Terrance Mckinney vs Nazim Sadykov

Rd 1 – 10-9 Mckinney: Mckinney takedown, takes back, body triangle, controls back for mins, sadykov gets out and lands a few.

Rd 2 – SUB Sadykov: Takedown, takes the back, RNC. Easy as anything. Looks like it’s not Mckinney’s team, It’s been a tough skid, losing 3 of his last 4, for Mckinney. Maybe we were all overrating him all along…

Norma Dumont vs Chelsea Chandler

Rd 1 – 10-9 Dumont: Both look good and land a bit. Chandler looks good in the clinch. Dumont beats up Chandler a few minutes from her own guard.

Rd 2 – 10-9 Dumont: Chandler puts the pressure on Dumont, trying to walk her down but takes some damage in the process. A couple of big shots land before it go to Chandler’s guard again. Dumont lands some gnp. 

Rd 3 – 10-9 Dumont: Chandler controls in the clinch then lands a bit on the feet before Dumont takes her down in the center of the octagon. Chandler has a knee bar attempt but gets pretty beat up and controlled by Dumont. Chandler gets back to doing what she does best: getting beat up from her own guard.

Scorecard: Dumont via U. Dec. (30-27 x 3)

Albert Duraev vs Junyong Park

The Iron Turtle is the most badass nickname.

Rd 1 – 10-9 Duraev: Duraev lands a big left hook and digs to the body early. Park stays in his face, landing jabs and outside low kicks. Duraev continues throwing bombs and clean combos. Duraev big 1-2, Park eats it and stays composed and continues pressuring behind his jab. Park catches a kick to bring it to a clinch where he jumps for a guillotine that he nearly gets, with Duraev stalling to the bell. 

Rd 2 – SUB Park: Duraev gets a takedown and controls position  well against the cage by controlling Park’s legs. Park eventually gets up and goes right back to the jab, while Duraev comes back with big counters. But out of nowhere Park’s striking just starts breaking Duraev down. He starts covering up and gets knocked down. Park takes the back and threatens a RNC multiple times while also landing blows until he finally gets it. 

Park showed he has the type of striking that wears on his opponents, even if he gets up the first round. Reminded me of something like a Sean Strickland fight. Great win for the Iron Turtle.

Ottman Azaitar vs Francisco Prado

Rd 1 – TKO Prado: Prado is introduced as a streetfighter. Prado changes levels almost immediately. Azaitar gets a leg kick checks extremely hard and starts bleeding from the shin. Prado defends a level change again. Prado gets stuffed on a level change again, and Azaitar lands a few heavy uppercuts. Before you know it, bang, Prado lands a spinning elbow from hell and finishes Azaitar with hammer fists.  Exciting finish for Prado and an excellent display in his striking explosiveness. While winning, this fight still showed some areas Prado can improve in. The two biggest concerns I saw were his striking defense – he was absorbing quite a bit before getting the finish. Also, while it could have just been a rough night for his success in changing levels, he went 0-3 in takedowns. Regardless, this performance showed us a lot of where Prado’s game is at and if he can keep improving, the world is ahead of him at 21 years old. 

Jack Della Maddalena vs Bassil Hafez

Rd 1 – 10-9 Hafez: Hafez immediately gets a big takedown. JDM gets back to his feet by giving up his back, leading it back to the clinch before the separate. JDM makes him stumble from a leg kick, leading to a huge exchange that seems to stun Hafez a bit, leading to him going for a takedown. JDM gets back up and they go back to trading in the pocket. JDM changes striking levels better than any I’ve seen recently. Hafez gets it back to the mat and ends the round with JDM in an arm triangle.

Rd 2 – 10-9 Hafez: Hafez immediately goes for a takedown but can’t keep it there. They go back to trading heavy shots, Hafez takes some damage but also lands a bit. By the midpoint of the round, Hafez starts to look noticeably tired and the body strikes are clearly starting to add up. He shoots another takedown and manages to get it to ¾ mount, then to side control, while consistently attacking arm triangles and controlling the head.

Rd 3 – 10-9 JDM : JDM makes some clear adjustments and starts defending takedowns while landing clean on some counters. One gets thru on Hafez and puts Hafez on his last legs. JDM stuffs many desperation takedowns. JDM decides to try to finish it on the ground when Hafez is down and gets reversed within a few seconds. Standing, Hafez goes for another takedown and JDM ends the round on top. 

Really close fight while I had it for Hafez it could have really gone either way, and 29-28 JDM is a perfectly acceptable scorecard. Great showing for Hafez on late notice. Also good performance by Maddalena, his striking looked great, though he made plenty of questionable decisions through the fight, as there was plenty of times that JDM followed Hafez to the ground after he had him hurt, leading to getting his position reversed. Regardless of that though, it was great to see what JDM is bringing to the top contenders of the welterweight division while surviving through adversity. 

Scorecard: JDM via S. Dec. (29-28 x2, 28-29)

Holly Holm vs Mayra Bueno Silva

Rd 1 – 10-9 Holm: Holm comes out landing a head kick and a few stiff jabs, then goes to work in the clinch against the fence. Holm continues to land some big shots, but Bueno Silva never stops advancing. Silva lands a huge left in the final minute in the round that makes Holm have to go back to the clinch and slow the pace until the round ends.

Rd 2 – SUB Bueno Silva: Silva gets through on another big one that leads to Holm clinching again to start the round. In the clinch, she finds the guillotine and finishes it while still standing. Holm left her neck temporarily exposed, and Silva’s instinct showed through in her finding what Holm gave her. Great finish over someone who has a much higher spot in the rankings. Give the woman what she wants and set up the Julianna Pena fight.