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411’s UFC on ESPN+ 13 Report: Urijah Faber Wins In Return

July 13, 2019 | Posted by Robert Winfree

MAIN CARD (ESPN+, 8 p.m. ET)
#1 Germaine de Randamie (136 lbs.) vs. #4 Aspen Ladd (135 lbs.)
Urijah Faber (135.5 lbs.) vs. #15 Ricky Simon (134.5 lbs.)
#12 Mirsad Bektic (145 lbs.) vs. #10 Josh Emmett (146 lbs.)
Karl Roberson (185.5 lbs.) vs. Wellington Turman (185 lbs.)
Cezar Ferreira (185.5 lbs.) vs. Marvin Vettori (185.5 lbs.)

PRELIMINARY CARD (ESPN+, 5 p.m. ET)
John Allan (203 lbs.) vs. Mike Rodriguez (204.5 lbs.)
Andre Fili (145.5 lbs.) vs. Sheymon Moraes (146 lbs.)
Nicco Montano (135.5 lbs.) vs. Julianna Pena (135.5 lbs.)
Darren Elkins (145.5 lbs.) vs. Ryan Hall (144.5 lbs.)
Jonathan Martinez (136 lbs.) vs. Liu Pingyuan (136 lbs.)
Livinha Souza (116 lbs.) vs. Brianna Van Buren (115 lbs.)
Benito Lopez (136 lbs.) vs. Vince Morales (135.5 lbs.)


Hello everyone and welcome to 411mania’s LIVE coverage of UFC on ESPN+ 13. I’m Robert Winfree and I’ll be your host for the evening, relaying all of the action to you good people just as I see it. This card, well, it’s not great. The main event is a perfectly fine fight, but a poor main event when former women’s featherweight champion Germaine de Randamie will be taking on surging contender Aspen Ladd. The co-main event likely has much more casual interest as Hall of Famer “The California Middle Aged Man” Urijah Faber comes out of retirement to battle Ricky Simon, Simon being the closest in terms of style and visuals to a WEC bantamweight circa 2008 that the UFC has on hand. The most relevant fight is probably the featherweight tilt between two ranked contenders when Josh Emmett battles Mirsad Bektic with the winner likely entering the title orbit.

UFC on ESPN+ 13 comes to the world from the Golden 1 Center in Sacramento, California, USA. On commentary we have Brendan Fitzgerald and Michael Bisping. We’ve also got Brett Okamoto doing reporting and Trevor Wittman chiming in on occasion regarding cornering. As for the rules the CSAC has adopted the new rules so you need both palms or fists flat on the mat to be considered downed, the language around scoring is clearer and more encouraging of 10-8’s. We also have the use of instant replay for a fight ending sequence.

Benito Lopez has gone 1-1 in the UFC, he’s coming off of a loss and is trying to avoid the first losing streak of his career. Vince Morales has also gone 1-1 in the UFC but is coming off of a win and is trying to get his first UFC winning streak up and running. The odds are with Morales at -120 to a -110 comeback for Lopez.

Bantamweight Bout: Benito Lopez (9-1, 136 lbs.) vs. Vince Morales (9-3, 135.5 lbs.)

ROUND ONE: Lopez has three inches of height and reach on Morales. Lopez is stalking forward, misses a head kick. Morales uses a one two to counter a sloppy kick, then Lopez lands a leg kick. Bit of a body kick from Lopez. Lopez is trying to get his kicking game going early, Morales is doing a lot of circling but hasn’t found much offense. Morales checks a leg kick, Lopez doesn’t care and fires another calf kick. Lopez lands another leg kick, this time there’s a bit of a counter from Morales. Ugh, the “woo’s” are already here and they are loud. More leg kicks from Lopez, Morales isn’t doing much to deter him. Again the kick to the calf from Lopez. Morales finally lands a right and drops Lopez then follows him down and starts looking to land punches from the guard. Lopez tries to get his guard in play, Morales decides he doesn’t like that and just stands back up. Lopez is circling away now, Morales lands a leg kick of his own. Lopez misses a flying knee just as the round ends.

SCORECARD: 10-9 Morales

ROUND TWO: Morales shows the right hand again and Lopez reacts to it. Lopez lands a leg kick. Now Morales lands a leg kick. Both men are probing with leg kicks but Lopez is the one pushing forward at this point. Morales lands a bit of a jab. Lopez with a spinning back kick to the body. Morales tries the overhand again but can’t really connect. Lopez lands a leg kick and blocks the attempted counters. Morales lands a bit of a combination. More leg kicks from Lopez but Morales stumbles him with a right. Lopez is back to kicking the legs and keeping this fight at the distance he wants. Nothing will really happen over the last five to ten seconds.

