (185.5 lbs.)

PRELIMINARY CARD (ESPN+, 7 p.m. ET)
Kevin Jousset (170.5 lbs.) vs. Song Kenan (170.5 lbs.)
Sung Hyun Park (126 lbs.) vs. Shannon Ross (126 lbs.)
Melquizael Costa (155.5) vs. Steve Garcia (155 lbs.)
Stephanie Egger (135 lbs.) vs. Luana Santos (139 lbs.)*
Carlos Hernandez (125 lbs.) vs. Tatsuro Taira (125.5 lbs.)
Talita Alencar (116 lbs.) vs. Rayanne Amanda (115 lbs.)

Hello everyone and welcome to 411mania’s LIVE coverage of UFC on ESPN+ 91, I’m Robert Winfree and I’ll be your host for the evening. Well everyone, this is the penultimate UFC event of the year. Last week we had a pretty darn good Fight Night, but they had to actually sell tickets for that one and now we’re back in the Apex. On the plus side the main event is a solid bantamweight fight between Song Yadong and Chris Gutierrez as both men try to get closer to the title picture. Pickings get a little slim after that, Tim Elliott steps in on short notice against Su Mudaerji, hence the bantamweight instead of flyweight divisional choice, Nasrat Haqparast vs. Jamie Mullarkey might be fun, and Jun Yong Park vs. Andre Muniz is very important for Muniz. On the prelims one of the brighter flyweight prospects in Tatsuro Taira is fighting, and Melquizael Costa vs. Steve Garcia might be a surprisingly good bout. But this is a lot of filler in general as we’re waiting for next week and UFC 296. Beyond that, we’ll let’s hope we get good action as the year starts drawing to a close.

UFC on ESPN+ 91 comes to the world from the UFC Apex facility in Las Vegas, Nevada, USA. John Gooden, Laura Sanko, and Paul Felder will handle commentary for us while Heidi Androl does the roving reporter bit. Being in Nevada means we’ve got instant replay and a fight can be restarted after replay is used if that’s applicable to the situation. Keep in mind we’re in the smaller 25 foot Octagon set up as well.

Rayanne Amanda has gone 7-1 in her last eight fights, is the former Invicta atomweight champion, and brings a three fight winning streak into her UFC debut. Amanda is hoping to find more success back up at flyweight and make a good first impression on the UFC audience. Talita Alencar hasn’t lost yet and is coming off of a draw on the Contender Series, she has a very decorated jiu-jitsu career behind her and now looks to bring that success into MMA and get her first UFC win. The odds are with Amanda at -155 to +100 for Alencar.

Strawweight Bout: Talita Alencar (4-0-1, 116 lbs.) vs. Rayanne Amanda (14-6, 115 lbs.)

ROUND ONE: Amada is an inch taller with three and a half inches of reach advantage. Alencar tries some early kicks, she’s visibly smaller and I imagine both women could make 105 pretty easily. Amanda fights off a single leg attack and presses forward again. Bit of a right from Alencar. Amada clubs Alencar with a couple of wide hooks that seem to unsettle her. A couple of rights from Amanda in close mostly land. There’s a small cut under the left eye of Alencar, might just be discoloration but it’s visible damage. Alencar tries another single leg, it this the fence though and Amanda lands an elbow then eats a knee as they break. Amanda catches a body kick and lands a couple of rights. Alencar lands a right hand. Amanda avoids a right hand and lands a right of her own, then follows up with a calf kick. Another right from Amanda lands. Bit of a flurry from Amanda, Alencar’s been throwing just the same things and Amanda has a bit of a read on them now. Alencar tries to tie up but Amanda keeps her from fully clinching then lands a punch. Both women swing wild hooks as the round ends.

SCORECARD: 10-9 Amanda

ROUND TWO: Alencar comes out kicking, and slips then butt scoots forward but eventually Amanda makes her stand. There’s some swelling on both of Alencar’s eyes. Both women miss some strikes. Bit of a calf kick from Amanda. Both miss punches in close again. Amanda lands a counter right. They clinch up and Alencar fires a few knees. Outside trip from Alencar and she gets on top in half guard. Alencar starts fishing for a kimura but Amanda is defending well enough thus far. Amanda kicks Alencar upright and lands a couple of up kicks before Alencar goes back into the full guard with a right hand. Alecnar stands and lands a couple of punches down onto Amanda as the round ends.

