Keep updated with what’s occurring at present at UFC Vegas 71, which isn’t taking place from APEX facility, reasonably The Theater at Virgin Inns in Las Vegas, Nevada.
We’ve bought top-5 bantamweights gracing the UFC Vegas 71 major occasion when the previous champion, Petr Yan, will get it on with the UFC’s #3 rated 135-pounder, Merab Dvalishvili.
In an alternate universe, Yan is sitting at 11-0 within the UFC, and remains to be the promotion’s bantamweight champ. He by no means blasted Aljamain Sterling with that knee to lose his belt on a disqualification, and he actually didn’t lose the cut up nod of their rematch. He certainly didn’t drop that cut up determination to Sean O’Malley in his final combat, so he’s positively about to defend his belt for the fifth time right here.
Sadly for Petr, he’s caught on this time line. He’s 8-3 with the promotion, misplaced twice to Aljo, didn’t beat O’Malley, and he by no means truly defended his title after successful it. Which means Yan needs to be due for a little bit of a softball, proper? Not an opportunity! Petr goes after the proprietor of an eight combat wining streak in Merab Dvalishvili, who’s a fighter that’s not possible to look good in opposition to. I’ll say this about Yan, although. Present me a greater world class caliber fighter that has gone 1-3 of their final 4. You’ll be able to’t.
The principle card is slated for six:00pm ET/3:00pm PT, and the preliminary bouts start at 3:00pm ET/12:00pm, PT — all of which will be streamed on ESPN+.
Fundamental card: (6:00pm ET)
Petr Yan vs. Merab Dvalishvili: Bantamweight
Alexander Volkov def. Alexandr Romanov by TKO at 2:16 of spherical 1: Heavyweight
Romanov shot in immediately as anticipated, however Volkov was able to defend the takedown. Volkov tagged up Romanov a couple of occasions to power a desperation takedown. Volkov simply sprawled after which started dropping punch after punch. the ref gave Romanov loads of probabilities to enhance his place, however the onslaught proved to be an excessive amount of, and the match was halted.
Nikita Krylov def. Ryan Spann by submission (Triangle) at 3:38 of spherical 1: 215-pounds
The fighters went at it immediately, swinging for the fences with each lacking with most of their photographs. They snarled and began to grapple, and Spann discovered himself attacking with an arm-in guillotine. Krylov discovered a option to get out of it, and a few fireplace scrambles broke out. Krylov went for a guillotine of his personal, after which discovered himself on the again. Spann shook him off, however landed proper in a triangle. Krylov secured the sub, Spann tapped out, and that was that!
Jonathan Martinez def. Stated Nurmagomedov by unanimous determination (29-28 x3): Bantamweight
Nurmagomedov was peppering Martinez with an assortment of kicks to get this one going. It appeared like one in every of them truly dropped Martinez for only a second. As soon as they tied up, Nurmagomedov wasted no time in taking the again. He shortly attacked with a rear-naked choke, however Martinez gritted by means of it to flee to his toes. We bought some extra flashy hanging out of Nurmagomedov, which prompted Martinez to clinch up in opposition to the cage.
It took lower than a minute for Nurmagomedov to hit a takedown within the second spherical. Credit score to Martinez for utilizing a cool break dancing transfer to again to his toes. From there, Martinez clinched up with Nurmagomedov, urgent him in opposition to the cage for a while. As soon as they broke free, Nurmagomedov appeared exhausted and Martinez was launching leg kicks.
Martinez slipped within the closing spherical, and Nurmagomedov took high place. After a scramble, Nurmagomedov discovered his option to the again threatening with an RNC. Martinez labored to face to his toes, and Nurmagomedov hopped off. Ending out the spherical we bought extra of the identical form of clinch work in opposition to the cage from Martinez that we noticed within the second spherical.
Mario Bautista def. Guido Cannetti by submission (RNC) at 3:18 of spherical 1: Bantamweight
After a collection of spinning kicks from Cannetti, Bautista shot in and took the combat all the way down to the bottom. After being managed for a bit, Cannetti exploded as much as his toes and landed a takedown of his personal. Bautista labored up, and took Cannetti again to the bottom. Cannetti stood up, however bought suplexed proper right into a rear-naked choke. Bautista had the choke sunk, after which pressured Cannetti to faucet out earlier than he even had an opportunity to defend!