SCORECARD: 10-9 Lopez, 19-19 overall

ROUND THREE: Morales is pushing forward more this round, lands a leg kick then a right to the body. A few punches land for Morales to counter a kick. Lopez lands a leg kick. Morales lands a right uppercut and looks to tee off, he lands several punches but Lopez tries a flying knee and that’s enough to get him to back off. Lopez lands a few leg and body kicks. Morales lands a several punch combination to the body and head. Lopez is still relying on leg kicks but he seems to be fading in bit in terms of his movement. Another blitz combination of punches from Morales mostly land. Morales lands a jab. When Morales uses combinations he’s having success but his one or two shotting from the outside isn’t working all that well. Bit of a right from Morales. Right then a left from Morales land and Lopez lands a leg kick. Another barrage of body shots and uppercuts from Morales land. Lopez is covering up high and his body is wide open. Another leg kick from Lopez but Morales is pushing him back and both men posture for a brawl at the end but neither engage in it.

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

OFFICIAL RESULT: †WINNER – Benito Lopez via unanimous decision (29-28 x3)

So it’s gonna be one of those nights is it? Bad scoring. Mic time for Lopez, he puts over his Mexican heart and says this is the first of many wins for Team Alpha Male tonight.

Livia Renata Souza is on a four fight winning streak including two in the UFC, she’s looking to defend her top ranking and possibly improve upon it with another impressive performance. Brianna Van Buren is replacing Cynthia Calvillo on about a months notice but has a five fight winning streak going on including wins of UFC vets Kailin Curran and Juliana Lima. Van Buren is your -125 favorite to a -105 payout for Souza.

Women’s Strawweight Bout: Livinha Souza (13-1, 116 lbs.) vs. Brianna Van Buren (8-2. 115 lbs.)

ROUND ONE: Souza is three inches taller and has an inch of reach on Van Buren. Southpaw for Van Buren, and they start by circling and feinting a bit at each other. Van Buren lands a body kick and barely avoids a counter punch. They clinch up off of a knee from Van Buren and they hit the fence. Some positional jockeying, a few knees go back and forth then Van Buren lands a right. More knees are traded and Souza can’t seem to find a way off of the fence. Bit of a left hook from Souza as they break. High kick from Van Buren is blocked but she’s bringing some serious fire power. Van Buren punches into the clinch again, this time Souza gets free rather quickly and lands a knee on the break. Leg kick from Van Buren. Bit of a trip from Van Buren, she just lands leg kicks while Souza is on her back before making her stand back up. Souza walks into a right, both women land some punches then they clinch and Souza gets a body lock takedown. Van Buren lands a couple of short elbows from her back and they scramble as the round ends.

SCORECARD: 10-9 Van Buren

ROUND TWO: Van Buren has a very upright posture with her back, Souza is starting to show some stance switches. Van Buren lands a leg kick. They trade body kicks, Van Buren catches one and lands a right as Souza gets her leg back. Inside leg kick from Souza but Van Buren is backing her into the fence and looking for a chance to tee off. Bit of a combination from Van Buren, she’s staying busy if nothing else. Van Buren lands some punches then a kick along the fence and is looking to unload while Souza is looking for a way off of the fence. Souza lands a right and Van Buren is backing up now. Van Buren punches Souza to the fence again and starts working the body as well. Souza is hurt to the body, Van Buren is being mindful of her distance so Souza can’t really find a clinch but she can circle off of the fence. There’s some swelling around the right eye of Souza, Van Buren swings a left to the body. Bit of a right from Souza, Van Buren lands a body kick. Van Buren backs Souza towards the fence but can’t really find a lot of sustained success. They trade body kicks as the round ends.

SCORECARD: 10-9 Van Buren, 20-18 Van Buren overall

ROUND THREE: They touch gloves for the last round. Van Buren misses a few punches, Souza misses a jumping kick. Both women land leg kicks. Spinning back kick to the body from Souza. Inside leg kick from Van Buren. Front kick to the body from Van Buren, Souza lands an inside leg kick. Takedown from Souza, Van Buren thinks about an omoplata to get up but Souza scrambles around and Van Buren winds up holding a single leg form her knees. Van Buren is back up and drives Souza into the fence then gets a double leg position, Souza hops up for guard and looks for a guillotine. Van Buren gently deposits Souza on the mat, probably avoiding a guillotine position, and gets her head free to work from top position. Souza is after an armbar but Van Buren is keeping her from finding success. Lefts from Van Buren, Souza is looking to wall walk while eating those punches. They resume clinching as Souza is back up, Souza gestures to the ref and Van Buren responds with a series of body shots and a couple of hooks to the head as they break. Souza misses a wheel kick. A couple of one twos from Van Buren. Single leg from Van Buren and she’s got Souza down into half guard. Souza gets guard back and is after an armbar but Van Buren can defend for the final couple of seconds as time runs down.

SCORECARD: 10-9 Van Buren, 30-27 Van Buren overall

OFFICIAL RESULT: †WINNER – Brianna Van Buren via unanimous decision (30-27 x3)

Nice debut for Van Buren, who gets on the mic. She wanted the finish but couldn’t quite find it then puts over Souza as tough and looks forward to the next one. Asked about how soon she wants back in the cage, she wants on the October San Francisco card as she’s from around that area and she wants a top ten opponent for that card, she knows she’s asking for too much but will take whoever they can get for her.

