UFC on ESPN 59 ‘Namajunas vs. Cortez’ Play-by-Play, Results & Round Scoring

Sherdog's live

UFC on ESPN 59 coverage will begin Saturday at 7 p.m. ET.

Evan Elder (170) vs. Darrius Flowers (170)

BETTING PREVIEW | SCOUTING REPORT | ODDS: N/A

Round 1

After a week off to recharge our collective batteries, the UFC revs up its engines to begin a seven-week cycle of constant Saturday combat. Taking to the Mile High City for the first time since 2018, the 24 fighters on the billing will have to battle high elevation as well as one another—the UFC planned ahead by booking no fight above middleweight tonight. The first fight of the night comes between two welterweights who would not their noses up for a win, as their combined five outings thus far have resulted in just one victory between them. That lone W is on the ledger of Elder (8-2, 1-2 UFC), who snared a decision over Genaro Valdez almost exactly one year ago. Opponent Flowers (12-7-1, 0-2 UFC) has not had his hand raised since his Contender Series appearance in 2022, although he has faced established names in Jake Matthews and Michael Johnson thus far. Referee Joel Ojeda will officiate the proceedings of the opening bout, one that begins with a sporting glove touch. Flowers is the immediate aggressor as he walks Elder down, and he easily parries a high kick as he meanders forward. Flowers gets of a quick low kick, and he dodges a jab but cannot get out of the way of a body kick. Elder catches his man with a left, and Flowers strings together three body kicks in rapid succession as he points to Elder. Flowers chains those kicks into two sudden knees, and Elder has to back off and reset. Elder surges forward, digging hands to the body and going up top, ringing off combinations of punches as Flowers tries to evade and block them. Flowers shrugs at his man after eating shots and tries a body kick, and Elder kicks him the same way. Flowers nods at him as he eats a jab, and he shrugs when Elder catches him with a right hand over the top. Another overhand right from Elder connects, and Flowers is trying to have a conversation but “The Phenom” is only answering him with his fists. Flowers winds up and fires off a big right hand, and after celebrating his handiwork, they trade body kicks. Elder slips a high kick over the shoulder, and Flowers laughs at him and pretends to wobble. Both men change levels at the same time, and although Elder tosses his foe to the floor, they scramble to get upright quickly. Flowers strikes first when returning to his feet, kicking and jabbing, and he mock dribbles and wobbles around when getting countered. Elder eats a knee and pushes forward, and he knocks Flowers awkwardly to the floor. Elder leaps on top to calm things down, but Flowers wants nothing to do it with it as he scrambles and flips Elder over. Flowers jumps on Elder’s back, and Elder flicks him to the floor. Elder thinks about taking top position, but Flowers works his way to the fence and stays on one knee to not get tagged with knees. Elder works the body until Flowers stands, and Flowers shoots for a labored takedown as he appears to have spent his energy load in less than five minutes. Elder moves into the guard and slashes down with elbows, and Flowers responds with an urgent upkick as the exciting round ends.

Sherdog Scores Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-9 Elder
Tristen Critchfield scores the round: 10-9 Elder
Tyler Treese scores the round: 10-9 Elder

Round 2

Elder sprints out of his corner to start the round, and he pulls back instead of striking. Measuring a head kick, he then pushes off with a front kick that presses into Flowers’ cup. Flowers is not thrilled from the foul, and Ojeda calls time. “Beast Mode” walks towards the cage and crouches down to put it behind him, and as the crowd boos him, he waves them on to keep booing while he recovers. Elder paces back and forth like a caged animal ready to break out, waiting for Flowers to get back to business. After a little under two minutes, they get going, and they meet in the middle and withdraw to measure one another. Elder strafes back and forth, allowing Flowers to leap attack him and miss. Elder crashes the pocket, and Flowers times a perfect double to scoop “The Phenom” off his feet and deposit him to the floor. In the midst of a wild scramble, Elder trips Flowers up and puts him on his back. Flowers flirts with a leglock, but Elder pushes through it and starts exclusively punching Flowers’ body. Elder backs off and finds another way in, and he jumps straight into full mount. Elder presses his chest down and secures an arm-triangle choke, and the fatigued Flowers is in big trouble. Elder locks the choke up completely and steps to the side, and Flowers is already tapping out because there is no way out for him. Ojeda calls the fight, and Elder releases the grip and climbs up top of the cage to psych the crowd up for him. The crowd approves of the violence.

The Official Result

Evan Elder def. Darrius Flowers R2 1:46 via Submission (Arm-Triangle Choke)

Josh Fremd (186) vs. Andre Petroski (185.5)

BETTING PREVIEW | SCOUTING REPORT | ODDS: Fremd (-110), Petroski (-110)

Round 1

A pair of middleweights happy to get the job done any way they can will meet as the prelims roll on. Both Fremd (11-5, 2-3 UFC) and Petroski (10-3, 5-2 UFC) celebrate exactly four wins by knockout and four by submission, and both are coming in off rough knockout losses. Taking charge of the cage will be referee Nick Berens, who is ready for what is about to come next. The Pennsylvanians touch gloves, and Petroski drifts back to move to the middle of the Octagon. Both men measure one another in opposing stances, and Berens warns them for outstretched fingers. When Petroski engages, he fires off a mean right hand that knocks Fremd to his seat. As Fremd climbs up to his feet, Petroski rushes at him and hits a clean double-leg takedown to land in a guillotine setup from his opponent. Petroski breaks out of the choke and quickly shifts over to side control, and Fremd frames off with an elbow and pounds it into Petroski’s nose to draw a trickle of blood out of the bridge of it. Petroski pays it no mind as he uses heavy chest pressure and hunts for a potential arm-triangle choke, only to bail on it when Fremd defends by turning to his side. Petroski resides on top, and the crowd starts booing his control while Berens mentions that Petroski should do more. Petroski answers by stepping over, in hopes of isolating Fremd’s left arm. Fremd twists and turns to not let Petroski set anything up, but the result is more ground control and little more. Petroski steps over to full mount as 80 seconds remain on the clock, and Fremd bucks like a bronco but cannot get the cowboy that trains out of Renzo Philly off of him. Petroski moves himself back to half guard to keep Fremd on his back, and he jams down a few elbows while otherwise grinding Fremd out. Petroski gets back to mount, and he smacks Fremd with a single elbow before Fremd turns around. Fremd gives his back up, and as the horn sounds, Petroski drills him behind the ear with a strike or two. Berens calls him on it, and the two go back to their corners.

Sherdog Scores Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-9 Petroski
Tristen Critchfield scores the round: 10-9 Petroski
Tyler Treese scores the round: 10-9 Petroski

Round 2

Petroski is warned between rounds to avoid any late strikes, and when they begin, Petroski says hello to his opponent with a clubbing right that shakes Fremd up. Fremd responds with a body kick, and he dips back as Petroski clips him with a head kick. Fremd tries to reply with one of his own, and Petroski grabs hold of the leg and use it to dump Fremd to the mat. Petroski jumps on top, and the two continue moving until Petroski latches onto a guillotine choke. Fremd shifts to his knees to prevent the choke from succeeding, but this lets Petroski take his back. Petroski quickly relocates to full mount, and he starts hunting for an arm-triangle choke. Petroski clasps his hands together, and he uses his full body weight to press down while turning Fremd’s head a brilliant shade of red. Fremd gets a modicum of space as he punches Petroski in the side, and Petroski comfortably rests on top and lets the choke go. Fremd kicks him off, and Petroski is forced back to full guard. It does not take long for Petroski to jump into the half guard and employ another arm-triangle choke, and Fremd grits it out once more. Fremd scoots his way to the cage wall, and he throws his legs up in search of a desperate inverted triangle that transitions into an armbar. Petroski stays heavy on top until the horn sounds.