SCORECARD: 10-9 Alencar, 19-19 overall

ROUND THREE: Some very awkward “feints” from Alencar to start the third round. Several punches from Alencar fall short then Amanda lands a right hand. They tie up briefly, but Amanda fights free and misses a right hand. Alencar misses punches, then Amanda lands a right hand. Both women miss sloppy hooks in close. Bit of a right from Amanda. Alencar lands a jab and Amanda wildly overswings a counter. Amanda is just not doing a whole lot, she lands a calf kick but there’s nothing to follow up. Alencar misses a kick, Amanda misses a right hand. Bit of a right from Amanda. Alencar tries a single leg but Amanda defends. They trade lefts, sort of, in close. Bit of a right from Amanda. Amanda tries to force a brawl, Alencar ties up and they’ll end the round there.

SCORECARD: 10-9 Amanda but a pretty bad round that could go either way, 29-28 Amanda overall

OFFICIAL RESULT: †WINNER – Talita Alencar via split decision (28-29, 29-28 x2)

Came down to the third round, and while I thought Amanda won it there’s an argument for Alencar in that round. No interview for Alencar.

Tatsuro Taira is undefeated including four wins in the UFC which have seen him draw attention as the brightest prospect in the division. Taira is trying to get his third win this year and then start making the transition from prospect to contender next year. Carlos Hernandez has gone 2-1 in the UFC with a loss to Allan Nascimento sandwiched between wins, and he’s coming off of a win but upsetting Taira here would be the biggest win of his career as well as getting him his first UFC winning streak. It’s not surprising to see Taira as a big -575 favorite to a +425 comeback on Hernandez.

Flyweight Bout: Carlos Hernandez (9-2, 125 lbs.) vs. Tatsuro Taira (14-0, 125.5 lbs.)

ROUND ONE: Hernandez is an inch taller but Taira has three inches of reach advantage. Circling to start. Taira feints with the hands early. Taira slips on a kick, Hernandez gets on top but Taira quickly sweeps him and gets on top. Both men scramble back up into a clinch. Hernandez gets Taira on the fence and slows things down. Taira smothers a takedown attempt and gets on top in side control. Bit of an elbow from Taira as Hernandez gets half guard. Taira looks to pass to mount now, but Hernandez blocks it. Elbow from Taira. Taira passes to full mount now and starts attacking an arm triangle but Hernandez gets his arm free. Hernandez keeps fighting off the arm triangle attack but Taira starts landing punches. Now Taira gets the back and has Hernandez flattened out. Some more punches from Taira as he floats between back mount and full mount. Choke attack from Taira, but he doesn’t like it and bails to keep position and starts landing punches again. Taira gets a body triangle now and starts fishing for a choke, then switches towards mount again and lands a right hand while Hernandez gets half guard back. The round ends with Taira landing another punch.

SCORECARD: 10-9 Taira, might be a 10-8 argument in there somewhere

ROUND TWO: Both men come out showing the jab, then Taira lands an inside leg kick and a right hand. Hernandez checks a calf kick. Hard right from Taira stuns Hernandez, he gets on top and starts landing punches. Hernandez grabs a single leg but Taira moves to the ride and keeps landing punches until the ref jumps in.

OFFICIAL RESULT: †WINNER – Tatsuro Taira via TKO, punches, at :55 of Round 2

Mic time for Taira and the translator, he’s very happy with the finish. Asked about changing opponents fairly late notice he reiterates he wants to fight a ranked opponent and calls out Mokaev. I’d be good with that matchmaking. He’d like to fight again as soon as possible to close the interview.

This doesn’t include the right that drops Hernandez for some reason, but here’s the specific finish. Taira is young, good, and only getting better. Watch out for him if you’re at flyweight.

Luana Santos scored a win in her UFC debut back in August which gave her a three fight winning streak, she missed weight here though which is never good. Santos is hoping a win will help smooth over that gaff and continue her winning ways in the promotion. Stephanie Egger has gone 3-3 in the UFC but she’s coming off of a loss and is hoping to close out the year with a win and UFC record back over the .500 mark. The odds are with Santos at -150 opposite Egger’s +125.

Women’s Bantamweight Bout: Stephanie Egger (8-4, 135 lbs.) vs. Luana Santos (6-1, 139 lbs.)*

ROUND ONE: These two are the same height, Egger has an inch of reach advantage and is 12 years older plus Santos missed weight. They touch gloves to get us going. Both women miss some punches and kicks, Santos has started switching her stance. Bit of a right from Santos. They trade rights. Egger lands a right hand. Some side kicks from Santos, she likes that kick when she’s southpaw. They tie up and hit the fence, Santos gets Egger on the fence. A few knees go back and forth while Santos is keeping Egger pinned on the cage. Egger with a few more knees. They’ll keep stuff in the clinch until the round ends.