Liu Pingyuan has a whopping ten fight winning streak going that includes two wins in the UFC. Pingyuan is looking to continue that streak here and earn a step up in competition. Jonathan Martinez has gone 1-1 in the UFC but is coming off of a win and is after his first UFC winning streak. The odds like Pingyuan at -180 to +150 for Martinez.

Bantamweight Bout: Jonathan Martinez (10-2, 136 lbs.) vs. Liu Pingyuan (15-4, 136 lbs.)

ROUND ONE: Martinez is two inches taller while Pingyuan has two inches of reach advantage. Circling to start, Martinez is fighting southpaw. Both men try some kicks, Pingyuan lands one to the body. Martinez is stalking forward, both men miss body kicks. Bit of a pull back counter left from Martinez then a body kick. Pingyuan misses a couple of punches, Martinez seems to have a read on him at this point and is letting him throw and miss. Martinez lands a body kick. Left lands for Martinez, he avoids a series of punches and they clash on body kicks. Pingyuan lands a right and wobbles Martinez for a second, he tries to follow up but walks into a right hook after trying knees in the clinch. Martinez with a flying knee that wobbles Pingyuan. Another flying knee that lands, Pingyuan fires back. Body kick from Martinez, his pressure is getting to Pingyuan. More knees and a body kick from Martinez. Pingyuan circles away for the last couple of seconds.

SCORECARD: 10-9 Martinez but a close one

ROUND TWO: They touch gloves for the second round. Martinez is back to forward pressure, Pingyuan circling but always circling the same way. Pingyuan misses a couple of punches. Martinez is doing a lot of following instead of cage cutting, but he lands a body kick. Bit of a right from Pingyuan. Pingyuan blocks a high kick. Martinez lands a jab. Martinez tries a high kick that’s mostly blocked. Counter jab from Martinez then a blocked high kick. Deeply uneventful round so far, 30 seconds left. Pingyuan misses some punches. Bit of a high kick from Pingyuan will close out the round.

SCORECARD: 10-9 Martinez I guess, 20-18 Martinez overall

ROUND THREE: They touch gloves for the final round. Pingyuan is coming forward a bit this round, but his offense is blocked. Martinez lands a body kick. Martinez with a bit of a left and Pingyuan is back to circling to his left. Pingyuan lands a right to the body. Even commentary has been mentioning the lack of cage cutting and lack of sustained offense. Martinez lands a jab, and another counter jab. Pingyuan ducks down into a stepping knee from Martinez that ENDS his night.

OFFICIAL RESULT: †WINNER – Jonathan Martinez via KO, knee, at 3:54 of Round 3

The Final Round Finish Club thanks Mr. Martinez for his work this evening. He lulled Pingyuan to sleep with rhythm and then put him to sleep with the knee. Mic time for Martinez, he puts over his coaches for getting him ready for the knee and drilling it with him for all of his camp. He talks us through the finish to close out his time.

Watch the shoulders of Pingyuan as he moves. It’s rather predictable and if you look at the exchanges from earlier in the fight he always dips his head the same way and this time Martinez is able to time the entry with a knee that just puts him down and out.

Darren Elkins is on the first losing streak of his career and coming off of his first stoppage loss due to strikes, now he’s trying to arrest that negative momentum and get back on the winning side of things. Ryan Hall is on a seven fight winning streak with three of those coming in the UFC and he’s coming off of the biggest win of his career when he became the first man in MMA to submit BJ Penn. Hall is looking to crack the top fifteen with a win here. The odds are very close but favor Elkins at -120 to -110 for Hall.

Featherweight Bout: Darren Elkins (24-7, 145.5 lbs.) vs. Ryan Hall (7-1, 144.5 lbs.)

ROUND ONE: These two are the same height while Elkins has half an inch of reach on Hall. They touch gloves to get us going, southpaw for Hall. Hall is showing side kicks and circling around. Elkins misses a few rights while trying to safely close distance. Elkins avoids an Imanari roll and then makes Hall regain his feet. Spinning back kick from Hall and he slips, Hall lands a leg kick then forces things back to the feet. Elkins ducks under a wheel kick, lands a couple of leg kicks as Hall is on his back but Hall nearly gets an ankle pick and Elkins retreats across the cage. Hall lands a wheel kick, slips on the recovery but Elkins wont engage with him on the mat. Body kick from Hall and he tries to convert it to an entanglement but Elkins is able to disengage. Hall with a couple of spinning back kicks to the body. Elkins avoids another Imanari roll. Wheel kick from Hall drops Elkins, he then wraps up a guillotine as Elkins was on his back but Elkins fights back up to his feet and separates. Hall misses another wheel kick but Elkins is still backing up. Spinning back kick to the body then a wheel kick to the face from Hall. Hall is able to get a leg entanglement, sweep to top position and locks up a triangle just as the round ends, likely saving Elkins.

