UFC 315 ‘Muhammad vs. Della Maddalena’ Play-by-Play, Results & Round Scoring

Round 1

The UFC is back in Montreal, the city of the world-famous Expos,
for the first time in over a decade. Two champions will attempt to
defend their thrones for the first times—with the first of those
two on her second stint as a titleholder. Before then, an even 10
matches from flyweight to light heavyweight will play out with
plenty of Canadians in tow to give the home crowd someone to
support in most of those bouts. The first of those fights pits
Canada’s Katona (14-4, 4-4 UFC) against the hard-swinging Almakhan
(11-2, 0-1 UFC) at 135 pounds. With referee Jason Herzog taking
charge of the contest, the two men consider touching gloves but
bail so they can get after it. It’s time for some action. Almakhan
takes the center of the cage, allowing Katona to circle around him.
Almakhan leads the dance with a body shot, and then strings
together a few punches up top before Katona could get away. When
Katona settles down, Almakhan surges towards him and connects with
a trio of punches. Katona ducks face-first into an uppercut, wears
it well and counters to give the Kazakhstani a taste of his own
medicine. Almakhan appears to have his foe’s timing early, as he
bounces in and out while watching Katona’s movement carefully.

The moment Katona is about to attack, Almakhan offers a destructive
uppercut that sends Katona crashing to his back. Almakhan leaps on
top, hammering “Superman” with hammerfists that prove to be
Katona’s kryptonite. Herzog does not need to see more
than a few before stepping in as Katona’s lights flicker on and
off, and Almakhan has notched his first UFC victory in a huge way.
“The Turan Warrior” violently becomes the first fighter to ever
finish the durable Canadian, getting him out of there in a little
over a minute. Despite a home country fighter getting wrecked in
the opening bout, fans have to give it up to the impressive display
from the Zhekpe Zhek practitioner.

The Official Result

Bekzat Almakhan def. Brad Katona R1 1:04 via KO (Punches)

Round 1

Moving right along, “Willycat” Santos (12-2, 2-1 UFC) gets a chance
to go on a three-fight win streak if he can get past Lee (11-2, 2-1
UFC) in one of the few preliminary matches not featuring a Canuck.
Both of these featherweights sport similar finish rates in the 65%
range, which means referee Marc Goddard might be needed before all
is said and done. There is a sporting glove touch to get going, and
they get right to smacking one another in the lead leg. When Lee
comes in to strike, Santos goes for a spinning back kick that
whizzes past his foe. They let go with low kicks, and then trade
punches. Santos lifts his foot up and around the shoulder, and he
just blocks a returning high kick in the nick of time. Lee whiffs
on an overhand right, and Santos counters with several body shots.
Lee presses forward, and he eats a few more right hands to the
midsection. Lee knocks Santos off his feet with a blistering right
hand, and Santos leaps back up and grabs hold of Lee’s leg. Rather
than get the takedown, he keeps moving and takes Lee’s back
standing up. The Brazilian pushes his foe against the fence from
behind, and Lee is warned for grabbing the fence to stay upright
when Santos tries to wrench him down. Santos does get his man down
for a second, and Lee springs back up and lets his hands go. Santos
checks a leg kick and looses a right hand, and Lee responds with a
jab to split the guard. Lee lands another hard jab, and this time
Santos gives him something back to think about in the form of a
right hand, a spinning wheel kick and several more body shots.
Santos chains punches to the body and head, and Lee stands firm and
knocks him back a step with a one-two. They throw body kicks at the
same time, and Lee attacks the liver with his left hand. Santos has
a wheel kick bounce off the raised guard, and he pushes forward and
chains several punches together. Lee is not about to let him off
the hook, and he cracks the Brazilian with a left hook that
staggers Santos. “Willycat” gathers his thoughts, and chants for
Lee rain down. Santos unloads a right hand that sends Lee flying,
and Lee spins around and recovers while throwing back with bad
intentions. These two let one another have it with violent body
shots, and Santos pushes forward to pursue a single-leg takedown.
Santos bails on it for a wheel kick try, and this intense round
comes to a close. Judges will have their hands full with their
tallies here.

Sherdog Scores

Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-9 Lee
Dayne Fox scores the round: 10-9 Lee
Tristen Critchfield scores the round: 10-9 Lee

Round 2

The fighters hug it out to start off the second round, and Santos
immediately gets going with a chain of punches to the body. Lee
strikes back with a vengeance, and fists fly every which way as
both men nail one another. Santos picks his man up and throws him
down, and he jams his knee in the chest before Lee can stand. Lee
fights out of a rear-naked choke setup and surges back to his feet,
where Santos is ready and waiting for him so they can throw hands.
Santos gets off a few punches to set up a takedown, where he drags
the Korean fighter to his seat. Santos laces his legs around Lee’s
to keep him grounded, and the action-spoiled fans start booing
almost immediately. Lee uses elbows to frame off and score a little
to open up a wall-walk escape. Santos opens up with punches as soon
as he gets upright, and when Lee responds, Santos leaps in the air
with a flying knee. Santos starts slapping Lee’s lead leg with kick
after kick until Lee sets up checks, and this only allows the
Brazilian to take him down again. Lee maintains butterfly hooks as
soon as he hits his back on the open cage, and Santos does not mind
as he postures up and hammers Lee with ground-and-pound. Lee
attempts to strike back, but Santos’ blows are far more effective.
Lee kicks off Santos’ chest to get some space, where he is able to
stand back up despite Santos charging at him. The Brazilian pushes
his foe to the wall, and he nails him with a left hand on the break
to open a cut on the corner of Lee’s right eye. Lee swings back
just as hard as ever, although he appears to be all power while
Santos is more interested in combinations. In a phone booth, the
two featherweights let another have it with power punches. Santos
ducks one to set up a clinch, and the horn sounds.

Sherdog Scores

Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-9 Santos
Dayne Fox scores the round: 10-9 Santos
Tristen Critchfield scores the round: 10-9 Santos

Round 3

After 10 blood-and-guts minutes, the two share a longer embrace
before trying to smash the other in the face. Unsurprisingly, smash
the other in the face is exactly what they do. Santos leads off,
Lee fires back, and Santos level changes. Lee throws his legs up on
the way down to set up a triangle choke, only for Santos to shift
to the side and position himself in side control as he establishes
himself on top. The action slows down as Santos takes several
breaths, and he slashes with an elbow or two until Lee scrambles.
Lee turns to his knees and stands up, and Santos lifts him up from
behind and deposits him right back to the floor. Lee once more
jumps upright, shimmies to get Santos off his back, and they reset
in striking range. Lee flashes out his jab, and Santos lets go with
a front kick that pushes past the chin. Lee doubles up on his jab,
putting a two behind it and driving Santos back. Santos kicks low,
and Lee jabs again and again. Santos’ winging punches are more
telegraphed than before, and his spin is equally inaccurate when
Lee watches it go by. Santos shoots for a double-leg takedown as he
pushes Lee to the wall, but Lee breaks off and eats a clean right
hand on the jaw. Lee throws back, but Santos is the more accurate
and harder puncher at the moment. Santos goes to the body with a
kick, dodges a body shot and shoots from a distance on Lee’s left
leg. Santos lifts his foe’s limb up and trips the other out,
throwing Lee down in an interesting high-amplitude maneuver. Lee
flinches when hitting the ground, appearing a bit frustrated at
getting grounded. On a lull, Lee pushes off and stands up, and he
motions for Santos to bring it on. Lee stalks his foe down and jabs
him, and he measures an uppercut when Santos shoots for a single.
When Santos abandons the takedown, he fires off a head kick that
pounds into the guard. “Willycat” escapes the remainder of the
confrontation, disappointing the fans in the building for not going
for broke with seconds to go. The fight ends.