SCORECARD: 10-9 Santos

ROUND TWO: Santos lands an inside leg kick. Bit of a right from Egger. Egger punches into a clinch and gets Santos on the cage. Some knees go back and forth then they separate. Both women land punches in close, Egger is trying to push forward and force the issue. Santos lands a calf kick but eats a combination in return before they tie up and hit the fence again. Some knees from Egger despite being on the fence, Santos is able to hit a hip toss into side control though. Egger wall walks immediately as Santos moves to her back standing. Egger gets chest to chest and lands a few more knees. Santos is just stalling here and eventually pulls free. Bit of a jab from Egger. Some jabs from Santos then they trade rights. Both women miss rights. Egger lands a couple of rights and Santos forces a clinch to recover. They’ll end the round in the clinch.

SCORECARD: 10-9 Egger, 19-19 overall

ROUND THREE: Egger starts coming forward right away and again looks to push the pace. Egger punches into a clinch and lands knees, Santos then hits a headlock throw to land in side control. Santos is very high in the scarf hold position and Egger scrambles up and into a clinch. Egger is pushing Santos into the fence now and lands a couple of lefts. Santos is able to spin Egger into the fence. Not much going on here and after probably too long the ref breaks them up. Egger gets back on pressure and eats a couple of lefts then fires back. Bit of a blitz from Egger, Santos is retreating and looks tired. How Egger hasn’t figured out to throw an uppercut at the ducking Santos is beyond me. Anyway Santos forces another clinch and they hit the fence. Not much going on again, Santos is just running clock and the ref breaks them up again. 40 seconds left. Santos tries a clinch but Egger lands knees before they hit the fence. Egger to the back standing and rides Santos down to her knees. Some punches from Egger from the ride position but that’s where the round will end.

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

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

I don’t really get that 30-27, but if you wanted to give Santos the second I could probably understand. No interview for Santos.

Steve Garcia has gone 3-2 in the UFC but he’s 2-0 since returning to featherweight and if he can extend that streak here he’ll enter 2024 with some notable momentum. Melquizael Costa has gone 1-1 in the UFC, he had a rough debut but rebounded nicely by returning to featherweight and getting a win in July. Costa is likewise trying to establish himself as a guy with momentum going into the new year. Costa is your favorite at -540 while a +195 comeback on Garcia might be a good little value bet.

Lightweight Bout: Melquizael Costa (20-6, 155.5) vs. Steve Garcia (14-5, 155 lbs.)

ROUND ONE: Garcia is two inches taller with four inches of reach advantage. Minor note, something has to be off on those odds because a -540 favorite vs. just +195 comeback seems very wrong. They touch gloves, both men fighting southpaw. Garcia punches forward pretty quickly and lands a few of them. Costa clinches and slips to the back of Garcia standing. Mat return from Costa but Garcia just bounces up. Costa keeps trying to get a takedown from the back but Garcia is defending thus far. Costa keeps looking to jump to the back but Garcia is blocking that but he can’t break the grip Costa has around his waist. Bit of a mat return from Costa but when he tries to get the back Garcia nearly tosses him over the top and Costa has to just settle for holding the rear waist lock in the clinch. Not a lot going on here, Costa keeps trying to get things down but Garcia never legs him get hooks in. The round ends as both men miss elbows once Garcia gets more chest to chest.

SCORECARD: 10-9 Costa

ROUND TWO: Garcia lands a hard leg kick early, Costa tries a takedown but Garcia cracks him with a knee and gets on top. More punches and hammer fists from Garcia as he moves to full mount. Costa gives up the back, Garcia unloads with more punches, there’s a lot of blood coming from Cost as Garcia grabs the choke and uses it to set up mount and a trio of more elbows prompt the stoppage.

OFFICIAL RESULT: †WINNER – Steve Garcia via TKO, elbows, at 1:01 of Round 2

Heck of a win for Garcia, and he gets an interview and gives glory to God first and foremost then admits to frustration after the first but kept cool and credits his team for getting him locked back in. He talks us through the finish and puts over Costa as a super tough opponent. To close he would like Nate Landwher around April, and that’s another both logical and attainable callout tonight.

These are some brutal finishing elbows.

Hyun Sung Park is undefeated including winning his UFC debut back in February, now he’s trying to remain perfect and prove he’s a notable addition to the flyweight division. Shannon Ross has gone 0-2 in the UFC and is on an overall three fight losing streak, he pretty badly needs a win here as he could easily be cut if he loses again. Park is the biggest favorite on the card at -600 to +440 on Ross.

Flyweight Bout: Hyun Sung Park (8-0, 126 lbs.) vs. Shannon Ross (13-8, 126 lbs.)