SCORECARD: 10-8 Hall, I don’t think Elkins did anything of relevance all round

ROUND TWO: They touch gloves for the second round. Hall is back to showing the lead leg kicks, Elkins is coming forward a bit more now though. Bit of a wheel kick from Hall, then he gets an Imanari roll, Elkins has to force his way back up and separates. Bit of a right from Elkins. Hall is circling, blocks a high kick then lands a body kick. Elkins walks into a left that drops him but he’s back up before Hall can get on him. Another leg attack from Hall is avoided, Elkins lands a punch but then gets tied up and has to force his way back. Hall lands a left that wobbles Elkins a bit. They get close and scramble but Elkins is able to separate before Hall can mount a real attack. Elkins misses punches. Side kick to the face from Hall, Elkins lands a left to the body. Hall avoids a few more strikes, Elkins is really ineffectual so far. Hall with another spinning back kick to the body. Body kick from Hall and he tries to tie up the legs again but can’t quite secure it. Hall lands a stiff left that drops Elkins again, they wind up on the mat again but Elkins is able to get free and separate. They just kind of stare away the final seconds.

SCORECARD: 10-9 Hall but I wouldn’t argue with a 10-8, 20-17 Hall overall

ROUND THREE: They touch gloves for the last round. Hall is circling around, lands a leg kick and avoids a few punches. Elkins avoids a wheel kick and leg attack then makes Hall stand again. That same sequences repeats itself. Bit of a side kick from Hall. Elkins pushes close and lands a bit of a body kick. Hall lands another side kick high. Elkins smothers a kick and Hall invites him to the ground but Elkins will not engage in that at all. Hall lands another wheel kick. Hall evades Elkins’ pressure. Hall with a body kick, he then trips up Elkins but can’t get on top. Spinning back fist from Hall lands. Elkins avoids a leg attack and again forces Hall to stand back up. Bit of a left from Hall and he avoids a few punches. Body kick from Elkins lands. Hall with a body kick of his own. Elkins avoids another Imanari roll. Hall circles and counters away the final couple of seconds.

SCORECARD: 10-9 Elkins, 29-27 Hall overall

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

Seriously, what’s the point of the new scoring criteria if neither of those first two rounds qualify for 10-8? No interview for Hall, who continues to be an incredibly awkward puzzle to try and solve.

Juliana Pena has gone 4-1 in the UFC but is coming off of a loss to Valentina Shevchenko. Pena has been out of action for over two years due to pregnancy and is trying to reclaim a bit of the hype that existed around her previously. Nicco Montano has also been out of action since 2017 when she became the first women’s flyweight champion, a title she was later stripped of after a bad weight cut resulted in the cancellation of her first title defense against Valentina Shevchenko, now she’s moving back up to bantamweight and hoping to begin a move through the ranks. Pena is a -200 favorite against +170 for Montano.

Women’s Bantamweight Bout: Nicco Montano (4-2, 135.5 lbs.) vs. Julianna Pena (8-3, 135.5 lbs.)

ROUND ONE: Pena is an inch taller and has four inches of reach on Montano. Southpaw for Montano. Montano lands a bit of a leg kick, and is showing stance switching. More leg kicks from Montano then a counter left that drops Pena to a knee. They clinch up and start trading knees as Montano gets Pena to the fence. Montano drops for a double leg, she can’t quite finish it though and they resume clinching. They fight for position and trade a few knees before breaking. Montano right back into the clinch and gets Pena on the cage. Pena tries a trip but it’s reversed by Montano and she lands on top in side control. Elbows from Montano as she moves to the ride position in response to Pena getting to her knees. Pena back to her knees and pulls half guard then moves to full guard. Montano moves to side control, nice pass, and Pena gets half guard again. Short elbow from Montano as Pena gets full guard again, Montano lands another elbow and Pena tosses an armbar attempt that Montano defends. Pena is bleeding from the right ear or around there. Montano moves to half guard, then the ride position and gets a rear waist lock standing. The physical strength of Montano is giving Pena problems and Montano slings her down again. Pena has a loose double wrist lock to control the arm of Montano as the round ends.

SCORECARD: 10-9 Montano

ROUND TWO: Montano lands a side kick to the body. Pena blocks a high kick and then misses one of her own. They trade inside leg kicks. Another leg kick for Montano lands. Pena walks into a jab and they clinch up. Montano gets Pena on the fence again and starts landing knees to the thigh and body. Pena tries to pull free but gives up the body lock and Montano gets her down into half guard. Elbows from Montano, then she stands and looks to pass standing. A few leg kicks from Montano then Pena is up but still clinched. There’s swelling around the left eye of Pena. Pena gets a front headlock and is after a snap down, she gets it and rolls through into top position. Montano is looking to defend, Pena is trying to lock up a d’arce choke but loses the grip and settles for a few punches and elbows. Half guard now for Montano, who’s cut around the right eye from those elbows. Pena lands a few more punches, she’s keeping Montano down on a hip. Montano keeps trying to come up on a single leg but Pena is countering that with a headlock attack. The round will end in that position.

