UFC Raleigh
January 25, 2020
Raleigh, North Carolina, The PNC Arena
ESPN+
UFC Raleigh LIVE REPORT
UFC Raleigh Prelims
Brett Johns vs. Tony Gravely (Bantamweight)
Favorite: Even
Round 1: They clinch early, Johns has a front headlock, but Gravely sits down, and breaks the hold. Gravely has a body lock, and he’s using it to hold Johns against the fence. Johns reverses the position, lots of fence fighting here so far. Johns scoops Gravely and takes him down, Johns transitions to the back, Gravely stands but Johns is still on his back. Johns has two hooks set on the still-standing Tony Gravely, but Gravely is otherwise defending well. Johns connects with a nice elbow, from the back position. Johns sinks in a Rear Naked Choke, but Gravely manages to slip his chin under and he will survive the round. (10-9 Johns)
Round 2: Gravely connects with a few good punches to break the ice in round two. Johns clinches but Gravely puts him against the fence. We’re seeing lots of scrambles here, neither guy has been able to get much of a grip. Johns scores with a quick takedown, but Gravely scrambles back to his feet. (10-9 Gravely)
Round 3: Johns clinches to start the round, he drops to the mat and drags Gravely with him. Johns sets two hooks, he has the back and Gravely is now fighting his hands. Gravely rolls to his stomach, Johns is landing punches, and searching for a choke. Gravely is in trouble here, Johns has an RNC set, and Gravely taps out.
Result: Brett Johns def. Tony Gravely via Submission (Rear Naked Choke) Round 3, 2:53
Sara McMann vs. Lina Lansberg (Bantamweight)
Favorite: McMann -155
Round 1: McMann scores with a quick takedown to break the ice. Lansberg recovers a half-guard, but McMann is pressuring from the top. McMann is looking to set up an arm-triangle choke, but Lansberg is working to defend. McMann is landing shots to the body, as she continues to hunt for a submission. These punches are softening Lansberg up, she has two minutes left to try to avoid a potential 10-8 round. Lansberg scrambles, but McMann follows her, she is threatening with a Darce Choke! McMann has switched to attacking the arm, she’s looking for a kimura, I believe. Lansberg is defending with under twenty seconds left in the round. (10-8 McMann) The damage might not warrant this score, but McMann imposed her will from start to finish, she scored with a takedown and Lansberg was able to do nothing towards escaping the position.
Round 2: McMann clinches to start the round, and trips Lansberg down to the mat. McMann is working from half guard, landing short punches and elbows. Total control for McMann here, Lansberg appears to be tiring, McMann is giving her no space to attempt to get back to her feet. (10-8 McMann) Again, the same logic applies as it did in round one. The damage was not there, but McMann controlled the round from start to finish.
Round 3: McMann clinches, and takes Lansberg down with a body lock. This is basically a formality for McMann at this point, she is the better wrestler, it’s all about not making mistakes at this point. McMann takes the back, she has both hooks set and she is attacking the neck. Lansberg is surviving here, but McMann is absolutely dominating this round, as she has the entire fight. (10-8 McMann) (30-24 McMann) McMann absolutely dominated Lansberg with wrestling, she took her down at will, held her there, and did everything but earn a finish. Great win for McMann in her first fight back since having a child.
