Join us today on Bloody Elbow for live results, discussion, round scoring, and play-by-play as UFC 230 goes down in Madison Square Garden in New York City.
The main event will see UFC heavyweight champion Daniel Cormier putting his belt on the line against hard-hitter Derrick Lewis. The co-main will have former UFC middleweight champion Chris Weidman taking on perennial contender Ronaldo ‘Jacare’ Souza.
The prelims featured fight will see Jason Knight challenging Jordan Rinaldi at featherweight.
This post will cover the preliminary card.
The show kicks off on Fight Pass at approximately 6:30pm ET with three fights. The card then moves to FS1 at 8pm ET for four more bouts, then onto the main PPV card. The full lineup and schedule follows. The main card will be covered in a separate post.
Check out this week’s MMA Vivisection for predictions, analysis and betting odds on the each matchup.
Jason Knight vs. Jordan Rinaldi
Round 1 - Knight got at it right away with a combo and a leg kick. Rinaldi gets inside, briefly. Front kick from Knight. Rinaldi with a nice left shovel hook. Head kick too. Rinaldi circles and gets a takedown. He passes to side right away. Knight quickly regained full guard. Knight got back up, but is taken right back to the floor. He almost secures an omoplata but Rinaldi pulled his arm out. Rinaldi with a right that connects in full guard. Knight trying to elbow from the bottom. Body/head from Rinaldi. Knight secures a body triangle from the bottom, but just eats punches for his troubles. He moves to mount right at the horn. 10-9 Rinaldi.
Round 2 - Body and inside leg kick from Rinaldi. Knight with a short right. Rinaldi with a takedown in the middle of the cage. He takes the back and has a body triangle. Knight trying to punch from behind but he’s basically locked down. Not a lot happening but Rinaldi is in complete control. Punches from Rinaldi. He finally gets an arm under the chin. But Knight fights it off. 10-8 Rinaldi.
Round 3 - Knight misses with an uppercut. He also stuffs a takedown. Leg kick from Knight and he take’s Rinaldi’s back. Rinaldi uses a kimura to reverse position. Very nice. He goes to north-south and keeps attacking the arm. He takes Knight’s back. Body triangle is back. Rinaldi with some punches. He tries to secure the choke but it wasn’t under the chin. More punches. Knight stands up with Rinaldi still on his back with the body triangle. That takes some strength. He tries to spike him but Rinaldi holds on. 10-8 and 30-25 Rinaldi.
Jordan Rinaldi defeated Jason Knight via unanimous decision (30-27, 30-25, 30-26)
Sijara Eubanks vs. Roxanne Modafferi
Round 1 - Outside leg kick from Eubanks. Eubanks with a combination. Jab from Roxy. Low kick from Eubanks. Eubanks with a three-fight combo and a right over the top. They trade at distance. Eubanks with a takedown. She’s working in full guard, not really trying to pass. Eubanks backs out a bit and eats an upkick. She jumps back in, then back out. She’s trying to step over and pass, but eventually Modafferi got up. Only to go right back down into full guard again. Few punches from Eubanks. Mor hammerfists to close out the round. 10-9 Eubanks.
Round 2 - Roxy with a right. Eubanks with a nice combo. They trade jabs. Inside leg kick from Modafferi. Head kick from Eubanks hurts Roxy. She’s wobbly and goes down. She looks for an omoplata, then a leg lock. Eubanks defends and steps out. Modafferi is still hurting. She presses forward against the cage. Knee from Eubanks. Modafferi hits a hip toss takedown! Roxy in deep half. Eubanks attacks a kimura as Roxy tries to pass. 10-9 Eubanks.
Round 3 - Eubanks with a nice combo. Roxy fires back. They trade in the pocket. Modafferi ducks under but couldn’t get anything. Eubanks lands a knee. Roxy with a hard right. A right knocks Modafferi a bit off balance. Stiff rights land for both ladies. Eubanks with a body lock takedown. Modafferi almost reversed position a couple of times but couldn’t get the sweep. Eubanks takes her back with 40 seconds to go. She lands some rights. Modafferi up. She can’t scramble away though. 10-9 and 30-27 Eubanks.