Vitor Petrino def. Anton Turkalj by unanimous determination (30-26, 30-27 x2): Mild Heavyweight
Petrino realized a takedown inside the first 30-seconds of the combat, nevertheless it didn’t keep there for very lengthy. In open area, each fighters had been swinging a bit wild, and each had been lacking. Petrino took a knee to the cup, which introduced on a brief pause to the motion. The combat resumed and Petrino put palms on Turkalj. He was tagging him and making him wobble in every single place. Turkalj went down, however then landed a slick up kick that badly dazed Petrino. Vitor shortly recovered and bought on high to finish the spherical there.
Petrino bombed on Turkalj once more to open the second act. Turkalj’s head was getting snapped in every single place, leading to Petrino getting on high once more. Turkalj recovered remarkably shortly, and scrambled his approach onto the again, however Petrino exploded to spin round within the full guard. Credit score to Turkalj for regularly standing up, however he was struggling to cease the takedown. Someway, Turkalj grappled his option to the again, however once more was unable to carry the place. In open area, Turkalj unleashed a flurry that rocked Petrino, however couldn’t keep away from getting snarled within the clinch.
Turkalj was in a position to power his approach into the backpack place, however once more Petrino spun round on high. Petrino then jumped on a rear-naked choke with out the hooks, which gave Turkalj all of the area he wanted to flee. Turkalj went to the again once more, nevertheless it was solely a matter of time earlier than Petrino reversed him but once more. The fighters jockeyed for place down the stretch, with neither man ever having the ability to totally take over.
Prelims: (3:00pm ET)
Karl Williams def. Łukasz Brzeski by unanimous determination (30-26 x2, 30-27): Heavyweight
Williams went laborious for the takedown to get issues going right here, and though he bought Brzeski down a couple of occasions, he was by no means in a position to totally solidify high place. He burned by means of a bunch of power wrestling, and had nothing to point out for his efforts as soon as Brzeski lastly broke free. It was Brzeski who was touchdown the higher strikes on the toes, however he appeared downright exhausted on the finish of the primary spherical.
Williams scored an enormous knockdown within the opening moments of the second spherical. He then lifted up Brzeski simply to slam him proper again down. He took high place and proceeded to attain with some floor and pound, however someway Brzeski discovered a approach again to his toes. A spinning elbow linked on the break, adopted by Williams displaying huge indicators of fatigue. Williams had sufficient left within the takedown to drive by means of a takedown, and was in a position to rack up some management time. He did slip on a banana peel on the finish of the spherical, gifting high place to Brzeski for only a second.
Brzeski appeared to be considerably contemporary to start out the ultimate spherical. he landed a couple of good strikes on the toes, nevertheless it wasn’t lengthy earlier than Williams bought him again all the way down to the bottom. Williams put the grind on a turtled up Brzeski, staying on high of him whereas sprinkling down punches. Brzeski was out of solutions, and resigned to simply protecting up till the bell.
Davey Grant def. Raphael Assunção by technical submission (Inverted Triangle) at 4:43 of spherical 3: Bantamweight
Assunção caught a kick early within the opening spherical to seek out high place. He pressured Davey to hold his weight till he was lastly in a position to free himself. In open area, Assunção was switching his stance forwards and backwards, making it troublesome for Grant to get a learn.
Assunção shot in for the takedown to open the second stanza, however Grant fought laborious to stay vertical and get again to open area. Grant began to unload some quantity, however Assunção was doing an incredible job of staying elusive to keep away from the brunt of most of Davey’s strikes. The issue was he was being principally defensive. In direction of the tip of the spherical, Assunção lastly grabbed ahold of Grant to get him down in opposition to the fence. That’s the place the spherical ended.
Grant took the lead agin within the closing spherical, pressuring Assunção backwards. Davey then linked with an enormous punch across the ear that rocked Assunção and despatched him stumbling. Assunção landed a desperation takedown, however Grant was fast to get again up. Assunção shot once more, however Grant used the fence to cease the takedown. The referee noticed the infraction and immediately stepped in to deduct some extent. The combat resumed and Grant dropped Assunção with a loopy spinning backfist. In a wild trade, Assunção shot in once more, however Grant locked up an inverted triangle that put Raphael to sleep! HOLY SMOKES!!!!
What a combat, what a spherical, and what a profession for Raphael Assunção. The longtime veteran left his gloves within the Octagon, signaling the tip of a prolonged profession that ends at a extremely respectable 27-10. Assunção is definitely one of many best fighters to by no means compete for a significant title.
Josh Fremd def. Sedriques Dumas by submission (Guillotine) at 3:00 of spherical 2: Middleweight
Dumas was the primary to land clear right here. He clipped Fremd with an enormous proper, however Josh shortly recovered. Fremd then linked with an enormous punch of his personal to stagger Dumas. A beautiful double leg from Fremd got here subsequent, to plant Dumas on his again. Dumas fought off a guillotine try to face again as much as his toes, however this was Fremd’s spherical.