Sherdog Scores

Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-9 Santos (29-28 Santos)
Dayne Fox scores the round: 10-9 Santos (29-28 Santos)
Tristen Critchfield scores the round: 10-9 Santos (29-28
Santos)

The Official Result

Daniel Santos def. Jeong Yeong Lee via Unanimous Decision (30-27,
30-27, 30-27)

Round 1

Two skidding knockout artists will try to smash the other, with a
pink slip very likely awarded to the losing party. What was a
middleweight contest transformed into a catchweight affair as Silva
(23-12, 4-6 UFC) missed weight by a pound after asking matchmaker
Mick Maynard to give him one more chance. Barriault (16-9, 1 NC;
5-8, 1 NC UFC) also has his back against the wall, but he will have
the crowd on his side at least. The two hard-swinging gentlemen do
not touch gloves, as referee Luc Lefebvre watches on. Barriault
sticks out his jab almost immediately, and he walks face-first into
a right hand and fires back to make Silva clutch his eye. The
Brazilian recovers and resets, lashing out with two punches that
miss the mark and darting back to avoid the counter. Silva reaches
out with a right hand and digs a knee to the body, switching
stances to set up a kick that does not come. Barriault boots him in
the body, and Silva catches the kick and knocks him over with
swarming punches. Barriault climbs back up to his feet and jams
Silva against the fence, where he unloads with titanic elbows.

His power bar maximum, “Power Bar” smashes Silva in the temple with
elbow after ruthless elbow. Silva’s legs wobble and quickly give
way, and he collapses face-first on the mat, totally done while
Barriault finishes the job with four concussive
punches. The crowd explodes in favor of the Canadian,
with “Ole ole ole” chants drowning out any other thought. Silva is
still down, as medical officials tend to him. He slowly regains
consciousness, but is completely disoriented and clutches his head
while Barriault walks to the center of the cage and puts his hands
in the prayer gesture. Silva rolls to his back, in serious agony,
and Barriault’s celebration is tempered but emotional as he
embraces his team. This marks the first time that Silva had ever
been knocked out as a pro, and it is a rough one as the medical
team tends to him and stretchers him out of the cage.

The Official Result

Marc-Andre Barriault def. Bruno Silva R1 1:27 via KO (Elbows and
Punches)

Round 1

A pair of strikers at 205 pounds will lead off the ESPN portion of
the prelims, when unbeaten Kiwi Stirling (6-0, 1-0 UFC) runs into
Croatian demolition man Erslan (14-4, 1 NC; 0-1 UFC). The two
celebrate 14 knockouts across their 20 combined victories, and
referee Erick Philippeaux is well aware that this could end with
one crushing blow. Before they try to lop one another’s head
off—figuratively, of course—they bump their large fists together.
Stirling strikes first with a half-hearted low kick to find his
distance, and Erslan comes out firing with two swiping punches that
miss the mark. Stirling pitches out a few more kicks to the leg and
body, and he aims one high but is out of range. Erslan catches him
at the end of a right hand, and the Croatian backs off and surges
forward with another pair of punches. Stirling comes up short on a
spinning wheel kick, and he settles down and chips away with kicks
from both legs. Erslan walks him down calmly, parrying a few
punches to get one over the top. Stirling kicks his man in the
ribs, and he has a trio of punches not land flush. Stirling does
score another body kick, and he jabs and reaches with a lead hook.
The body kick is the best weapon for the unbeaten fighter, who
keeps Erslan at bay with his longer legs. Erslan whiffs on a big
right hand, and Stirling hammers his front leg a few times as
Erslan stands awkwardly on it. Erslan swings for the fences with a
monster right hand, but it is his more measured hooks that connect.
Sterling again cannot find a home for his spin kick, with Erslan in
too close range to let it hit him. Erslan’s left hand opens a cut
on the inside corner of Stirling’s eyebrow. Stirling goes to the
body, and Erslan responds in kind. Stirling keeps chipping away
with kicks, and Erslan’s right bicep start to welt up. Stirling
jabs from afar a few times, and his leg kick scores more. Erslan
pushes him away and backs to the wall, looking for his left hook
but not finding it. They both swing hard, and Erslan connects with
it better and backs his man off. Stirling kicks his man in the
ribcage and has a low kick checked, and Erslan goes to the body and
head with counters. Stirling kicks and bangs into the arm that is
turning red in a hurry, and the round ends.

Sherdog Scores

Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-9 Erslan
Dayne Fox scores the round: 10-9 Erslan
Scottie Smith scores the round: 10-9 Erslan

Round 2

Erslan rushes out of his corner to engage, and he stings his foe
with a right hand but eats one back in response. Erslan suddenly
shoots in for a double-leg takedown, and the fans in the building
respond by booing loudly. Erslan manages to circle around to the
back of his foe, but he cannot keep him there as Stirling turns him
about. Stirling lifts Erslan’s leg up and drags him to the floor
awkwardly, and it is Erslan who has to fight off the wrestling.
Stirling hits a mat return, putting Erslan down lightly and
smacking him with a free right hand. Erslan gets to a knee and hits
a switch, and suddenly it is him again controlling the grappling.
The Croatian fighter gets in a few knees to the side while holding
on from the back, leaning heavily on Stirling against the cage.
Stirling once more turns him around and this time breaks free,
where Erslan quickly punches him square in the face. Stirling
responds with body kicks, and he aims a few punches to the ribs for
good measure. Erslan comes back over the top with a right hand, and
then misses with two subsequent looping hooks. Erslan swings hard
but is not able to find his target, and Stirling dances back and
kicks him. Stirling shoots, and Erslan pushes him away and nails
him with an overhand right. Erslan finds another on the same spot,
and a third when Stirling tries to slide to the side. Erslan rips a
few body shots and opens up a left hand to the chin, and he backs
off when Stirling starts to kick at him. Stirling lunges but misses
with a flurry, and he kicks the lead leg and backs off as the horn
blares.

Sherdog Scores

Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-9 Stirling
Dayne Fox scores the round: 10-9 Stirling
Scottie Smith scores the round: 10-9 Stirling

Round 3

The fighters meet in the center of the cage, and Stirling leads off
with slapping kicks to the front leg and side. Erslan looks to sway
and avoid jabs, but Stirling still reaches him a few times. Erslan
looks for an overhand right counter when the kick comes, and
Stirling is wise to it and slides back in the nick of time. Erslan
wraps a right hand around the guard as Stirling is ducking, and
Stirling gathers himself and kicks a few more times to the lead
leg. Erslan plods forward behind his overhand right, and he clips
Stirling with one and does not care when Stirling hits him back.
Erslan lands a right hand, and Stirling steps in with a knee to the
body in a clinch. Stirling surprises Erslan with an uppercut, and
he eats a counter but did far more damage with his own blow.
Stirling fights behind his jab, and Erslan connects with an
overhand right. Stirling crashes the pocket looking for a single,
and he bullies the Croatian fighter to the fence. Stirling
transitions to a double, and Erslan tosses him aside and catches
him with a flush right hand. Stirling shakes it off and comes back
at him, only to get tagged with another right up top. Stirling
rails his opponent with a one-two that shakes Erslan to his core,
who shoots in for a single out of desperation. Stirling stops the
takedown attempt and smashes him in the face with an elbow. Erslan
is loving this, and he raises his arms in to the air to call on
more. Stirling obliges him with several more punches, and he knocks
Erslan down to his face. Philippeaux allows things to play out even
though Erslan face-planted, and Stirling punches his man in the
back of the head and then leaps on top looking for the finish. He
pushes Erslan to his back and starts bombarding him with punches,
stepping into mount and trying to punch his man out. Time expires
before Stirling gets the job done.

