UFC Fight Night Oklahoma City
June 25, 2017
Oklahoma City, Oklahoma from Chesapeake Energy Arena
Live on UFC Fight Pass (5:30 PM ET), Fox Sports 2 (7:00 PM ET), and Fox Sports 1 (9:00 PM ET)
After last night’s wildness that was Bellator NYC, settle in with us tonight for a good old, reliable UFC Fight Night card to close out your weekend. Michael Chiesa and Kevin Lee will settle their press conference grudge in the main event, and we’ll see how Johny Hendricks fares after yet another bungled weight cut. Be sure to tune in early as BJ Penn opens up the main card against Dennis Siver in what has to be considered a do or die fight for Penn. Be sure to check out Matt Ecochard’s primer column and stay with us all night for ongoing coverage. Fighters’ MMA Torch staff rankings are included in the fight listing as always. Matthew Peterson is covering the prelims and Mike Hiscoe is with you for the main card. Enjoy the fights and thanks for reading!
Fight Pass Prelims
Hey everyone, Matt Peterson here and the prelims are starting soon. Stick with us here at MMATorch all night for all the results as they happen.
Waiting for Fight Pass prelims to start and I have to say, I could not be more excited for Yoel Romero vs Robert Whittaker. I think it will be an awesome fight and either guy wrecks Michael Bisping.
(1) Joshua Stansbury vs. Jeremy Kimball (Light Heavyweight 205 lbs)
ROUND ONE: Apologies everyone, some initial WiFi issues but are we are back. Missed majority of the fight but Kimball gets the TKO win after a slick punch caught Stansbury right behind the ear. Stansbury went down and Kimball started pounding down until the ref waves it off.
Result: Jeremy Kimball via TKO at 1:21 of R1.
Analysis: Short fight but great finish for Kimball. Both fighters are still rough around the edges but 205 is a shallow division. With a little polishing, both men could have solid careers ahead of them.
Great video by the UFC showing Urijah Faber’s career and his induction into the UFC Hall of Fame. Love the guy or hate him, he helped put the lighter weight classes on the map and he fought everyone at 145 and 135.
(2) Tony Martin vs. Johnny Case (Lightweight 155 lbs)
ROUND ONE: Case taking the center early. Case is light on the feet with Martin looking to keep the distance. Jabs landing for Case. Punch lands for Martin and they clinch briefly. Case is noticeably faster than Martin in the exchanges. Both guys land punches. Inside leg kick from Martin. Jab still landing big for Case. Case opens up landing punches and low kicks. Big straight punch and hook lands from Martin. Body kick from Case. Jabs land from both men. Great counter punch from Case. Takedown attempt from Martin but Case stays upright against the fence. They clinch and separate.
Scorecard: 10-9 Case. Case is landing the cleaner punches and has the better movement. Martin needs to pick his game up or he’ll get picked apart.
ROUND TWO: Both guys throw and Martin lands a big hook. Case stays up and goes for a takedown. Martin stuffs and has a brief guillotine. Case shakes free and they separate. Case gets clipped again and Martin may finally have the timing down. Case lands a solid counter punch. Martin is throwing right hooks with dangerous intent. Jabs landing again from both guys. Both guys landing counter hooks and Case is bleeding. Big uppercut misses from Case. Taunting from Martin as they continue to throw. Martin landing big counter right hook. Left hook from Case. Jab from Martin and Martin lands big straight right. Martin walking Case down and both guys are throwing big power. More taunting from Martin. Head kick lands from Martin as the round ends.
Scorecard: 10-9 Martin. Martin landed the bigger power shots and did the most damage. Big third round coming up for both guys.