Sherdog Scores Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-9 Petroski
Tristen Critchfield scores the round: 10-9 Petroski
Tyler Treese scores the round: 10-9 Petroski

Round 3

Petroski offers a glove touch to begin the final frame, and Fremd wants nothing to do with it. Instead, Fremd attacks, practically sprinting at his opponent with punches and leaping at him with a flying knee. Petroski backs himself to the wall, taking strikes from the pumped-up Fremd, but that offense quickly tapers off as Petroski shifts to the side and gets away. When Fremd gives chase, Petroski pursues a single-leg takedown and hits it to put Fremd down once more. The crowd, knowing what is about to come for the next three-plus minutes, starts booing. Petroski tries to shut some of those naysayers up by moving straight into full mount, and Fremd answers after eating one strike by turning around to give up his back. When Petroski starts fishing for a choke, Fremd turns over again, only for Petroski to be ready with an arm-triangle choke setup. Petroski lets it go when Fremd climbs his feet off the wall, and Fremd’s mad scramble after it gets hold of a quick inverted triangle choke again. Petroski breaks out of it and gets himself to side control in a hurry, and his attempt to isolate Fremd’s left arm begins. Petroski grinds his elbow on Fremd’s face while considering some armlock, but there is nothing to it as Berens calls for more action. Fremd explodes to turn to his side, and Petroski follows him as he twists to partially take Fremd’s back. Petroski smacks his foe on the sides of the head, and Fremd crawls to the fence and lean against it. Petroski pounds on him, and Fremd tugs on the fence in hopes of standing. Petroski hands on from behind with one hook in, and Fremd shakes his head in disappointment. The round ends as the audience rains down boos.

Sherdog Scores Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-9 Petroski (30-27 Petroski)
Tristen Critchfield scores the round: 10-9 Petroski (30-27 Petroski)
Tyler Treese scores the round: 10-9 Petroski (30-27 Petroski)

The Official Result

Andre Petroski def. Josh Fremd via Unanimous Decision (30-27, 30-27, 30-27)

Mariya Agapova (125) vs. Luana Santos (125)

BETTING PREVIEW | SCOUTING REPORT | ODDS: Santos (-395), Agapova (+280)

Round 1

Momentum is the name of the game for this upcoming flyweight tilt, as Santos (7-1, 2-0 UFC) has some behind her as the winner of four straight. Her adversary Agapova (10-4, 2-3 UFC) has struggled as of late, dropping two in a row by submission while not competing since September 2022. This classic matchup of Brazil vs. Kazakhstan will receive oversight from referee Joe Coca, and a clap of hands commences it. Agapova looks for strikes well out of range, and Santos reaches her with a body kick. Agapova stays back, leaping forward with a right hand and missing again. Santos closes in and connects with a pair of strikes, and Agapova dances away. Agapova jabs feet away from the target, and Santos strides forward brimming with confidence and decks Agapova with a right hand. Agapova climbs back to her feet, and Santos slings her right back down to the mat with emphasis. The Brazilian commits to an arm-triangle choke as she gets to half guard, and lets it go so she can facilitate a guard pass to the side. Agapova tries to use her legs to trap Santos in something and pull her back, but when this fails, Santos steps over into full mount and goes after an arm-triangle immediately. Santos gets the grip tight, and Agapova signals a thumbs-up and turns to the side to protect herself, all while coughing out her mouthpiece to breathe better. Santos resets and presses down, bailing on it to land a few body shots and then re-fastening the submission. Agapova keeps her mouthpiece barely in her teeth and turns around to get to her knees. Santos follows her every step of the way and locks up the rear-naked choke in the blink of an eye. Agapova nearly lets her gumshield fall out of her mouth in desperation while fighting the hands, but there is nothing more she can do at this point. Agapova frantically taps and completely spits her mouthpiece out as she feels consciousness leaving her body, and Coca rushes between them to conclude the fight. Santos jumps away and starts dancing, and the crowd eats it up.

The Official Result

Luana Santos def. Mariya Agapova R1 3:27 via Submission (Rear-Naked Choke)

Da'Mon Blackshear (135.5) vs. Montel Jackson (135)

BETTING PREVIEW | SCOUTING REPORT | ODDS: Jackson (-162), Blackshear (+136)

Round 1

The prelims continue as bantamweights meet in the Octagon, with Jackson (13-2, 7-2 UFC) putting together a quietly successful run in the UFC as he enters into his 10th fight. The same cannot be said for Blackshear (14-6-1, 2-2-1 UFC), who hopes to break out of his .500 record with a victory. The two will be joined in the cage by referee Nick Berens, who checks them in as they bump fists. Blackshear lands a leg kick earl y, and Jackson responds with a right hand that loops around the guard. They hand-fight, and Jackson sticks out a front kick. As Blackshear steps in to attack, Jackson releases a lightning-quick one-two that knocks Blackshear clean off his feet. As Blackshear’s head ricochets off the mat, it is clear he is out cold, and Jackson knows that his work here is done but understands the rules and drops down a few unnecessary punches until Berens leaps in. While the audience explodes in favor of the ultra-fast knockout, Jackson signals to bring it down a few notches and drops a knee out of concern for his wrecked opponent. Blackshear comes to, although he needs to lean on his coach to remain upright, and Jackson is relieved and goes to embrace his fallen foe. The confident Jackson, who finds himself on a mighty win streak after a vicious knockout, simply tells upcoming adversaries during his post-fight interview that they need to “sign the contract.”

The Official Result

Montel Jackson def. Da’Mon Blackshear R1 0:18 via KO (Punch)

Jasmine Jasudavicius (125) vs. Fatima Kline (125)

BETTING PREVIEW | SCOUTING REPORT | ODDS: Kline (-122), Jasudavicius (+102)

