This article is the play-by-play for CES 61 to accompany the live coverage happening on the website. Live coverage of the event can be read here.
Quick Results:
Main Card (7:00PM EDT) (UFC Fight Pass)
Bout 1: Eddy George def. Frank Mazepa via TKO, Strikes (RD 1, 2:21)
Bout 2: Connor Matthews def. Joshua Marer via Submission, Rear Naked Choke (RD 1, 0:57)
Bout 3: Mitch Raposo def. Matt Almy via Decision, Unanimous
Bout 4: Jamelle Jones def. Tyler King via TKO, Strikes (RD 1, 4:57)
Bout 5: Kris Moutinho def. Ashiek Ajim via TKO, Strikes (RD 2, 2:45)
Bout 6: Fabio Cherant def. Yu Ji via Decision, Unanimous
Bout 7: Nick Alley def. John Gotti III via Decision, Unanimous
Play-by-Play:
Bout 1: Eddy George (1-0) vs. Frank Mazepa (0-0) (Lightweight)
The fighters went into a clinch to start the fight. George landed a series of punches and knees in the position. Mazepa went into many clinches with George, getting clipped with hard punches every time. George chased Mazepa down with strikes in the third minute, coming forward with punches until the referee stopped the fight.
My Scorecard:
| Fighter | Round 1 | Round 2 | Round 3 | Total |
| George | ||||
| Mazepa |
Bout 2: Connor Matthews (2-0) vs. Joshua Marer (2-1) (Featherweight)
Matthews dropped Marer with a two-punch combination in the opening moments. He got on the back of Marer as they went to the ground. Matthews threw punches to the head while on Marer’s back. Matthews put in a rear naked choke after that made Marer tap out.
My Scorecard:
| Fighter | Round 1 | Round 2 | Round 3 | Total |
| Matthews | ||||
| Marer |
Bout 3: Mitch Raposo (4-0) vs. Matt Almy (4-3) (Catchweight 130 lbs)
Raposo was the more active striker to start the fight. Almy landed a few leg kicks while being pressured to the outside of the cage.
Raposo got a takedown early in the second round. Raposo controlled Almy on the ground, landing ground and pound periodically. Raposo got on the back of Almy before the fight returned to the feet in a body lock. Raposo was able to get Almy back to the ground with a minute-and-a-half to go in the fight. He took the back of Almy shortly after. Raposo moved into full mount with 30 seconds left in the fight. He got on the back of Almy again before the round ran out of time.
Raposo scored a takedown a minute into the final round. Almy attempted a guillotine choke from the bottom, although he lost it after a few seconds. Raposo moved into half guard, where he landed some punches. Almy was able to escape the position after Raposo tried to move into full mount. Almy kept working his way back to the feet, although Raposo would take him back down. Almy attempted a guillotine choke from the bottom in the final minute of the fight. The round ended on the feet in a clinch. Raposo won on the scorecards after three rounds (30-26, 30-26 & 30-27).
My Scorecard:
| Fighter | Round 1 | Round 2 | Round 3 | Total |
| Raposo | 10 | 10 | 10 | 30 |
| Almy | 9 | 9 | 9 | 27 |
Bout 4: Tyler King (12-8) vs. Jamelle Jones (9-6) (Heavyweight)
Jones dropped King in the third minute of the round with a left hook. King was able to return to the feet shortly after. Jones dropped King again in the closing moments of the fight, knocking him out that time. He landed a few hammerfist punches on the ground before the referee stopped the fight.
My Scorecard:
| Fighter | Round 1 | Round 2 | Round 3 | Total |
| King | ||||
| Jones |
Bout 5: Kris Moutinho (7-4) vs. Ashiek Ajim (3-0) (Bantamweight)
Ajim landed a series of leg kicks early in the first round. Both fighters threw hard hooks in the second minute of the fight. Ajim dropped Moutinho with a right hook in the second minute of the round. Ajim stayed on his feet until Moutinho stood back up. A leg kick dropped Moutinho to a knee shortly after the knockdown. Moutinho pressed forward with punches, although Ajim landed a high volume in response.
The second round saw both fighters throw a high volume of punches like the round before. Ajim fell on his stomach after seemingly failed to shoot for a takedown. Moutinho was able to resist takedowns, attempt a guillotine choke after one halfway through the round. While both fighters looked tired, Ajim was very fatigued against the cage. Moutinho landed a series of punches to Ajim against the cage that caused the referee to end the fight.
My Scorecard:
| Fighter | Round 1 | Round 2 | Round 3 | Total |
| Moutinho | 9 | |||
| Ajim | 10 |
Bout 6: Fabio Cherant (5-1) vs. Yu Ji (3-0) (Light Heavyweight)
Ji shot in for a takedown in the first minute. While he got the takedown, Cherant looked for a guillotine choke from the bottom. Cherant moved back up to the feet while still holding the choke. Ji eventually escaped the choke, going into a clinch with Cherant against the cage after. Cherant eventually left the clinch. Cherant connected with a series of punches in the fourth minute of the fight. Ji shot for a takedown again, although Cherant was able to keep the fight on the feet. Cherant landed another combination of punches before the round ran out of time.
Cherant controlled the striking on the feet throughout the second round. Cherant dropped Ji with a two-punch combination to the head in the second minute of the round. The fight went back to the feet shortly after.
Ji attempted a takedown a minute into the third round. Cherant backed up to the cage to deny the attempt. Cherant tried again for the guillotine choke on the feet, letting it go shortly after. Cherant connected with a series of hooks in the fourth minute of the round. Cherant won via decision after 15 minutes of action (30-27, 30-26 & 29-28).
My Scorecard:
| Fighter | Round 1 | Round 2 | Round 3 | Total |
| Cherant | 10 | 10 | 10 | 30 |
| Ji | 9 | 8 | 9 | 26 |
Bout 7: John Gotti III (5-0) vs. Nick Alley (6-3) (Welterweight)
The fighters traded leg kicks in the first minute of action. Gotti III scored a takedown a minute into the fight, taking full guard on top after. The fighters both landed short punches from the position. Gotti III went to his feet for a moment, coming back down in half guard. Alley was able to put the fight back into half guard. The fight concluded on the ground.
Gotti III clinched with Alley early in the seconds round after Alley threw a series of kicks. Gotti III got a takedown from the clinch, although Alley immediately got back up to a clinch on the feet. Alley was the more aggressive fighter on the feet, coming forward with strikes. Gotti III shot for another takedown in the second minute of the round that Alley resisted. Gotti III got on the back of Alley while on the feet. Alley shook Gotti III off of him, putting him on his back on the ground. Gotti III started to bleed at some point in the ground. Alley landed ground and pound from half guard. Alley stayed on top of Gotti III until the round concluded.
Alley scored a takedown in the first minute of the third round. He took the back of Gotti III shortly after going to the ground. Gotti III was able to spin around and take full guard on top. Alley looked for a triangle choke from the bottom. Gotti III was able to escape the choke and take the back of Alley in the third minute of the round. Alley moved into half guard on top after the fight went to the feet and went back down. Alley kept active with punches from the position. Alley stayed on the back of Gotti III for the final minute of the fight. Needing judges to find a winner in the main event, Alley was given the win (29-28, 29-28 & 29-27).
My Scorecard:
| Fighter | Round 1 | Round 2 | Round 3 | Total |
| Gotti III | 10 | 9 | 9 | 28 |
| Alley | 9 | 10 | 10 | 29 |
Knockdown News 