Sherdog Scores

Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-8 Stirling (29-27 Stirling)
Dayne Fox scores the round: 10-8 Stirling (29-27 Stirling)
Scottie Smith scores the round: 10-9 Stirling (29-28 Stirling)

The Official Result

Navajo Stirling def. Ivan Erslan via Unanimous Decision (29-28,
29-28, 29-27)

Round 1

Keeping to the light heavyweight division, there is a very
realistic scenario that both men will hold .500 records in the
Octagon if one man prevails. Bukauskas (17-6, 5-4 UFC) has done his
absolute best to make up for an early rough stretch, while “The
Hulk” Cutelaba (19-10-1, 1 NC; 8-9-1 UFC) is aiming to smash his
way back to that midpoint range. Both men vastly prefer the
knockout, but they have also sustained multiple stoppage losses of
that type in the past as well. Referee Dan Miragliotta dons his
proverbial hard hat as the 31-year-olds do not bother to touch
gloves. Bukauskas leads off with a long, leaping jab. Cutelaba
kicks him back in the front leg, doing so one more time when
Bukauskas changes stances. Cutelaba keeps at it until Bukauskas
fires one back at him, and it does not slow him for long. Cutelaba
turns his hips into an especially heavy calf kick, and he leans
back as a one-two comes up just short of his face. Bukauskas is
unable to reach his foe with punches, while Cutelaba kicks him at
will. Bukauskas steps in and catches Cutelaba with a left hand, and
he follows with a right that “The Hulk” takes on the chin without
batting an eye. Cutelaba fires back with an overhand right, and he
offers a body kick and spins with a wheel kick that both bounce off
the guard. Cutelaba catches Bukauskas at the end of a calf kick,
and he parries a body kick and blocks a subsequent head kick.
Bukauskas snaps out a jab, and he sways to avoid the worst of an
overhand right. Cutelaba does not falter kicking the front leg time
and time again, and they clash together with hooks that partially
land. Cutelaba has a massive uppercut and right hand knock out the
air around the Lithuanian, and he plants his legs and pounds on
Bukauskas’ from leg. Bukauskas gets off a two-punch combo and
rushes back knowing “The Hulk” is coming after him. Bukauskas
chains together two one-twos that catch the Moldovan on the chin,
and once more, he no-sells them and walks forward. They both miss
with spinning back kicks to the body, and Cutelaba tries to corner
Bukauskas with a low kick and times a left hand when Bukauskas
advances. Cutelaba plants his heel on Bukauskas’ side with a spin
kick, and Bukauskas tries to do something similar but cannot score
it. The round ends.

Sherdog Scores

Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-9 Cutelaba
Dayne Fox scores the round: 10-9 Cutelaba
Scottie Smith scores the round: 10-9 Cutelaba

Round 2

The second round opens up with Cutelaba pressing forward, landing a
few punches and mixing in kicks. The Moldovan follows the success
with another blitz, backing his opponent up and drilling Bukauskas
with a right hand. They crash together, and Cutelaba spins with an
elbow that bangs into Bukauskas’ jaw. It is Cutelaba who goes
flying after the blow lands, because he spun himself off-balance,
and he recovers quickly. Cutelaba considers a level change, and he
runs into a stone wall that he pushes against the fence. Cutelaba
grinds his man against the fencing, offering a knee or two but
otherwise stalling out. They jockey for position when in the
clinch, and Miragliotta separates them. Cutelaba spins with a wheel
kick out of nowhere, and both men trip and nearly go down without
the strike connecting. They get back to their feet, and Cutelaba
chases his man with an overhand right. When he pitches a naked leg
kick, Bukauskas counters with two punches. Cutelaba sits down on a
hard right hand, and Bukauskas has to blink it out but is otherwise
unconcerned. Cutelaba keeps his guard up, and he rushes forward and
lands a couple punches and a kick at the end. Cutelaba offers a leg
kick and ducks down to fire off a right hand when he sees Bukauskas
coming forward, and he throws a wheel kick so hard that he falls
over when it is way out of range. Cutelaba stands, and he initiates
a brawl. Bukauskas catches him and nearly gets blasted, having to
circle around to regain his footing. One final brawl ensues, with
Bukauskas getting the better of the final exchange before the
bell.

Sherdog Scores

Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-9 Cutelaba
Dayne Fox scores the round: 10-9 Cutelaba
Scottie Smith scores the round: 10-9 Cutelaba

Round 3

Cutelaba is energized to start off the final frame, pushing forward
immediately but not able to catch Bukauskas standing still. He
settles for a few chopping calf kicks, and he shoots in for a
double from afar that Bukauskas is able to defend thanks to the
wall behind him. The clinch position stalls the two 205ers out, who
trade occasional knees but do little more to satisfy Miragliotta.
They are separated, and Cutelaba is the aggressor again. Clipping
Bukauskas with a left hand, Cutelaba keeps marching forward and
lashes out with a low kick that scores, and a spinning back kick
that bangs into his foe’s midsection. Cutelaba stomps out with a
kick to the front knee, and Bukauskas is tired of waiting and lays
into “The Hulk” with a massive right hand. Cutelaba does not so
much as flinch, and eats another huge punch that he once more
shrugs off. Cutelaba follows his foe around the cage, and he skims
a spin kick off the body and reaches at the end of a right hand.
Bukauskas goes high with a kick that is blocked, and he stings
Cutelaba with a check hook and forces the Moldovan to shoot in on
his hips. Bukauskas stops the takedown but is otherwise pushed to
the wire, where they spin one another around. They give one another
knees to the guts, and Cutelaba goes for a trip that is unable to
get his man down. Bukauskas pushes off and lets his hands go, only
for Cutelaba to tie him back up. Miragliotta calls for action as
Bukauskas leans on his opponent, and he breaks and spins with an
elbow. Cutelaba busts him in the chops with a right hand, and
swings for the bleachers with a few more. The final strike of the
fight is a spinning kick from the Lithuanian to the midsection, and
a slightly bloodied Cutelaba raises his hands to signal he thinks
he won the fight. Time expires.

Sherdog Scores

Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-9 Bukauskas (29-28 Cutelaba)
Dayne Fox scores the round: 10-9 Bukauskas (29-28 Cutelaba)
Scottie Smith scores the round: 10-9 Bukauskas (29-28 Cutelaba)

The Official Result

Modestas Bukauskas def. Ion Cutelaba via Split Decision (27-30,
30-27, 29-28)

Round 1

Andrade (26-13, 17-11 UFC), the winningest female fighter in the
company, would like nothing more than to add one more to her
ledger. Standing in her way will be significant betting favorite
and sentimental local favorite Jasudavicius (13-3, 7-2 UFC), who
rides the longest win streak (four) of her career. Referee Jason
Herzog clocks the flyweights in as they get down to business,
starting off with a glove touch. Andrade takes the center of the
Octagon, while Jasudavicius looks for a jab that is out of range
early. Andrade rushes out with a right hand and then hops back, and
she leans in with kicks on the inside and outside of the lead leg.
Jasudavicius kicks her back once, and she tags the Brazilian with a
one-two. Andrade smiles at her. Andrade tosses out a right hand and
a low kick, and her foe catches her with a long right hand. When
Andrade tries to strike back, Jasudavicius lifts her in the air and
slams her down hard. Jasudavicius starts beating on the former
strawweight champ, landing punches and taking her back. Andrade
looks to crawl back up, and Jasudavicius is a 125-pound weight on
her back dragging her down. Jasudavicius gets one hook in and
starts fishing for a rear-naked choke. When there is no submission,
Jasudavicius smacks her on both sides of the head.
Jasudavicius flattens Andrade out, and she wraps up a rear-naked
choke that is tight as a drum. Andrade posts off and tries to grit
it out, but there is nothing she can do at this point in that
position. With her other hand, “Bate Estaca” taps out,
and the roof on the building practically blows off. The Canadian
releases the grip and rushes to her corner to celebrate, who award
her with her Brazilian jiu-jitsu black belt as a prize for the
career-best triumph. It was smooth sailing for the Canadian, who
barely got touched by one of the most dangerous women to ever grace
the cage.