Round 1

Originally expecting to face Viviane Araujo, powerful Canadian Jasudavicius (10-3, 4-2 UFC) will now meet the debuting Kline (6-0, 0-0 UFC). The unbeaten Kline, who held titles at two divisions in Cage Fury FC, steps up on extremely short notice as she previously planned on appearing on the Contender Series this season. Keeping tabs on the flyweights will be referee Joel Ojeda, and there is no glove touch to commence the matchup. Kline moves in and out to get going, changing stances frequently and ultimately landing with a leg kick for the first strike of the match. Jasudavicius answers a second low kick with a right hand counter, and she brings her leg up to check another kick. When Kline reaches her, Jasudavicius counters with a sharp left that knocks Kline back. Jasudavicius nearly sweeps the leg with a low calf kick, and she parries a jab coming back her way. Jasudavicius fires off a head kick that slams into the raised guard of her foe, and Kline pays it no mind and does not appear to hear the “USA” chants in support of her ringing through the cage. Kline crashes forward, walking through a low kick and tackles the Canadian to the mat as they possibly clash heads. Jasudavicius uses butterfly guard in hopes of a sweep, and she prevents Kline from getting on top. Kline tries to leap over her to get a better position, but Jasudavicius fights it off and turns the corner to lift the newcomer up and muscle her to the floor. Kline crawls to the corner of the cage wall, and Jasudavicius rains down right hands and an elbow that slams into the back of the head. Jasudavicius is warned for the illegal blow, and she stays heavy on top with one hook in and hunts for a rear-naked choke that results in a face crank. Kline pulls the arm away, and Jasudavicius hangs on from behind to trap Kline’s left arm from defending herself. Jasudavicius keeps working from on top until Kline lowers herself to her back, in part due to “The Archangel” fighting out of a rear-naked choke setup. Jasudavicius gets away with a knee that bumps into Kline’s face, and she unleashes some serious ground-and-pound including at least one more shot to the back of the head. Kline shifts and turns to stay active, and Jasudavicius mauls her until the bell ends the round.

Sherdog Scores Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-9 Jasudavicius
Tristen Critchfield scores the round: 10-9 Jasudavicius
Tyler Treese scores the round: 10-9 Jasudavicius

Round 2

The women zoom out of their corners and pass one another, and Kline strikes first with a front kick. Jasudavicius replies with a low kick, and Kline splits the guard with a left hand. Jasudavicius fires off a head kick and backpedals to avoid two leaping punches coming her way. Kline beats Jasudavicius to the punch with a one-two, and she does this a second time as the Canadian staggers for a second and gathers her thoughts. The crowd is lathered up by the striking exchanges, and Jasudavicius reaches her foe with a right hand to calm them. Jasudavicius sneaks a right hand over the guard, and she shrugs off a body kick and resets. Jasudavicius takes a right hand and gives one back, and she snaps out a jab and pushes off with the ball of her foot. The two fight in a phone booth, and Kline gets her with an uppercut before breaking. Jasudavicius steps in with an elbow and backs away when a one-two finds the mark, and she paws out a left hook when Kline comes at her. Jasudavicius targets the body, and Kline retreats and tries to set up a trap to release an elbow while jumping. Jasudavicius ties her opponent up, and Kline circles around and hops on to take the back for a split second. Jasudavicius starts blasting the body with knees after turning Kline back around, and Kline’s body language changes and she is dragged down to a knee from the Canadian. Jasudavicius imposes her weight and puts Kline down, briefly flattening her out and hanging on in dominant position while blasting the unbeaten woman with elbows and punches. As Jasudavicius rides, she has one hook in and loops left hands behind and on the ear. Ojeda warns the Niagara Top Team fighter for another strike to the back of the head, and Kline turns around and ends up giving up her back. Jasudavicius welcomes this and hooks up the body triangle almost immediately, and she begins softening Kline up with body shots. Jasudavicius searches for a choke as Kline hand-fights effectively, and she occasionally gets off strikes as Kline twists and turns. Kline goes to her knees, and Jasudavicius flips around to snatch up an armbar. Kline bucks her off and smacks her with three hammerfists before the horn sounds.

Sherdog Scores Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-9 Jasudavicius
Tristen Critchfield scores the round: 10-9 Jasudavicius
Tyler Treese scores the round: 10-9 Jasudavicius

Round 3

Jasudavicius appears the fresher of the two as she jogs out of her corner to begin the last round, while Kline takes to the center of the cage and prods out a front kick. Jasudavicius jabs her back to the belly, and this fires Kline up. Kline lashes out with two mighty one-twos, stumbling the Canadian, but Jasudavicius rises and lets her have it with retaliatory blows. The two women go punch-for-punch and kick-for-kick, and Kline’s handiwork excites the fans enough to cheer for her again. Jasudavicius lets Kline bounce fists off her guard so she can loop strikes back, and Kline still manages to reach her with a few blows. Jasudavicius stays behind a jab and stings her foe with an uppercut, and they clash heads as they come together. Jasudavicius scores a right hand and a left, and when Kline backs off, Jasudavicius steps forward with an elbow. They tie up, and Kline tries to throw the Canadian to the floor but gives her back up standing. Jasudavicius wrenches Kline to the floor, and she lands on top and jacks Kline in the jaw with an elbow. Jasudavicius moves herself to half guard and quickly is able to assume full mount, but Kline’s scrambling ability allows her to stand up. This victory is short-lived, as Jasudavicius slings her back down to the floor like a sack of potatoes. Jasudavicius lands and immediately presses down heavily to trap Kline from bucking, and she smothers the newcomer and lands occasional body shots. Kline tugs her toes off the fencing to try to improve her position, and Ojeda tells her to knock it off. Kline closes her guard, and Jasudavicius does not mind as she continues to work Kline over with ground strikes. Kline turns her back, and Jasudavicius sells out for a rear-naked choke. Kline backwards somersaults, and Jasudavicius lets her do this so she can fasten the choke under the chin. Time expires before the submission lands, but Jasudavicius drills her with one thudding elbow after the fight ends. There is no ill will for the strike landing at 15:01, and they hug it out to conclude the flyweight pairing.

Sherdog Scores Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-9 Jasudavicius (30-27 Jasudavicius)
Tristen Critchfield scores the round: 10-9 Jasudavicius (30-27 Jasudavicius)
Tyler Treese scores the round: 10-9 Jasudavicius (30-27 Jasudavicius)

The Official Result

Jasmine Jasudavicius def. Fatima Kline via Unanimous Decision (30-27, 30-27, 30-27)

Charles Johnson (125.5) vs. Joshua Van (125)

BETTING PREVIEW | SCOUTING REPORT | ODDS: Van (-205), Johnson (+170)

Round 1

Capping off the prelims is the flyweights, who will likely engage in a high-paced frenzy of feet and fists. Van (10-1, 3-0 UFC), training out of 4oz Fight Club in Texas, comes in on an eight-fight win streak with stoppages in six of those. While he has only won two in a row, Johnson (15-6, 3-4 UFC) is on the first winning stretch of his UFC career as he has already picked up two decisions this year. This speedy affair will be joined in the cage by referee Joe Coca, and it kicks off with an appropriately quick glove touch. Johnson leads off in a hurry with a leg kick, a jab to the body and a high kick. Van blocks a subsequent body kick, and he keeps his guard up to defend a jab. Johnson picks at him from distance, mixing his attack up to all targets. As Johnson crashes forward, he clips Van with a right hand, and Van takes it flush and does not bat an eye. Johnson stays active with several chopping low kicks, flicking out jabs and flustering Van. Van tries to close the distance with his own strikes, but Johnson is far more active than the self-described slow starter. Johnson peppers him with jabs and low kicks, pushing out a front kick to make Van back away. Van pushes in with a jab and an overhand right, and he uses it to tie Johnson up. “InnerG” turns him around and pounds Van in the thigh and breadbasket with knees, and Van tries to fight out of it to no avail. Johnson shoots in for a double, and Van stonewalls him and backs him away with his own jab. Van protects his ribs with a kick and sets his right hand on the chin. Johnson strings together three punches in response, and he brushes his face to say Van did not land. Van ignores this and touches him two more times with an overhand right, and Johnson stumbles and escapes when backed to the cage. Van brings up a knee that bounces into the cup, and Johnson tells Coca he is fine and that there is no stoppage necessary. Van walks Johnson down, fighting behind a jab and landing right hands to follow. Van knocks his man off his feet, and Johnson defends with an armbar off his back. Johnson jumps back to his feet when Van pulls out of the submission, and he shoots for a takedown that fails. Johnson prods out jabs, and Van busts him in the chops with a right and a left. Van makes Johnson shell up with a right hand and two body shots, and the power difference is fast. Van puts a lot more behind his strikes, and he gets the reactions he seeks when landing until the bell rings.