SCORECARD: 10-9 Pena, 19-19 overall

ROUND THREE: Pena’s left eye is still swelling, and that cut on Montano is above the right eyebrow and unlikely to stop the fight unless it gets worse. Montano with a few leg kicks, Pena lands a glancing right. Pena misses a high kick, Montano lands a high kick then a body kick but Pena catches it and gets a takedown along the fence. Montano is back to thinking about that single leg, this time Pena’s arm isn’t really in position to use the same counter. The cage is giving Montano problems now, she’s trying to move around away from it as Pena is on top. Pena has Montano flattened out in half guard now. Pena with some elbows, Montano finally gets to a hip and tries a sweep but can’t finish it. Montano is able to force a scramble and get back up and they’re clinched. Pena tries the trip again but this time she’s countered again and Montano lands on top in side control. Montano can’t keep her down but lands a knee as they get up and separate. Pena is stalking forward, lands a couple of punches before they clinch up then break. Bit of a body kick from Montano. Montano jabs, avoids a punch and gets a takedown into half guard as time runs out.

SCORECARD: 10-9 Pena but a closer round, 29-28 Pena overall

OFFICIAL RESULT: †WINNER – Juliana Pena via unanimous decision (29-27, 29-28 x3)

Oh, so her 2nd round is a 10-8 but Elkins landing less than five strikes a round after getting dropped isn’t? I know I know, probably different judges but the point is still valid. Mic time for Pena, she’s happy to have won even on short notice. They’re really rushing through a lot of this stuff, keeping things at a fast clip.

Andre Fili has been about a .500 fighter for the entirety of his UFC run, he’s coming off of a win though and is trying for his second winning streak in the promotion. Sheymon Moraes has gone 2-2 in the UFC but is coming off of a loss, he’s trying to avoid his first ever losing streak and get his UFC record above the .500 mark. The odds are with Fili at -120 to -110 for Moraes.

Featherweight Bout: Andre Fili (19-6, 145.5 lbs.) vs. Sheymon Moraes (11-3, 146 lbs.)

ROUND ONE: Fili is three inches taller and has two inches of reach on Moraes. They touch gloves to get us going. Fili is looking to jab early, and sneaks a few through the guard of Moraes. Moraes lands a pretty heavy leg kick. Another leg kick from Moraes. More leg kicks from Moraes land. Fili lands a body kick. Moraes lands a jab. Bit of a left from Moraes, then he catches a kick and lands a leg kick. Fili has a couple of kicks blocked. Moraes with a glancing right then a leg kick. They trade blocked body kicks, then trade high kicks but Moraes is the one who wobbles. Fili avoids a punch and lands a right hook in close that gets Moraes to his knees, this time he follows him down and pounds things out.

OFFICIAL RESULT: †WINNER – Andre Fili via TKO, punches, at 3:07 of Round 1

The First Round Finish Club thanks Mr. Fili for his work this evening. Mic time for Fili, he expresses love for the city then says the sport is changing and becoming corporate but at the core the sport will always be for kids like him, outcasts and under dogs. He talks us through the finish, puts over his coaches to close out his interview.

This is just the finishing sequence, but it’s a really nice close quarters right from Fili after he avoids a couple of Moraes punches.

Mike Rodriguez has gone 1-1 in the UFC, he lost his debut but rebounded with a win over Adam Milstead. Rodriguez is trying to get his first UFC winning streak up and running. John Allan is making his UFC debut here, and is trying to make a good first impression to the wider audience. It’s worth noting that Allan took this fight on short notice, saving all of us from another Gian Villante appearance. Rodriguez is a heavy -450 favorite against +325 for Allan.

Light Heavyweight Bout: John Allan (13-5, 203 lbs.) vs. Mike Rodriguez (10-3, 204.5 lbs.)

ROUND ONE: Rodriguez is an inch taller but has a whopping seven and a half inches of reach advantage. They touch gloves to get us going, Rodriguez is fighting southpaw. Circling to start, Rodriguez is working kicks to the body and leg. Both men miss power hand punches. More front kicks from Rodriguez, he walks into a heavy right but doesn’t seem phased. They get close and swing but neither man goes down. Rodriguez lands a left then a body kick and forces Allan back to the fence. They tie up, Allan is able to turn Rodriguez and get him down with a body lock takedown. Allan puts himself in half guard looking for mount, Rodriguez to the fence looking to wall walk. Rodriguez is after a standing guillotine, he can’t finish it and fires a few punches before they break. Both men look a little gassed already. Allan lands a leg kick. Rodriguez lands a left to the body, Allan with a bit of a counter right. A couple of punches from Allan, then Rodriguez fires a kick to the groin and we’ve got time. There’s maybe a second left in the round, Allan is able to continue and the round ends.

SCORECARD: 10-9 Allan

ROUND TWO: Rodriguez is coming forward again, Allan doing some stance switching. Both men miss rights, Rodriguez is working some front kicks to the knee to try and keep distance. Allan has a high kick blocked. Neither man can really find the target in close, Rodriguez lands a couple of lefts that land flush before they clinch up. Allan slips around to the back standing and gets a takedown along the fence. Allan quickly mounts the legs as Rodriguez is sitting on the cage. Rodriguez wall walks and eats a knee but can’t get free. Knees from Allan the body and head then another takedown but Rodriguez reads this one and is able to get on top in the guard of Allan. Allan sneaks in a few elbows from his back. Rodriguez lands an elbow of his own but Allan is working more off of his back. Rodriguez postures up, Allan grabs an armbar and while he can’t finish it he uses the motion to sweep into mount and they scramble back up. Allan grabs a standing guillotine, this time jumps guard for it and is really selling out for it but can’t finish before Rodriguez gets his head free. The round will end with Allan holding full guard.