ROUND ONE: Park is an inch taller while the reach is identical. Ross comes out looking to engage, and both men are happy to throw punches. Nothing really lands clean, there’s a slight kick to the groin of Ross but he basically shakes it off. Park lands a left hook. Sharp right hand from Park to counter a body jab, Ross is a little wobbled. They clinch, Park lands an elbow then they break. Bit of a body kick from Park. Ross lands a calf kick. Park with a one two. Hard jab from Park off balances Ross and he gets on top in half guard. A few punches and elbows from Park, then more elbows as he gets the back with both hooks in. Park starts fishing for the choke, Ross is blocking that at the moment though. Another choke attempt from Park, he can’t get around the neck though and winds up bailing. Punches from Park as he keeps trying to open up the choke, eventually he gets closer but Ross is able to break the attempt. Park lands another couple of punches to close the round.

SCORECARD: 10-9 Park

ROUND TWO: Ross pressures forward and lands part of a blitz attack. Park lands a calf kick. Right hand from Park lands. Some stance switching from Ross now as he circles, but he eats a right hand and staggers backwards. Park forces a clinch and starts working knees then an uppercut connects. More knees and elbows from Park before they break apart. Ross lands a couple of jabs. Bit of a left from Park then a calf kick. Ross lands a right hand. They trade rights. Park with another jab, but Ross counters with a right hand. Calf kick from Ross. Park with a bit of an uppercut. They split some jabs while moving, Ross is bleeding from the bridge of the nose now. Park lands a right hand in close. Ross lands a right but he’s just getting pressured around the cage. Front kick from Park locks up Ross, then he digs lefts to the body and a knee as well until Ross drops. Park jumps on his back against the fence and is able to pound him out.

OFFICIAL RESULT: †WINNER – Hyun Sung Park via TKO, front kick and body shots, at 3:59 of Round 2

Mic time for Park and the translator after that one, he’s first asked about a potential ankle issue after they clashed shins in the first round but says his leg was fine he just felt his conditioning was off and he had to pace himself all fight. He talks us through the finish and says it was just instinct and he feels a bit lucky with how things played out. To close he puts over his team and hopes to return as soon as possible next year.

Body work partially relies on timing, the timing on this kick from Park catches Ross as he’s stepping in and not expecting it. The accuracy helps tremendously as well. Nice stuff from Park overall.

Song Kenan has gone 5-3 in the UFC and just broke a two fight losing streak by getting a win back in August, now he’s trying for his first winning streak since 2020. Kevin Jousset is on a four fight winning streak including a win in his UFC debut in September, he’s hoping to maintain that momentum here and set himself up for a big 2024 with another win. Relatively close on here but Jousset closed at -150 to +125 for Song.

Welterweight Bout: Kevin Jousset (8-2, 170.5 lbs.) vs. Song Kenan (20-7, 170.5 lbs.)

ROUND ONE: Jousset is two inches taller but has three and a half inches of reach advantage. They touch gloves to get us going. Song with a side kick to the body. Jousset shows the jab and a few feints before landing a leg kick. Inside leg kick from Jousset. Song misses a jab. A few probing kicks from both men, everyone’s still just getting reads. Calf kicks go back and forth then Song lands a side kick to the body. Jousset lands a calf kick. That lead leg from Jousset is staying pretty active, then Song steps in and lands a left hand. Jousset shoulder rolls away from a right hand, really slick defense thus far. Front kicks now from Jousset then a left hand. Song lands a left in close. Both men land jabs in close then they trade calf kicks. Another jab from Jousset. Song’s right eye and that side of his face is discoloring. Jousset parries a round kick and lands a one two. They tie up and trade knees and uppercuts before breaking. Jousset keeps jabbing, he’s really messing with Song’s distance. Song misses a few punches then eats a jab to close the round.

SCORECARD: 10-9 Jousset

ROUND TWO: Jousset gets back to kicking to start the round. Song is leaking from the nose and that right side of his face is becoming an issue. Jousset with knees in close. Jab from Jousset. Jousset avoids a right hand. More jabs from Jousset, he’s just carving Song up with that. Song lands a left hook then a right behind it but he can’t really follow up. Right hand from Song then they trade body kicks. They clinch up and trade knees before breaking. Jousset sticks out a few more jabs. They both land in close then break apart. Bit of a front kick from Jousset then a jab. Man that jab from Jousset is nice. Jousset lands a left hook then a calf kick. Combination from Jousset as he avoids Song’s punches. Both men land rights. Song is able to get close and lands an uppercut then a knee. Jousset lands a right hand then a calf kick. Jousset tries a takedown but Song is able to defend that one. Bit of a left to the body from Song. Both men land in close and they trade uppercuts in the clinch. Jousset lands a body kick to close the round.