Sherdog Scores Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-9 Van
Tristen Critchfield scores the round: 10-9 Van
Tyler Treese scores the round: 10-9 Van

Round 2

Van comes out of his corner ready to pick up where he left off, marching “InnerG” down and landing a few strikes on the way in. Johnson is also similarly active, picking and poking with distance strikes. Van smashes him in the face with an uppercut, and Johnson does not like this and circles away. Van gives chase, chaining three punches together as Johnson escapes. The Terminator-like Van plods forward, aiming strikes to the body when not going up top. Johnson reaches out with a swiping left hook, and it does not make Van back up one inch. Van comes out throwing with two hooks, and Johnson barely gets out of the way. Johnson jabs twice and powers out a left hand, and Van no-sells him and gives him back a sharp jab that makes Johnson turn his head dismissively. Van pops him with a left and comes at him with a head kick, and Johnson bounces off the cage and lets loose with a right hand. Johnson whiffs on two hooks, and Van stays tightly compact and dings Johnson with a left hook on the nose. Van buckles the leg with a kick, ignoring Johnson’s jabs and straight punches. Johnson scores a left, and Van does too. Van jabs his way into a short combination, and Johnson punches back as he strafes to the side. Van nails him with a right hand, and Johnson shakes it off and throws back. Van loops a few right hands around the guard, and Johnson strikes back and gets in an elbow down the middle. Van keeps pursuing his foe, and the two flyweights are trading without fear. Johnson steps through with a knee, and Van responds with a right hand over the top and barely blocks a spinning back elbow in time. Van misses with a right as Johnson jumps forward, and his head kick is blocked. Two Johnson jabs end the round.

Sherdog Scores Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-9 Van
Tristen Critchfield scores the round: 10-9 Van
Tyler Treese scores the round: 10-9 Van

Round 3

There is a brief glove touch to begin the last round, and Johnson lands the first strike with a right hand. As they both swing for the fences, Johnson nails his opponent with a right hand. Johnson blasts the body with a kick and ducks to avoid a screaming left hook, and he fakes a leg kick to spin with an elbow that bounces off Van’s forehead. Van tries to make him pay with an overhand right, but Johnson’s own fast right finds its mark and gets Van’s attention. Johnson jabs the body and comes up top with two punches, and his crisp right staggers “The Fearless.” Johnson walks Van down and clobbers him with a thunderous uppercut, sending Van careening to the mat. As Johnson leaps down to smash Van with a big right hand, Coca dives between them, and Van’s head bounces off the mat to bring him back around. While Van sits up to potentially protests the stoppage, he realizes he got his bell rung and that there is nothing more he can do. Johnson celebrates his wild comeback victory after a thrilling battle, and he sets the crowd up to drown out the arena with “USA” chants.

The Official Result

Charles Johnson def. Joshua Van R3 0:20 via KO (Punches)

Abdul Razak Alhassan (185) vs. Cody Brundage (185.5)

BETTING PREVIEW | SCOUTING REPORT | ODDS: Alhassan (-162), Brundage (+136)

Round 1

To kick off the main card, the UFC matched up two middleweight finishers that do not like to waste much time in the cage. All 12 victories for “Judo Thunder” Alhassan (12-6, 6-6 UFC) have come by knockout, while Brundage (10-6, 4-5 UFC) has seen eight of his 10 pro wins come inside the distance. Keeping control of the cage for this clash will be referee Dan Miragliotta, and the fighters touch gloves. Brundage whips a one-two at his foe and shoots for a takedown. Alhassan laughs in the face of the takedown and stops it in its tracks while elbowing Brundage in the side of the head, and he shoves Brundage over and busts him in the face with a number of ferocious punches. Brundage rolls around to survive the onslaught, and Alhassan keeps pounding on him. Brundage gets to his knees, and Alhassan hacks at him with elbows that drill the Factory X fighter in the side and back of the head. When two slam into his noggin illegally, Miragliotta emphatically calls time and breaks the fighters apart because of the fouls. Miragliotta informs Alhassan of the bad strikes and also tells him that the angle was close to 12-6 as well. Brundage remains on the ground, struggling to clear his vision as he is clearly compromised from the blows. Miragliotta has Brundage stand up to try to get his head straight, and he calls in the doctor to check on Brundage’s condition. Brundage is in a bad way, as he leans against the cage and is not having a good day. The bloodthirsty crowd hollers at Brundage, and he takes a seat against the cage and tells the doctor that his day is over. Brundage yells at Alhassan, who is upset that there will be a stoppage but not a win. Miragliotta consults with referee Herb Dean to confirm that the ruling will be a no contest due to accidentally illegal elbows, and the fight is waved off with Miragliotta making the normal arm motions that signal a fight’s conclusion. Meanwhile, Brundage’s coach tells him what happened, as Brundage appears to have no recollection of the fight. It is a disappointing result after the bonkers opening seconds, and one hopes the promotion puts this match back together in a month or two.

The Official Result

Abdul Razak Alhassan vs. Cody Brundage is Ruled a No Contest (Illegal Elbows) R1 0:37

Julian Erosa (145.5) vs. Christian Rodriguez (145.5)

BETTING PREVIEW | SCOUTING REPORT | ODDS: Rodriguez (-205), Erosa (+170)