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

ROUND THREE: They touch gloves for the last round. Allan avoids some punches then lands one of his own. Rodriguez with a knee to the body. Rodriguez tries another knee but this one hits the groin of Allan and we’ve got time again. Replay confirms the groin shot, that’s a bad one and Allan is down for a bit. Allan is able to regain his feet and is working to walk off the damage from that shot. Allan takes his time but he can continue, the ref gives Rodriguez a stern warning just before we restart. Rodriguez apologizes as we get back to fighting. Inside leg kick from Rodriguez, Allan fires back with a right. Rodriguez with some jabs then a checked leg kick. Allan lands a left, he’s coming forward right now and lands a right hook to counter a leg kick. Another right hook to counter a leg kick. Rodriguez lands a leg kick but Allan digs to the body with a couple of punches. They clinch up, Allan rides him down and gets the ride position with Rodriguez on his knees. Punches from Allan and he moves to half guard as Rodriguez moves to the fence. Rodriguez is trying to wall walk, Allan punches him and knees the body then head as they’re up. They break without incident and Allan lands a bit of a left. Allan pushes close and hurts Rodriguez with a body shot, Rodriguez fires back to the head. Allan with more body work along the fence then a knee. Rodriguez tries a flying knee but he gets taken down because of it and Allan is on top in half guard. Elbows from Allan. Rodriguez is able to get full guard but it wont bring anything but more punches from Allan as time runs down.

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

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

No interview for Allan due to time constraints, but not a bad fight.

Marvin Vettori has gone 2-2-1 in the UFC, he’s coming off of a split decision loss to current interim middleweight champion Israel Adesanya and now he’s trying to avoid his first ever losing streak. Cezar Ferreira has been with the UFC since 2012 and has amassed a 9-5 record during that time, he’s coming off of a loss though and is trying to avoid his second UFC losing streak. The odds are with Vettori at -160 to a tempting value payout of +130 on Ferreira.

Middleweight Bout: Cezar Ferreira (13-7, 185.5 lbs.) vs. Marvin Vettori (12-4-1, 185.5 lbs.)

ROUND ONE: Ferreira is an inch taller and has four and a half inches of reach on Vettori. Both men are fighting southpaw. Circling to start and both men doing some feinting with the hands. They clash and Vettori takes an eye poke so he’ll get time to recover. The ref warns Ferreira about his fingers before they restart. Leg kick from Ferreira, Vettori lands a left. Vettori is pushing forward, they trade some punches but both men have good defense so far. Right to the body from Ferreira. Vettori avoids a wheel kick. Stiff jab from Vettori. Vettori with a one two, Ferreira’s guard is very high and his body is vulnerable. Ferreira lands a couple of calf kicks. Left to the body from Ferreira then a calf kick. Vettori lands a couple of punches in close. Ferreira is still working leg kicks but the pressure of Vettori is getting to him a bit. Vettori gets a double leg off of a leg kick and moves to full mount almost immediately. Punches from Vettori, Ferreira is able to him bump him off and get to full guard when Vettori returns to the guard. Elbows from Vettori will bring the round to a close.

SCORECARD: 10-9 Vettori

ROUND TWO: There’s a cut on the bridge of Ferreira’s nose. They clash quickly and Vettori lands a right hook that staggers him for a second. Ferreira lands a bit of a right but Vettori gets a knee tap and lands on top in guard. Ferreira forces his way up but Vettori lands a knee and some punches before he gets free. Bit of a left uppercut from Ferreira but Vettori gets him on the fence and is looking for a takedown. Vettori slips around to the back standing then rides Ferreira down, Ferriera back up but still clinched. They break without incident. Vettori lands a jab then a right hook to counter a body shot. Ferreira lands a leg kick. Vettori manages to avoid a left then eats a leg kick. Vettori slips a punch and lands a counter left. Ferreira lands another calf kick. Vettori staggers Ferreira with a left and lands a couple of follow up blows. They trade one twos. More jabs from Vettori land. Ferreira tries a takedown, Vettori stuffs it and turns him around on the fence. Knees from Vettori to the leg of Ferreira but they’re both kind of stalled. The round will come to a close in that spot.

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

ROUND THREE: They touch gloves for the last round. Ferreira misses a wheel kick. Vettori stops a takedown attempt and lands punches on the break. Bit of a right from Ferreira and we get some close quarters brawling for a second or two. Ferreira reaches for another takedown, Vettori defends the first shot and forces a break then lands a punch. A bit of a right hook moves through the guard of Ferreira. Ferreira slips on a kick, and Vettori gets a clinch now but no takedown. They break without incident. Vettori with a double jab that mostly lands. Leg kick from Vettori then he avoids a takedown attempt. Vettori lands a one two. Another missed takedown from Ferreira, this time Vettori lands a couple of rights to punish him for it. Pretty stiff right hook then a left from Vettori in close. Vettori again lands the straight left, Ferreira is coming forward but is just eating blows. A bit of a right from Ferreira will be the last blow of the round.

