Fans in Portland, Oregon were treated to their first live UFC card since 2009, and the preliminary card on Fight Pass produced a couple of nice finishes, including from Oregon's own Nate Marquardt. Here's how the first four fights of the night played out.
Nate Marquardt def. Tamdan McCrory via KO (strikes) at 4:44 of round 2 - Middleweights
McCrory attacked with high kicks, but Marquardt found better success with hard leg kicks, both to the inside and outside. Marquardt shot in for a takedown, completed it, and "Barncat" went for a guillotine. Marquardt fought it off and went to work from McCrory's guard. McCrory positioned his legs to snag a submission, possibly an armbar, off of his back, but Marquardt was privy to Tamdan's moves. Triangle choke attempt by McCrory in the final minute of the opening round was thwarted by Nate, who spent much of his time on top just trying to prevent any sub attempts.
The first 90 seconds or so of round 2 consisted of striking, with Marquardt's kicks making their mark on McCrory. Tamdan cracked Marquardt to the body and swarmed Nate, but they went into a clinch and Marquardt took McCrory down close to the fence. After Marquardt really couldn't do anything offensive while on top, and McCrory never threatened to get a submission off of his back, referee Big John McCarthy stood them up. Hard right hand by Marquardt turned McCrory's legs into jelly. Beautiful high kick by Marquardt felled McCrory and Big John McCarthy called it off.
Ion Cutelaba def. Jonathan Wilson via unanimous decision (30-27 x3) - Light Heavyweights
Cutelaba drilled Wilson with an overhand right in the opening seconds, and both men were throwing with bad intentions. The native of Moldova also connected with an uppercut in the clinch in the center of the cage. Wilson scored with a sharp, straight left hand from the southpaw stance. It was a fast-paced opening round, but Cutelaba was landing the harder strikes and throwing combinations. Wilson was finding success with the counter left hand. "Johnny Bravo" buckled Cutelaba with a beautiful outside leg kick, which had followed another stinging left hand.
Wilson got DRILLED in the groin about as hard as humanly possible. The fight restarted after Wilson almost took the full 5 minutes to recover. Cutelaba was throwing inside leg kicks, knowing that a point deduction would happen if they went to the groin again. Cutelaba went on the attack and threw a bombardment of strikes, some of which landed and others which looked like they landed, but actually didn't. Wilson had Cutelaba's nose bleeding after landing a solid fight hand. Cutelaba's sheer volume and effective offense decisively won him the 2nd round, but he had noticeably slowed down.
Cutelaba landed a lovely counter left hook that backed Wilson up, and Wilson needed a sense of urgency. Cutelaba ducked into a head kick just a minute into the 3rd. Wilson claimed an eye poke, but Herb Dean didn't stop it, and Cutelaba returned to throwing everything but the kitchen sink at Wilson. Big right hand by Cutelaba with Wilson's back up against the fence. Two straight rights by Cutelaba found Wilson's head. Cutelaba found a second wind and took over the 2nd half of the final round, with Wilson actively running away from him. Cutelaba picks up his first UFC win.
Curtis Blaydes def. Cody East via TKO (elbows) at 2:02 of round 2 - Heavyweights
Blaydes had an early takedown on East but his momentum carried him off of him and East scrambled back to his feet. After East tagged Blaydes on the counter, Blaydes put him on his back and into side control. East gained half-guard but ate some hard ground-and-pound along the way. Cody scrambled back up and exchanged big shots with Blaydes and may have had Curtis hurt, but Blaydes scored another takedown and threw a slew of sloppy strikes from full mount. East escaped when Blaydes tried to take his back but slipped off, and later got his own takedown, but Blaydes sprung back up. "Razor" Blaydes had another takedown, worked from top position, but the referee curiously stood them up. East cracked Blaydes with a right hand and a jab, noticeably had him hurt, and East finished a wild 1st round with a low single leg takedown.
Thirty seconds of striking to start round 2, including a good right by Blaydes, and then takedown #427 for Blaydes. East absorbed some heavy blows and had several cuts on his face. Blaydes elbowed the bejesus out of Cody's head and the referee stopped the fight. A justified call, as East was badly hurt and pretty much out.
Ketlen Vieira def. Kelly Faszholz via split decision (28-29, 29-28, 29-28) - Women's Bantamweights
The striking was fairly even in the first half of the opening round, but the Brazilian newcomer stemmed the tide with a beautiful throw. Vieira never really did anything damaging from Faszholz's guard, as she tied her up for well over a minute. Vieira scored with a couple of lefts as Vieira's guard loosened up to end the first round. Faszholz threw a sloppy kick and found herself taken down. Vieira didn't do much while on top, but Faszholz wasn't exactly anywhere close to escaping back to her feet. The referee stood them back up, and Vieira punished Faszholz again by countering a kick with a takedown. Faszholz came out super aggressive to start the 3rd round, tagging the Brazilian repeatedly with left hooks and sharp right hands. Vieira was backing up and was clearly buzzed. Faszholz also didn't throw any kicks, which Vieira had capitalized on in the previous round. Kelly came forward with knee to the body, then a knee to the head in the clinch that resulted in Vieira slamming Faszholz down hard. Vieira was able to see out the danger and get the win in her UFC debut.