Round 1

Always willing to either add to his highlight reel or be a part of someone else’s, Erosa (29-11, 7-7 UFC) and his .500 record come to a head with Roufusport’s Rodriguez (11-1, 4-1 UFC). While “CeeRod” holds four wins on the scorecards, three of those have come in his last three outings. On the other hand, the last three walks to the cage for Erosa have ended in the first round. Whether it takes three minute or three rounds to get to a result, referee Nick Berens will be here for it from start to finish. The featherweights bump fists, and Erosa uses a front kick to keep Rodriguez away. Rodriguez passes right past it and puts his hands on Erosa’s face. Erosa is reddened up in a hurry from the quick punches from Rodriguez, and he answers with a pair of looping uppercuts. Erosa flicks out his jab, and Rodriguez dips down and smashes him in the face with a head kick. As they trade, Rodriguez’ mouthpiece goes flying, and Erosa sees it and decides it is time to brawl. They slug it out fast and furiously until Berens finds a moment to replace the gumshield, and they get right back to it. Erosa goads Rodriguez on, and he clips “CeeRod” with a right hand in the midst of a speedy combination. They both connect with powerful blows, and Erosa gets off a strong front kick. Rodriguez kicks his man upside the head, and Erosa tells him to bring it on. Rodriguez does just that. Erosa manages to get Rodriguez to take a step back with his own counters, and his front kick to the chest and face are able to keep the hard-charging Rodriguez relatively at bay. Rodriguez settles down and tosses out a low kick, and Erosa wags his finger at him and rings his bell an elbow. Erosa walks his man down and pounds him in the face with his fists, and Rodriguez responds with a flurry ending with a right hand that staggers Erosa back. Erosa gathers his thoughts and marches forward, a cut opened on the bridge of his nose, and he lets go with a head kick that is blocked. Another elbow from Erosa comes up short, and he catches a kick and bowls and trips Rodriguez to the mat. Erosa scrambles to take Rodriguez’ back and set up a body triangle, and he is quick to consider an armbar instead of going after the neck like usual. Rodriguez defends the possible submission and turns to his knees, and he manages to flip Erosa over. Erosa’s upkicks do not keep Rodriguez off of him, as Rodriguez leaps at him and punches him hard. Erosa ignores them and grabs hold of a guillotine choke, and it is suddenly and surprisingly tight. Erosa tightens his legs around the waist of his foe and turns to the side, and falls to his back to complete the submission. Rodriguez tries to tough it out, but he is forced to surrender with seconds left on the clock. Erosa sits up and shoves Rodriguez off of him when Berens intervenes, springing yet another upset and adding one more impressive stoppage to his ledger. The victorious "Juicy J" becomes the first fighter to finish Rodriguez as a professional.

The Official Result

Julian Erosa def. Christian Rodriguez R1 4:49 via Submission (Guillotine Choke)

Gabriel Bonfim (171) vs. Ange Loosa (170)

BETTING PREVIEW | SCOUTING REPORT | ODDS: Bonfim (-340), Loosa (+270)

Round 1

In November 2023, hyper-aggressive Brazilian welterweight Bonfim (15-1, 2-1 UFC) suffered his first career defeat, after starting things off with 15 straight stoppages. To bounce back from that loss, he will be matched against “The Last Ninja” Loosa (10-3, 1 NC; 2-1, 1 NC UFC), whose most recent appearance concluded due to an eye poke. Both men want to wash the bad taste out of their mouths, and only one will do so as referee Dan Miragliotta watches on. Hands are swiftly clapped, and they begin to trade leg kicks immediately. Loosa wings a right hand and drops down in pursuit of a single, where he pushes the Brazilian against the wall. Loosa lifts Bonfim off his feet and drops him down to a knee, and Bonfim easily stands back up. Loosa presses tightly against his foe before tossing him to the floor, and once more Bonfim is back on his feet in a second. Loosa keeps the clinch tight, and Bonfim turns him around and tries to separate. Bonfim drives three knees to the body, and Loosa backs away and is surprised by the damaging blows. Bonfim stumbles him with a clean right hand, and Loosa hits the floor and jumps up to grab hold of Bonfim and elevate him before depositing him gingerly to the canvas. Bonfim crawls to his knees towards the cage, and he wall-walks and tugs on the chain links to stand. Loosa wrenches him back down and knees him in the thigh a few times, and Bonfim answers with a back elbow or two before getting dumped down again. Loosa bops his man with several right hands until Bonfim powers back upright, and they split up to return to kickboxing range. They jab at one another, with Loosa finding his home with a few. Bonfim stops a takedown and knees his foe in the body, and he parries a jab and a right hand. They both flick jabs at one another, and Bonfim splits the guard with a one-two. Bonfim loops a left around the gloves, and he stuffs another takedown and knees Loosa in the face to break out of the tie-up. They flail at one another with awkward punches, and Loosa kicks him in the lead leg. Bonfim jabs, stops a takedown and jumps guard for a guillotine. Loosa stands up straight to not let the choke even come close, and Bonfim walks him down and busts him in the chops with a series of punches. Loosa jabs him back as the round concludes.

Sherdog Scores Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-9 Bonfim
Tristen Critchfield scores the round: 10-9 Bonfim
Tyler Treese scores the round: 10-9 Bonfim

Round 2

Loosa races out of his corner to throw down, and he backs away when Bonfim is loaded for bear. Bonfim prods out several teep kicks to the body, using the leg strikes to keep Loosa away until Loosa sprints and hits an easy takedown. Bonfim climbs back up and knees Loosa as if to say thanks, and they both target the body with punches before breaking apart. Bonfim swipes a left hook at the liver, and Loosa loops a left over the top in response. Their jabs reach one another, and Bonfim splits the guard with an uppercut. Loosa takes note of this and does the same, leading Bonfim to get hold of a brief Thai plum to knee Loosa in the face once before splitting. Bonfim lands a body kick after dealing with jabs, investing in several body shots including another knee. Bonfim sneaks up an uppercut and a knee up the middle, and he clubs the fighter from DRC with a left and a hard right. Loosa stumbles to the side and eats another right hand, and he clips Bonfim with a counter left. Bonfim blasts the body with a kick, and he measures an uppercut to land in the same place. Loosa ducks down into an uppercut and shrugs it off, and he trades jabs with his opponent. Bonfim goes for another uppercut to the midsection and follows it with a knee, and Bonfim’s knees consistently find their target either to the body or chin. Bonfim lands another uppercut and gets his head snapped back with a jab, and the two men continue jabbing towards one another. Bonfim scores a left hook and lets Loosa duck down so he can time a second when Loosa lifts his head back up. Bonfim peppers his man with rangy shots while staying out of range of most of the responses, ripping a right hand over the top and shoots in for a double with seconds to spare. Loosa hits his seat, and the horn sounds.

Sherdog Scores Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-9 Bonfim
Tristen Critchfield scores the round: 10-9 Bonfim
Tyler Treese scores the round: 10-9 Bonfim

Round 3

The fighters double touch gloves to commence the final round, and strikes are not far behind. Loosa picks and pokes with punches, while Bonfim puts more behind his own. Loosa kicks the lead leg and eats a one-two down the pipe. Bonfim disrupts the offense of his foe with a few jabs, and another one-two from the Brazilian lands flush. Loosa steels himself and nails Bonfim in the jaw with a right hand, and “Marretinha” absorbs it without flinching. The fighters continue working their jabs, and Bonfim gets into a rhythm of jabs and twos, getting off several in rapid succession while Loosa tries to find answers. Bonfim scores a solid uppercut and two knees to follow, and Loosa’s chin is iron while his body is as well. Bonfim stays active throwing punches, and Loosa’s offense dwindles. Bonfim jabs twice, pushes off the forehead and lands a hard cross. The fighter from the Democratic Republic of Congo shoots for a desperate takedown, driving Bonfim back to the cage but ultimately not completing it. Bonfim stays on his feet and pushes Loosa away to dings him with several right hands. Bonfim kicks Loosa upside the head, and Loosa stays cool and even takes a knee on the chin to follow without budging. Bonfim tees off on his opponent that is hardly offering much offense back, allowing him to string multiple strikes together rapidly without fear of reprisal. Loosa closes the distance and bullies Bonfim to the wall, and Bonfim wants nothing to do with the clinch and pops Loosa with numerous jabs. Bonfim smacks Loosa with several more right hands, stuffs a takedown and jumps guard for a final guillotine choke. Loosa lets the Brazilian slide off him like water off a duck’s back, and time elapses to send Bonfim to the scorecards for the first time in his career.

