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UFC Fight Night 125: Machida vs. Anders Live Report

Robert Vallejos, MMATORCH Contributor

February 3, 2018

 

EARLY PRELIMS

Flyweight #14 Deiveson Figueiredo(13-0) vs. Joseph Morales(9-0)

https://twitter.com/ufc/status/959952534034030592

Result: Figueiredo via TKO (punches) at 4:34 of Round 1

PRELIMS

Bantamweight Iuri Alcântara(34-9, 1NC) vs. Joe Soto(18-6)

Round 1

Strong roundhouses by Alcântara, Soto goes for a takedown that does not connect. Alcântara starts throwing a series of standing elbows, Alcântara lands a hard frontkick, Alcântara punching a grounded Soto, the ref nearly stops the fight, but hesitates, now its over.

 

Result: Alcântara via TKO(punches) at 1:06 of Round 1

Analysis: Impressive showing by Alcântara. The ref needed to be more decisive, Soto took too much damage.   

Strawweight Maia Stevenson(6-4) vs. Polyana Viana(9-1)

Round 1

Stevenson with body work. Viana lands a takedown. Viana looks to grab a guillotine, before attempting an armbar. Stevenson thwarts the armbar with rolling movement. They stand, but remain locked up, Viana goes for a standing guillotine, that results in a takedown. Against the cage, Viana lands punches from a top position. Stevenson gives up her back, Viana locks in a rear choke, Stevenson taps.

Result: Viana via submission(rear-naked choke) at 3:50 of Round 1

Analysis: Solid performance by the unknown Viana; Stevenson looked completely outclassed.  

Lightweight Alan Patrick(14-1) vs. Damir Hadžović(11-3)

Round 1

They exchange kicks that result in Patrick, on the ground Patrick gains control. They stand Patrick lands a takedown, they stand locked up against the cage. As they break Hadžović goes for a knee. Patrick lands a takedown, but Hadžović grabs an armbar from underneath. Patrick brakes free and maintains top control. They stand and Hadžović gets a takedown and lands hammer fists from the top, they stand again, Patrick pushes Hadžović against the cage and lands more hammer fists, looks to the ref for a stoppage, but the round ends.

Round 2

Patrick starts the round with pressure, he lands a takedown.  As Hadzavicv tries to stand, Patrick works for a rear-naked choke. Patrick temporary breaks the hold to throw punches. They roll to the ground, where Patrick keeps control from behind in a body triangle. Hadzavicv is defending the choke.

Round 3

Patrick lands a knee. Hadžović goes for a knee that results in a Patrick takedown. Patrick gains top control. They stand and exchange knees. Patrick grabs a single leg takedown. Patrick takes Hadžović’s back and goes for rear-naked choke. Fight ends.

Result: Patrick via unanimous decision (30-27, 30-25, 30-27) 

Analysis: Very lopsided fight. The aggression of Patrick simply overwhelmed Hadžović.  

Welterweight Sérgio Moraes(12-4-1) vs. Tim Means(27-9-1, 1NC)

Round 1

They exchange wild punches. Moraes pulls Means to the ground. They stand.  Moraes goes for a kick, Means grabs the kick Moraes falls, Moraes wants to stay on the ground, but the stands. Moraes gets the best of multiple punching exchanges.

https://twitter.com/ufc/status/959980115265400832

Round 2

Means lands leg kicks, while Moraes lands rights to the head. Both men land headshots during exchanges. Neither man gains a clear advantage on the feet.

Round 3

Moraes swinging wild, Means able to counterpunch.  Moraes lands a stiff combo. Means punches Moraes to the cage. Means taking advantage of a fatigued Moraes. Moraes falls, after some hesitation Means goes for some ground and pound, Means looks at the clock and stands up. Moraes lands a standing knee, Means counters, the round ends.

 

Result: Sergio Moraes via split-decision (28-29,29-28,29-28) 

Analysis: Means could have got the win here, but the second round was too slim. Means undoubtedly finished the fight strong, but the first round came back to haunt him. 