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

OFFICIAL RESULT: †WINNER – Marvin Vettori via unanimous decision (30-27 x3)

Nice showing for Vettori, who gets an interview. He blasts USADA a bit for his suspension, and says he’s back for good and that the last guy who beat him is now the interim champion then apologizes to Italy for forgetting the flag. He jokes that there’s a lot of fake Italians, there’s enough profanity that I’m missing a bit of what he’s saying. Asked who’s next he says he’d like to fight Paulo Costa as they both step forward and swing hard.

Karl Roberson has gone 2-2 in the UFC and is coming off of a loss to Glover Teixeira, he’s trying to avoid his first ever losing streak and thinks a return to middleweight will facilitate that. Wellington Turman took this fight on very short notice but has a four fight winning streak going on and is in prime position to get people talking about him with a memorable performance. The odds are with Roberson at -200 to a +170 comeback on Turman.

Middleweight Bout: Karl Roberson (7-2, 185.5 lbs.) vs. Wellington Turman (15-2, 185 lbs.)

ROUND ONE: Roberson is an inch taller and has two inches of reach advantage. They touch gloves to get us going, Roberson fighting southpaw. Bit of a left early from Roberson, they get close and both engage. Roberson lands a hard inside leg kick. Knee from Roberson as Turman shoots on him, he gets a body lock and after the third attempt is finally able to get Roberson down in side control. Roberson is working to wall walk, he has to stall on his knees as Turman thought about jumping for a guillotine and Turman gets his back but no hooks and Roberson turns into him and winds up on top. Turman tries an armbar, Roberson slams his way out of that and lands a few punches. Roberson with a few body shots, he stands and eats an up kick then decides to go back into the guard. Another armbar attempt from Turman, this one isn’t nearly as close though before Roberson gets free. Elbow from Roberson. A few more elbows from Roberson and he moves to half guard. Roberson with more elbows. The round will end in that spot.

SCORECARD: 10-9 Roberson

ROUND TWO: They touch gloves for the second round. Roberson is pushing forward, lands a body kick and a few punches to follow it up. Straight left lands for Roberson and they clinch up. Roberson lands a knee to the body as he gets Turman to the fence. Short knees and elbows from Roberson, Turman lands a knee as well. Roberson is thinking about a takedown, Turman is able to get behind him standing. Turman gets Roberson down to a knee, but he’s back up. They wind up chest to chest after a bit, Turman gets behind him again and gets a takedown. Roberson gets butterfly guard, they scramble and Turman gets the back with both hooks in. Roberson is able to turn into him and lands a left. Roberson with punches, he punches his way out of an armbar attempt. The round will again end on the mat.

SCORECARD: 10-9 Turman, 19-19 overall

ROUND THREE: They touch gloves again. Roberson lands a jab then a front kick to the body. Turman lands a spinning back kick to the body. Roberson pushes into a clinch, baffling decision. Turman is able to slip behind Roberson and locks up his hands. Turman gets a takedown and winds up nearly with the back, instead to full mount as Roberson had to adjust his position. A few punches from Turman land. Turman keeps thinking about an arm triangle but isn’t committing. Roberson tries to roll, Turman gets the choke under his chin but Roberson is able to explode through the attempt though he’s still on bottom and mounted. Elbow from Turman, Roberson to his knees again and again Turman gets the ride position. Now full back mount for Turman, he goes to a body triangle this time and is after the choke again. Roberson breaks the arm position but Turman is really committed to the hand fighting. Roberson explodes into top position and goes full on Donkey Kong before standing over him. Roberson wont just let him up and stands over him as the round ends.

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

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

I don’t agree with that. Mic time for Roberson, he says this was a hard one and says he wanted to prove he’s got jiu-jitsu as well. Asked about why he kept going into the clinch he says he knows his coach is going to tear him a new one but sometimes in the moment you do stuff like that.

Josh Emmett has gone 3-1 since returning to featherweight, he’s coming off of a comeback win against Michael Johnson and is looking for his second featherweight winning streak. Mirsad Bektic has gone 6-1 in the UFC and is on a two fight winning streak, despite that the hype that used to exist around him has cooled a bit. Now he’s trying to recapture that hype with a dominant performance. Bektic is the -155 favorite against +125 for Emmett.

Featherweight Bout: #12 Mirsad Bektic (13-1, 145 lbs.) vs. #10 Josh Emmett (14-2, 146 lbs.)

ROUND ONE: Bekitc is an inch and a half taller but the reach is identical. They touch gloves to get us going. Bektic is stalking forward early showing the jab. They clash but neither man lands cleanly. Bektic lands a right to the body in close. Bit of a leg kick from Bektic and both men miss punches. Short right from Bektic lands. Emmett lands a right to the body. Emmett blocks a head kick. Both men miss power hand punches. Bektic lands a couple of jabs then a leg kick. Emmett has a right blocked. Jab from Emmett off balances Bektic, he’s after a single leg now but Emmett is able to push him over and get on top. Bektic just covers up and Emmett unloads until the ref stops the fight.