SCORECARD: 10-9 Jousset but closer, 20-18 Jousset overall

ROUND THREE: Jousset comes out with front kicks again, and lands a calf kick as well. Left hook from Jousset in close, then another calf kick. They tie up, Jousset with knees then an uppercut as they break. Jousset keeps landing those calf kicks. Song is starting to feel those calf kicks and goes southpaw but Jousset cracks him with a left hook. A couple of jabs from Jousset then a body kick. Jousset with more leg kicks. Another jab from Jousset. Song tries to clinch but he can’t maintain it whenever he gets close. Both men land some punches in close before tying up and Jousset pushes Song into the fence. They fight for position then break after Jousset lands a right hand. Combination from Jousset lands. Song lands a right to the body. Jousset digs the body with a left hand. Song tries a takedown, Jousset defends and trips him but Song bounces up into a clinch. Jousset with some knees to the body before they break. Both men land left hooks and we get a bit of a brawl for the final couple of seconds.

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

OFFICIAL RESULT: †WINNER – Kevin Jousset via unanimous decision (30-27 x3)

Darn good performance from Jousset, but no time for an interview for him.

Jun Yong Park has a very good UFC record of 7-2 and is on a four fight winning streak with the last two being finishes, he’s hoping to earn another shot at bigger names and possibly ranked opponents if he can get to five in a row here. Andre Muniz has had a pretty bad year, he’s on a two fight losing streak that ended his nine fight winning streak, both of those losses have been finishes and if he wants to turn things around and reclaim the hype he had last year he can ill afford to go 0-3 this year. The odds lean towards Park at -205 to +170 on Muniz.

Middleweight Bout: Andre Muniz (23-6, 186 lbs.) vs. Jun Yong Park (17-5, 185.5 lbs.)

ROUND ONE: Muniz is three inches taller with five inches of reach advantage. Southpaw for Muniz, Park comes out and lands an inside leg kick. Bit of a body kick from Muniz, who looks visibly larger of the two. Muniz tries a double leg, they hit the fence and Muniz finishes the takedown there. Park wall walks but Muniz gets to the ride position and keeps him on his knees. Park up, but Muniz with a mat return. Once again Park wall walks, Muniz pulls him back down but he can’t secure position so Park pops up and Muniz stays on his back. You can see Park grab the fence to try and avoid being taken down but Muniz gets him down anyway. Park wall walks but he can’t get free. Muniz pushes him back down and this time gets one hook in and rolls them both over to get both hooks. Park is able to move to his knees, he’s trying to break the hooks and does so then spins to get on top briefly. Muniz tries to wall walk but Park pushes him over and gets on top in full mount. Park unloads with elbows from full mount. Punches now as well, Muniz gets half guard but will still be stuck down there eating elbows as the round ends.

SCORECARD: 10-9 Park but might go the other way

ROUND TWO: Park comes out and lands a right hand. Muniz lands a one two but then eats an inside leg kick. Park comes forward and lands a left hook. Muniz tries a takedown, Park defends but Muniz forces the scramble to continue and gets on top. Park scoots towards the fence and winds up giving up the back. Muniz settles into back control but Park is once again working to break the hooks and turn into him. One of the hooks slips out, Park works towards his feet again but Muniz stays on his back and pulls him back down. Both hooks get cleared for a moment but Muniz forces another clinch right away and attaches himself to the back of Park. They fall back to the mat and Muniz tries for the back, he gets one hook but can’t quite find the second one. Both hooks in now for Muniz but Park is always fighting them and he stands but gets pulled back down. Muniz misses some punches on the mat. Park stands against the fence but Muniz drags him back down. Another stand from Park, he turns into Muniz but Muniz forces him back to the mat and moves to the ride. The round will end there.

SCORECARD: 10-9 Muniz, 19-19 overall

ROUND THREE: Quick takedown from Muniz against the fence. Park tries to scramble but Muniz is able to stay on top. Both hooks in now for Muniz, actually he switches to a body triangle and starts fishing for a choke. Park tries to break the triangle, and does the spins to get on top of Muniz. Muniz gets half guard and sweeps Park but Park is holding a single leg and uses that to stand and separate. Park with a one two. Muniz tries a takedown, Park defends and pushes him over to get on top in full guard. Park starts landing punches but he’s fatigued. They reach the fence and Park stuffs Muniz into it and starts landing some punches. Elbow from Park, then another one. A few more strikes from Park close out the round.

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

OFFICIAL RESULT: †WINNER – Andre Muniz via split decision (28-29, 29-28 x2)

I don’t agree but I’m not up in arms over it, the third could have gone his way. Mic time for Muniz and the translator, he says everything is tough in the UFC and thanks everyone who had his back through his two fight losing streak.