MAIN CARD

Middleweight #15Thiago Santos(16-5) vs. Anthony Smith(28-12)

Round 1

Santos goes for a jumping kick but falls. Smith pressures, but they stand and separate. Santos goes for anther kick, this one lands them momentum carries both men to the ground, Smits gets on top. Santos reverses and get top control. Smith attempts a triangle, but Santos lands punches to Smith’s kidneys. As they stand, Smith grabs a leg, but Smith lands a furry of elbows, Smith drops. The ref does not stop the fight, as they stand Smith cuts Santos with an elbow. Santos lands sharp punches as the round ends.

https://twitter.com/ufc/status/959990203204030466

Round 2

Santos lands a series of kicks. Smith doubles over after a body kick, Santos with punches to the head of a grounded Smith, ref nearly stops, before movement by Smith, more punches to Smith, and the ref calls it.

Result: Santos via TKO (punches) at 1:03 of round 1

Analysis: Well that was an exercise in violence. In real-time, it seemed that the fight should have been stopped on a few occasions, but Smith kept defending himself. Santos is a bad man. 

Bantamweight Douglas Silva de Andrade(24-2-0, 1NC) vs. Marlon Vera(10-4-1)

Round 1

Silva de Andrade starts with some quick head punches. Vera counterpunches with hard combo. Silva de Andrade attempts a roundhouse kick to the ribs, Vera catches the kick before they separate. Vera goes for a body kick but Vera counters with a punch to the head. Silva de Andrade pressure punches Vera to the cage, but the end up back in the middle. Vera lands a knee and a backfist. Silva de Andrade lands a kick to the calf. Silva de Andrade goes for a takedown, does not get it, ends up attempting a standing kimura, right before the round ends,  Silva de Andrade gets the takedown.

https://twitter.com/ufc/status/959996615686742018

Round 2

Silva de Andrade aggressive wit jabs. Vera bleeds from the right eye. Silva de Andrade lands a punch that that Vera believes is an eye poke. Silva de Andrade continues to push the action with punches. Vera attempts a flying knee. Silva de Andrade goes for a spinning backfist. Silva de Andrade lands a combo of punches that leads to some knees from the clinch. Right before the round ends, Silva de Andrade goes for a takedown, but is stuffed.

Round 3

Aggressive start for Vera. Silva de Andrade counters a sidekick with a combo to the head.  Silva de Andrade with a series of combos, Vera occasionally counterpunching. Vera flips  Silva de Andrade “The Bird” Silva de Andrade lands a spinning backfist. After the bell bot men taunt each other.

Result: Silva de Andrade via unanimous decision (30-27) 

Analysis: Silva de Andrade  was relentless, while Vera never seemed to get out of 1st gear. 

Heavyweight #14Timothy Johnson(11-4) vs. Marcelo Golm(6-0)

Round 1

Golm lands an inside leg kick. A quick combo by Johnson leads to a standing clinch. Johnson landing knees from the standing clinch. They separate. They reengage in a standing clinch, Johnson backs them into cage. Golm reverses and lands knees. They separate. Johnson is bleeding from the face. Then end the round once again in a standing clinch.

Round 2

Both men land punches, Johnson initially gets the better of the exchange. When they clinch Golm lands elbows to the head. The clash heads before another standing clinch. After they separate both men land punching combos. Johnson initiates a standing clinch against the cage. Johnson goes for a spinning elbow to break the clinch. At the end of the round Johnson goes for a spinning head kick that does not land.

Round 3

Golm lands a stiff inside leg kick. Johnson lands a series of combos to the head. Johnson punches Golm into the cage, Golm wraps Johnson up. The ref separates them. Golm lands a knee to the head. Johnson once again pressures Golm into the cage before the lockup.

Result: Johnson via unanimous decision (29-27, 28-27, 28-27) 

Analysis: That was on the negative end of the heavyweight spectrum. The fight was essentially one long body lock. 