The Official Result

Jasmine Jasudavicius def. Jessica Andrade R1 2:40 via Submission
(Rear-Naked Choke)

Round 1

Halifax native Malott (11-2-1, 4-1 UFC) will attempt to put a bow
on the prelims for his home country fans, and with 10 stoppages in
his 11 pro wins, referee Marc Goddard will need to be on his A
game. Standing across from him is a frustrated but very dangerous
Radtke (10-4, 3-1 UFC), who does not like being booed even though
he is in hostile territory. Tensions ran high at the weigh-ins as
Radtke flipped off the crowd while draped in an American flag, and
he will have the next 15 minutes or less to send an additional
message. There is no touch of gloves to get going. Radtke reaches
the center of the cage first, advancing forward and walking through
a stomping kick to his knee so he can lash out with a right hand.
Radtke dodges it and pushes off with a side kick, and he steps in
with a left hand and a push kick. Malott sits down on a trio of
punches to catch Radtke unaware, who tanks them well and responds
with an overhand right. Malott kicks the lead knee a few more
times, and he connects with a left hand over the top. Crude chants
against Radtke rain down, who is promptly kicked in the ribs by the
Canadian. Malott pins a one-two on the chin, and he dances out of
the way of a counter. Malott sits down in four crisp punches, with
Radtke’s chin holding up well. The chants rain down again,
directing Radtke to do something inappropriate as Malott wraps a
head kick around his guard and chains a spinning back kick into it.
Radtke plods forward, clubbing Malott with a pair of hooks. Malott
aims a front kick and connects at the end of a one-two, and he
continues to beat on Radtke’s knee. The chants come a third time,
and Malott channels that energy by kicking “Chuck Buffalo” in the
head. Radtke swarms him, catching Malott with several punches that
shake him up. Malott responds with a knee to the gut and breaks
off, kicking the front leg on the way out. The punches from the
American bust Malott’s nose open, who crashes the pocket and misses
the mark with a swinging left. Malott connects with a body kick,
leaning back to avoid a left hand and working on Radtke’s knee
again. Radtke eats a few punches to swing on Malott, and the round
ends.

Sherdog Scores

Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-9 Malott
Dayne Fox scores the round: 10-9 Malott
Scottie Smith scores the round: 10-9 Malott

Round 2

The fighters meet in the middle, and they promptly throw hands.
Malott backs off, parrying the advancing Radtke and blasting him
with a left hook that makes him crash into the cage. Malott whiffs
on a high kick as Radtke circles away to get his bearings, and he
walks the American down and plants a one-two square on his
forehead.
This time, Malott does not stop with two punches, and the third, a
crisp left hook, sends “Chuck Buffalo” collapsing to his seat.
Radtke lays on his back clutching his head, and Malott sprints
towards him and bombards him with five blistering punches that
knock Radtke all the way out and back in again. As the Canadian
drums Radtke’s skull off the cage floor, blood spraying from his
busted jaw, Goddard runs towards them to stop the
fight. The audience that had already voiced
full-throated support for their man goes ballistic, and it is
deafening in the building. “Proper Mike” hoists the Canadian flag
and climbs to the top of the cage, waving it in the air as he
drinks in all the love in the building. Radtke sits up and tries to
stand, but he has to be helped to the stool. Malott goes to shake
hands with everyone willing to engage him, and he slams his hand on
the corner post of a sponsor to make a point. The fighters shake
hands, burying any beef that had developed during the week.

The Official Result

Mike Malott def. Charlie Radtke R2 0:26 via KO (Punches)

Round 1

On short notice, the hard-charging St. Denis (13-3, 1 NC; 5-3 UFC)
went from facing Joel Alvarez to drawing streaking Prepolec (18-8,
0-2 UFC) on his comeback tour after washing out of the UFC in 2019
with two losses. The 27 finishes across the two’s 31 total
victories means that referee Luc Lefebvre is almost certainly going
to get involved before this is all over. They touch gloves, glad to
be still fighting on this event, and then the lightweights let one
another have it. St. Denis is the first to engage with a low kick,
and he lands a second before shooting in for a double. Prepolec is
easily taken down, and he defends on his back by fishing for a
kimura. The Canadian is able to scoot his way to the fence while
clinging to the right arm of his opponent, but St. Denis ignores it
as he looks to get a hook in and take the back while Prepolec is
seated. The crowd grows restless as St. Denis hangs on the back,
fighting the grip but stuck unable to improve his position. St.
Denis calmly wriggles his arm out, which he uses to start slugging
Prepolec with punches and elbows, a few landing to the back of the
head. St. Denis fastens a rear-naked choke that is on the chin, and
he releases it to further beat on the late replacement. St. Denis
tugs on Prepolec’s face with his hand before switching to go for a
rear-naked choke on the other side. Prepolec toughs out to fight to
his feet, but St. Denis instantly mat returns him in the open cage.
St. Denis fastens the body triangle around the waist and hunts for
chokes, unable to get the forearm under the chin and just squeezing
the Canadian’s face. Prepolec turns to his knees after breaking the
grip, and St. Denis knees him in the side of the head legally and
jumps on his back when Prepolec stands. St. Denis secures a
rear-naked choke grip that is firmly on the jaw, and he crushes it
down as hard as he can. Prepolec turns his head to relieve the
pressure, and the one-sided round ends.

Sherdog Scores

Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-9 St. Denis
Dayne Fox scores the round: 10-9 St. Denis
Scottie Smith scores the round: 10-9 St. Denis

Round 2

The lightweights touch gloves, and Prepolec knows St. Denis is
coming hard and nails him with a clean left hand. St. Denis shows
immediate swelling from the power punch and shoots for a takedown,
but Prepolec defends it. St. Denis bears down on him, connecting
with several swarming punches until Prepolec pushes off and jams a
finger into his eye. St. Denis protests, and Lefebvre pauses the
action for a couple dozen seconds. When they restart, Prepolec
catches St. Denis again with a power punch, and St. Denis gather
his thoughts and attacks recklessly. Prepolec tags him again, and
he gets bullied back to the fence where St. Denis elbows him hard
instead of taking him down. St. Denis hurts Prepolec with elbows
and mixes in another takedown effort, but he bails on it and loads
up when they separate to knock Prepolec’s head around. St. Denis
gets his man to the wall and starts battering him with elbows, and
he rips knees to the body. Prepolec goes to the body with punches,
but St. Denis is drilling him with elbows that he cannot seem to
avoid. St. Denis wraps his arm around his foe’s waist and wrenches
him to the ground, where he climbs into half guard and wraps up a
crushing arm-triangle choke almost immediately. The Canadian steps
over to the side, and the moment he does, the late replacement
knows his goose is cooked and surrenders. St. Denis releases the
grip and does not go off to celebrate, instead embracing his fallen
foe and presumably thanking him for taking the fight. With the
stoppage victory, “God of War” is once again in the win column, and
his 100% finish rate stays intact.

The Official Result

Benoit St. Denis def. Kyle Prepolec R2 2:35 via Submission
(Arm-Triangle Choke)

Round 1

Depending on how the rest of the division shakes out, this main
card flyweight affair could turn into a title eliminator. Grasso
(16-4-1, 8-4-1 UFC) may have lost convincingly in her last time out
against champ Valentina Shevchenko, but she still holds a victory
over the woman with the most consecutive title defenses in the UFC.
Silva (18-5-1, 6-0 UFC) would love to pull the plug on that party
and have her own rise to the throne, which may come if she beats
the Mexican boxer. Referee Erick Philippeaux joins the two in the
high-stakes affair, and he steps back as the ladies race together
without a glove touch in sight. Grasso tosses out a low kick to say
hello, and Silva is quick to retaliate up high. Silva then chops
the lead leg with her own kick, allowing Grasso to double up on a
jab. Silva, in the center of the cage, strings a head kick into
three punches. Grasso keeps her guard up when striking and
spinning, as Silva’s racing counters bound into her gloves. They
trade low kicks, and Silva gets the better of her foe with three
quick punches off the forward bow. Silva puts out two punches and
pitches a slapping leg kick, and again Grasso doubles up on her
jab. Silva kicks low and then up high, and Grasso is stuck with
little of her own but a jab. Silva attacks with a head kick, and
she falls over. Grasso sprints at her to secure top position, but
Silva bounces back up before she is further grounded. Silva
wall-walks and pushes off Grasso’s face to get away, and she
returns to her game of circling and pump-faking with the occasional
low kick. Grasso puts two jabs in her face, and the Brazilian
counters her with a hook up top. Silva surprises her with a side
kick to the nose, and Grasso is tough and stays composed with her
jab first. Silva pushes out a front kick to the chest, with a
significantly more varied and active offense than the former champ.
Grasso kicks low, and Silva brushes her foe’s hair with a kick.
Grasso probes out with her jab, not putting anything behind it, and
Silva smacks her with a side kick to the stomach and a spinning
wheel kick up top. Grasso is stuck in first gear, and Silva gets
away with a hook kick that nearly lands. Grasso’s jab ends the
round.