Sherdog Scores Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-9 Bonfim (30-27 Bonfim)
Tristen Critchfield scores the round: 10-9 Bonfim (30-27 Bonfim)
Tyler Treese scores the round: 10-9 Bonfim (30-27 Bonfim)

The Official Result

Gabriel Bonfim def. Ange Loosa via Unanimous Decision (30-27, 30-27, 29-28)

Drew Dober (155) vs. Jean Silva (155)

BETTING PREVIEW | SCOUTING REPORT | ODDS: Dober (-110), Silva (-110)

Round 1

To keep adopted Coloradoan Dober (27-13, 1 NC; 13-9, 1 NC UFC) on the lineup, the UFC went through its phone list and ended up calling recent featherweight* victor Silva (13-2, 2-0 UFC) to bring the pain—the asterisk is because Silva missed weight when fighting two weeks ago. Both men prefer to sling leather without fear of reprisal and let the chips fall where they may, and referee Herb Dean needs to don his hardhat in the cage for this one. Before banging it out, the lightweight touch gloves, happy to be competing tonight. Dober jabs the body and lands a slapping kick to the front leg, and he pulls back before committing to a second. Dober calmly walks forward, eventually kicking Silva in the ribs, and Silva doubles over momentarily. Silva recovers and takes a leg kick, and he winds up to bust Dober in the chops with a right hand. Silva slides away before falling into a brawl, and he counters a body kick with an overhand right. Silva jabs with a front kick, and he springs away to avoid two punches. “Lord” leaps in the air and connects with a flying knee, and Dober’s chin holds up well. Silva gets up close and chucks his man to the floor, and Dober recovers and takes a left hand that splits open his right eyebrow. Dober grins as he takes a powerful pair of punches and lashes out with his own blows, and Silva belts him in the midsection with a loud kick. Chants of “Dober” drown out the commentary booth, who channels their energy with a short punch combination that lands flush. Silva lands again on the eye, and Dober wipes away some of the blood only to get caught with a right hand. Dober lunges his way in and gets tagged with a check left hook, and Silva is in his element as he shakes his hands around and scores a few more strikes. Silva dances out of the way when Dober jumps at him, and he just misses with a left hook when his foe lands. Dober cannot find his target with a few punches, and he eats a front kick for his effort. Dober whiffs on a high kick, and Silva has a left hook buzz the chin while he lands cleanly with a body kick. When Dober lands, Silva slaps his chin, and Dober spins with a wheel kick that is mere inches shy of his intended mark. Silva offers a high-five for the untelegraphed strike that might have cleaned his clock, and the round ends.

Sherdog Scores Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-9 Silva
Tristen Critchfield scores the round: 10-9 Silva
Tyler Treese scores the round: 10-9 Silva

Round 2

The fighters touch gloves before engaging, and Dober tries to find a punch to the body. Silva goes high with a kick, and Dober responds with a wheel kick that again is inaccurate. Dober kicks the inside thigh and it slides up to bump the cup, and he tells Dean that he is fine. Dober presses forward to land a few punches, and Silva backs away to lean against the fence and connect with a left hook. Dober kicks the body when breaking away, and he narrowly avoids a punch. Silva looks away and gets nailed with a punch, and he does this again and gets cracked a second time. Dober chops at the front leg and leaps forward with a pair of fists flying, and he punches his way into another body kick. Dober ducks down for a body shot right into a body kick, and he keeps the pressure on the Brazilian and catches him with a right hand. Silva shells up, and Dober unleashes several uppercuts until Silva is ready to blast him with a counter right. Dober kicks his man in the ribs, and Silva responds with an elbow to further split Dober’s eyebrow. Silva comes up short on an uppercut, and he wipes his hands on his shorts to reset. “Lord” pushes out a front kick to the body and takes a leg kick back, and Dober knows he will take a shot and does that so he can close in and punch Silva. Silva backs him off with a quick right hand, and he beats Dober to the punch with a few blows including a speedy left hook that staggers the American. Dober leaps forward to hurt Silva with a Superman punch, and Silva sweeps the leg with a low kick. Dober springs back to his feet, and he parries a jump knee at just the right second. Silva splits the guard with an uppercut and follows with a right hand, and he chops at Dober’s front leg as well. Dober drives Silva back with a strong left hand, and he walks into an elbow but ignores it so he can load up on major power strikes. Dober grips hold of Silva for a moment, and Silva pushes him away and spins with a picture-perfect elbow that shakes Dober to his core. The granite chinned Dober stumbles back, and Silva sees he has his man on the ropes and unleashes a fury with several swinging punches and a body kick, but he cannot finish the job before the bell rings.

Sherdog Scores Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-9 Silva
Tristen Critchfield scores the round: 10-9 Silva
Tyler Treese scores the round: 10-9 Silva

Round 3

As Silva motions to the crowd to get excited, Dean calls in the doctor to check on Dober’s cut. Dober is cleared to continue, and they embrace as the round begins. Fists immediately fly, and both men get cracked and tank one another's power shots. Dober shoots in for a single, and Silva jumps guard for a guillotine choke but cannot hold on due at least in part due to Dober’s blood. Dober rushes at him to strike and drops low for a takedown that is stuffed, allowing Silva to spin with an elbow that puts Dober down to his seat. Dober climbs back up, and Silva tries to time a knee that just misses. Dober backs up, and the cut is massive at this point and positively pouring blood down his face. Silva points at Dober’s face to have Dean check on the figurative axe wound above Dober’s eyebrow, and Dean tells them to keep fighting. Dober plods forward, reaching out with a left hook but cannot find his range. Silva counters with two punches and grazes him with a spinning elbow, and Dean calls time to bring in the cageside physician. There is no way this fight can continue, as the gash is practically from one end of his eyebrow to the other. The thrilling encounter is promptly waved off. Psyched that he is the victor, Silva channels his inner BJ Penn by licking the blood from his gloves, and he lets loose an outpouring of emotion before walking over to the commentary booth to chat with them. With two emphatic wins in the span of a few weeks, Silva is unquestionably on the map as one to watch going forward.

