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411’s UFC Fight Night Report: Strickland Wins

February 5, 2022 | Posted by Robert Winfree
UFC on ESPN+ 58 Image Credit: UFC

MAIN CARD (ESPN+, 7 p.m. ET)
#6 Jack Hermansson (185.5 lbs.) vs. #7 Sean Strickland (185.5 lbs.)
Nick Maximov (185 lbs.) vs. Punahele Soriano (185 lbs.)
Carlston Harris (169 lbs.) vs. Shavkat Rakhmonov (170.5 lbs.)
Brendan Allen (205 lbs.) vs. Sam Alvey (205 lbs.)
Bryan Battle (185.5 lbs.) vs. Tresean Gore (186 lbs.)
Julian Erosa (145.5 lbs.) vs. Steven Peterson (149 lbs.)*

PRELIMINARY CARD (ESPN+, 4 p.m. ET)
John Castaneda (136 lbs.) vs. Miles Johns (135.5 lbs.)
Hakeem Dawodu (146 lbs.) vs. Michael Trizano (145.5 lbs.)
Marc-Andre Barriault (184.5 lbs.) vs. Chidi Njokuani (185 lbs.)
Alexis Davis (135 lbs.) vs. Julija Stoliarenko (135.5 lbs.)
Jailton Almeida (203 lbs.) vs. Danilo Marques (205.5 lbs.)
Phil Rowe (170.5 lbs.) vs. Jason Witt (171 lbs.)
Denys Bondar (125 lbs.) vs. Malcolm Gordon (126 lbs.)

Hello everyone, and welcome to 411mania’s LIVE coverage of UFC on ESPN+ 58. I’m Robert Winfree and I’ll be your host for the duration. I know the UFC changes naming schemes all the time, but this is also UFC Fight Night 200, an impressive milestone to hit. Sadly they didn’t bust out anything special in terms of fights for it. The main event is a very relevant middleweight fight as top ten middleweights Jack Hermansson and Sean Strickland try to crack into the top five rankings, and possibly get a number one contenders fight next. Beyond that it’s rather slim pickings, highlighted mostly by two rising welterweights when Shavkat Rakhmonov takes on Carlston Harris. While the fights aren’t terribly compelling on paper, there’s always the chance they’re awesome in practice.

UFC on ESPN+ 58 comes to the world from the UFC Apex facility in Las Vegas, Nevada, USA. We’ve got Brendan Fitzgerald, Paul Felder, and Michael Bisping on commentary. As for the rules, Nevada has adopted most of the new rules but you still only need one hand on the mat to be considered downed. They do use instant replay, and have a designated replay official outside the cage who can request it be used. A fight can be restarted after the use of instant replay if that’s applicable to the situation.

Malcolm Gordon finally got his first UFC win his last time out, now with a UFC record of 1-2 he’s hoping to draw that to the .500 mark and build his first UFC winning streak. Deny Bondar is on a 10 fight winning streak and has been trying to make his UFC debut for about a year now, he’s trying to extend that overall streak and make a good first impression on the UFC fans. The odds are with Bondar at -290 to a +230 comeback on Gordon.

Flyweight Bout: Denys Bondar (16-3, 125 lbs.) vs. Malcolm Gordon (13-5, 126 lbs.)

ROUND ONE: Gordon has one inch of height and two of reach over Bondar. Bondar starts probing with long range kicks. Both men land some jabs, they’re still just looking for range. Gordon lands a left hook but Bondar gets a double leg into full guard. Triangle choke attempt from Gordon, Bondar defends that then scrambles out of an armbar attempt and comes up in a clinch with Gordon. Whizzer kick from Gordon, but as they go down Bondar’s left elbow badly dislocates and he cries out signaling the verbal submission.

OFFICIAL RESULT: †WINNER – Malcolm Gordon via Verbal Submission, injury, at 1:22 Round 1

The First Round Finish Club thanks Mr. Gordon for his work this evening. Unfortunate ending, those two were going at it. Mic time for Gordon, he felt he needed a finish in this fight and wanted to show off his skills, he thinks he compromised the elbow during the earlier armbar attempt and that forced it to pop when he posted on it. Asked about the future he wants to be back as soon as possible, but he’s got his wedding coming up in May so after that he’d like to start a run towards the title. To close he gives love to his corner and trainers.

Here’s a quick still of the aftermath. Look at the left elbow of Bondar, that’s definitely not supposed to look like that.

Jason Witt has traded wins and losses while going 2-2 in the UFC, but he is coming off of a win and now tries to build his first winning streak inside the UFC. Philip Rowe has gone 1-1 in the UFC, though like his opponent he’s coming off of a win and wants to build his first winning streak in the promotion. Rowe is a slight -140 favorite against +120 for Witt.

Welterweight Bout: Phil Rowe (8-3, 170.5 lbs.) vs. Jason Witt (19-7, 171 lbs.)

ROUND ONE: Rowe is five inches taller with a whopping 10.5 inches of reach over Witt. Witt is doing a bit of stance switching, and lands a calf kick. The size difference is very evident. Bit of a right from Witt. Rowe starts trying to work his jab. Bit of a right form Rowe. Witt forces a clinch then gets a takedown into half guard. Rowe gets full guard and starts working to wall walk. Witt lands a few punches then hits an outside reap and lands in half guard again. Things are stalling out just a bit here, Witt hasn’t found much offense from top position. Rowe gets full guard, he’s trying to set up a triangle choke but Witt is blocking that. Some body shots from Witt but he’s unable to mount any real offense. Rowe is just holding on, then is able to wall walk and they separate. A couple of punches from Rowe lands to end the round.