ROUND THREE: Case comes out throwing big right away. Case throwing straight punches to the body. Lots of movement from Case with Martin walking him down again. Both guys landing counter shots. Right hand from Case lands big. Straight left lands for Martin. Case has slowed down considerably. Martin’s corner calling for the straight punches. Martin lands a big knee. Right hook from Martin. Counter blows landing for Martin and Case’s hands are getting lower and lower. Jab lands again from Martin. Takedown attempt from Martin and he gets it. Case is on the ground and Martin has him against the fence. Elbows from Martin and he rolls Case into a kimura as the bell rings.
Scorecard: 10-9 Martin. Close round but Martin had the bigger shots again and the late takedown.
Result: Tony Martin wins via unanimous decision (29-28, 29-28, 29-28)
Analysis: Great fight from Tony Martin who seems to have really taken the time to polish up his game. He picked up steam after a slow first round and showed off some great striking. Good win from him and he may pick up a top 15 opponent next.
(3) Jared Gordon vs. Michel Quinones (Catchweight 149 lbs)
Jared Gordon missed weight, coming in at 149 lbs. He will forfeit 20% of his purse directly to Quinones.
ROUND ONE: Big body kick right away from Quinones. Both guys throwing early and big kicks from Quinones. Front kick from Quinones. Gordon moving forward and throwing with Quinones looking to work from distance. Big jumping knee from Quinones that barely misses. Gordon shoots and gets the single leg. Quinones is down and Gordon gets the back. Gordon looking for the choke, throwing punches from the back. Quinones trying to spin out but Gordon is holding him down. More punches from Gordon and Quinones is back up. They separate and throw kicks. Big right misses from Quinones. Leg kick from Gordon and right hook from Quinones. Left head kick from Quinones is blocked. Spinning back fist misses from Quinones. Another head kick from Quinones and Gordon counters. Head kick lands from Quinones and Gordon shrugs it off. Shovel hook from Gordon.
Scorecard: 10-9 Gordon: Close round but Gordon has the takedown and landed some big punches.
ROUND TWO: Both guys throwing straight punches. Spin kick barely misses from Quinones. Gordon lands a great three punch combo and Gordon moves for the takedown. He gets in and Gordon is in half guard. Gordon landing short punches from half guard. Quinones pushes out and nearly escapes but Gordon pushes him back down. Gordon back into half guard and continues with short punches. Knees to the body from Gordon. Quinones gets up and Gordon shoves him back down. Gordon pouring it on Quinones and Quinones continues to survive. Gordon continues the pressure and takes Quinones down again. Big punches from Gordon in half guard and Gordon traps the right arm. Quinones looks exhausted and Gordon is dropping big bombs from the top. Gordon moves to side control and the referee is watching Quinones closely. More unanswered punches and that’s it! Referee waves it off and a big win for Gordon.
Result: Jared Gordon via TKO at 4:24 in Round 2.
Analysis: Big win for Jared Gordon. Close first round but once Gordon got the takedown, he never let Quinones breathe. He’s got killer instinct and he’ll be a great prospect to watch. Great postfight interview where he apologized for making weight and he’s got a great story of coming back from drug addiction to get to this moment.
Fox Sports 2 Prelims
(4) Devin Powell vs. Darrell Horcher (Lightweight 155 lbs)
It’ll be nice to see how Horcher can fight after being a human sacrifice to Khabib and then surviving a horrific motorcycle crash.
ROUND ONE: Lots of foot movement right away from Powell. High kick misses from Powell. Left hand lands from Horcher. Another blocked head kick from Horcher. Great punch-kick combo from Powell that lands. Powell throwing low kicks that land and Horcher misses with a hook. Punch combo lands for Horcher and he looks to be the cleaner striker. Takedown attempt from Powell and Horcher rolls to half guard on top. Short elbows from Horcher and he moves Powell against the cage. Powell tries to push off the fence and Horcher pulls him away. Powell nearly pushes out and Horcher rolls back into half guard. Kimura attempt from Horcher but Powell escapes. Horcher in full guard and Powell lands some punches to the back of the head. Powell nearly rolls free as the round ends.
Scorecard: 10-9 Horcher. Close round in striking but top control will secure that round for Horcher.