The Official Result

Jean Silva def. Drew Dober R3 1:28 via TKO (Doctor Stoppage)

Santiago Ponzinibbio (171) vs. Muslim Salikhov (171)

BETTING PREVIEW | SCOUTING REPORT | ODDS: Ponzinibbio (-205), Salikhov (+170)

Round 1

From one pair of knockout artists to another we go, this time in the welterweight division. The co-main event presents powerful Argentinian Ponzinibbio (29-7, 11-6 UFC) against the self-proclaimed “King of Kung Fu” Salikhov (19-5, 6-4 UFC), and both men celebrate the majority of their victories via strikes. Unfortunately for the aging 170ers, they have each gone 1-3 in their last four, so a win would mean keeping things going while a defeat might push them closer towards the end. Referee Dan Miragliotta will be the third man in the Octagon, and he steps back as the heavy hitters touch ‘em up. Ponzinibbio pushes the pace early, jabbing his way forward only to get pushed back by a front kick. Salikhov delivers a solid kick to the body as he shifts to the side, and he lands one on the lead leg and has a head kick blocked right after. Ponzinibbio whiffs on a low kick, and Salikhov leaps at him with a left hook that grazes the jaw. Salikhov tries that strike again, and Ponzinibbio sees it coming and parries it, following with a high kick. Salikhov blocks it and gives him one back, and that too bounces off the guard. Salikhov lands a body kick backing up, and he cannot get away from a jab to his ribs. Salikhov spins with no telegraphing and has it ricochet off the shoulder, and he bursts his way into a short combo of punches. Ponzinibbio lands with two of three punches on his way forward, catching the Russian and bullying him back to the wire. Ponzinibbio lands a calf kick and protects his mug from an overhand right, and he ducks a spinning back fist and stumbles—not from absorbing the blow, but from dodging it. Ponzinibbio wags his finger to signal the strike did not land, and he recovers and stays evasive to not get caught with subsequent strikes from the “King of Kung Fu.” Salikhov connects with a left hand, and Ponzinibbio counters and drops Salikhov. The Russian gets back to his feet, and Ponzinibbio is marching him down winding up with serious power. Salikhov drives him back with a solid uppercut, but not before a cut opens up on the inner eyebrow. Both men appear to slip on the canvas surface but not because of damage, and they race at one another to trade. Salikhov lands a heavy right hand, and the round ends.

Sherdog Scores Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-9 Ponzinibbio
Tristen Critchfield scores the round: 10-9 Ponzinibbio
Tyler Treese scores the round: 10-9 Ponzinibbio

Round 2

The fighters clap hands to begin the second stanza, and Salikhov takes two attempts to blitz forward and pulls back each time. He then spins with a wheel kick that buzzes past the jaw, and he keeps spinning, this time with a back fist. Ponzinibbio backs him away with a few jabs and a head kick, and he pushes aside a front kick to wing a right hand. Salikhov scores two left hooks before spinning with a back kick to the ribs, and Ponzinibbio no-sells it and tries to respond with a left. Salikhov has another spin broken up when Ponzinibbio rushes him, and they bounce off one another and reset. Salikhov jabs out with his toes outstretched, and they tag one another with punches. Ponzinibbio appears to get the worse of a left hand, and Salikhov gives chase and swarms him with big punches. Ponzinibbio absorbs a spinning wheel kick, where even while blocked it further staggers him. Ponzinibbio rebounds off the fencing and finds his footing again, and he swings his way forward to close the distance and stay out of kicking range. Salikhov responds with a looping right hook that does not connect and a low kick that does. Salikhov tries another wheel kick, but Ponzinibbio is wise to it and gets up close and personal. The Russian allows him to do this so he can time an uppercut, and he plants the ball of his foot on Ponzinibbio’s sternum for good measure. Ponzinibbio drives home a one-two, and Salikhov trips him up with a takedown effort. Salikhov cannot keep him down, and they return upright to trade hands. The Argentinian fighter swings inaccurately with two hooks, and his foe answers him with a front kick and a leaping punch. Salikhov has a left hook parried, and he jumps forward with a second that is ducked. Spinning with a kick to the body, Salikhov lands the strike but finds himself on his seat a moment later when Ponzinibbio surprises him with a takedown. Ponzinibbio hangs on until the horn sounds.

Sherdog Scores Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-9 Salikhov
Tristen Critchfield scores the round: 10-9 Salikhov
Tyler Treese scores the round: 10-9 Salikhov

Round 3

The fighters shake hands and bro-hug to commence the last round, and strikes are soon to follow. Salikhov lands a swiping left hook and hops back to avoid a low kick, and the Argentinian ducks to avoid a second. Salikhov spams front kicks, and Ponzinibbio lets fly a right hook that bangs into the temple. Salikhov wears it well and is jabbed back by subsequent strikes, but he gathers steam and marches forward landing a front kick. Both fighters trade hooks, and Salikhov dodges a leg kick and spins with a wheel kick that does not connect. A trio of punches from the Russian do not find their home, and he whips a left hook that grazes the top of his foe’s head. Ponzinibbio rushes after him with a pair of punches and is pushed back by a teep kick, only to crash the pocket and push “King of Kung Fu” to the cage wall. Salikhov breaks away and strafes one direction and then the other, and he has a telegraphed left hook miss the mark by a wide margin. Ponzinibbio attempts a single that is easily stopped, although he does manage to put Salikhov against the cage wall. A second attempt manages to bring Salikhov to his knees, and he drapes himself over Salikhov while keeping him on a single knee. Salikhov takes a seat, and Ponzinibbio thinks about moving around to take the back but decides instead to pursue top position. Ponzinibbio slows the fight to a crawl by holding the Russian down, and Salikhov sucks wind and tries with all his might to stand. He eventually gets back to his feet, and Ponzinibbio is dead set on getting that takedown again. The last try fails, and the close fight ends in a clinch while the crowd showers them with boos.

Sherdog Scores Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-9 Ponzinibbio (29-28 Ponzinibbio)
Tristen Critchfield scores the round: 10-9 Ponzinibbio (29-28 Ponzinibbio)
Tyler Treese scores the round: 10-9 Ponzinibbio (29-28 Ponzinibbio)

The Official Result

Muslim Salikhov def. Santiago Ponzinibbio via Split Decision (28-29, 29-28, 29-28)

Rose Namajunas (124.75) vs. Tracy Cortez (126)

BETTING PREVIEW | SCOUTING REPORT | ODDS: Namajunas (-218), Cortez (+180)

Round 1

We have reached the main event to conclude the patchwork but still entertaining fight card. Former strawweight queen Namajunas (12-6, 10-5 UFC) prepared to fight on home soil, and she initially planned on facing Amanda Ribas. With this show shredded due to multiple fighter withdrawals, including the main attraction, it now falls to Cortez (11-1, 5-0 UFC) to pick up the reins in the blue corner. Cortez puts her lengthy win streak on the line, while Namajunas hopes to cement herself as a contender in her new weight class. The two will be joined in the cage by referee Herb Dean, who brings them together to tap gloves. It’s go time. Cortez shifts right to the center of the cage to begin, and they both pursue leg kicks early on. Both women land them, but Namajunas’ are far heavier. Namajunas prods out a jab and is met with a calf kick on the inside, and she connects with a one-two that catches Cortez by surprise. A leg kick from Cortez is countered by a right hand, and Namajunas reaches her right after with a front kick and a left hook. Cortez changes stances to work her way in, but Namajunas’ strikes are sharper and having a much more significant effect. “Thug Rose” puts Cortez on her seat courtesy of a stunning left hook, and she pounces to reach her foe’s guard. Namajunas lands a few strikes from above before abandoning this track and backing off to stand back up. Cortez follows her, and she walks right into a right hand. Cortez tries to crash the pocket to get her back, but the jabs from Namajunas are accurate and constant. Cortez attacks with a body kick, and she pulls back with a knee as she is nearly reached with a quick counter. Namajunas fires off a one-two as Cortez nods at her, and she pops out a jab and blocks a high kick. Namajunas’ jab is her best weapon, shutting down much of Cortez’ offense, although Cortez does get off a hard right hand when the two exchange. One after another, they land low kicks, and Namajunas lunges with a right hand and follows it with a speedy jab. The leg kicks from Namajunas draw some hesitation from Cortez, who preemptively raises up her leg a few times in hopes of checking one. Namajunas gets off a few more punches, and the horn blares.