Sherdog Scores

Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-9 Silva
Ben Duffy scores the round: 10-9 Silva
Scottie Smith scores the round: 10-9 Silva

Round 2

The second round opens with Grasso jabs, doubled up with little
else going on. Silva kicks her back, landing around Grasso’s raised
knee guard. Silva slaps her foe upside the head with the instep of
her foot, and she dances away and tags Grasso with a check hook
when Grasso flicks out a few jabs. Grasso tries to catch the leg,
but Silva recoils it before anything comes of it. The Mexican
fighter darts forward, and Silva’s quick hook counters keep
catching her. The power is extremely low, but she is touching her
opponent. Grasso finally throws and lands a punch other than a jab,
a right hand that bangs into the surging fighter’s chin. Silva
scampers away before anything else can reach her, and Grasso
bounces on her heels to reset. Silva kicks Grasso in the head and
snipes her with a left hook as Grasso marches forward, and Grasso’s
chin holds up without worry. Silva pecks out her own jab when
Grasso plants her feet in front of her, and Grasso still can do
nothing but jab. The fans are not amused. Grasso loops out two
punches that are far away from the target, and she manages to get
one off but is kicked in the head and eats a right hand in rapid
succession. Silva skips another kick off the guard, and she swings
hard but misses the mark. Grasso decides it’s time to start
fighting suddenly, and the two erupt into a shocking 10-second
brawl where they sting one another and bloody Grasso’s face up.
Grasso also has multiple lumps all over her forehead, and the round
ends.

Sherdog Scores

Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-9 Silva
Ben Duffy scores the round: 10-9 Silva
Scottie Smith scores the round: 10-9 Silva

Round 3

Grasso starts off the last round as aggressively as she left off,
and Silva is ready for it. Grasso slows herself down, and then
suddenly speeds up and crashes forward in pursuit of a takedown.
Silva backs herself to the wall, defending the level change with
ease, even though Grasso is pushing hard for it. Grasso scores a
single knee, and Silva turns her around and puts her back to the
wall. Grasso looks for a few more knees, and they break apart.
Grasso gets back to jabbing, and she reaches the Brazilian with a
left hook. Silva retaliates with a head kick that brushes the top
of the head. When Grasso plants her feet, Silva cracks her with
three power punches. Grasso is shaken up, and she advances to start
up throwing hard. When she gets off a punch or two, Silva splits
away, and she sneaks in a high kick when Grasso races after it.
Grasso continues to power forward, even lowering her head and
ducking down to let her hands go. Silva chips at her with low kicks
and punches up top, and she pushes Grasso back with a front kick.
Grasso lunges in, and she gets clipped once more by the Brazilian.
Silva keeps skirting from side to side, and she blasts the former
champ with a nasty head kick that cuts Grasso under the eye and
rocks her for a moment. Silva celebrates her handiwork by chopping
down with a calf kick and spinning with a wheel kick, as blood
streams down the Mexican’s eyebrow. Grasso jabs her way forward and
even offers her own high kick, but Silva sees it all coming and
switches stances to throw a tornado kick that bounces off the
guard. Silva is all smiles, connecting with one final flurry of
punches and a high kick, letting out a squeak as the fight ends as
she knows this should firmly be in her pocket. The odd fight ends,
and a new flyweight contender has arrived.

Sherdog Scores

Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-9 Silva (30-27 Silva)
Ben Duffy scores the round: 10-9 Silva (30-27 Silva)
Scottie Smith scores the round: 10-9 Silva (30-27 Silva)

The Official Result

Natalia Silva def. Alexa Grasso via Unanimous Decision (30-27,
30-27, 30-27)

Round 1

A day and a half ago, the “featured fight of the night” slot was
booked as a bantamweight affair. Elder statesman and beloved champ
Aldo (32-9, 14-8 UFC) could not get close to 136 pounds, so he and
Zahabi (12-2, 6-2 UFC) agreed to bump it up to featherweight to
keep it together due to strange Canadian weight regulations. In
what could be a passing of the torch match—this could be said about
the last five fights or so for the ex-WEC champ—referee Dan
Miragliotta will be installed as the cage commander. The two
relieved fighters who did not have to cut nearly as much weight as
they expected bump fists to get the fight started. Aldo marches
forward, guard high, and Zahabi circles all the way around him.
Aldo keeps following his foe, neither man throwing a strike of
merit for the first 50 seconds. Aldo finally lands a jab, but it is
just one jab. Zahabi jabs him back, and Aldo responds with a speedy
head kick that bounces into his foe’s armpit. Zahabi jumps in and
out to strike, and Aldo lets go with a body kick and two hooks.
Aldo cracks the Canadian with a right hand, sending Zahabi back in
a hurry. He lands another right hand, and lifts up a knee to
counter something that does not get to him. Zahabi gets off two
punches, and Aldo does not even register them and loads up a right
hand that bangs into the Canadian’s head. Zahabi reaches his foe
with a body kick, and Aldo continues marching forward without fear.
Aldo lifts his knee up to block a high kick, and he jabs with the
ball of his foot extended. Aldo rips the body with two punches, and
Zahabi’s guard lower as he frowns. Aldo doubles up on a jab to
strike with a right hand, and he gets countered and sways to avoid
the worst of them. Aldo counters Zahabi coming in with a hook, and
he jabs the body when he notices Zahabi is not retaliating. Aldo
scores a mighty low kick, and Zahabi walks towards him to score a
pair of punches. Zahabi flashes a grin, and he splits the guard
with a few jabs and a couple right hands. Aldo leans back and
dodges several punches, and he engages with power offense of his
own. Aldo uses a power jab to set up further punches, and he
no-sells a left hook and fires one back. Aldo goes to the body, and
Zahabi counters with a front kick and a punch. Aldo cracks him with
a left hand, and the horn blares.

Sherdog Scores

Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-9 Aldo
Dayne Fox scores the round: 10-9 Aldo
Scottie Smith scores the round: 10-9 Aldo

Round 2

Zahabi starts off the round in a flurry, crashing the pocket and
kneeing the former champ flush in the chest. Aldo forces him to
settle down with a front kick to the midsection. Aldo flicks out a
quick jab, and he sneaks in a low kick before Zahabi can get to
him. Aldo checks a kick and swings for the fences, but the Canadian
is able to escape them. Aldo checks a leg kick and snaps out his
jab, intercepting his advancing opponent every time. Zahabi walks
through a few to try to strike, and Aldo goes to the body and head.
When Zahabi strikes back, Aldo is nowhere to be found. Aldo pounds
the body with a right hand, and he takes a left hook on the
forehead so he can rifle off a big hook of his own. Aldo slips a
punch and has one scrape off his forehead, and they jab one another
up. The former beltholder plays the matador, absorbing a single
left hand and landing his own. Zahabi’s foot rises up in a
combination, and his foot strikes the groin. He immediately
apologizes, and Aldo knows it was totally by accident. They restart
in a few seconds, with Zahabi cut on the side of his right eye.
Aldo lets him come at him so he can counter, and he ducks a leaping
left hand to sneak away. Zahabi kicks him square in the groin, and
this time, Aldo is a little more irritated and takes some time,
while saying “that’s two” to Miragliotta. Time is called, and Aldo
is perturbed but they tap gloves to get going after 15 seconds and
push ahead. Zahabi aims a kick much lower to avoid the groin, and
he has another get checked. Aldo whips a body shot at him and looks
to dodge a jab. Zahabi clips the former beltholder with a left
hand, and Aldo pushes off with a front kick and a few jabs. Zahabi
dings him with another left, and Aldo shakes his head. Aldo leaps
in the air, landing a flying knee to the body at the bell.