ROUND TWO: Low kicks from both men at the start. Blocked head kick from Powell. Clinch with knees from Powell and dirty boxing from Horcher. Horcher starts landing and Powell goes down! Guillotine attempt from Horcher but Powell spins and he’s free. Takedown attempt from Horcher and Powell goes for a guillotine. Horcher escapes and they clinch. Horcher pushing Powell against the fence and Horcher lands when they separate. Powell drops and Horcher goes into full guard. Punches from the bottom by Powell and Horcher landing punches from the top. Powell looking for a submission and Horcher holding control on the top. Horcher moving to half guard and he postures to throw more punches. Powell eating a lot of short punches on the bottom. Powell tries to roll and Horcher stays in control.
Scorecard: 10-9 Horcher. Very nearly a 10-8 for Horcher with the knockdowns and ground control.
ROUND THREE: Both men showing respect at start of the round. Head kick and body kick from Powell. Head kicks missing for Powell and Horcher landing punches still. Low kicks from Powell but its not enough offense. Powell goes for the takedown but Horcher stays upright. They clinch and Powell pushes against the fence. Horcher spins and pushes against the fence. Powell drops for a choke and he’s got an anaconda choke. They roll and Powell still hunting for the submission. Powell looking for the d’arce choke. Powell doesn’t have it and he looks exhausted. Horcher is free and Powell is looking for mount. Horcher holding on tight and Powell on top in half guard. Horcher is back to his feet and Powell has a guillotine! Horcher is free and he takes Powell down. Both men look exhausted now and they’re back to the feet. They end the fight clinching.
Scorecard: 10-9 Powell. Good scrambles by Powell and numerous submission attempts nearly won him a fight he was losing.
Result: Darrell Horcher via split decision (29-28, 29-28, 28-29)
Analysis: A 29-28 score for Powell is just awful. Whatever judge scored that should have their license revoked. Still a big win for Horcher coming back from his accident and all his surgeries. He’s tough as hell and it’s great to see his emotion and his family and friends watching in the crowd.
I think by now, we all know what happens when you talk about Michael Chiesa’s mom. The promotion involving that is starting to wear a little thin.
(5) Carla Esparza (#6) vs. Maryna Moroz (Strawweight 115 lbs)
ROUND ONE: Both fighters in very low stance right away. Lots of feints coming from Esparza. Right hand from Esparza. Flurry from Esparza backs up Moroz. Solid jab down the middle from Esparza. Single leg attempt from Esparza and Moroz shrugs her off. Both fighters land moving in. Double leg from Esparza and Moroz is down. Esparza in full guard and Moroz is looking for a guillotine. Esparza is still trapped but not in danger yet. Short punches from Esparza and she escapes. Full guard on top for Esparza. Elbows and punches from the top for Esparza. Round will end with Esparza on top.
Scorecard: 10-9 Esparza. Esparza had top control locked in but Moroz is still very much in this fight.
ROUND TWO: Left hand lands for Moroz. Esparza feints in and gets caught by Moroz. Good flurry from Esparza. Superman punch from Esparza. Uppercut from Moroz and Esparza shoots. Double leg attempt but Moroz shoves her off. Both fighters landing hooks in the pocket. Double leg shot from Esparza and she manages to get Moroz against the fence. Moroz gets up and Esparza clinches against the fence. Moroz escapes and lands on the exit. Huge takedown from Esparza and she slams Moroz down. Full guard for Esparza and Moroz throwing elbows from the bottom. Short punches on the top from Esparza. Esparza gets Moroz against the fence and Moroz gets back up. Punches from Moroz on the exit. Takedown attempt from Esparza as the round ends.
Scorecard: 10-9 Esparza. Takedowns are winning this fight as it’s pretty even on the feet.