SCORECARD: 10-9 Witt but I don’t feel good about it

ROUND TWO: Rowe lands a body kick but Witt backs him into the fence quickly and starts looking for a takedown. Witt is able to slip around to the back and is able to trip Rowe down. Rowe wall walks but takes punches along the way before they break. Bit of a left from Witt. Rowe is coming forward and unloads with punches that floor Witt and we’re done.

OFFICIAL RESULT: †WINNER – Phil Rowe via TKO, punches, at 2:15 of Round 2

Mic time for Rowe, he expected the wrestling attack from Witt but once he got warmed up in the second round he knew he could get the finish. He thanks his coaches for their work, and while he feels he’s still young in the sport he knows once he gets in the reps he’ll be a monster.

Here’s the finish. This is a nice example of how to use your reach in a finish, Rowe is firing from near the end of his reach and Witt has no real weapons to threaten on the counter. Being backed up against the fence doesn’t help anything either.

Jailton Almeida brings a nine fight winning streak into his UFC debut, and will trying to make an immediate impact with a memorable performance. Danilo Marques has gone 2-1 in the UFC but he’s coming off of a loss and is trying to avoid his first ever losing streak. Almeida is the heavy favorite at -380 to a +290 comeback for Marques.

Light Heavyweight Bout: Jailton Almeida (14-2, 203 lbs.) vs. Danilo Marques (11-3, 205.5 lbs.)

ROUND ONE: Marques is three inches taller while Almeida has two inches of reach advantage. They touch gloves to get us going. Almeida with a front kick then double legs Marques into the fence and starts working. Mat return from Almeida, he lands pretty much in the ride position and starts working for wrist control. Almeida now more into a leg drag position, then winds up in side control. Marques is trying to get his left arm out of the grip of Almeida. Almeida lands a few punches, he gets full mount and unloads with hammer fists. Marques is covering up but he’s struggling to address the position. More punches and hammer fists from Almeida, Marques is blocking but not doing anything to actually help his position and the ref steps in.

OFFICIAL RESULT: †WINNER – Jailton Almeida via TKO, punches, at 2:57 of Round 1

The First Round Finish Club thanks Mr. Almeida for his work this afternoon. Mic time for Almeida and his translator, he thanks Marques for the fight and wanted to show he belongs here in the UFC and he’s willing to fight next week if the UFC needs him. Asked about the future he wants to fight ranked fighters and be a champion, but his personal dream is to fight Mauricio “Shogun” Rua.

This clip is a little short, but should still convey the essence of what happened. Marques wasn’t thrilled with the stoppage, and while I understand why he’d be upset the reality is he wasn’t doing anything to actually address the position. Covering up is good, but if his argument boils down to “I should have been allowed to take 2 more minutes of abuse” then there’s not a real leg to stand on. Almeida’s top pressure is absurd, that man is going to be a problem for the division.

Alexis Davis is one of the pioneers of women’s MMA and has fought for the UFC bantamweight title in the past, but now finds herself just 1-4 in her last five fights. Davis is coming off of a loss and if she wants to maintain relevance in the division she can’t afford a loss here. Julia Stoliarenko has gone 0-2 in the UFC and while a win over Alexis Davis would be the biggest name on her resume this could also represent a final chance for her to prove she belongs in the UFC. Davis enjoys favored status at -240 to a +195 payout for Stoliarenko.

Women’s Bantamweight Bout: Alexis Davis (20-11, 135 lbs.) vs. Julija Stoliarenko (9-5-2, 135.5 lbs.)

ROUND ONE: Stoliarenko is an inch taller while Davis has two inches of reach advantage, Davis is also nine years older. They touch gloves to get going. Davis off balances Stoliarenko on a kick and gets on top in full guard. Stoliarenko starts fishing for an armbar while Davis lands elbows. Davis passes to half guard, but as she does Stoliarenko locks up a triangle armbar, that’s really tight but Davis is able to walk around through the pressure and escape then lands an elbow as Stoliarenko gets full guard back. Punches and an elbow from Davis. Stoliarenko tries the armbar again, again she gets close but this time Davis reads it and escapes with ease and passes to side control. Davis puts herself back into half guard and lands more blows while Stoliarenko gets full guard back. More rights from Davis, Stoliarenko’s left eye is starting to swell up. Davis lands another elbow. Stoliarenko tries the armbar again, she’s able to use the cage to help hit the angle but Davis is defending well thus far. Davis gets her arm free and she lands more blows from top position. Stoliarenko lands an illegal up kick and we get a timeout. Davis doesn’t seem too bothered but the ref wants the doctor to double check her anyway, she’s good to continue and we restart back on the ground in half guard. Davis goes back to landing strikes while Stoliarenko gets full guard back. They end the round in that position.

SCORECARD: 10-9 Davis

ROUND TWO: Stoliarenko comes out swinging, Davis lands a body kick. Davis lands another body kick. Stoliarenko lands a leg kick but takes a counter right hand. That left eye of Stoliarenko is kind of messed up, and Davis keeps targeting it. Davis lands a couple of calf kicks. Stoliarenko lands a left hook but took a strong right hand from Davis. Stoliarenko lands a right. Davis keeps walking Stoliarenko down, but she’s not setting her offense up much and a few feints would serve her well. Davis lands a calf kick. Elbow from Davis in close. Davis lands a calf kick, those are adding up. Stoliarenko isn’t addressing the leg kicks at all and that’s starting to cost her. They trade in close and now Davis is cut around her right eye, with all the scar tissue she has that’s not surprising. They trade punches again, Stoliarenko is starting to land better punches. Davis lands a front kick to the body. A couple of lefts from Stoliarenko land. Stoliarenko lands a head kick but takes a couple of hard calf kicks in return. Davis lands another leg kick, and another. Body shot from Davis then a right behind it. The forward pressure from Davis is getting to Stoliarenko. Davis lands a body kick, then another one to close the round.