Sherdog Scores

Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-9 Aldo
Dayne Fox scores the round: 10-9 Aldo
Scottie Smith scores the round: 10-9 Aldo

Round 3

The fighters hug it out as the last round begins. Zahabi
reintroduces himself with a one-two, beating Aldo to the punch with
a few strikes until Aldo revs up his own engine and stinging the
Canadian. Aldo lets Zahabi fly past him, but when Zahabi resets,
Zahabi lands three punches down the middle. Aldo shakes his head
and drives a knee into his chest. Two body shots from the Brazilian
land cleanly, and he ducks down and takes a left hand over the top
along with a knee to the body. Aldo surges into action, hurting
Zahabi with a knee, a right hand and a head kick that send him
flying. Aldo punches his foe and drills Zahabi with a legal soccer
kick, and Zahabi is all over the place and barely with it. Aldo
chases after him and blasts him with another soccer kick, and
Zahabi flops to his back and survives it. Miraculously, Zahabi is
still in the fight, and he manages to stand back in front of Aldo,
who is looking hard at the clock. The Brazilian is totally spent
trying to force the finish, and suddenly momentum has shifted
again. Zahabi pours it on, and he marches Aldo down and starts
hurting him. A gassed Aldo shoots for a takedown, and Zahabi bowls
him over and starts landing punches. Zahabi sits in Aldo’s guard,
unleashing heavy punches and elbows. Zahabi continues to assault
the former champ with unblocked elbows, and Aldo hangs on tight
with nothing left to offer. Aldo keeps his hands up and breathes as
hard as one can, and he clings to Zahabi while Zahabi offers more
elbows. Zahabi complains that Aldo is holding his glove, and a
moment of confusion leads to Zahabi hammering Aldo with more
elbows. One slashing elbow shreds open a cut on the middle of
Aldo’s forehead, and blood streams down his face immediately.
Zahabi keeps pouring it on, looking to Miragliotta for a stoppage
that is not yet to come. Every time Zahabi nails Aldo, he looks to
Miragliotta. Aldo holds on to save himself and run out the clock,
and Zahabi helps him back to his feet when the shocking match
concludes. Both teams lift their fighters on their shoulders and
parade them around the cage, embracing while held on the shoulders.
What a fight.

Sherdog Scores

Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-9 Zahabi (29-28 Aldo)
Dayne Fox scores the round: 10-9 Zahabi (29-28 Aldo)
Scottie Smith scores the round: 10-9 Zahabi (29-28 Aldo)

The Official Result

Aiemann Zahabi def. Jose Aldo via Unanimous Decision (29-28, 29-28,
29-28)

Round 1

For the first time since 2022, champion Shevchenko (24-4-1, 13-3-1
UFC) will be facing a woman not named Grasso. She draws surging
Frenchwoman Fiorot (12-1, 7-0 UFC), who could become the first
French-born undisputed champion in UFC history—Ciryl Gane won the
interim heavyweight strap. To the surprise of some, Fiorot will
close as the betting favorite, but when the cage door closes, it’s
all between the two flyweights and referee Marc Goddard. They
cordially tap their gloves together to make it official. Shevchenko
slaps out a leg kick and leans to avoid a head kick, with Fiorot
advancing early. Shevchenko pushes her away to score a body kick,
and she zips away before another high kick can reach her.
Shevchenko clips the challenger with a one-two, who seems surprised
by the blows and has to blink them out. Shevchenko blocks a kick to
get off a right hand, and she ducks a right hook when Fiorot
strikes. Fiorot plants a kick on the lead leg, and she is countered
when trying a second. Shevchenko lets Fiorot come in so she can
catch her with a check right hook, and Fiorot looks for a kick on
the other side. Shevchenko considers changing levels, but ends up
blocking a kick and skirting to the side. Shevchenko stands the
Frenchwoman up with a right hand, and her low kick continues to
find its mark. Shevchenko flicks up a kick to the nose that reddens
it up fast, and Fiorot adjusts it. Shevchenko spins with a wheel
kick, and Fiorot dodges but cannot get her hands on the champ.
Fiorot walks face-first into a right hand, and she bangs her lead
leg into her foe’s guard. The right hand from Shevchenko bloodies
up Fiorot’s nose, and she stings her again and shakes her up. The
nose for the challenger is busted and bleeding badly just three
minutes in, and Fiorot ignores it and surges forward. Shevchenko
dances easily out of the way to reset, and she is met with a kick
that she catches and tackles Fiorot to the ground. Shevchenko lands
in half guard, where she lords over her foe and completely controls
her. Goddard asks for more action, with Shevchenko content to
impose heavy shoulder pressure. Fiorot elbows her opponent in the
posterior while Shevchenko lands a few punches, and the round
ends.

Sherdog Scores

Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-9 Shevchenko
Dayne Fox scores the round: 10-9 Shevchenko
Scottie Smith scores the round: 10-9 Shevchenko

Round 2

Fiorot starts the round with her foot flying, and she shoots in for
a double. Shevchenko leans against the wall to defend it, and she
ducks away to escape. Shevchenko whips a kick up high that starts
the bleeding again, and Fiorot promptly wipes her nose. Shevchenko
spins with a back kick that slams into her ribs, and she skips away
to evade a counter. Fiorot level changes and hits a 5-foot-5 wall
that punches her in the face. Fiorot comes up short with a head
kick, and she goes after a single that is equally futile.
Shevchenko stands and waits for her opponent to come to her,
countering her and hitting a trip to put the Frenchwoman on the
mat. Fiorot scrambles madly to flip Shevchenko over, and they both
get to their feet. Shevchenko beats Fiorot to the punch with her
jab repeatedly, and she shoots for a double and cannot quite get it
as Fiorot hops around skillfully. Fiorot pushes her foe back to get
back to kickboxing range, and she raises up a high kick that gets
blocked. Fiorot shoots for a takedown, and Shevchenko sprawls
against the wall. Fiorot peels her leg away and grabs her from
behind, leaning on the champ and kneeing her to the back of the
thigh. Shevchenko spins away, but not before eating an elbow.
Fiorot’s head kick cannot find its target, and she times a right
hand with a takedown shot. Fiorot uses pure brute force to lift
Shevchenko up in the air and dump her down, where she laces her
legs around “Bullet” to pin her to her seat. Shevchenko posts off
her right arm and barely blocks an illegal knee while she was
grounded that Goddard did not see. Shevchenko does not protest, and
the round ends.