ROUND THREE: Single leg from Esparza and she dumps Moroz. Moroz is right back up and Esparza keeps distance. Punches exchanged and a takedown attempt from Esparza that falls short. Trip attempt from Esparza and Moroz spins free. Brief stoppage for a possible groin strike to Moroz and we’re back. Moroz pumping the jab and Esparza dumps her down again. Full guard for Esparza and she’s got Moroz flat on her back. Not much movement and the crowd is feeling the lack of action. Referee warns fighters to move or get stand up. Esparza is holding her down and they’re stood back up. Lots of jabs from Moroz and she’s taken down again. Full guard again for Esparza and she’s holding down Moroz. Flurries on top from Esparza and she’s throwing big kicks to the body of Moroz. A big takedown from Esparza will end the round.
Scorecard: 10-9 Esparza. That’s a win for Esparza in a fight where she was dominant in the wrestling game.
Result: Carla Esparza via unanimous decision (30-27, 29-28, 29-28)
Analysis: It’s a win for Esparza but she won’t win many fans over. She’s got takedowns for days but lacked offense from the top. She’ll be a solid gatekeeper for any strawweight wanting to crack the top 10.
I somehow completely forgot UFC 213 has Cerrone-Lawler on it as well as two title fights. If that fight doesn’t get you excited, check your pulse because you might be dead.
(6) Vitor Miranda vs. Marvin Vettori (Middleweight 185 lbs)
ROUND ONE: Leg kick from Vettori. Straight punches from Vettori and he’s stalking down Miranda against the cage. Big low kick from Miranda. Knee from Vettori followed by a right hook. Miranda punches to the body and head kick from Vettori. High kick from Miranda that misses. Vettori keeping Miranda backing up. Vettori landing quick punches and throws a jumping knee against the fence. Vettori clinches and pushes Miranda against the fence. They separate and Vettori catches a Miranda high kick. Vettori pushes Miranda down and jumps on top. Vettori pushes Miranda against the cage. Punches from the top by Vettori and Miranda stands back up. Big kicks from Miranda. Straight left lands from Vettori.
Scorecard: 10-9 Vettori. Vettori was the more effective striker and landed the bigger shots.
ROUND TWO: Combo and a body kick from Vettori. More kicks from Vettori right away and he’s looking for the body kick. Miranda throwing mostly single shots and Vettori landing the cleaner combinations. Takedown attempt from Vettori and Miranda shakes it off. Miranda working the low kicks and Vettori looking for head punches and body kicks. Great combo lands for Vettori and Miranda lands a big low kick. Clinch from Miranda and he pushes Vettori on the fence. They spin and Vettori clinches. Back control from Vettori and he drags Miranda down. Vettori is in half guard and Miranda looks to lock him up. Good top pressure from Vettori. Miranda kicks Vettori off and stands up. Punches right away from Vettori and Miranda looking to land the head kick. Big takedown from Vettori to end the round.
Scorecard: 10-9 Vettori. Miranda was winning the round until the takedowns from Vettori.
ROUND THREE: Low kicks from Miranda and punches over the top from Vettori. Body kick from Vettori. Miranda pushing the pressure in this round. Punches from Miranda and a big knee lands. Both men are tired and head kick from Miranda barely misses. Leg kick from Miranda and both men are moving noticeably slower in this final round. Single leg attempt from Vettori and Miranda shakes him loose. Slow takedown shot from Vettori and they clinch. Takedown from Vettori and Miranda is down. Vettori looking to hold Miranda down and Vettori gains half guard. Miranda is too exhausted to stand and Vettori holding him down.
Scorecard: 10-9 Vettori. Sloppy round at the end from both men as both were absolutely exhausted.
Result: Marvin Vettori via unanimous decision (29-28, 30-27, 30-27)
Analysis: Vettori is a solid prospect in this division. His striking is snappy and training with Kings MMA should help his game all around. At 38, this may be Miranda’s last run in the MMA world. He had his moments but just couldn’t keep up with Vettori.