Sijara Eubanks defeated Roxanne Modafferi via unanimous decision (30-27, 30-27, 30-27)
Round 1 - Arce flurries. Moraes blocks all of them. Moraes with a huge counter right that drops Arce! Big ground and pound! He pins Arce’s leg and lands a huge shot. Arce is defending well though. Moraes falls into an inverted triangle! He pops his head out and Arce gets to his feet. They battle against the cage. Arce looking for a takedown, but Moraes manages to stay upright. Arce jumps on his back! Human backpack against the fence. He almost sinks a choke but couldn’t keep it under the chin. He lands a few punches to lossen Moraes up. Body lock. Arce almost secures a choke late, but can’t. 10-9 Moraes.
Round 2 - Moraes lands the same right he landed in the first. Doesn’t drop him though. Arce immediately looks for a takedown. They battle in the clinch. Moraes with an elbow and Arce is busted WIDE open. There’s a ton of blood. Moraes with a huge head kick on the break. Arce is covered in blood. So is Moraes. Body kick from Moraes. Moraes with a right. Body kick from Moraes. Straight right drops Arce again! Moraes with elbows. Arce doing his best to defend with his legs. Moraes lets him up with 30 seconds to go. Arce with a straight left. Head kick from Moraes. 10-8 Moraes.
Round 3 - Referee Yves Lavigne doesn’t check the cut, which is high on the head. Moraes with a left. Arce is still bleeding a gusher. Step-in elbow from Moraes. Body kick. Head kick from Arce on a leaning Moraes. Body kick from Moraes. Two lefts from Arce. Knee and elbow from Moraes in close. Head kick. Arce with a left hook. Moraes with a body kick after he caught an Arce kick. Arce presses and lands a left. Body shot and a right cross. Knee to the body from Moraes. Front kick to the face from Arce. Knee to the body from Moraes. 10-9 Arce, but 29-27 Moraes.
Sheymon Moraes defeated Jorge Arce via split decision (29-28, 28-29, 30-26)
Round 1 - Inside leg kick from Good. Saunders with a big body kick. Another couple of inside kicks from Good. Straight left from Saunders, and another body kick. They battle in the clinch. Tons of knees from Killa B. Good with an uppercut. Another uppercut hurts Saunders! He’s down and gets pounded out! Wow.
Lyman Good defeated Ben Saunders via KO (strikes), 1:32 of round 1
Matt Frevola vs. Lando Vannata
Round 1 - Vannata with a body and leg kick. Frevola kicks back. Vannata spin and misses. Frevola with a hard right head kick and inside leg kick. Counter right. Lando with the leg kick. Vannata with a huge head kick that drops Frevola! He’s back up immediately but eats a right! He looks for a takedown, but they stop it briefly to put his mouthpiece back in. Hard body kick by Frevola. Vannata with a right hook. Frevola with his own. Straight right lands for Frevola, and another. Head kick and a right from Vannata. Nice jab from Frevola. Spinning heel kick lands for Frevola. A right drops Vannata! He’s right back up but eats a body kick. Vannata with a takedown attempt, then just misses with a head kick. Step-in elbow from Frevola. Beautiful counter combo and flying knee from Frevola! Vannata looks for a takedown but got reversed. Guillotine! Mount! The round ends. Holy cow that was a crazy round. 10-9 Frevola.