SCORECARD: 10-9 Stoliarenko but a close one, 19-19 overall

ROUND THREE: Davis gets right back to forward pressure and is working leg kicks. A right from Davis lands, then she drops Stoliarenko with a calf kick and gets on top in full guard. Some body shots from Davis then an elbow to the head. More body to head punches from Davis and she avoids an armbar. Davis lands more elbows as she’s got Stoliarenko squished into the fence. There’s more swelling developing on Stoliarenko’s face and forehead. Davis is relentless with those elbows. Stoliarenko tries to attack another armbar but Davis is following her hips without much difficulty. More elbows from Davis and Stoliarenko is finally cut under the right eye. Davis keeps unloading as the round ends.

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

OFFICIAL RESULT: †WINNER – Alexis Davis via unanimous decision (30-27, 29-27 x2)

No real issues with a 10-8 for Davis in the third, Stoliarenko didn’t do much that round. No interview for Davis.

Chidi Njokuani is making his UFC debut on a two fight winning streak, and while he’s making it to the UFC later into his career he’s looking to make a good first impression on the wider UFC fan base. Marc-Andre Barriault opened his UFC career with a three fight losing streak but he’s won his last two fights and is looking to prove he’s finally found his stride. The odds for this one closed at a -110 Pick ‘Em.

Middleweight Bout: Marc-Andre Barriault (13-4 1 NC, 184.5 lbs.) vs. Chidi Njokuani (20-7 1 NC, 185 lbs.)

ROUND ONE: Njokuani is two inches taller with a significant six inches of reach advantage. They touch gloves and get to fighting. Njokuani starts with front kicks, then drops Barriault with a right hand and pounds him out against the fence.

OFFICIAL RESULT: †WINNER – Chidi Njokuani via KO, punches, at :16 of Round 1

The First Round Finish Club thanks Mr. Njokuani for his work this afternoon. Mic time for Njokuani after that, he’s very happy and thanks his coaches for all of their work with him. He calls over his brother Anthony who’s a WEC and UFC veteran and they share a hug. He talks us through the finish, he wanted to push Barriault back and keep the pace high, he didn’t expect it to work out like that. To close he says he’s coming for the belt.

Nothing fancy here, Njokuani just times a one two as Barriault is stepping. Barriault is also reaching with his left so Njokuani is able to get that right over the shoulder and to the target. Barriault is a tough guy so doing this to him is impressive.

Hakeem Dawodu has gone 5-2 in the UFC but he’s coming off of a loss to rising prospect Movsar Evloev, now he’s trying to bounce back with a win and avoid his first ever losing streak. Michael Trizano has gone 3-1 in the UFC, he’s coming off of a win and is trying to build another winning streak in the UFC while establishing himself as a rising force in the division. The odds are with Dawodu at -170 while Trizano’s comeback sits at +150.

Featherweight Bout: Hakeem Dawodu (12-2-1, 146 lbs.) vs. Michael Trizano (9-1, 145.5 lbs.)

ROUND ONE: Trizano is three inches taller but Dawodu has two and a half inches of reach advantage. Dawodu starts out kicking, Trizano looks to counter with the jab. Calf kick from Trizano lands. Dawodu lands a jab. Another calf kick from Trizano, Dawodu returns it this time. Trizano lands a jab. Another calf kick from Triazno. Dawodu starts showing off stance switching but is still mostly orthodox. Triazno lands another calf kick. Dawodu avoids a head kick and lands a leg kick. Trizano lands a right hand, Dawodu replies with a body shot. Dawodu lands a right hand. Trizano checks a calf kick. Dawodu lands another leg kick, then another. Both men land some front kicks then Trizano lands a couple of jabs. Dawodu lands a stiff jab. Every time Dawodu goes southpaw it’s to throw a left kick, I wonder if Trizano has picked up on that. Trizano lands a one two, Dawodu forces a clinch and Trizano lands some knees before slipping free. They trade calf kicks. Dawodu lands a jab, Trizano counters with a right hand. Right from Dawodu, Trizano is bleeding from the nose now. Dawodu lands a left hand, Trizano then closes the round with a spinning back kick to the body.

SCORECARD: 10-9 Dawodu

ROUND TWO: Trizano avoids a jumping kick as the round begins. Dawodu is still looking to work his kicks. Trizano lands a calf kick. Dawodu lands a leg kick. A left hook from Trizano staggers Dawodu for a second. Dawodu forces a clinch and they hit the fence. They break without incident. Dawodu lands a right hand. Jab from Trizano then Dawodu lands a left to the body. Trizano lands a right hand. Dawodu misses a leg kick, then Trizano avoids a right hand. Trizano lands a left hook then a knee to the body as Dawodu forces a clinch. They fight in the clinch for a bit but neither man finds any real success there before they break. Dawodu lands a jab. A left to the body then a body kick from Dawodu, Trizano didn’t like that. Dawodu lands another left to the body then a stiff jab. Trizano lands a leg kick but his body is a bit compromised. Dawodu lands a couple of calf kicks. A right from Dawodu then a left to the body and they clinch again. Both men work knees in the clinch as the round ends.