(7) Clay Guida vs. Erik Koch (Lightweight 155 lbs)
ROUND ONE: Both fighters come out feinting. Right hand lands for Guida. Koch looking to land the lead right hand. Head kick from Guida misses. Flurry from Guida pushes Koch against the fence. Double leg from Guida and he’s got Koch against the fence. Koch stays upright but Guida holds tight to the hips. Guida pushing for the takedown still and Koch stays up against the fence. Guida powers through and Koch is down briefly. Koch gets back up and he clinches Guida against the fence. Clinch and knees from both men. They separate and missed high kick from Koch.
Scorecard: 10-9 Guida. Very close round but Guida was the more active fighter.
ROUND TWO: Punches and forward pressure from Guida. Overhand right lands from Guida. Huge double leg from Guida and Koch is down against the fence. Guida is pushing Koch down hard and Koch has nowhere to go against the cage. Guida moves into half guard and is looking for back control. Huge pressure from Guida. Guida moves to side control and continues pressuring. Guida gets mount and has Koch’s head against the fence. Punches from the top by Guida. Koch holds on but has nowhere to go. Heavy pressure on top from Guida and elbows start landing. Guida looking for the arm triangle choke. Elbows from the full mount for Guida. Big punches from the top for Guida. Koch surviving and the round ends.
Scorecard: 10-8 Guida. Nothing but pressure and offense from the top for Guida. Koch should be looking for a finish if he wants the win.
ROUND THREE: Koch not looking too awful after that second round. Guida doing a lot of movement and keeping Koch guessing. Double leg from Guida and Koch stuffs it. Guida holds on, still looking for the takedown on the fence. Great balance from Koch and he’s staying upright. Guida keeps the pressure and Koch is down against the fence. Side control for Guida and Koch is trapped against the fence in the corner. Knees to the body from Guida. More pressure from Guida and Koch is under the mount. Punches on top from Guida. Guida staying patient on top and picking his shots. Shoulder slams from Guida and punches to the body. Koch tries to spin free and Guida pushes him right back. Koch has nowhere to go and Guida continues to punish him. Koch has no answer whatsoever.
Scorecard: 10-9 Guida. Could be another 10-8 but it’s a huge win either way for Guida.
Result: Clay Guida via unanimous decision (29-28, 29-26, 30-27)
Analysis: Huge win for Guida in his 155 return. He didn’t need to worry about striking when he could take Koch down at will and control him. Big big win for Guida and Koch will need to work hard on his scrambles before he beats any of the division’s power wrestlers.
That’s all for me, folks. Stick with Michael Hiscoe for your main results!
Fox Sports 1 Main Card
Jon Anik and Dominick Cruz call the action tonight. They recapped the main storylines for the night, namely the Chiesa-Lee press conference brawl and Johny Hendricks missing weight.
(8) BJ Penn vs. Dennis Siver (Featherweight 145 lbs)
BJ didn’t look well as he walked to the cage. Siver hasn’t fought in two years and had a tough weight cut but still came in the favorite. BJ was clearly the fan favorite though.
ROUND ONE: Penn came out lighter on his feet than he did his last couple of fights but he was still whiffing on a lot of punches. He was pressing the action which may end in Penn walking into a knockout blow. Penn had some success with his jab while Siver tested the range of his trademark kicks. Siver landed a left that sent Penn’s mouthpiece flying but he seemed OK. Siver was able to get into a rhythm in the latter half of the round, landing jabs and some counter punches. Siver landed some leg kicks and nearly a big head kick late. 10-9 Siver.
ROUND TWO: Mike Jackson pointed out on Twitter that BJ Penn was wearing his shorts inside out. That’s a first and possibly a bad indicator of Penn’s mental state and support from his corner. Siver showed BJ less respect this round, not worrying at all about Penn’s punching power. BJ looked lost for an answer to get to the inside as Siver peppered him with kicks from ta distance. When Penn could get inside, he landed some good shots. Penn countered a Siver back kick with a right hand that dropped Siver. Penn pounced, landed some shots on the ground and took side control. Penn landed some knees to the body but could not do much to advance his position or secure a submission from side control. It was enough to take the round though. 10-9 Penn, 19-19.