Catchweight (161 lbs) Michel Prazeres(22-2) vs. Desmond Green(20-5)

Round 1

Prazeres goes for multiple head kicks. Prazeres does land a leg kick.  Prazeres goes for a takedown, but Green scrambles out. Green lands a takedown, a get control from behind. Prazeres reverses, they stand in a clinch, they separate. Prazeres gets a double leg, Green keeps movement. On the ground, a timeout by the ref is called. (To assert that he is in control of the fight) Both men trade takedowns. Green ends the round on top.

Round 2

Green lands a takedown. They standup. Green goes for a single-leg takedown at the cage. They walk around clinched. Prazeres land a take down and takes Green’s back, they stand. Another Prazeres takedown results in a Prazeres guillotine attempt. Green slips out of several submission attempts.

Round 3

Prazeres attempts punches and kicks that don’t quite land. Prazeres lands a takedown. The fight stalls as Prazeres is in control from the top, but receives a warning for punching Green in the back of the head.

Result: Prazeres via unanimous decision (30-27, 29-28, 29-28) 

Analysis: That fight should’ve never happened the weight disparity was painfully obvious.   

Flyweight Valentina Shevchenko(14-3) vs. Priscila Cachoeira(8-0)

Round 1

Shevchenko with a fury of punches. Cachoeira counters with a set of powerful punches. Shevchenko lands a takedown and lands elbows in the mount. Cachoeira in bleeding heavily. Shevchenko mixes in body shots from the mount.

Round 2

Shevchenko trips Cachoeira to start the round. Shevchenko gains side control. Shevchenko lands stiff punches to the head, she goes for a kimura, Cachoeira slips out. Shevchenko with more elbows and punches from side control. Shevchenko briefly lands punches in full mount before Cachoeira gives up her back, more strike from Shevchenko. Shevchenko goes for a rear-naked choke, Cachoeira taps.

Result: Shevchenko via submission(rear-naked choke) at 4:25 of round 1

Analysis: That was a major mismatch. Cachoeira proved that she is ridiculously tough, but not in the league of Shevchenko. Shevchencko will have to fight tougher competition, but her path to the title should be clear.  

Middleweight Lyoto Machida(22-8) vs. Eryk Anders(8-0)

Round 1

A leg kick by Machida knocks Anders to the ground, Anders pulls a guard, but Machida stands up. A standing Machida kicks the legs of Anders (who is on his back).  Machida finds an opening, but both men stand.

Round 2

Machida goes for a front kick, but eats a nasty left hand from Anders. They clinch at the cage but separate. Machida attempts an aggressive punching combo, but Anders counters with a combo of his own.  Anders punches Machida into the corner, his takedown attempt is stuffed.

Round 3

Anders turns a body kick by Machida into a take down. They standup. Machida is bloody. Anders strikes a circling Machida. Anders unable to land a takedown after the flurry of punches.

Round 4

Machida starts aggressive with a right and a body kick. Anders swings wildly but does not connect. A left by Anders knocks down Machida, Anders briefly takes Machida’s back before they stand in a clinch. Machida ate a knee in the exchange. Anders grabs a front kick attempt, the wind up at the cage, Anders lands a takedown, but Machida stands up they remain locked. Anders punches out of the clinch.

Round 5

Machida starts with a roundhouse to the body. Another Machida kick attempt results is wild punches from Anders. Anders goes for a takedown, but Machida remains vertical. Machida lands a knee to the body, Anders responds with punches but nearly loses his balance. Machida goes for reverse-sidekick, Anders intercepts into a takedown, Machida immediately stands up. Both men land punches to end the fight.

Result: Machida via split descision (48-47, 48-47, 49-46)

After the fight Machida calla out Michael Bisping.

Analysis: Tough fight to score, but Eric Anders seemed to be the better fighter tonight. Anders could not completely solve the Machida puzzle, and it cost him the fight. 

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