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

ROUND THREE: Dawodu goes back to kicking right away. Jabs from Dawodu. Trizano lands a left hook. They clinch up and hit the fence as Trizano misses a knee. Trizano slips free. Bit of a right from Trizano. Trizano lands a left then a knee to the body. Dawodu gets another clinch and they hit the fence with Trizano getting a takedown. Dawodu gives up the back but he’s able to wall walk and resume clinch fighting. They break without incident. Body shots from Dawodu, those are adding up, and they clinch again. Knees go back and forth then they break. Dawodu back to working body kicks, Trizano lands a right hand. They trade punches then Dawodu digs to the body and gets a clinch. Dawodu lands a couple of knees then they separate. Another clinch from Dawodu and they trade knees. Trizano slips free and they trade punches. Trizano lands a right hand, Dawodu lands a body shot and clinches up again. Dawodu lands knees, then Trizano lands an elbow as they break. More body shots from Dawodu, Trizano lands a left and then they clinch again. Trizano lands an elbow as they break. Dawodu lands a right, and clinches again. Both men land punches as they break the clinch. They trade one last time as the round ends.

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

OFFICIAL RESULT: †WINNER – Hakeem Dawodu via unanimous decision (30-27 x3)

Dawodu gets an interview after that, he says he’s finally injury free and this is one of the first fights in the UFC where he’s been healthy and thinks it shows what the future will be. He says he didn’t get hit clean much in this fight, puts over his coaches, thanks Canada for supporting him, puts over the other Canadian fighters being successful tonight, and thanks everyone all over the world who supports him.

Miles Johns has gone 3-1 in the UFC and is on a two fight winning streak with both of those being finishes, now he’s hoping to earn a step up in competition if he can extend that streak to three in a row here. John Castaneda has gone 1-1 in the UFC, but he’s coming off of a win when he stopped Eddie Wineland with strikes, now he’s trying to get his first UFC winning streak up and running. Johns is the favorite at -170 while the +150 payout for Castaneda might be a tempting value bet.

Bantamweight Bout: John Castaneda (18-5, 136 lbs.) vs. Miles Johns (12-1, 135.5 lbs.)

ROUND ONE: Johns is an inch taller while Castaneda has a notable five inches of reach advantage. Southpaw for Castaneda, they touch gloves and then he starts switching his stance as they move around. Both men do a lot of feinting as they circle, just feeling each other out. Bit of a jab from Johns. Castaneda misses a few kicks. Bit of a right from Johns. Johns lands a left hand. Castaneda has settled more into southpaw now. Castaneda lands a leg kick, Johns counters with a right hand. A lot of forward pressure from Castaneda but Johns is absorbing it well and looking to counter. Castaneda lands a leg kick. Johns lands a jab. Both men land in close. Clubbing right from Johns is partially blocked. Castaneda lands a left hand. Johns blocks a few kicks to end the round.

SCORECARD: 10-9 Castaneda but could go either way

ROUND TWO: Johns comes out kicking, and kicks Johns in the groin so we get a timeout. Johns doesn’t take long to recover then we’re back to fighting. Castaneda lands a left hand. Bit of a right from Johns. Body shot from Johns lands. Johns lands a right hand, but he’s not landing much truly flush. Castaneda keeps pressing forward. Head kick from Castaneda lands, Johns is a bit wobbled by that one. They trade hooks in close but Castaneda is blocking well and not getting hit cleanly. This round the pressure from Castaneda is starting to work more, Johns is getting to the fence more regularly. Castaneda lands a right then a right uppercut. Johns lands a left to the body. Castaneda avoids a takedown attempt and lands a left then a right hook that staggers Johns. Johns stumbles to the mat and Castaneda gets on top. Castaneda passes to half guard and lands some short punches. Johns kicks Castaneda off and stands but takes a punch and a knee then avoids the counters. Johns is badly over swinging his punches and Castaneda is avoiding them with relative ease. Castaneda lands some jabs to the body as the last relevant blows of the round.

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

ROUND THREE: Castaneda back to pressure and kicks right away. A right from Castaneda staggers Johns, he follows up with body shots and knees as Johns tries to get away. Castaneda stalks Johns to the fence and lands a knee. Johns is fatigued badly, he gets dropped from a knee and Castaneda gets on top. Castaneda is in half guard, he’s after an arm triangle and gets it, passes to finish and Johns goes to sleep.

OFFICIAL RESULT: †WINNER – John Castaneda via Technical Submission, arm triangle choke, at 1:38 of Round 3

The Final Round Finish Club thanks Mr. Castaneda for his work this evening. Mic time for Castaneda after the win, he’s happy with the win and knew he’d won the first two rounds but still went for the finish. He puts over Johns as a tricky opponent, he had to stay patient and let Johns over extend so he could counter. He talks us through some highlights and notes this was the last fight on his contract and hopes he earned another one here. To close he thanks Bisping for some of his commentary calling for him to use longer combinations and thinks that helped him a lot.

Not a whole lot to go into here, this is a pretty textbook arm triangle from Castaneda. Castaneda made a darn good account of himself in this fight and could be a problem for the division.

That ends the prelims, though we’re still on ESPN+ for the main card.

Julian Erosa has gone 3-1 in his third stint with the UFC, he scored a win over Charles Jourdain in his last fight and now looks to get another winning streak up and running. Steven Peterson has gone 3-3 in the UFC and is on a two fight winning streak, but there’s a pretty dark cloud hanging over him as he missed weight rather badly. Peterson missed weight for his last fight too, so one expects he’ll be moving up in weight next time. Erosa is a rather heavy favorite at -305 to +240 on Peterson.

Featherweight Bout: Julian Erosa (26-9, 145.5 lbs.) vs. Steven Peterson (19-9, 149 lbs.)