Tim Elliott took this fight on short notice replacing Allan Nascimento, he’s gone 2-2 in his last four and is coming off of a loss but is hoping to avoid his first losing streak since 2020 and head into the near year with a little positive momentum. Sumudaerji has gone 3-2 in the UFC but had a three fight winning streak broken in his last fight, a bonkers affair with Matt Schnell that he wound up on the wrong end of. Sumudaerji is trying to bounce back here and avoid his first losing streak since 2018. Elliott closed at -165 despite the short notice to +135 for Sumudaerji.

Bantamweight Bout: Tim Elliott (19-13-1, 136 lbs.) vs. Su Mudaerji (16-5, 136 lbs.)

ROUND ONE: Sumudaerji is an inch taller with a significant six inches of reach advantage and is nine years younger. Elliott tries a rolling thunder kick but misses, he’s going to do a lot of stance switching as well. Sumudaerji lands a couple of punches, he’s fighting southpaw while Elliott is constantly switching. Left hand from Sumudaerji lands. Elliott with a glancing left hand of his own. Elliott with a couple of calf kicks. Bit of a head kick from Sumudaerji then he avoids a single leg but Elliott lands a left hook. One two from Sumudaerji. Right to the body then a left hook from Sumudaerji. Elliott tries another single leg, he lands an elbow against the fence then finishes running the pipe and gets on top in full guard. Elliott passes to side control and lands a few short elbows. One of those seems to have cut Sumudaerji, not badly but there’s blood coming from somewhere. Another elbow from Elliott, then he grabs an arm triangle choke, passes over and gets things pretty tight. Sumudaerji tries to fight out but goes to sleep rather than tap.

OFFICIAL RESULT: †WINNER – Tim Elliott via Technical Submission, arm triangle choke, at 4:02 of Round 1

The First Round Finish Club thanks Mr. Elliott for his work this evening, and is glad to finally have made it into the building tonight. Mic time for Elliott after the short notice step up, he says he knows he’s running out of time and there’s so much he still hasn’t shown in the cage that he wants to. He says he doesn’t really wrestle in sparring and he really hopes to show more of his striking as things go on, but also admits he got hit with a few solid punches he had to overcome. He talks about getting out of a hole in his life, puts over his new team, then closes by saying he’s happy to fight either at flyweight or take short notice fights at bantamweight.

Nasrat Haqparast has gone 2-2 in his last four fights but he’s on a two fight winning streak and if he can make that three in a row here it would help move him back up in class going forward. Jamie Mullarkey has gone 3-2 in his last five fights and he’s coming off of a win and getting another winning streak up and running here would set him up well for a campaign towards ranked opponents next year. Haqparast closed as your favorite at -185 to +155 for Mullarkey.

Lightweight Bout: Nasrat Haqparast (15-5, 156 lbs.) vs. Jamie Mullarkey (17-6, 156 lbs.)

ROUND ONE: Mullarkey has two inches of height and reach advantage. Southpaw for Haqparast, and both men come out looking to land the power hand. Mullarkey shows a few inside leg kicks while they circle. Haqparast lands a left to the body. Body kick from Haqparast then a left hand that drops Mullarkey, Haqparast follows up with a barrage of punches as Mullarkey stands and when Mullarkey falls again the ref jumps in to stop things.

OFFICIAL RESULT: †WINNER – Nasrat Haqparast via TKO, punches, at 1:44 of Round 1

The First Round Finish Club thanks Mr. Haqparast for his work this evening. Mic time for Haqparast, he gives glory to God and puts over the King of Morocco because that’s not suspect when you consider some of the reports coming about the royal family. He asks for a UFC event in Morocco, then says they’re building a team in Morocco because of the king and wants a top fifteen opponent. That interview was brought to you by the Moroccan board of tourism and royal PR team.

Fast hands and thudding power make for a dangerous combination, and Haqparast lands then unloads with a brutal barrage to end things.

Anthony Smith just broke a two fight losing streak by scoring a split decision over Ryan Spann back in August, now he’s trying for another winning streak to hold onto his position in the rankings. Khalil Rountree has been on his best form lately, he’s on a four fight winning streak with three of those being finishes and he’s cracked the top fifteen lately. Rountree is looking for the biggest win of his career against a former title challenger, and if he can extend his winning streak he’ll be fighting even bigger names next year. The odds are with Rountree at -200 while +165 on Smith might tempt some bettors out there.

Light Heavyweight Bout: #8 Anthony Smith (37-18, 205.5 lbs.) vs. #11 Khalil Rountree (12-5 1 NC, 204 lbs.)