ROUND THREE: Siver looked to have recovered well and went back to the gameplan of throwing kicks from the outside. Siver turned up the aggression a bit which gave Penn more opportunity to counter. Siver was landing more though. Siver looked to be hurting Penn with the leg kicks later in the round. Penn almost got caught by head kicks as well. Siver looked to be hunting Penn’s head at times. Siver landed some big shots with a minute to go and Penn had no answer and was just looking to get away from Siver’s attack. Siver teed off on Penn who would move to the open space to avoid punishment. Siver finished strong with some big head kicks. 10-8 Siver, 29-27 Siver.
Result: 28-28, 29-28, 29-27 Siver by majority decision
Hiscoe’s Analysis: Not an embarrassing showing for Penn this time out. He did have a flash of brilliance there in the second round, but it was just that – a flash – and the other 14 minutes were disappointing. Sure, Penn could fight again, but against who and what would the point be? It’s not like UFC has gained anything from Dennis Siver picking up a win here. Unless he’s going to fight C.M. Punk, there’s no place for B.J. Penn in UFC.
(9) Tim Means vs. Alex Garcia (Welterweight 170 lbs)
ROUND ONE: Garcia hit him hard with a left hook early on. Means defended a takedown attempt. After a feeling out process, Garcia landed the left hook again. Means started talking to him which probably means he was hurt. Means focused on body shots while Garcia looked for the knockout blow. Slow round. 10-9 Garcia.
ROUND TWO: Means kept going for the body as Garcia looked to slow a little. Garcia shot in for a single-leg, he missed it, switched to a double but Means defended. Means then hurt Garcia with a left and started showboating a bit. Lots of dancing but not a lot of blows landed here. 10-9 Means, 19-19.
ROUND THREE: Garcia shot for a takedown right away but missed. He tried again and had Means down but he got right back up. Means landed some body shots and then a straight left hand. Garcia threw some more punches late but didn’t seem to have the gas in the tank. Means worked his jab and body shots from the outside. Garcia missed on some big punches. 10-9 Means, 29-28.
Result: 29-28 across the board for Means by unanimous decision
Hiscoe’s Analysis: Not much of a fight here. It’s not that these two aren’t capable of finishing fights, it was just a matter of their two styles resulting in a stalemate tonight. Not much of note here.
(10) Joachim Christensen vs. Dominick Reyes (Light Heavyweight 205 lbs)
ROUND ONE: Reyes won a fight in LFA just a few weeks ago. He made short work of Christensen knocking him out in under a minute with a left hand that hurt him and then a flurry that put him on the mat. Reyes landed another left hand for good measure dropped him again and the fight was stopped.
Result: Reyes by TKO at :29 of the first round
Hiscoe’s Analysis: Reyes certainly has finishing power, something that will be very helpful at light heavyweight. Very good showing for his UFC debut tonight. I’m looking forward to seeing how he stacks up against tougher competition.
(11) Felice Herrig vs. Justine Kish (Strawweight 115 lbs)
ROUND ONE: Both women came out swinging. The ended up in a scramble and Herrig took Kish’s back. Kish got to her feet. Herrig had a body lock and looked for the takedown. She got her down and held her down while Kish tried to get up. Herrig took mount and threw some elbows and punches. Kish bucked out but Herrig took her back. Kish managed to escape and get to her feet. Herrig took her down but Kish reversed and took top position. She didn’t do anything with it as the round ended. 10-9 Herrig.
ROUND TWO: Herrig landed a nice left hand early on. Kish started landing some punches. Kish was bleeding from her right eye as a result of the early left hook from Herrig. Kish landed a knee as Herrig ducked her head to throw a punch. Body shot from Kish landed. Herrig took her down and held her down in half-guard. She worked for mount and eventually took her back. Kish turned in and ended up on top. Kish landed a couple of punches but almost got arm barred. She finished in mount as the round ended. 10-9 Herrig, 20-18.