ROUND ONE: Erosa is three inches taller with four and a half inches of reach over Peterson. Both men start fighting right away, Erosa with a high kick and a bit of a right hand follow up. Peterson forces a clinch and they hit the fence. Peterson lands a right hand before they break. Erosa starts switching his stance as he looks to engage. Body kick from Erosa lands. Bit of a right from Erosa, then a front kick to the body. Peterson lands a couple of calf kicks but Erosa is walking him down and digging body shots. One two from Erosa. Peterson avoids a few punches but the pressure is getting to him. They trade punches in close. Erosa lands a right hand. Peterson misses a spinning back fist. Erosa keeps coming forward and lands a body kick. Peterson is bleeding from under the left eye. Erosa lands a right hand, he’s still got Peterson on the back foot. Both men land rights. Calf kick from Erosa then he avoids a spinning back fist. Both men land punches in clsoe. Erosa stuns Peterson with a few punches and looks to unload along the fence as the round ends.

SCORECARD: 10-9 Erosa

ROUND TWO: Erosa gets right back to action, he walks into a right hand but fires back with punches. Peterson’s nose is bleeding badly. Erosa lands a body shot and keeps pressing Peterson back. Some leg kicks from Peterson then they trade rights. Peterson lands a Superman punch. Erosa has stopped going forward and Peterson is having more success on the front foot. Peterson avoids a double leg and lands a right hand. Jab from Peterson lands. Erosa lands a few jabs and is pressing forward again. They trade lefts then Erosa lands a leg kick. A hard right from Peterson wobbles Erosa, they trade and get to the fence then brawl with both men landing punches. Peterson keeps coming forward and looking to finish but Erosa floors him with a spinning back fist and takes over the forward pressure. Erosa tries a takedown, has to settle for a clinch on the fence. Peterson spins Erosa into the fence and they just settle into the clinch for a few moments. They break with a right from Peterson. Peterson lands another right hand. Erosa keeps coming forward and lands a combination. Erosa avoids a spinning attack and they clinch then break. More punches from Erosa land, Peterson might have punched himself out. Stiff jab from Peterson. Both men land punches as the round ends.

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

ROUND THREE: They touch gloves for the final round. Erosa lands a right hand, he’s pressuring forward again. Peterson finds himself on the fence. They split some jabs as Erosa keeps coming forward. Peterson lands a right hand but Erosa gets a double leg and Peterson grabs a guillotine choke. Erosa is able to break the grip and move to half guard as Peterson tries to wall walk. Peterson wall walks, and they both miss elbows as they break. Erosa misses a left. Peterson lands a one two. Erosa lands a right hand. They trade some lefts. Peterson lands a right hand, Erosa lands a left. Erosa fires up and lands a combination then a hard body kick. Leg kick from Peterson connects. Erosa avoids an uppercut and lands a counter punch. They clinch up then break and Erosa lands a right hand. More forward pressure from Erosa, he just wont be deterred. Punches from both men, they’re just clubbing each other then Erosa gets a takedown. Peterson tries another guillotine but Erosa gets free quickly and then moves to north-south and lands elbows. Erosa stands and lands punches standing over Peterson. Peterson gets full guard, Erosa postures up and lands blows then stands up. They swing wildly and Erosa tries a Rolling Thunder kick as the round ends.

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

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

Well that’s Fight of the Night so far, and by a wide margin. No issues with the split, round three was bonkers. Mic time for Erosa, he acknowledges it was a close fight but thinks the takedowns might have swayed it for him. He thanks everyone supporting him and leaned on everyone who’s got his back when he got hurt and kept going. He puts over Peterson as a tough opponent that he really wanted to fight because he knew they’d do something like this.

Tresean Gore is undefeated coming into his UFC debut, and he’s hoping to make a good first impression on the biggest stage he’s ever been on. Bryan Battle has a five fight winning streak going including a successful UFC debut last year, now he’s trying to extend that streak and begin the difficult climb through the middleweight ranks. The odds lean towards Gore at -140 to a +120 payout on Battle.

Middleweight Bout: Bryan Battle (6-1, 185.5 lbs.) vs. Tresean Gore (3-0, 186 lbs.)

ROUND ONE: Battle is an inch taller with two inches of reach over Gore. They touch gloves to get us going. Battle starts kicking to the body and legs right away. Gore keeps working forward as Battle kicks him to the body several times. Gore tries a high kick that’s blocked. They split jabs, Gore just keeps coming forward. Leg kick from Battle, then another one. Gore has a kick blocked then they trade leg kicks. Battle just keeps chopping at that lead leg. Front kick to the body from Battle. Bit of a one two from Battle. Another front kick from Battle lands. Gore tries a clinch but they break apart almost immediately. Leg kick from Gore. Battle lands a body kick, then a front kick to the body and a right hand behind it. They trade punches in close then Gore falls into the cage and Battle circles back to open space. Battle keeps stabbing those front kicks in, then lands a left hook as well. Bit of a right from Gore. Battle fires a couple of one two combinations, he’s starting to find the cracks in Gore’s defense and he’s still chopping at his legs and body. Gore lands a left hook as the last blow of the round.

SCORECARD: 10-9 Battle

ROUND TWO: Gore resumes pressing forward, he’s firing his own body kicks now. Battle lands a front kick then a leg kick. Bit of a left from Battle. They trade some jabs, Battle is starting to fire in longer combinations. Battle lands a right hand, then a left to the body. Gore lands a body kick. Calf kick from Gore. Battle lands a front kick then a body kick. A left hook from Gore staggers Battle for a second. More kicks from Battle but Gore backs him into the fence and lands a left hook. Battle has stopped managing the distance this round and Gore is getting closer. Double leg from Battle after he landed a combination, Gore defends against the fence but he can’t get out of the clinch. Battle lands punches as they break then forces the clinch again. Both men land body shots in the clinch, Battle punches as they break and then hits a double leg. Gore wall walks very quickly but Battle is still on him and working in the clinch. They break and trade punches but Battle is right back on him, Gore grabs at a guillotine and forces Battle down with it then lands punches as Battle looks to wall walk. Gore moves to half guard, lands more punches as Battle stalls out the round.