Fremd stung Dumas once more early within the second spherical, after which hit a phenomenal whizzer kick to get on high. As Dumas tried to scramble out, Fremd attacked with one other guillotine. This time, Dumas had nowhere to go as his again was to the cage, and elected to faucet out.
Victor Henry def. Tony Gravely by cut up determination (30-27, 29-28, 28-29): Bantamweight
This one was aggressive immediately. They exchanged leg kicks forwards and backwards, with neither man actually being too efficient. Gravely was the primary to shoot a takedown, however Henry was hip to it and remained standing. In a while within the spherical, Gravely went again to the takedown and was in a position to get it. Henry stood proper up, so Tony didn’t do a lot with it, nevertheless it occurred.
Henry got here out within the second throwing much more quantity. He had Gravely taking pictures takedowns from far-off, permitting him to see them coming. Henry continued to unload his offense, attempting to overwhelm Gravely. Sadly for Henry, he gave up a takedown to stall out his momentum. After shortly scrambling up, Henry went proper again to unloading his loopy quantity. Tony dove on one other takedown, however ate a bunch of Travis Browne elbows for his efforts.
The quantity for henry was nonetheless there to open the ultimate act, prompting Gravely to shoot in once more. The takedown protection for Henry was additionally nonetheless holding up. Gravely was coming ahead with so much heavier punches than he was throwing within the earlier rounds, figuring out that he wanted to do some harm. henry stood his floor, although, and fought by means of fatigue to keep up a frenzied tempo. In a scramble, Henry rolled for a kneebar, forcing Gravely to combat out of a nasty state of affairs.
Ariane Lipski def. JJ Aldrich by unanimous determination (30-27 x3): (W) Flyweight
This one was calculated from the phrase go. Aldrich was working her solo punches, whereas Lipski was scoring with a bit of extra quantity. JJ began to search for the takedown, however Lipski had some piercing knees to the midsection ready for her on the within. With about 10-seconds to go within the spherical, an enormous proper hand landed for Lipski that despatched Aldrich stumbling.
Aldrich appeared to be totally recovered to start the second spherical. She began to stress ahead behind her boxing combos, however she wasn’t actually connecting. Lipski began to get her quantity going, maintaining JJ on the skin. Aldrich returned to on the lookout for the takedown, however even when she had good entries, she nonetheless wasn’t in a position to get the combat down.
The ultimate body noticed a extra aggressive begin for Aldrich. She was initiating the exchanges attempting to make one thing occur, however Lipski was on tonight. Lipski fired away with sharp elementary combos, touching her goal with out being touched again. Aldrich then bought actually near a takedown, however the protection of Lipski continued to be there late within the combat.
Bruno Silva def. Tyson Nam by technical submission (RNC) at 1:23 of spherical 2: Flyweight
Nam was being the aggressor early right here, stalking ahead behind quite a lot of feints. Silva responded with some stinging counters, together with a artful spinning backfist. Tyson stored the stress on, and was getting by means of with a few laborious rights, however the higher hanging was coming from the course of Silva.
A large up kick to the face from Silva opened up the second stanza, sending a dazed Nam to the canvas. Silva adopted his foe to the ground, and grabbed ahold of an RNC in transition. The again was then totally taken, the hooks had been set, and Tyson Nam was put to sleep! WOAH!!!
Carlston Harris def. Jared Gooden by unanimous determination (30-27 x3): Welterweight
This was fairly a novel stylistic matchup. Each guys had been form of simply agreeing to exploding in the direction of each other, earlier than resetting after which exploding once more. It was automotive crash after automotive crash. Neither man was trying sharp, however Harris was getting by means of with the higher photographs.
Harris closed the space to start out the second act. He pressed Gooden in opposition to the cage, and stored working till he realized a takedown. The lockdown high stress was then engaged, and Harris proceeded to personal Gooden on the mat. He didn’t precisely dish out a ton of harm, however he did completely dominate this spherical.
With the entire success he had within the second spherical, Harris went proper again to his grappling within the closing body. This time, he was in a position to take the again with ample time left on the clock. Gooden managed to scramble his again to his toes a few occasions, however sadly for him, Harris stored placing again on his butt.
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Concerning the writer: Eddie Mercado has lined fight sports activities since 2015. He covers every thing from betting odds to reside occasions and fighter interviews. He holds a 1-0 document in professional MMA and holds a purple belt in Jiu-Jitsu. (full bio)