ROUND ONE: Smith is three inches taller but Rountree has half an inch of reach advantage. Southpaw for Rountree and he starts circling right away. Smith stalks forward and avoids a left hand. Smith misses a right hand. Bit of a left from Rountree. Rountree blocks a head kick but Smith is throwing hard right away. Inside leg kick from Rountree. Smith with a right hand. They clinch up and Rountree pushes things into the fence. Bit of an elbow from Rountree as they break. Left uppercut then a right hook from Rountree. There’s a cut around the inside of Smith’s left eyebrow, it came from a clash of heads when they clinched up. Front kick from Smith. Jab from Rountree. Rountree checks an inside leg kick. Left hook from Smith lands. Rountree with a front kick. Bit of a left from Rountree, Smith is still coming forward though. Smith lands a right hand. Hard body kick from Rountree then a left hand behind it. Both men probe with power hand punches. Hard one two from Rountree stuns Smith, Smith is hurt but he avoids a left hand and there’s not enough time for any more than that.

SCORECARD: 10-9 Rountree

ROUND TWO: Smith gets back to trying to pressure forward. Rountree lands a body kick. Smith tries a takedown, Rountree defends and pushes Smith into the fence. Elbows are traded as they break. Smith is in zombie mode coming forward now and looking to force a brawl. Rountree badly hurts Smith with a right hook, Smith tries a single leg against the fence to recover but he’s still wobbled as they break. Jab from Smith, he’s still coming forward though. Rountree lands another right hand. Smith misses a left hook but is able to avoid the counters. Rountree lands an inside leg kick. Front kick from Smith, Rountree didn’t like that one. Rountree lands a left hand. Jab from Smith. Rountree with a jab of his own but takes another front kick. Both men miss elbows in close. Front kick from Smith, Rountree might be fading just a bit here. Bit of a left from Rountree then he blocks a head kick. Smith lands a jab of his own. Right hand from Smith. Both men miss punches. Front kick from Smith. An inside leg kick from Rountree will be the last blow of the round.

SCORECARD: 10-9 Rountree but Smith was starting to come on at the end, 20-18 Rountree overall

ROUND THREE: Rountree lands a leg kick to get the last round going. Body kick from Rountree. Smith keeps moving forward and looking to pressure. Bit of a right from Smith. A left hand from Rountree locks up and drops Smith, he looks to follow up but waits and Smith just rolls over which prompts the stoppage.

OFFICIAL RESULT: †WINNER – Khalil Rountree via KO, punch, at :56 of Round 3

The Final Round Finish Club thanks Mr. Rountree for his work, and is displeased with the First Round Finish Club locking the door behind them when they entered the venue. Mic time for Rountree, he feels overwhelmed but very happy. He knew he had to get ready for Smith once Smith stepped in on short notice to replace the ill Azamat Murzakanov and then puts Smith over. He talks us through the finish and knew he had to find openings and stay alert against Smith. Asked about being in the top ten after this he says this is what he’s been working for, he then says he’s coming for the title as the fight driving him right now is looking to take on Alex Pereira. He knows there might be more fights before that one, but he knows everyone wants to see him and Pereira.

This is good stuff from Rountree, note how he starts the hand fighting slower then basically mid uppercut switches up the speed and power to catch Smith off guard. The follow up left is really nice as well and hits in a rough spot that removes Smith’s balance and badly hurts him.

Song Yadong has a stellar UFC record of 9-2-1 only losing to Kyler Phillips and Cory Sandhagen all of which has landed him in the top ten rankings in the stacked bantamweight division. Song is coming off of a win from April of this year and if he can build another winning streak here he could well find himself fighting top five opponents next year. Chris Gutierrez has only lost to Raoni Barcelos and Pedro Munhoz during his time with the UFC and has fought his way up into the bantamweight rankings. Gutierrez is looking for one of the more substantial wins of his career, and possibly a berth in the top ten of the division going forward. It’s not too surprising to see Song as a fairly large favorite at -360 to +285 for Gutierrez.

Bantamweight Bout: #7 Song Yadong (20-7-1 1 NC, 136 lbs.) vs. #14 Chris Gutierrez (20-5-2, 136 lbs.)

ROUND ONE: Gutierrez is an inch taller while the reach is identical. They touch gloves to get us going. Both men with a little feinting early. Song tries a left hook that falls short. Gutierrez misses a spinning back kick. Inside leg kick from Song as Gutierrez is starting to switch his stance. Bit of a calf kick from Gutierrez. Gutierrez avoids a right hand. Song misses a right, then misses a spinning back fist. Inside leg kick from Song. Song checks a calf kick. Gutierrez starts touching the lead leg, nothing powerful yet but he’s probing at it with side kicks as well now. Bit of a left hook from Song. Gutierrez has a spinning back fist blocked. Song lands a calf kick. Another calf kick from Song. Gutierrez lands a left hand. Song with another calf kick, those are adding up. Bit of a body kick from Gutierrez. Song misses a few punches to close the round.