SCORECARD: 10-9 Gore, 19-19 overall

ROUND THREE: Battle’s right eye is swollen after those left hooks. Both men work kicks but Battle keeps a higher pace thus far. Gore lands a right hand. Body kick from Battle. Gore eats a body kick and gets a double leg against the fence. Battle looks to wall walk, he’s back up and spins Gore into the cage. Some knees from Battle then body shots. Gore tries a body lock takedown, can’t get it but does break free and fires hooks that are blocked. Battle lands a body kick. Gore blocks a combination. Battle lands a body kick, he’s got Gore on the fence and forces a clinch. They jockey for position, Battle is generally getting the better of this. Battle lands a left and maintains the clinch. More knees from Battle then they break. Both men land rights then Battle lands a left hook. Battle ducks a left and forces a clinch on the fence. They break without incident. Gore misses a high kick. Front kicks from Battle then they trade rights. Battle fires a left and tries a double leg but has to settle for a clinch on the fence. They break and Battle goes back to volume striking. Gore misses a right and Battle hits him with another combination. One final body kick from Battle closes the round.

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

OFFICIAL RESULT: †WINNER – Brian Battle via unanimous decision (29-28 x3)

Mic time for Battle, he says this was for everyone who said he wasn’t the real TUF champion of their season. People cared that much? He says the second round was rough but knew he won the first and had to win the third so he never let Gore into that last round. Asked about the swelling on his right eye he jokes with Bisping about not needing two eyes. He makes another reference to the TUF show when he felt disrespected to close the interview.

Sam Alvey hasn’t won a fight since eking out a split decision over Gian Villante back in 2018, since then he’s 0-6-1 and logically should require a win here to keep his job. Brendan Allen took this fight on less than a week’s notice and is looking to avoid his first ever losing streak while potentially bouncing Alvey from the UFC. Despite taking the fight on short notice Allen is a heavy -435 favorite to +330 for Alvey.

Light Heavyweight Bout: Brendan Allen (17-5, 205 lbs.) vs. Sam Alvey (33-16-1 1 NC, 205 lbs.)

ROUND ONE: These two are the same height, Alvey has half an inch of reach but is also nine years older. Alvey fighting southpaw per usual. Allen starts coming forward, Alvey retreats to the fence. Body shot from Allen then a body kick to follow it up. They trade lead hand punches. Double leg from Allen, he switches to a single leg as they hit the fence and things stall out. Alvey is able to spin free but then puts himself back on the fence. Head kick from Allen is partially successful. Stiff jab from Alvey. Alvey lands a left hand. Body kick from Allen. A lot of kicks from Allen thus far, Alvey still focusing on punches. They trade punches in close. Some spinning attacks from Allen are blocked. Allen lands an inside leg kick. With how wide Alvey’s guard is I’m surprised Allen hasn’t tried any front kicks. Alvey lands a couple of punches, then Allen forces a clinch. Both men land punches as they break, Alvey got hurt. Allen drops Alvey with a right, Alvey is back up and they trade in close as the round ends.

SCORECARD: 10-9 Allen

ROUND TWO: Allen comes out kicking again and pushing Alvey backwards. Allen has started drawing out the counters of Alvey. Bit of a leg kick from Alvey. Allen lands a body kick. Bit of a right to the body from Allen. Alvey misses a few punches. A left hook from Allen in close almost face plants Alvey, but he recovers and tries to stand but Allen grabs a no hooks rear naked choke on the mat and Alvey has to tap.

OFFICIAL RESULT: †WINNER – Brendan Allen via Submission, rear naked choke, at 2:10 of Round 2

Mic time for Allen after the win, he says the only game plan he had time for was to fight, and get the bad taste out of his mouth after his last loss. He talks us through the finish and puts over Alvey as a dangerous opponent. To close he asks to be on Meat Eaters, wants a spot on the ESPN analyst desk, and tells Anthony Pettis to pay him.

Here’s the finish. This is a classic punching combination, come in head low and dig a right to the body then come upstairs with a left hook. Once Alvey is rocked he can’t defend the choke and Allen locks it up quickly, it’s so tight with the arms he doesn’t even need the hooks.

Shavkat Rakhmonov is undefeated including two wins in the UFC, and the skills he’s shown thus far have a lot of pundits pointing at him as a future player in the title picture. Rakhmonov is trying to extend his perfect record and possibly force a step up in class for his next fight. Carlston Harris is on a five fight winning streak including two wins in the UFC, and he’s hoping to turn back the surging Rakhmonov while proving that he’s the rising force in the division everyone should be watching. The odds are with Rakhmonov at -255 while the +205 payout on Harris could well tempt a few gamblers out there.

Welterweight Bout: Carlston Harris (17-4, 169 lbs.) vs. Shavkat Rakhmonov (14-0, 170.5 lbs.)