Round 2 - Vannata with a spinning back kick to the body. Outside leg kick from Frevola. Vannata with a right and a huge front kick to the face! Spinning kick! Body kick too. Frevola just eats them. Vannata drops him with the next shot though! He’s back up but a combo has Frevola on rubber legs. Vannata with a left hook to the body, right to the jaw. Back to the body. Frevola looks for a takedown. Can’t get it. Left head kick from Vannata, and a right. Vannata still pressuring. Frevola firing back. Spinning wheel kick from Vannata, but not as much on it. They trade leg kicks. Frevola looks to hvae the cobwebs cleared by now, and he lands a left. Nice combo from Frevola, and a body kick. Vannata with a combo and he spins again. Frevola in on a takedown but can’t get it. Another one does work. Vannata looks for a guillotine. Too late though. 10-9 Vannata.
Round 3 - Front kick from Vannata. Frevola with a leg kick. Spinning back kick to the body from Frevola. Vannata’s mouthpiece drops out briefly. Body shot from Frevola. Jump knee doesn’t work for him. Head kick from Frevola. Vannata holds the leg and eats three hard shots while he looks for a takedown. Which he doesn’t even get. Frevola with a hard body kick. Nice right over the top from Frevola. Spinning back kick to the body from Vannata. Counter right from Vannata. Outside leg kick from Frevola. Vannata goes body/head. Body kick from Vannata. Vannata spins and misses. Frevola ducks under for a takedown, but Vannata rolls out right away. Frevola misses with a massive head kick. Vannata with a right. Frevola with a right hook over the top. 10-9 and 29-28 Frevola.
Matt Frevola and Lando Vannata go to a majority draw (29-28, 28-28, 28-28)
Shane Burgos vs. Kurt Holobaugh
Round 1 - Holobaugh with a leg kick and sneaks in an uppercut. Holobaugh very active early. Burgos with a right and a jab. Holobaugh with more low leg kicks. Burgos with a counter left. They’re both landing hard and often though. Burgos goes back to the jab. Holobaugh with a counter left, then a combo that drops Burgos! He smiles as he goes down, and Holobaugh jumps right into an armbar! Burgos secures it and Holobaugh is forced to tap. Wow what a reversal of fortunes!
Shane Burgos defeated Kurt Holobaugh via submission (armbar), 2:11 of round 1
Adam Wieczorek vs. Marcos Rogerio de Lima
Round 1 - De Lima misses with a big right. Both land leg kicks. Wieczorek circling on the outside. He ducks under a punch and get a body lock takedown. He sets up right away in half. Wieczorek is trying to attack and arm, albeit briefly. He tries to pass to side but De Lima gets up, then secures his own takedown. De Lima in half, trying to land forearms. Slow pace on the ground. The ref finally warns them for inactivity with 1:15 to go. De Lima moves Wieczorek over to the cage. Few punches. He postures up and lands a couple of hard punches before the horn. 10-9 De Lima.
Round 2 - De Lima with a heavy outside leg kick. Another. De Lima with a left hook over the top, and follows with a right. He clinches and looks for a trip. Can’t get it though. They separate. Wieczorek with some pawing jabs. Another leg kick from Pezao. Another. They both connect with punches at the same time and clinch up. Extended battle against the fence. De Lima couldn’t get a trip takedown. De Lima with a nasty kick and a right hook. The ref separates them after another long clinch battle. Yet another leg kick. Counter combo from De Lima. Wieczorek with a leg kick and he gets a hold of De Lima. They separate and De Lima lands a big combo. 10-9 De Lima.
Round 3 - De Lima with a right hook. They clinch up yet again. Wieczorek looks for a trip but De Lima ends up throwing him to the ground. He’s working from side control. He gets to mount with three minutes to go, but Wieczorek squirmed away back to his feet. De Lima pushes Wieczorek to the mat as he throws a lazy kick and jumps back into his guard. Not much happens there and they get stood up with 90 seconds to go. Knee to the body from Wieczorek. De Lima with a body lock and they go right back down to the floor. Dull ending to a dull fight. 10-9 and 30-27 De Lima.
Marcos Rogerio De Lima defeated Adam Wieczorek via unanimous decision (30-27, 30-27, 30-27)