UFC is holding a mid-week “Fight Night” on Wednesday from Yas Island in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates. Headlining the 11-fight card is a ranked featherweight matchup between Calvin Kattar and Dan Ige. Follow along throughout the evening for updates.
Prelims (7:00PM EDT / 3:00AM GST) (ESPN / TSN 5)
Bout 1: Jack Shore def. Aaron Phillips via Submission, Rear Naked Choke (RD 2, 2:29)
Bout 2: Liana Jojua def. Diana Belbita via Submission, Armbar (RD 1, 2:23)
Bout 3: Jared Gordon def. Chris Fishgold via Decision, Unanimous
Bout 4: Modestas Bukauskas def. Andreas Michailidis via TKO, Elbows (RD 1, 5:00)
Bout 5: Lerone Murphy def. Ricardo Ramos via TKO, Strikes (RD 1, 4:18)
Bout 6: Khamzat Chimaev def. John Phillips via Submission, D’Arce Choke (RD 2, 1:12)
Main Card (10:00PM EDT / 6:00AM GST) (ESPN / TSN 5)
Bout 7: Mounir Lazzez def. Abdul Razak Alhassan via Decision, Unanimous
Bout 8: Taila Santos def. Molly McCann via Decision, Unanimous
Bout 9: Jimmy Rivera def. Cody Stamann via Decision, Unanimous
Bout 10: Tim Elliott def. Ryan Benoit via Decision, Unanimous
Bout 11: Calvin Kattar def. Dan Ige via Decision, Unanimous
Live Coverage:
Bout 11: Calvin Kattar (21-4) vs. Dan Ige (14-2) (Featherweight)
Kattar Gets The Unanimous Decision Victory
What started as a close battle saw Calvin Kattar pull ahead eventually, defeating Dan Ige via unanimous decision in the main event.
All scorecards gave at least one round to Ige, with the fighter having his moments on the feet in the early rounds. Kattar was also able to deny numerous takedowns throughout the fight.
“He found his range against me early. His jab was killing me,” said Ige, who was the 10th ranked featherweight coming into the bout.
Kattar called out UFC Featherweight Champion Alexander Volkanovski in his post-fight interview.
“It seems like everyone’s calling the champ out right now and they’re doing it from the comfort of their own homes,” said Kattar.
Kattar has fought twice now recently, with his bout before a finish win over Jeremy Stephens. The match broke the six-fight streak of wins that Ige had including a split decision win over Edson Barboza last May.
Kattar versus Ige play-by-play.
Bout 10: Tim Elliott (15-11-1) vs. Ryan Benoit (10-6) (Flyweight)
Elliott Wins Against Benoit
The co-main event of the evening saw Tim Elliott get a unanimous decision win over Ryan Benoit. The fight was a close one which saw both of them stringle together combinations on the feet.
On the ground, Elliott almost caught Benoit in the second round with a guillotine choke. Benoit reversed with a kneebar that Elliott was able to escape as well.
“I’m just lucky enough to get these opponents that bring the best out of me,” said Elliott in his post-fight interview, praising Benoit.
The win saw Elliott snap a three-fight losing streak including a May bout against Brandon Royval.
Elliott versus Benoit play-by-play.
Bout 9: Jimmie Rivera (22-4) vs. Cody Stamann (19-2-1) (Featherweight)
Rivera Gets Decision Win
Jimmie Rivera got a unanimous decision win on the main card over Cody Stamann. The close matchup saw Stamann have sharp striking and takedown abilities. However, Stamann was able to have shining moments in both departments as well.
The fight snapped the previous two-fight losing streak that Rivera had, also ending a year-long layoff for him.
“I wanna get back to the drawing board, back in better shape,” said Rivera in the post-fight interview.
Rivera versus Stamann play-by-play.
Bout 8: Molly McCann (10-2) vs. Taila Santos (15-1) (Flyweight)
Santos Gets First UFC win
Coming back from a year-and-a-half of an absence from MMA, Taila Santos returned to defeat Molly McCann with a clean sweep on scorecards. Santos had her moments on the feet, but also was dominant on the ground.
The previous fight for Santos was her UFC debut, where she lost to Mara Romero Borella.
“I was really nervous in my UFC debut … I didn’t show 10 percent the fight I was,” said Santos’ translator on behalf of her in her post-fight interview.
Santos versus McCann play-by-play.