ROUND ONE: Rakhmonov has one inch of height and reach over Harris. They touch gloves to get us going. Both men feinting early, trying to get a read on each other. Body kick from Harris. Rakhmonov keeps pushing forward, he avoids a right hand then lands a jab. Harris misses a few wide punches. Rakhmonov lands a body kick. A few more jabs from Rakhmonov land. Rakhmonov avoids a right and lands a counter punch. Spinning back kick to the body from Rakhmonov hurts Harris, he lands a right hand to follow up before Harris forces a clinch. Rakhmonov works the body in the clinch, both men try for takedowns but neither can find them. Harris keeps his feet as Rakhmonov tries for more takedowns, some impressive balance there. Whizzer kick from Rakhmonov but Harris scrambles back up and they separate. Both men miss kicks. Spinning kick to the head from Rakhmonov drops Harris, he gets on top and puts Harris out cold with punches.

OFFICIAL RESULT: †WINNER – Shavkat Rakhmonov via KO, wheel kick and punches, at 4:10 of Round 1

The First Round Finish Club thanks Mr. Rakhmonov for his work this evening. Mic time for Rakhmonov and his translator, he has a speech prepared before getting to Bisping’s question, he notes he always finishes his opponents and added another one here with the grace of God.

The wheel kick here is nice, but the follow up is what should really scare you. That’s straight, accurate, and brutal punches to close the show. There’s a reason people are ducking Rakhmonov, that man is a serious talent.

Punahele Soriano has gone 2-1 in the UFC but he’s coming off of the first loss of his career and is trying to bounce back here while avoiding his first losing streak. Nick Maximov had a successful UFC debut last year, now he’s trying to build on that success and start making headway in the middleweight division. Soriano is the favorite at -190 to a +160 comeback on Maximov.

Middleweight Bout: Nick Maximov (7-0, 185 lbs.) vs. Punahele Soriano (8-1, 185 lbs.)

ROUND ONE: Maximov is an inch taller and has three and a half inches of reach advantage. Southpaw for Soriano and they touch gloves. Maximov tries a takedown, Soriano avoids it. They trade body kicks. Maximov lands a right hand and tries another takedown but Soriano is defending. Soriano uses a cradle to try and escape but Maximov is dogged and gets his back as they stand then has a head kick blocked as they break. Body kick from Soriano connects. Maximov lands a front kick and takes a left hand then Maximov lands a heavy knee that wobbles Maximov. Maximov is bleeding, he tries a takedown but Soriano defends on the fence. As they scramble Maximov jumps to the back with both hooks in and starts looking for the choke from the backpack position. Soriano is hand fighting well and staying rather safe. Maximov bails on the hooks and starts looking for a takedown. They hit the fence again, Soriano’s defensive wrestling is quite good and he knees the body and lays in punches while defending on the mat as the round ends.

SCORECARD: 10-9 Soriano

ROUND TWO: Maximov lands a right hand. Soriano lands a left hand, Maximov tries a takedown and they wrestle on the mat before Soriano stands free. A left from Soriano lands, then he starts unloading and Maximov tries another takedown and they wind up clinched on the fence. Soriano gets free and they reset. More punches from Soriano, then a left to the body hurts Maximov who tries another single leg. Soriano keeps landing punches to the body and head while defending, he threatens a switch and they fight up into a clinch. Maximov has the back standing, but Soriano is fighting his hands. Maximov lands some knees to the thigh and some punches. Soriano lands some more short elbows while avoiding being controlled on the mat. Maximov finally scoops the legs as they’re near the fence but he can’t control Soriano. Soriano hits a switch, lands body shots then Maximov throws knees to the thigh as the round ends.

SCORECARD: 10-9 Soriano but could go either way, 20-18 Soriano overall

ROUND THREE: Maximov immediately works for a takedown and gets things to the mat. Soriano starts working to wall walk, he gets up but Maximov is on his back. Some short punches from Maximov connect, then he gets a double leg. Soriano starts to wall walk again and eventually is up but he can’t get Maximov off of him. Another takedown from Maximov, another wall walk from Soriano. Maximov tries a single leg, Soriano looks to defend again and lays in punches to the body. One of Soriano’s legs is messed up, but he moves to a donkey guard and lands more punches to the body. Hammer fists from Soriano, Maximov is just kind of hanging on. Soriano wall walks, digs more body shots then gets free. Maximov just keeps distance for the final 10 seconds or so.

SCORECARD: 10-9 Maximov, 29-28 Soriano overall

OFFICIAL RESULT: †WINNER – Nick Maximov via split decision (29-28, 29-28, 30-27)

That 30-27 is Clucky card. Mic time for Maximov, he puts over Soriano as a tough guy and a good opponent who was tough. Asked about the future he just puts over his coaches and supporters.

Jack Hermansson has been close a title shot a few different times in his UFC career but has suffered some key setbacks, he was last seen besting Edmen Shahbazyan and if he can get a win here it will be his first winning streak since 2019 and while it might not grant him a title shot it would definitely put him in the title picture. Sean Strickland has never lost at middleweight, all of his losses coming at welterweight. Strickland has a five fight winning streak going on and if he can take out Hermansson here it should get him a fight with a top five opponent next while putting him in excellent position near the top of the division. The odds are with Strickland at -220 while Hermansson’s comeback sits at +180.

Middleweight Bout: #6 Jack Hermansson (22-6, 185.5 lbs.) vs. #7 Sean Strickland (24-3, 185.5 lbs.)

ROUND ONE: These two are the same height while Hermansson has an inch and a half of reach advantage. Hermansson lands a calf kick to get the round going. Strickland lands a jab. Another calf kick from Hermansson. Strickland keeps working his jab. Bit of a left from Strickland to counter a calf kick. Hermansson tries a takedown, they hit the fence and Strickland lands a knee while defending. Hermansson switches to a single leg, he moves to the back of Strickland in the clinch and tries to finish the takedown but Strickland defends and they break apart. Strickland lands a jab. Hermansson lands a jab of his own. More jabs from Strickland, that jab is already troubling Hermansson. Strickland lands a right hand. More jabs from Strickland as they move around. Hermansson misses a few punches and lands a calf kick. Another jab from Strickland lands. Hermansson is doing a lot of moving. Strickland lands a couple of jabs but he’s not quite landing the follow up right yet. A couple more jabs from Strickland, then Hermansson lands a calf kick. Strickland lands a jab then avoids the counters to end the round.