Sherdog Scores

Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-9 Fiorot
Dayne Fox scores the round: 10-9 Fiorot
Scottie Smith scores the round: 10-9 Fiorot

Round 3

Goddard issues a hard warning between rounds, having acknowledged
the near-foul, and the ladies get back to combat. They trade leg
kicks to start, and Shevchenko goes high while Fiorot goes low a
second time. Fiorot ignores a head kick that soars past her, and
she stands there waiting for more offense to come at her. It is
another blockable head kick, and she stuffs a takedown and reaches
out with a right hand as Fiorot abandons it. The champ kicks the
inside of the lead leg and flicks out a few jabs to get some space,
and she nearly gets caught with a high kick. Shevchenko kicks the
outer side of the leg, and they crash together when both going for
level changes. Fiorot brings up a knee and an elbow, and Shevchenko
scores a few jabs. When Fiorot charges, Shevchenko turns to the
side and sprints around the cage to reset. Shevchenko shoots for a
takedown that is unsuccessful, and she comes up top with a right
hand. Fiorot fails on her own takedown effort, and she clinches up
to drive four knees to the midsection. Shevchenko misses on a front
kick to break, and she proceeds to work the front leg further.
Fiorot flails her way in, inaccurate with her approach, and
Shevchenko knees her in the face when Fiorot ducks down. This does
not deter the Frenchwoman, who looks for a body lock takedown.
Fiorot scores a knee or two to the inner thigh, and she plants one
on the groin that Shevchenko once again does not protest. On the
break, Shevchenko busts her foe’s nose open again with a right
hand. The jab is soon to follow from the champ, who spins with a
powerful back fist that forces Fiorot to shoot. Fiorot uses pure
power to elevate her foe, and Shevchenko is able to hop around and
keep her balance with the wall at her side. Fiorot knees the back
of the leg, and Shevchenko pushes off the cage as Fiorot’s team
claim falsely that she grabbed the fence—Goddard replies, “not even
close.” Shevchenko pushes off with a punch and a kick, and the
close round ends.

Sherdog Scores

Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-9 Fiorot
Dayne Fox scores the round: 10-9 Fiorot
Scottie Smith scores the round: 10-9 Fiorot

Round 4

The women meet the championship rounds, and Fiorot is amped up and
ready to continue as she pitches kicks and jabs out. Fiorot lands a
side kick, and Shevchenko surges forward with two hooks. Shevchenko
times a head kick to spin with a wheel kick that nails the
challenger on the chin. Fiorot shakes her head, and she has her
nose bleeding early with peppery jabs. Fiorot ducks under one in
pursuit of a double, and she succeeds in pushing Shevchenko against
the cage but no further. Fiorot settles for a few knees up close
and personal, and she transitions to a single that Shevchenko
thwarts with a few punches up top. Fiorot zips past her foe with
offense, and Shevchenko is calm and a cucumber and counters her.
Shevchenko tries a quick takedown, and Fiorot backs her off with a
knee to the midsection. Shevchenko knees Fiorot and skirts to the
side to let the Frenchwoman go past her again, playing the matador.
She drills Fiorot with a stern spinning kick to the ribcage, and
all Fiorot can do is reset and try to move forward and clinch.
Fiorot scores a knee in the tie-up before pushing her to the wall,
where she leans heavily on her adversary and scoring a few more
knees. Shevchenko breaks free while dodging a knee up the middle,
and she kicks the lead leg of her advancing foe. Fiorot leaps
forward and is out of range, and Shevchenko times a sneaky takedown
to drag Fiorot to her seat. Fiorot rushes back to her feet and
starts kneeing the champ in the side. Fiorot manages to get off an
elbow in the clinch, and she pushes out a side kick. Fiorot spins
with nothing, and Shevchenko counters her with a right hand that
sends her flying to the ground. Shevchenko pounces, ending the
round in style with ground-and-pound.

Sherdog Scores

Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-9 Shevchenko
Dayne Fox scores the round: 10-9 Shevchenko
Scottie Smith scores the round: 10-9 Shevchenko

Round 5

The fifth round has arrived, and it could be split leading into it.
Fiorot acknowledges this and fights behind her jab, while
Shevchenko shifts to the side and keeps moving. Fiorot chases her
down and knees her once in the belly before tying her up, and she
looks for a body lock takedown. Fiorot whiffs with an elbow on the
break, and a high kick grazes her chin on the way out. Shevchenko
counters her over the top with a left hand, and Fiorot bites down
on her mouthpiece and slings leather back her direction. Shevchenko
ducks a few punches to change levels, and Fiorot stonewalls her and
shoves her back. Shevchenko smacks the front leg with a kick,
continuously moving and blasting Fiorot with a spinning back fist.
Fiorot is tough as a stale baguette, and she pushes forward into
the clinch. Shevchenko breaks away and kicks her in the side.
Shevchenko pecks out a jab, and she leaps forward with a Superwoman
punch and a level change. Fiorot turns her about and pushes her to
the wall, but she cannot keep the champ there. Fiorot fakes a spin,
and she is at least a foot away from a head kick. Shevchenko
connects with a punch, and Fiorot darts towards her with a short
punch salvo before clinching up again. Fiorot knees her in the
belly and leans on her, winding up with distance to plant the knees
on the thigh. Fiorot sneaks around to grab the back of the
champion, who spins around with a right hand as Fiorot tosses a
head kick at her. Shevchenko counters a kick with a right hand, and
her one-two comes up short. Her second lands, but not before Fiorot
scores too. Shevchenko dings the challenger with a spinning back
fist, and Fiorot pays her back with a knee and an elbow. Shevchenko
knees back, and she aims a head kick at the bell. They go the
distance, and the scores could go either way. Both women put their
hands in the air after 25 minutes of fairly evenly-matched
combat.

Sherdog Scores

Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-9 Shevchenko (48-47 Shevchenko)
Dayne Fox scores the round: 10-9 Fiorot (48-47 Fiorot)
Scottie Smith scores the round: 10-9 Fiorot (48-47 Fiorot)

The Official Result

Valentina Shevchenko def. Manon Fiorot via Unanimous Decision
(48-47, 48-47, 48-47)

Round 1

Sometimes, a champion does not defend their throne against the top
contender, but rather the top contender that is available at the
time. This welterweight headliner will see Muhammad (24-3, 1 NC;
15-3, 1 NC UFC) put his belt on the line for the first time, and he
meets Della Maddalena (17-2, 7-0 UFC) for all the marbles in a
prototypical striker vs. grappler matchup at the highest level.
Referee Jason Herzog will be the third man in the Octagon for a
match that could very well go 25 hard minutes, and he brings them
to the center of the cage to issue final instructions and touch
gloves. It’s on with the show. Della Maddalena immediately takes to
the center of the cage, where he jabs his way forward. Muhammad
responds with a body shot, and Della Maddalena jabs him up. Della
Maddalena kicks and punches his way forward, beating the champ to
the punch. Muhammad responds with his own jab and a high kick that
makes Della Maddalena spin around, from momentum and not damage.
They flick jabs at one another, with Della Maddalena the more
active of the two. Della Maddalena picks and pokes, and Della
Maddalena responds with a power right hand. He lands a second,
getting the challenger’s attention. The Aussie keeps his guard up
to block a trio of punches coming his way, and kicks the champ
upside the head and lances him with a left hand. A right hand from
Della Maddalena stings Muhammad with a right hand up top, and he
gets jabbed back and eats a right hand that follows. Della
Maddalena’s leg kick lands a few times here and there when not
landing up top, and he chains a low kick into one high. Della
Maddalena sneaks in a left hand, and he nails the front leg with
another kick. Muhammad lunges and cannot reach his man, but he
sells out and shoots for something. He bails on it to drill Della
Maddalena with a punch flurry, and his head kick at the end gets
in. Muhammad dodges a knee and pushes out his own jab, and he rips
a left to the body and kicks the same spot. They crash together,
letting loose elbows that hurt the other, and then back off. One
missed hook kick from the champ concludes the round.

