UFC Fight Night “Allen vs. Craig” Results Allen Continues to Build Case for title Shot
The Octagon is back home in Las Vegas at the friendly confines of the UFC Apex for a massive 14-fight card topped by a top 15 Middleweight duel.
The featured contest will see number 10 ranked Brendan “All In” Allen taking on number 14 ranked Paul “Bearjew” Craig. The 27-year-old Allen has climbed his way up to headliner status after a 5-fight win streak that includes four wins by rear naked choke, while still hunting for his signature victory. Scotland’s Craig made it into the rankings at 205 lbs. but couldn’t get in title contention. Dropping down a weight class the 35-year-old has reinvented himself in an attempt to push all his chips in the middle.
Recap
The question of how Brendan Allen would handle the pressure of his first main event would be answered quickly. The Louisiana would collect himself against the cage putting Craig on bottom, the crafty Scotsman threatened with a calf slicer, getting opened by an elbow outside of his right eye in retaliation. Allen would spend the second round on top softening up Craig. Pressuring forward, Allen letting his hands go Craig shoots into a guillotine, he manages to escape but in the get up leaves an opening allowing Allen the back take and seizes the opportunity to sink in a rear naked choke. After his sixth consecutive win and third straight by rear naked choke “All In” has his sights on the world title.
The co-main event stayed on the feet for all 15-mintues. Michael Morales & Jake Matthews engaged in what was primarily a boxing match. Morales using his faints to dictate the pace while getting his punches off first and utilizing low kicks to take the decision.
Jordan Leavitt had talked all week about looking for a quick knockout which turned out to be gamesmanship as he immediately looked for a takedown placing the fight in the grappling realm that everyone wanted to see. Wild positional exchanges and reversals end with Hooper securing the back and just as quickly wrapping up a rear naked choke.
Payton Talbott was highlighted as a prospect to watch and delivered as promised. Talbott showed composure working through a first round that had Nick Aguirre controlling the grappling exchanges. Talbott took top position in the second planting the seeds that Nick Aguirre was breaking. Talbott’s striking forced Aguirre into a bad shot, Talbott sat into mount, Aguirre eating shots gave his back succumbing to a rear naked choke. The first submission win of the of Talbott’s career.
Luana Pinheiro came out firing heavy right hands. Amanda Ribas settled in finding her range in the second round pouring out volume with long combinations. A spinning back kick to the face stuns Pinheiro while a follow up right hook collected the knockdown, and the ground strikes secure the finish.
Myktybek Orolbai weighed through an early offensive onslaught from Uros Medic to get the fight on the ground methodically working to the back, finding a neck crank in the second round getting the after taking the fight this week replacing Johnny Parsons.
The Johnathan Pearce plan to grind down Joanderson Brito was going smoothly until it didn’t. In the second round Brtio escaped to his feet defending the next takedown by sliding an arm under Pearce neck securing ninja choke finish after what had been a frustrating eight minutes.
Chad Anheliger did what he could to get inside of a massive reach advantage for Jose Johnson. Anheliger would get the fight to the ground, but it was Johnson being the more active striker off his back. The second & third round would see Johnson scrambe his way to taking the back and in the third found a rear naked choke to get his first UFC win.
Short notice opponent Dennis Tiuliulin brought the fight right to Christian Leroy Dukin who showcased an evolving clinch game for the first five minutes. “CLD” got his signature kicking game going before meeting Tiuliulin in the clinch with vicious Uppercut and elbows finish with strikes on the ground.
Heavyweight prospect Mick Parkin kept his record clean controlling the first two rounds with his grappling to take a decision over Caio Machado. It was an explosive Featherweight debut for Jeka Saragih escaping a Luas Alexander leg lock and blasting Alexander back into the fence with an overhand right. Hooks on the ground are cherries on top.
A huge lead built up by nearly two rounds in mount saw Ailin Perez win a decision over Lucie Pudilova nullifying a comeback attempt in the third round. Controversy happened in only the second fight of the card as Mike Beltran stopped Trey Ogden versus Nikolas Motta early. Ogden had an arm triangle in place and while Motta was defending the fight was wrongly stopped. The official announcement called the fight a no contest. It was an opisis debut for Rafael Estevam out grappling Charles Johnson in the first two rounds to earn a unanimous decision making up to himself for missing weight by two pounds.
Main Card
- Middleweight: Brendan Allen (23-5) def. Paul Craig (17-7-1) by Submission (Rear Naked Choke) 0:38 R3
- Welterweight: Michael Morales (16-0) def. Jake Matthews (19-7) by (30-37, 29-28 x2) Unanimous Decision
- Lightweight: Chase Hooper (13-3-1) def. Jordan Leavitt (11-3) by Submission (Rear Naked Choke) 2:58 R1
- Bantamweight: Payton Talbott (7-0) def. Nick Aguirre (7-2) by Submission (Rear Naked Choke) 0::58 R3
- Women’s Strawweight: Amanda Ribas (12-4) def. Luana Pinheiro (11-2) by TKO (Wheel Kick, Right Hook & Ground Strikes) 3:53 R3
- Welterweight: Myktybek Orolbai (12-1-1) def. Uros Medic (9-4) by Submission (Neck Crank) 4:12 R2
Prelims
- Featherweight: Joanderson Brito (16-3-1) def. Jonathan Pearce (14-5) by Submission (Ninja Choke) 3:54 R2
- Bantamweight: Jose Johnson (16-8) def. Chad Anheliger (12-7) by Submission (Rear Naked Choke) 4:49 R3
- Middleweight: Christian Leroy Duncan (9-1) def. Dennis Tiuliulin (11-9) by TKO (Uppercuts, Elbows & Ground Strikes) 4:24 R2
- Heavyweight: Mick Parkin (8-0) def. Caio Machado (8-2-1) by (29-28 x3) Unanimous decision
- Featherweight: Jeka Saragih (14-3) def. Lucas Alexander (8-4) by KO (Right Hook & Ground Strikes) 1:31 R1
- Bantamweight: Ailin Perez (9-2) def. Lucie Pudilova (14-9) by (29-27, 29-28 x2) Unanimous Decision
- Lightweight: Trey Ogden (16-6-0, 1nc) vs. Nikolas Motta (13-5-0, 1nc) is No Contest (Ref Stopped Early) R2
- Flyweight: Rafael Estevam (12-0) def. Charles Johnson (13-6) by (29-28 x3) Unanimous Decision
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