SCORECARD: 10-9 Strickland

ROUND TWO: Strickland back to jabbing while Hermansson tries to get his kicking game working. Hermansson is struggling to find the target with his kicks but he’s still throwing them. Strickland lands a couple of jabs. Hermansson lands a calf kick. Strickland easily avoids a takedown attempt. One two from Strickland lands. Hermansson is struggling with the distance now, he’s missing bigger and bigger. Strickland lands a combination then Hermansson fires back. Strickland lands a right to the body, Hermansson is getting sucked into Strickland’s style of fight. Body kick from Hermansson then Strickland avoids a double leg attempt. Strickland lands a front kick to the body then a jab. Another right to the body from Strickland. More pot shots from Strickland then a few body kicks and Hermansson falls short with his counters. Hermansson lands a calf kick. Bit of a jab from Strickland, Hermansson is trying to stay mobile but he’s not quite as effective there as he was before. A few kicks from Strickland land to the body, then a jab. Strickland lands a front kick to the body. A right from Strickland floors Hermansson to end the round.

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

ROUND THREE: Strickland starts jabbing immediately, Hermansson is coming forward more this round though. Calf kick from Hermansson. Strickland lands a jab. More jabs from Strickland, that thing is chewing Hermansson up when he tries to get in range. Hermansson lands an inside leg kick. Strickland avoids a takedown with ease. Hermansson is back to circling, and he eats jabs along the way. Strickland keeps landing jabs and avoiding the offense of Hermansson. Hermansson lands a body kick, then Strickland lands a counter right. Body kick from Strickland lands. Hermansson falls short with punches again, Strickland’s small defensive movements are incredibly effective here. Jab then a middle kick from Strickland. Bit of a right from Strickland. Hermansson lands to the body but he can’t find the head. Strickland lands a jab, then another one. Front kick from Strickland lands then a right to the body. They trade body kicks. Body kick from Strickland lands. Strickland lands a jab then tries a head kick as the round ends.

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

ROUND FOUR: Hermansson starts pressing forward but still can’t find the target. Strickland avoids some looping punches and gets his jab working again. Hermansson is looking to make this a bit of a dog fight. Strickland lands a jab, Hermansson tries a single leg that hits the fence but Strickland defends and slips free. More jabs from Strickland as he circles. Stiff right from Strickland lands. Hermansson lands a calf kick. Strickland is stalking forward, the pressure is getting to Hermansson a little bit now. Body kick from Strickland. Another jab from Strickland. Front kick to the body from Strickland. Hermansson lands a right, Strickland jabs him several times then lands a kick. Strickland lands a jab. Hermansson misses a flurry of punches. Strickland keeps coming forward, he lands a few jabs and a leg kick. Hermansson misses a few punches. Strickland misses a head kick. More jabs from Strickland land. A few kicks from Strickland get through then the round ends.

SCORECARD: 10-9 Strickland, 40-36 Strickland overall

ROUND FIVE: Strickland is bleeding from the nose a little bit. Hermansson presses forward swinging but he can’t find the target. Hermansson tries to egg Strickland on. A few jabs from Strickland and he avoids the punches of Hermansson. Strickland lands a front kick to the body. Bit of a right from Strickland. Stiff jab from Strickland. Hermansson lands a body kick. Strickland lands a jab, Hermansson is pressing forward and lands a Superman punch. One two from Strickland then he blocks the counters. Strickland lands a jab and Hermansson still can’t find the counters. Body shot from Strickland connects. Both men land punches in close. Hermansson misses a few punches, then eats a couple of jabs. Calf kick from Hermansson. Strickland backs Hermansson up and lands a calf kick of his own. A stiff right from Strickland lands. Hermansson misses punches, tries a single leg but Strickland defends against the fence and separates. Bit of a right from Strickland. Strickland calls for a brawl to end the fight, and they both agree then start swinging for the final seconds.

SCORECARD: 10-9 Strickland, 50-45 Strickland overall

OFFICIAL RESULT: †WINNER – Sean Strickland via split decision (47-48, 49-46 x2)

Clucky, what are you doing in there? Mic time for Strickland, he disagrees with the split as does anyone with eyes. He says he fought a bit like a pansy and wanted more of the final bit of the fight, he thinks he let the win bonus get to him and promises this wont happen again. Asked what he wants next he’d love a title shot, but he’ll fight whoever they put in front of him but would prefer the champion. To close he thanks the fans, because without them he’d be a piece of shit and now he can be a piece of shit with money.

Mic time for Hermansson as well, he was thrown off in the fight and the takedown failures tensed him up so he wound up fighting Strickland’s fight and he’s not happy. He puts over Strickland’s takedown defense to close.

OK, my gimmickry aside that card for Hermansson from Sal D’Amato is indefensible. Stop hiring that man to judge fights.

On that note, UFC on ESPN+ 58 comes to a close. We’ll break down all the action from this event on the 411 Ground and Pound podcast tomorrow as well as preview UFC 271. Next week is UFC 271, headlined by the rematch between UFC middleweight champion Israel Adesanya and Robert Whittaker and I’m am very excited for that one. I’ll be back to cover it live next week, and I hope you’ll be here as well. 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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