Sherdog Scores Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-9 Namajunas
Tristen Critchfield scores the round: 10-9 Namajunas
Tyler Treese scores the round: 10-9 Namajunas

Round 2

The second round begins with both ladies willing to engage, and they do just that. Namajunas lands a few punches, pulls back, and Cortez motions at her to bring on more. Cortez tries to counter, and Namajunas is out of position before getting reached. Cortez gets inside to land a pair of right hands, and Namajunas fires back with a left hook to force a break. Namajunas scores a left that makes Cortez blink rapidly, and Cortez gathers herself and tosses out a low kick. Namajunas chains a few punches together into a leg kick, and she is out of the way before she gets reached back. Namajunas beats Cortez to the punch on one exchange, and she whips a kick up and around the guard to slam Cortez in the face. Cortez sits down on a few punches, and she strikes her way into a takedown effort. Namajunas defends it, and Cortez slides around to take the back standing. Namajunas slips out of the dangerous position, and Cortez sets up a standing guillotine choke. Namajunas calmly works her way out of the submission try, and she lands a right hand on the break. Namajunas lances out a stunning right hand, and Cortez takes a moment before deciding what next to do. Lashing out with a left and two right hands, Cortez strikes back, and Namajunas slips out of the pocket and pops her with a quick counter. “Thug Rose” sneaks in a jab and is out of range in time to avoid anything possibly flying her direction. Namajunas dips and reaches with another jab, and she walks through a front kick to put two punches on the chin. They both miss with front kicks, and Namajunas lands a thudding leg kick. Namajunas rushes forward, hitting a trip with the body lock and putting Cortez on her back for a few seconds before the round ends.

Sherdog Scores Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-9 Namajunas
Tristen Critchfield scores the round: 10-9 Namajunas
Tyler Treese scores the round: 10-9 Namajunas

Round 3

Namajunas is quick to get things going, and Cortez answers her with intensity and several powerful strikes. Namajunas nails her foe with a body kick and a few punches, and when Cortez swings back, Namajunas hits an easy takedown and even more easily moves into full mount. Cortez scoots her way to the fence, and she tries to hand-fight to defend herself from most of the ground strikes. Namajunas stays heavy and lands a few strikes, and when Cortez scrambles, Namajunas sets up a guillotine choke in response. Cortez fights out of it and wall-walks to get back to her feet, and they jockey for position in the clinch. Cortez tries for her own trip, and Namajunas muscles her opponent to the mat. Namajunas slips into three-quarter mount practically when landing, maintaining a dominant position until getting full mount. Cortez uses two-on-one wrist control to try to hang onto Namajunas’ left arm, and Namajunas shakes out of the grip and drops down some ground-and-pound. Cortez pushes her feet off the wall to get some space, and Namajunas follows her to take the back and briefly fish for a rear-naked choke. Namajunas resides on the back with a hook in, and she wrenches on a half nelson with Cortez’ arm in the air before moving into a more traditional position of half guard. Cortez looks to sit up and manages to climb back up to her feet, and Namajunas backs off to reset. Namajunas misses with a one-two, but a front kick from “Thug Rose” makes Cortez take a quick count of her teeth. The horn sounds.

Sherdog Scores Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-9 Namajunas
Tristen Critchfield scores the round: 10-9 Namajunas
Tyler Treese scores the round: 10-9 Namajunas

Round 4

Namajunas jabs early and often as the two reach the championship rounds. Cortez replies with two probing low kicks, and she chases after Namajunas and kicks her in the head. Namajunas eats it like an edible and punches her way into the clinch, where she presses the Arizona native to the fencing. Cortez knees her way out of the tie-up and walks “Thug Rose” down, but she does not throw anything of note. Instead, it is Namajunas who attempts a strike, albeit an inaccurate head kick. Cortez has her head snapped back from a jab, and she cannot pay Namajunas back before Namajunas is out of the way. Cortez lands a body shot and is countered, and she puts her hands together but soon finds herself on the canvas when Namajunas succeeds in tripping her up with a double. Cortez uses the fence to climb back to her feet, not letting Namajunas take her back this time when they scramble, but she is stuck against the wall. Namajunas backs away to return to her preferred jabbing range, and she jabs and clips Cortez with a left hook. Namajunas lands, dodges and lands again, with Cortez hitting air much of the time. Cortez has a body kick miss, and Namajunas’ head movement and footwork are giving her fits. Namajunas pokes out a jab, and Cortez shoots for a double and pushes Namajunas to the wall. Namajunas stands up after being dragged to a knee, and Cortez presses tightly against her, ignoring a knee to the belly so she can give one back. The round ends, and Cortez appears dismayed as she walks to her corner.

Sherdog Scores Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-9 Namajunas
Tristen Critchfield scores the round: 10-9 Namajunas
Tyler Treese scores the round: 10-9 Namajunas

Round 5

The final round begins with Cortez knowing she has to finish the fight or lose. She decides that it is time to throw down, and she walks Namajunas down and slings punches. Namajunas meets her in the middle swinging hands, and both women crack one another with powerful blows. As Namajunas lands a particularly effective strike, Cortez pushes forward to change levels. Namajunas spins her around once her back hits the fence, and Cortez fights out of it. Namajunas stays light on her feet, jabbing and dodging anything of note that comes her direction. Namajunas sits down on a right hand, and Cortez appears fired up from it as she swings back harder. This allows Namajunas to get up close and personal so she can drag her towards the fence, but Cortez wants nothing to do with clinching and she frantically pulls away. Namajunas hits a takedown after shooting from a distance, and Cortez climbs to one knee and then back to her feet, all while backing her way to the cage. Cortez gets away, and both women throw hands and catch one another with left hooks. Cortez points at the ground to signal a brawl, and Namajunas ignores the calls for it and circles away. Namajunas laughs at a second effort from Cortez pointing at the floor, and Cortez is forced to walk after her. Cortez lands several heavy punches, including a few big right hands, and Namajunas has to shake them off. Cortez keeps going forward, loading up with everything she has left, and Namajunas slips a few, eats some more and gives some back. Cortez reaches her with an uppercut and gets knocked back with a left hook, and she raises her arms in the air to bring on more. Namajunas shoots for a takedown, and Cortez stops it and swings for the bleachers. Her forward momentum results in a final clinch, and the evening ends not with a band but a whimper. The one-sided occasion comes to a close, with zero doubt as to who will get their hand raised. The only question is who will be next for former champ Namajunas, who is a bonafide contender in her new division and calls for a title shot. Meanwhile, the long win streak for Cortez grinds to a halt. No matter who they fight next, we will be here for it. We hope you are too.

Sherdog Scores Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-9 Cortez (49-46 Namajunas)
Tristen Critchfield scores the round: 10-9 Cortez (49-46 Namajunas)
Tyler Treese scores the round: 10-9 Cortez (49-46 Namajunas)

The Official Result

Rose Namajunas def. Tracy Cortez via Unanimous Decision (49-46, 49-46, 48-47)