OFFICIAL RESULT: †WINNER – Josh Emmett via TKO, punches, at 4:25 of Round 1

The First Round Finish Club thanks Mr. Emmett for his work this evening. Mic time for Emmett, he says he feels great and pimps his after party. He puts over his team and coaches and notes he’s got eight knockdowns in his four featherweight fights.

Here’s the finish. Bektic got off balanced by a stiff jab from Emmett and Emmett never let him off the hook.

Urijah Faber is coming out of retirement for this fight, he was last seen in 2016 scoring a win in this same venue. Faber’s reasons for coming out of retirement aren’t entirely clear, but he’s a legend of the sport as well as UFC Hall of Fame member and is looking for another win in his hometown. Ricky Simon has gone 3-0 in the UFC and hasn’t lost since 2016, he’s looking to defend his top ranking and score the biggest win of his career over a legend like Faber. The odds are rather heavily with Simon at -350 to a +275 comeback on Faber.

Bantamweight Bout: Urijah Faber (34-10, 135.5 lbs.) vs. #15 Ricky Simon (15-1, 134.5 lbs.)

ROUND ONE: These two are the same height while Simon has two inches of reach on Faber. Simon is also fourteen years younger than Faber. Simon is stalking forward at first, Faber avoids a left hook. Simon avoids a punch and lands an inside leg kick then a left hook. Leg kick from Simon and he’s pushing Faber into the fence, but Faber lands a right that drops Simon, he tries to swarm on the mat, Simon tries to keep scrambling but the ref has seen enough.

OFFICIAL RESULT: †WINNER – Urijah Faber via TKO, punches, at :46 of Round 1

The First Round Finish Club thanks Mr. Faber for his work this evening. I’m not sure I completely agree with that stoppage, but it’s hardly the worst one I’ve ever seen. Also how long before the UFC shoehorns Faber into the title picture? Mic time for Faber, he puts over Simon as someone who’ll eventually tear up the division but currently lacks the experience. He says that Henry Cejudo called him out and Dana White says he’s old, he jokes that Dana might be old at 40 but he’s a young man at 40 and he’s very ready to fight Cejudo for the belt. He says the only reason he fights is to be the best in the world, he puts over the rest of his team and feels he’s got to get after it before it’s too late. Talking us through the finish he says he learned that punch from Song Yadong, then jokes a bit that Simon has a big target for a head and he really wanted to hit it.

That’s Faber’s fastest win ever and the first TKO for him since 2007 and his first T/KO finish in the UFC period. Credit to Jack Slack who mentioned in his previews for this fight that Simon is vulnerable to an overhand right for the first 3 minutes of a fight or so, that’s exactly what caught him here.

Germaine de Randamie is in the running with Nicco Montano for most inauspicious UFC title reign after she pretty blatantly ducked Cris Cyborg after winning the women’s featherweight title and was subsequently stripped of the belt. De Randamie is on a four fight winning streak overall though and is looking to make a move on the bantamweight title with another win here. Aspen Ladd is undefeated and has begun moving from prospect towards contender status over the course of her three win in the UFC, now she could take the biggest win of her career and possibly put herself in the title picture with a win. Ladd is a slight -120 favorite to +105 for De Randamie.

Women’s Bantamweight Bout: #1 Germaine de Randamie (8-3, 136 lbs.) vs. #4 Aspen Ladd (8-0, 135 lbs.)

ROUND ONE: De Randamie is three inches taller and has five inches of reach on Ladd. They touch gloves to get things going. Ladd is coming forward early, both women working the jab. De Randamie lands a right that floors Ladd and the ref waves it off.

OFFICIAL RESULT: †WINNER – Germaine de Randamie via TKO, punches, at :16 of Round 1

The First Round Finish Club thanks Ms. de Randamie for her work this evening. That was a clean punch but I’m not entirely sure I agree with that stoppage. Ladd has her best sad panda face on as the decision is read. Mic time for de Randamie now, she says she hit Ladd on the button and just did what the ref called for but understands the boos. Asked about what’s next she says whatever the UFC says, then talks us through the finish, and feels it was a good stoppage. She gives respect to Ladd to close her interview.

Mic time for Ladd as well now, she says she felt fine but wasn’t in a position to make that call and at least partially defers to the ref.

This first one is just the punch, and make no mistake it’s a really well placed and hard punch from de Randamie.

That will wrap up UFC on ESPN+ 13. We’ll be unpacking all of the results Sunday on the 411 Ground and Pound MMA Podcast plus looking ahead to UFC on ESPN 4 when Leon Edwards and Rafael dos Anjos battle for position in the welterweight division. I’ll be back next week for that card, which features 3 heavyweight fights and comes to the world from San Antonio. 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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UFC on ESPN+ 13, Robert Winfree