Sherdog Scores

Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-9 Della Maddalena
Dayne Fox scores the round: 10-9 Muhammad
Scottie Smith scores the round: 10-9 Della Maddalena

Round 2

Della Maddalena begins the second stanza aggressively with kicks
aimed at all targets, and he pulls back when Muhammad starts to put
a jab together. Muhammad rifles off a right hand, and when Della
Maddalena ducks, the champ punts him in the head. Della Maddalena’s
crooked nose stays crooked as a result, and he reaches out a right
hand in response. The toes of the challenger stab into his foe’s
midsection, who sits in the pocket and looks for hooks from up
close. Della Maddalena drives home a one-two that sends a gob of
spit flying from Muhammad’s mouth, and Muhammad takes it flush and
does not waver. Instead, Muhammad evades a front kick and lashes
out with punches. They take turns attacking one another, until
Muhammad breaks up the back-and-forth striking with a takedown
shot. Della Maddalena shrugs it off, and he blocks a high kick that
he knows is coming. Muhammad loops a few left hands out while
trying to wrap them around the jab, and he kicks the challenger in
the side that is already showing some welting. Muhammad punches his
way into a takedown, and when it fails, he lands a few punches but
gets caught on the way out. Muhammad catches Della Maddalena with a
left hand when circling away, and he parries a front kick and comes
up short by a matter of inches with his hooks. Della Maddalena jabs
to the body, and Muhammad whacks him upside the head with a hard
right hand. Della Maddalena responds with a combination that busts
Muhammad’s nose open, and blood is quick to flow. Muhammad tries a
spinning back fist, and Della Maddalena mocks him with one of his
own before attempting an earnest wheel kick that brushes past the
beard. The round ends.

Sherdog Scores

Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-9 Della Maddalena
Dayne Fox scores the round: 10-9 Della Maddalena
Scottie Smith scores the round: 10-9 Della Maddalena

Round 3

The third round opens up as both men launch punches at one another,
with Muhammad landing the better in the early exchange. Della
Maddalena bites down on his mouthpiece to let his fists fly, and
the third and fourth in a combination knock the champ’s head
around. Della Maddalena dodges and sways when Muhammad returns
fire, exaggerating his movement as he is feeling himself in there.
Della Maddalena jabs the body with his foot, and kicks the lead
shoulder. Muhammad responds in kind, and he laughs off a faked
takedown effort from the Aussie. Muhammad punches his way forward,
but he backs off before landing anything of merit. Instead, it is
Della Maddalena who connects, with a right hand. Muhammad walks him
down and connects a few times, but his nose gets further bloodied
up by the speedy hands of the challenger. Della Maddalena chips at
the calf, and he leans back as a right hand buzzes his temple.
Della Maddalena jabs a few times, and Muhammad steels himself and
launches a big right. Della Maddalena takes it flush and keeps on
rolling, jabbing to the head and body as he keeps things mixed up.
He rings the champ’s bell with a right hand, who then gives him
back a left hook to think about. Muhammad pushes out a knee that
bounces off the guard, and he chambers and fires a huge right hand
that does not fluster his foe in the least. Muhammad runs forward,
ignoring the jabs to let bigger punches go. This succeeds to a
degree, until the boxer tags him with a right hand. Della Maddalena
then scores a left as he backs away, in his element, strafing and
swaying as he glides around. Muhammad walks him down and busts him
in the face, and Della Maddalena laughs them off and throws back
hammers. Muhammad shoots for a takedown, and he leans against his
foe when he does not get it. Della Maddalena defends it and tries
for his own, and Muhammad elbows him in the side and back of the
head. Muhammad is warned for the strikes as the horn sounds.

Sherdog Scores

Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-9 Della Maddalena
Dayne Fox scores the round: 10-9 Della Maddalena
Scottie Smith scores the round: 10-9 Della Maddalena

Round 4

Shockingly, the champion might need a finish as they enter the
fourth frame, and given Muhammad’s 25% stoppage rate, it might be
an uphill battle. Nevertheless, he tries hard right out of the
gate, practically sprinting at the challenger and landing heavy
punches. Della Maddalena lets him do this and backs away to the
wall to rebound off of it, but his jabs are not deterring Muhammad
any longer. Muhammad marks up the bridge of Della Maddalena’s nose,
swinging with big uppercuts and getting caught on the way in. The
champ shoots for a takedown, and he lets it go to unload with a
massive combination of uppercuts. Della Maddalena pays him back
with his own power shots, spraying the blood from Muhammad’s face
all around the cage floor. Muhammad uses his pressure to push on
Della Maddalena and try to take him down, and he aims a knee to the
dome that is legal while Della Maddalena is leaned over. Della
Maddalena succeeds in defending the takedown and spins his man
around, and Muhammad breaks and lets loose a short stream of
uppercuts. Della Maddalena walks him down, walks through an
uppercut and ignores a jab so that he can measure his own shots.
Muhammad swings wildly with a right hand and back fist after it,
and Maddalena jabs and dodges. Muhammad shoots for a double, and
Della Maddalena shuts him down and turns Muhammad to the wire.
Muhammad spins him around and looks for a head kick up close, but
he cannot keep Della Maddalena on the fence. A left hand from
Muhammad blows open Della Maddalena’s cauliflower ear, and Della
Maddalena responds with a right hand. The horn sounds.

Sherdog Scores

Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-9 Muhammad
Dayne Fox scores the round: 10-9 Muhammad
Scottie Smith scores the round: 10-9 Muhammad

Round 5

Muhammad plods forward to commence the final frame, taking a deep
breath and jabbing Della Maddalena around the cage. Muhammad rips a
kick to the body, and he swings punches that bang into his foe’s
forehead. Muhammad keeps heavy pressure, dodging a one-two and
coming out swinging with a pair of right hooks. Della Maddalena
staggers him with three left hands, and he skips to the side and
intercepts Muhammad with a vicious knee that shreds a cut open on
the corner of Muhammad’s eye. Rather than think about it, he blasts
Della Maddalena with a counter, and he shoots for a takedown and
finally lands it. Positioning himself in half guard, Muhammad
smothers with his shoulder pressing the Aussie down. The champ
hammers down with ground-and-pound, his blood covering Della
Maddalena’s chest, which allows him to slip around and explode back
to his feet. Della Maddalena’s eye swells up quickly from the
damage inflicted, and Muhammad runs at him with his fists flying.
Della Maddalena backs him off for a second with a front kick, and
they proceed to hack at one another with elbows. Della Maddalena
clubs the champion with a left, a right and a few more punches as
he has “Remember the Name” rocked. Della Maddalena clinches up for
a second before letting loose with body shots, and he tries a
takedown and gets thrown to the ground. Muhammad scrambles to push
Della Maddalena to his back, where he frantically lashes out with
punches and elbows. Della Maddalena protects himself by putting his
head between Muhammad’s legs, and he bursts back to his feet.
Muhammad leans him against the cage and tries to get him down, but
Della Maddalena pushes him away and kicks him in the head. The
Aussie drills Muhammad with a punch combo that staggers him badly,
but he peels back rather than trying to finish the job. He
re-engages, and Muhammad is ready for him throwing hammers. Della
Maddalena does the same right to the final bell, and the two
welterweights go the distance in a thriller that few expected would
turn out this way. There may be a new champion crowned, but either
way, Muhammad shed part of his reputation of being boring with that
25-minute banger.

The scores are read, and just like that, the Muhammad era is over
before he could defend it once. Australia has a new champion in the
form of hard-nosed brawler Della Maddalena, who stepped up to the
plate and exceeded all expectations with that performance. The
Contender Series has another champion from its ranks, with Della
Maddalena pushing his phenomenal win streak to 18 thanks to his
likely bonus-winning battle. Because of this result, lightweight
king Islam Makhachev is going to move up and be the first to
challenge Della Maddalena soon, while Ilia Topuria takes on Charles
Oliveira—possibly for an interim title—on International Fight Week.
The confident new champion declares that he will “get one back for
Volk” against Makhachev. We will be here for those terrific
matchups, and we hope you are too.

Sherdog Scores

Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-9 Della Maddalena (49-46 Della
Maddalena)
Dayne Fox scores the round: 10-9 Della Maddalena (48-47 Della
Maddalena)
Scottie Smith scores the round: 10-9 Della Maddalena (49-46 Della
Maddalena)

The Official Result

Jack Della Maddalena def. Belal Muhammad via Unanimous Decision
(48-47, 48-47, 49-46)