Result: Sara McMann def. Lina Lansberg via Unanimous Decision
Montel Jackson vs. Felipe Colares (Bantamweight)
Favorite: Jackson -650
Round 1: They’re exchanging early, Jackson is noticeably quicker than Colares. Jackson trips Colares down, but can’t keep him down. Jackson scores with another takedown, he is controlling the waist now, but Colares still manages to get back to his feet. Jackson still has the waist, Colares attempts to break the body lock, but Jackson takes him down again. Colares scrambles back to his feet… starting to feel like I’m having deja vu… Jackson connects with an elbow as they break. Jackson is controlling Colares against the fence, and landing elbows. Jackson opens up with a flurry of punches! Jackson lands once and again, and again, and again! Colares is somehow surviving! Jackson is staying on him, he unleashes another flurry of punches! Colares is in trouble here! He will somehow survive the round! Damn… that was crazy. (10-9 Jackson)
Round 2: Jackson connects with a straight right hand, and Colares is down! Jackson drops down into a modified mount, allowing Colares to scramble. Colares nearly takes the back, but Jackson recovers and returns to the top position. Colares has a guillotine! Jackson escapes though, with roughly three minutes left in the round. Jackson is controlling, mostly with a body lock. Colares attempts a hip toss, but Jackson counters, and trips him to the mat. Colares scrambles and takes Jacksons back! Jackson clinches, and tosses Colares, face first, to the mat! Colares is up again, but Jackson tags him, and takes him down! (10-9 Jackson)
Round 3: Colares secures a body lock early in the round, both fighters are now working against the fence. Jackson scores with a takedown, but Colares is attempting to scramble. Colares scores with an arm-drag! Jackson recovers though and takes Colares down. Colares scrambles back to his feet, yet again. Jackson scores with a takedown, but Colares has his neck! Great fight! (10-9 Jackson)
Result: Montel Jackson def. Felipe Colares via Unanimous Decision
Lucie Pudilova vs. Justine Kish (Flyweight)
Round 1: Kish is landing combinations to start the round, but Pudilova is managing her distance well. Kish connects with several good hooks and a low kick. Kish is using lots of movement, but she is landing. (10-9 Kish)
Round 2: Kish is landing short punches and low kicks. Pudilova is mostly just trying to move away from here, along with peppering in the occasional jab. Kish lands a low kick, but Pudilova returns a straight right hand. Pudilova connects with a double jab, and then circles away from her opponent. Kish connects with a low kick but eats a 1-2 for her efforts. Pudilova connects with several shots in the final exchange of the round. Kish looks really bad here, she is out of rhythm, she just isn’t looking good. (10-9 Pudilova)
Round 3: We’re seeing a lot of the same here in round three. Pudilova is striking at a distance, and Kish is attempting to close distance. Kish clinches and scores with a knee, from there she takes Pudilova down. Kish is landing punches from top position. (10-9 Kish) (29-28 Kish)
Result: Justine Kish def. Lucie Pudilova via Unanimous Decision
Arnold Allen vs. Nik Lentz (Featherweight)
Favorite: Allen -250
Round 1: We’re seen a few exchanges to start the round, Lentz is bleeding from the forehead, not sure what caused it. Lentz closes the distance, and transitions to the back, from there he takes Allen down. Allen is working to break the body lock, he does just that but eats a left hook for his efforts. Allen connects with a couple of jabs, but Lentz is pressuring. Allen connects with an uppercut with half a minute left in the round. Allen connects with a straight right hand to end the round. (10-9 Allen)
Round 2: Allen opens up with a 1-2! Just for clarification, Allen is left-handed, so any “straight right” that I mentioned above would have actually been a straight left. Allen lands a slick left hand, appeared to stagger Lentz a bit. Lentz lands several kicks to the body, but Allen returns a left hook. Allen is connecting again and again with just jab, Lentz is starting to ease up a bit with his pressure. Lentz clinches but they quickly separate. Allen lands an uppercut to the body, but Lentz returns fire with a jumping knee to the midsection. Lentz lands a right hand and shoots for a takedown. He’ll settle for a body lock as the round ends. (10-9 Allen)
Round 3: Lentz is pressuring here in round three. They’re working against the fence, with Allen currently in control. Allen connects with a short left hook as they separate. Lentz shoots but Allen shrugs him off. Lentz connects with a left hand as the round ends. (10-9 Lentz) (29-28 Allen) Tough fight to score and it could go either way. Lentz pressured, but he was getting tagged on the feet.
Result: Arnold Allen def. Nik Lentz via Unanimous Decision
Bevon Lewis vs. Deqaun Townsend (Middleweight)
Favorite: Lewis -400
Round 1: They’re boxing early on, Lewis connects with a stiff right hand, but Townsend wears it well. Townsend is starting to advance, he secures a clinch and lands a knee. Lewis reverses the position and puts Townsend against the fence. Lewis connects with a right hand and a low kick, just as Townsend was attempting to close the distance. Lewis connects with a left hand, but Townsend returns fire with a combination as the round ends. (10-9 Lewis) Very close round, Townsend is missing with alot of his punches, but he appears to be capable of hanging with Lewis.
Round 2: Lewis opens with a 1-2, low kick combination. He forces Townsend against the fence, he seems content to neutralize Townsend from there, instead of risking fighting at a range. Lewis scores with a left hand and then clinches. Lewis puts Townsend against the fence, with just under three minutes left in the round. Townsend sends an overhand right, but Lewis ducks under it and attempts a takedown. Townsend puts himself against the fence, though and we will remain on the feet. (10-9 Lewis) Clearer round for Lewis, the speed advantage is becoming more and more evident.