ROUND THREE: Kish with some leg kicks early but got taken down easily. Herrig took mount and has Kish up against the cage. Herrig sunk in a choke as Kish tried to stand up and she held on tight but Kish would not tap. Kish somehow twisted herself out of the choke and she looked like she didn’t know where she was while the fight was still going on. Herrig mounted her again. She rained down some punches from back mount. 10-8 Herrig. 30-26.
Result: 30-26, 30-26, 29-27 Herrig by unanimous decision
Hiscoe’s Analysis: Not the most technical fight but it was a strong performance for Herrig. Kish showed some real guts in not tapping to that rear-naked choke in the third round. Herrig dominated the fight pretty much though. Herrig is a solid upper-mid tier strawweight with some name value, but I can’t see her having much success with the Joanna Jedrzejczyk’s or Claudia Gadelha’s of the division. When asked who she’d like to fight next she said every time she calls someone out, she never gets it so she’s just going to wait for UFC to make the call. Her phone won’t ring for 10 months now.
(12) Tim Boetsch vs. Johny Hendricks (Catchweight 188 lbs)
ROUND ONE: Boetsch with leg kicks early. Hendricks answered with a leg kick of his own. Hendricks looked for the big left hand. He got one in mid way through the round. Boetsch landed a right hand followed by a kick to the body. Both guys were throwing hard. Straight right from Boetsch landed. Close round 10-9 Boetsch.
ROUND TWO: Boetsch came out aggressive. He rocked Hendricks bad with a head kick. He backed off for a moment until he realized that Hendricks was hurt. He swarmed and finished the job as Hendricks turtled on the mat. Nicely done by Boetsch.
Result: Boetsch by TKO at :46 of the second round
Hiscoe’s Analysis: Tough break for Hendricks who was looking at a career resurgence at middleweight but couldn’t seem to get his act together. Now, this loss may not have been any different if he had a better weight cut but if Hendricks could manage his weight better he could still be winning fights at welterweight. Boetsch is a tough, durable fighter and he got the job done here tonight. It’s tough to say where Hendricks should go next. His only real chance is to fight a low-level middleweight or be cut.
(13) Michael Chiesa (#10) vs. Kevin Lee (Lightweight 155 lbs)
ROUND ONE: No love lost between these two. Lee tripped and Chiesa went down with him. Chiesa went for a guillotine. Lee slammed him and ended up in Chiesa’s guard. Chiesa worked for submissions from the bottom. He nearly got an armbar but Lee scrambled out and took his back. Lee worked for a rear-naked choke and delivered punches from the top. Chiesa tried to control Lee’s hands to avoid the choke. Lee landed big big punches from the top that must hurt. Lee landed elbows and more punches and Chiesa seemed stuck in the position. Lee got the choke in tight and the ref stopped it before Chiesa tapped or passed out. Referee Yamasaki seems to have thought Chiesa was out. Chiesa immediately bounced up as soon as it was called so he definitely wasn’t out. He was close though and he may have been a moment away from actually tapping.
Result: Lee by submission at 4:37 of the first round
Hiscoe’s Analysis: A very disappointing way to end a very heated fight. Lee was dominating the fight and Chiesa was likely on his way to tapping out or passing out, but with how Justine Kish miraculously escaping the same choke earlier tonight, it really is a shame it went the way it did. Hopefully, they can rematch Lee and Chiesa or at least give Chiesa a quality fight in his next outing to make up for the mistake. He can appeal to the commission, but these things rarely seem to lead to any overrulings. Kevin Lee asked for a fight with Khabib Nurmagomedov for December. Chiesa asked for a December rematch in Detroit.
Solid show with a disappointing ending. Thanks for reading along with us tonight. Be sure to give me a follow on Twitter @MikeHiscoe
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