The UFC's return to Portland featured a couple of nice knockout wins on the Fight Pass prelims, but just one finish on the FS2 portion of the prelims, and that was provided by a man who'd previously never won by submission in his entire career. The most entertaining fight belonged to Andre Fili and Hacran Dias, with Fili getting the biggest win of his career. Here's how the fights played out.
Luis Henrique da Silva def. Joachim Christensen via submission (armbar) at 4:43 of round 2 - Light Heavyweights
It was a close quarters, clinch-heavy battle in the first half of the opening round. Da Silva punctuated that sequence of the fight with a thudding body kick on Denmark's Christensen. Right hand by da Silva and a flurry of punches hurt Christensen, who flopped to the canvas. John McCarthy ordered Christensen to stand back up, and he landed a nice jab and an overhand right. Da Silva use his jab to set up a big right hand over the top that cracked Christensen pretty hard.
Christensen opened up the 2nd round with a crisp combination that caught da Silva's attention. Seconds later, da Silva walked Christensen down and threw a series of big strikes, including several knees to the body and a spinning elbow. Big moment for Christensen came 2 minutes into the 2nd, as he floored da Silva with a monstrous knee. Christensen worked from top position in search of a finish. Da Silva recovered nicely, worked to sweep Christensen, who was able to maintain top control and advance to half-guard. Da Silva got his reversal on the 2nd attempt and advanced to full mount. Da Silva took Christensen's back in the transition, seemingly lost the position but attacked with an armbar and got the tap. An unlikely outcome for this one, as Da Silva scored his first ever submission win.
Andre Fili def. Hacran Dias via unanimous decision (29-28 x3) - Featherweights
Plenty of flurrying and active movement from both men early on. Fili hurt Dias with a left hook in a very aggressive opening minute. Fili was nimble, showing different looks, and stopping the takedowns. Dias was dropped with a big left hand and was in all sorts of trouble. Fili couldn't get the finish, Dias got back up and drove for a desperation takedown. Andre grabbed the fence twice as he tried to defend the shot, but Dias got him down. Fili hip escaped and got back to his feet, away from Dias' comfort zone. Fili and Dias were tied up against the fence, with Fili having an underhook on Dias, but the round ended without anything really notable happening after Fili returned to his feet from the Dias takedown.
Dias had a deep entry on a takedown, secured the body lock, and put Fili on his back just 75 seconds into the 2nd. Dias had side control on Fili, but Fili was able to sweep position and get back to his feet. Another nice takedown entry by Dias, but Fili used the whizzer to wind up on top. Dias threatened with an armbar but Fili popped his arm free. Andre took the time to kick Dias's legs while Hacran was still on his back. Dias fired off a rare successful combination and he finally opened up a bit in the stand-up. Double leg attempt by Dias instead turns into a beautiful throw by Fili to end the 2nd.
The Brazilian was persistent with the takedown attempts early in round 3, but Fili impressively shucked him off. He wasn't as accurate with his strikes as he was in round 1, but still had success with his punches. Lovely inside trip by Dias with 3 minutes left in the fight. Dias needed big bursts of offense to win, or at least get a draw on the scorecards, but it just didn't happen. Fili exploded to his feet but was tripped down again. Dias tried to advance to mount, but lost position, wound up on his back, and Fili ended the contest with big elbows from top position. A very good showing and a win for the Team Alpha Male prospect, who took this fight on short notice.
Shamil Abdurakhimov def. Walt Harris by split decision (29-28, 28-29, 29-28)- Heavyweights
After a whole lot of nothing in the opening minute, Abdurakhimov caught a low kick and took Harris down. It didn't take long for Walt to get back to his feet. The best strike Harris landed in the opening half of round 1 was a knee in the clinch. Abdurakhimov didn't throw too often, but did connect with a short right hand from his orthodox stance. A cut opened up behind the left ear of Shamil, who was struck in an exchange in the final minute of a well contested opening frame.
Abdurakhimov threw a spinning backfist just over 2 minutes into the 2nd round, but got countered with a punch and dropped. Harris went in for a choke, but Abdurakhimov positioned himself to get out of it and back to his feet. Action slowed towards the latter part of the 2nd, but Harris landed a big left hand and later a straight body kick, which were arguably the best strikes of the round. Shamil did love throwing those spinning backfists.
Round 3 was rotten. Not a lot of strikes were thrown. Not a lot landed. Abdurakhimov may have had the slight edge, it wasn't worth revisiting, and as it turned out, Shamil got the win by split decision.
Elizeu Zaleski def. Keita Nakamura via unanimous decision (29-28 x3) - Welterweights
Zaleski caught Nakamura with a head kick inside of 3 seconds, but the Japanese veteran fought threw it and took the Brazilian down. Zaleski got back to his feet, but Nakamura craftily took his back and got him on the mat again, in search of another rear-naked choke finish. After softening him up with punches, Nakamura went for both hook and the RNC, but Zaleski escaped. Nakamura scrambled into mount, but Zaleski countered back into guard. Zaleski was just unable to get anything going offensively up to that point, and Nakamura dished out some ground-and-pound. Zaleski finally was able to separate himself from "K-Taro" and tee off with big punches, which hurt Nakamura and had him in retreat mode.
Zaleski came out firing in the 2nd, throwing big, looping punches, and he was outlanding K-Taro. Nakamura dodged a punch and slipped in a right hand. Zaleski kept swinging for the fences. Hard knee to the body by Zaleski, but that gave Nakamura the opportunity to take him down. Zaleski tried to wall walk back to his feet, but gave up his back in the process. Nakamura controlled Zaleski on the ground and again went for the rear-naked choke, but Zaleski would get back to his feet. Zaleski's wild striking was where he had his best moments.
Once again, Zaleski started round 3 with pure aggression. Nakamura would have to work through his counterstriking while Zaleski would bumrush forward. Zaleski got hit in the groin, but the ref didn't see it, so action wasn't halted. Zaleski overcommitted going forward, and Nakamura hit a reactive takedown. Nakamura moved to full mount, but Zaleski scrambled to his feet and was suplexed violently. Zaleski went for an arm-triangle choke and looked to have Nakamura in big trouble. Nakamura escaped but briefly gave up his back. Zaleski went for the Peruvian necktie and Nakamura pulled free, took Zaleski down and gained control of his back. Nakamura lost the position and Zaleski hammered home big punches in the ensuing scramble to end an entertaining fight.