Round 3: Lewis appeared to have injured his leg at some point during the fight. Most of round three consisted of Townsend attempting to make up for lost time, but he wasn’t able to land anything with enough on it to end the fight. Lewis should walk away with a hard-fought win here. (10-9 Lewis)
Result: Bevon Lewis def. Dequan Townsend via Unanimous Decision
UFC Raleigh Main Card
Jamahal Hill def. Darco Stosic via Unanimous Decision
Hill used his reach to outstrike Stosic for the most part, but he did leave himself open for the occasional counter shot. Hill is green but he looked good against the much more experienced Stosic.
Angela Hill def. Hannah Cifers via TKO (Punches and Elbows) Round 2, 4:26
Jordan Espinosa vs. Alex Perez (Flyweight)
Round 1: Perez scores with a takedown to start the round. Espinosa secures a half guard, but Perez is working for an arm triangle. Perez has the choke, and Espinosa is in trouble here! Espinosa is sleeping and this fight is over! Perez wasted no time in taking the fight to the ground, and from there it was only a matter of finishing the choke, great work for Alex Perez.
Result: Alex Perez def. Jordan Espinosa via Submission (Arm-Triangle Choke) Round 1, 2:33
Rafael Dos Anjos vs. Michael Chiesa (Welterweight)
Round 1: Dos Anjos lunges in with a hard right hand, but Chiesa attacks with a takedown! Chiesa is attempting to climb RDA’s back, but RDA is trying to keep that from happening. Chiesa drags RDA down to the mat, he has two hooks set, and he is looking for the neck. RDA is defending, but he is in a tough spot here. Chiesa is rolling with RDA, and RDA scrambles out of danger. RDA has recovered a half guard, but Chiesa steps out into a sort of mount position. RDA spins out of it, and secures a body lock on Chiesa as he climbs back to his feet, they separate and we are back in the center. RDA throws a left hand, but Chiesa ducks and takes him down. Chiesa has a body lock as the round comes to a close. (10-9 Chiesa)
Round 2: RDA opens the round with a low kick. RDA lands another low kick, as Chiesa attempts a takedown. Chiesa shoots, and RDA s nearly down, but not quite. RDA pops back to his feet and opens up with a low kick. Chiesa ties him up again though and puts RDA against the fence. Chiesa is using his size very well here tonight, he’s forcing RDA to carry weight nearly any chance he gets. RDA lands a jab to the body, and then a low kick. Chiesa’s leg is starting to show signs of damage. Chiesa scores with a quick takedown, but RDA is fighting to get back to his feet, and he is nearly there. Chiesa is moving towards the back, but RDA is defending. (10-9 Chiesa)
Round 3: Chiesa closes the distance early, he absorbs a low kick, but manages to take RDA down anyway. RDA is looking for a kneebar, but Chiesa is in a position to keep that from happening. Chiesa is looking to isolate an arm, he’s threatening with an Americana. RDA escapes though, and he is threatening again with a heel-hook. Chiesa is safe from the heel hook, and he is now landing punches to RDA’s body with just over a minute left in the round. RDA is attempting to sweep, but Chiesa is just so big, he is able to counter everything. (10-9 Chiesa)
Result: Michael Chiesa def. Rafael Dos Anjos via Unanimous Decision
Junior Dos Santos vs. Curtis Blaydes (Heavyweight)
Favorite: Blaydes -300
Round 1: Dos Santos connects with a right hand, Blaydes changes levels, but JDS is able to stay on his feet. Blaydes shoots again, but JDS avoids it, Blaydes is 0 for 2 so far. Blaydes throws a jab, and attempts to get a hold of JDS, but can’t do it. Blaydes shoots again and puts JDS against the fence, from there he lands a shot to the groin, and we will see a break in the action. Blaydes connects with a right hand. Blaydes connects with a right hand, and then another! Blaydes lands a low kick and then a right hand! Blaydes lands another right hand as the round ends. Interesting round… JDS avoided the takedowns, but Blaydes started to get the upper hand on the feet towards the end of the round. (10-9 Dos Santos)
Round 2: Blaydes connects with a straight right to get things going, very interesting dynamic here. Blaydes lands with a jab, and then a right hand! JDS is hurt here! Blaydes turns it up and this fight is over! Wow! Great win for Blaydes!
Result: Curtis Blaydes def. Junior Dos Santos via TKO (Punches) Round 2, 1:06
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