SCORECARD: 10-9 Song

ROUND TWO: Song fires a body kick pretty quickly, that’s blocked but he’s still throwing a lot of heat. Front kick to the face from Gutierrez lands. Spinning back fist from Gutierrez partially lands. Another front kick from Gutierrez lands. Leg kicks go back and forth, then Gutierrez avoids a few punches. Gutierrez lands a calf kick and avoids the spinning back fist counter. Solid calf kick from Gutierrez then another front kick. Song is really struggling to get into punching range and Gutierrez is starting to really snipe at him at kicking range. We get a time out as Song complains of an eye poke, replay shows there was in fact an eye poke. Song doesn’t take too long and Gutierrez apologizes on the restart. Both men get back to probing with leg kicks. Body kick from Gutierrez. Song falls short with a one two, the footwork of Gutierrez is making him miss thus far. Gutierrez is starting to front kick the thigh and knee now. Song has had enough of this and hits a takedown into the butterfly guard of Gutierrez. Gutierrez works his guard higher now, he’s setting up a triangle but can’t quite clear the arm yet. We get a brief break as Gutierrez was accidentally hooking inside the glove when grabbing at the wrist, the ref warns him and restarts them still on the ground. Song fires a few punches as the round ends.

SCORECARD: 10-9 Gutierrez but could go either way, 19-19 overall

ROUND THREE: Song immediately tries a takedown, Gutierrez deters him with a ninja choke and Song then hits him with a left hook. Gutierrez lands a front kick, but then we get a time out as Gutierrez took an eye poke. Replay shows there was indeed an eye poke. Gutierrez takes some help from the wet towel and is back to fighting after just over 90 seconds. Quick kicks from Gutierrez on the restart, front kicks and calf kicks mostly. Song with a right to the body. Another front kick from Gutierrez. Both men miss kicks again. Bit of an inside leg kick from Song. Song has a left hook blocked then they trade leg kicks. Gutierrez with a few oblique kicks to the knee to halt Song’s forward motion. Gutierrez throws up a few more kicks, nothing landing flush but he’s staying busy. Song misses a few jabs then lands a calf kick. Gutierrez feints a double leg and Song sprawls hard. Song is trying to press forward but Gutierrez is circling and using the kicks to keep distance. Finally Song gets Gutierrez on the fence and fires a combination, partially successful. Song barely misses a right hand. Calf kick from Song. Body kick from Gutierrez. Song misses a wheel kick. Song catches a front kick, gets a takedown into full guard and holds that position for the last few seconds.

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

ROUND FOUR: Gutierrez lands a calf kick to start the round. Bit of a front kick from Gutierrez. Song bulls forward and both men land rights, then Song lands a left hook. Gutierrez lands another calf kick. A right from Song off balances Gutierrez, he looks to follow up and gets on top in full guard. A few punches from Song but not a lot happening here. Song lands an elbow. Not much going on here, Gutierrez is avoiding most of the strikes and Song isn’t trying to pass. A few rights from Song land. Left elbow from Song. The round ends with Song still on top.

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

ROUND FIVE: Song avoids a potential Imanari roll and gets on top in half guard. Gutierrez gets to butterfly guard and then closes his guard. Song finds a few short elbows, but he’s pretty content to just hold top position and do just enough to win the round and the fight. A few more short elbows from Song land. Song tries some lefts, partially successful and he briefly passes to half guard but Gutierrez hip escapes to full guard again. A couple of elbows land for Song. Last minute of the round, Song lands a right hand but can’t get around the guard of Gutierrez. Gutierrez thinks about trying to invert for a leg, Song sits on him and lands a few hammer fists. Song stands over Gutierrez, then fires some punches as time runs down.

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

OFFICIAL RESULT: †WINNER – Song Yadong via unanimous decision (50-44, 50-45 x2)

Not quite sure where the 10-8 came from, that seems super generous but no issues with Song winning every round as two was pretty close. Mic time for Song and the translator, he really wanted to fight in China but then thanks Gutierrez for taking the fight as no one in the top 15 will fight him. He’s coming for the belt, and then says he’s open to rebooking the Petr Yan fight and apologizes for not getting a finish. He thanks his team, then tells Yan that Yan’s last couple of fights were bad and he really wants to prove which of them has the better boxing.

Well on that note UFC on ESPN+ 91 comes to a close. We’ll be breaking down all the fallout from this event on the 411 Ground and Pound MMA Podcast tomorrow, plus looking ahead. There’s only one more event this year, next week we’ve got UFC 296 with a ton of welterweight fights and probably the last chance Colby Covington will have at UFC gold. I’ll be back for that event and I hope you will too, until then thank you for reading, stay safe out there, and keep checking 411mania for all of your pop culture needs.

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