Bout 7: Abdul Razak Alhassan (10-1) vs. Mounir Lazzez (9-1) (Welterweight)
Lazzez Wins UFC Debut
To kick off the main card, Mounir Lazzez took a unanimous victory over Abdul Razak Alhassan. The fight saw both strikers have their moments, although Lazzez had more diverse striking and better ground game.
The win for Lazzez was one of the many successful debuts of the evening.
After the fight, Lazzez called out Mike Perry, who currently won’t be allowed to compete by the UFC until he seeks “professional treatment” for alcohol abuse.
The fight was a return after two years for Alhassan, who was absent from the sport due to a sexual assault case which he was found not guilty of in March.
Lazzez versus Alhassan play-by-play.
Bout 6: John Phillips (22-9) vs. Khamzat Chimaev (6-0) (Middleweight)
Chimaev Wins Short Notice Debut
Finishing off the preliminary card, Khamzat Chimaev had a strong UFC debut, stopping John Phillips in the second round with a d’arce choke.
Chimaev had a one-sided first round, smothering Phillips on the ground with strikes for the majority of the round. Just like the start of the second round, Chimaev got a takedown seconds in.
Chimaev, a former Brace CF fighter earned only his seventh professional fight. He took the fight on short notice, replacing Dusko Todorovic.
Chimaev versus Phillips play-by-play.
Bout 5: Ricardo Ramos (14-2) vs. Lerone Murphy (8-0-1) (Featherweight)
Murphy Gets First UFC Win, Finishing Ramos In First Round
Lerone Murphy got his first UFC win on the prelims, finishing Ricardo Ramos in the first round with strikes on the ground. The win was Murphy’s first in the UFC, going to a draw in his debut performance last September.
Murphy was able to get a takedown late in the round. He poured on elbows and punches from above until the referee had seen enough.
“The power I’ve got in that right hand there is like a sledge,” said Murphy after the fight.
Now with nine wins, Murphy remains undefeated in the UFC.
Murphy versus Ramos play-by-play.
Bout 4: Modestas Bukauskas (10-2) vs. Andreas Michailidis (12-3) (Light Heavyweight)
Bukauskas Wins In UFC Debut
Damage done late in the first round by Modestas Bukauskas against Andreas Michailidis gave him a win on the prelims. The close round of striking saw Bukauskas get a stoppage victory after landing a flurry of elbows late in the round.
Michailidis endured the first round, however, the way he moved after the horn made the referee decide the fight should end.
The fight was the UFC debut for Bukauskaus, who is a former Cage Warriors Light Heavyweight Champion.
Bukauskas versus Michailidis play-by-play.
Bout 3: Jared Gordon (15-4) vs. Chris Fishgold (18-3-1) (Featherweight)
Gordon Wins Decision
Jared Gordon took a unanimous decision win over Chris Fishgold after a dominant third round. The keys to Gordon’s win was ground and pound and control time that lasted more than 10 minutes.
Gordon had a rough road to the fight, including his partner and team testing positive for COVID-19. He also mentioned that his partner recently suffered a miscarriage.
“All my training sessions were by myself,” said Gordon afterwards.
Gordon versus Fishgold play-by-play.
Bout 2: Liana Jojua (7-3) vs. Diana Belbita (13-5) (Flyweight)
Move To Flyweight Successful For Jojua
A quick victory went to Liana Jojua on the prelims, catching Diana Belbita with an armbar in the first round. She twisted around the armbar on the ground until Belbita verbally tapped out.
The fight was Jojua’s first in the flyweight division, previously fighting above at bantamweight.
Belbita had a quick start in the fight, getting a takedown from a clinch before landing a few punches on the feet. Jojua got an armbar from the bottom position to end the fight.
The fight was the fourth time in Jojua’s professional career that she won via armbar.
“This is my favourite submission, armbar,” said Jojua after the fight.
Jojua versus Belbita play-by-play.
Bout 1: Aaron Phillips (12-3) vs. Jack Shore (12-0) (Bantamweight)
Shore Continues Undefeated Streak
A dominant performance for Jack Shore ended with a rear naked choke, tapping out Aaron Phillips in the second round to start the evening. The win continued the undefeated streak for Shore, now at 13 wins.
The first round saw Shore take Phillips down numerous times. In the second round, Shore got on the back of Phillips shortly after landing a takedown. Once he put in the choke Phillips was quick to tap out.
“Felt a little bit sloppy in the first round,” said Shore, somewhat critical of his performance after the fight.
Phillips took the fight on short notice being his return to the UFC after being on the regional scene from 2015 to 2019.
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