The UFC Sao Paulo prelims just finished up with Charles Oliveira hunting down a second round rear-naked choke on UFC-returner Christos Giagos. With the RNC, Oliveira has broke the record and surpassed Royce Gracie for most submission wins in UFC history with 11. Oliveira also now enjoys a little two-fight winning streak and announced his desire to return to the featherweight division in his post-fight interview.
Francisco Trinaldo got himself back into the win column by zapping the liver of Evan Dunham with a vicious knee to achieve a second-round TKO. After the bout, Dunham called it a career after 20 UFC fights over a span of 8 years with the promotion. Three cheers for Evan Dunham who finishes up his pro MMA career with a honorable record of 18-8-1.
Ryan Spann fought hard in his UFC debut, both on the feet and on the ground, to go on to pick up a unanimous decision victory over Luis Henrique. Opening up the FS2 prelims, Augusto Sakai and Chase Sherman went to war inside of the Octagon, but it was Sakai who dug deep late in the third-round to pull out a TKO in his UFC debut.
Fight Pass prelims recap:
Closing out the Fight Pass prelims, Sergio Moraes owned the ground game, controlling Ben Saunders for the bulk of the bout before realizing a second round arm triangle to become the first man to ever submit Saunders in MMA. Moraes is building steam as he is now 8-1-1 in his last 10 UFC fights. Before that, Mayra Bueno Silva remained undefeated tonight when she pulled off a nasty armbar on Gillian Robertson in the first round. The 6-0 Silva seemed to have injured her leg en route to her victory, and had to be propped up by her corner for her post-fight interview.
Thales Leites went the full fifteen tonight with Hector Lombard, with each man having their moments. At the end of the day, it was Leites who walked away with the unanimous decision. Following the match, Leites announced his retirement from professional MMA and left his gloves in the center of the Octagon. A million thank you’s are in order for Leites, who produced a respectable 28-9 record over a career that dates back to 2003. Plus, who doesn’t love to see combat sports athletes retire on a win?
Elizeu Zaleski dos Santos just picked up his sixth-straight UFC victory by knocking out Luigi Vendramini in spectacular fashion in the second round. Opening up the event, Livia Renata Souza made good on her UFC debut by making quick work of Alex Chambers. She rocked Chambers on the feet and then submitting on the ground. All in under 90 seconds.
Check out the complete results below:
FS2 prelims:
Charles Oliveira def. Christos Giagos by submission (RNC) at 3:22 of round 2: Lightweight
Oliveira was the one moving forward to start the opening round as Giagos looked to counter punch. The distance was closed and Oliveira grabbed ahold of a bodylock, but Giagos refused to give up the takedown. With about one minute remaining in the round, Oliveira got his takedown and even moved to the full mount, but Giagos was able to explode back up to his feet. Giagos was able to land a couple of punches before the bell sounded.
A set of spinning backfists opened up the second round for Oliveira as he showed a lot more aggression than he did in the first frame. Giagos continued to fight off of his back foot, allowing Oliveira to dictate the pace. With just over two minutes remaining in the round, Oliveira blasted a takedown and quickly took the back of Giagos. It was only a matter of time before Oliveira sunk in an RNC and forced the tap.
History is made:
Francisco Trinaldo def. Evan Dunham by KO at 4:10 of round 2: Lightweight
Trinaldo came out pressing forward as Dunham skirted along the outside. The punches of Trinaldo were getting through and keeping Dunham from settling into the fight. Trinaldo even threw a spinning heel kick that partially landed at one point. Whenever Dunham did close the distance, Trinaldo was waiting for him with a heavy counter punch, but Dunham did manage to briefly drop Trinaldo in an exchange.
Trinaldo came out aggressive in the second round, but Dunham was able to use his footwork to maintain the range, at least for a bit. Eventually, Trinaldo was able to snap down his foe into turtle position, but Dunham successfully worked his way back to his feet. Dunham found a little bit of success with his southpaw right hook, and seemed to be finding his stride on the feet, but a nasty knee to the liver from Trinaldo instantly buckled him and sent him crashing to the canvas in agony. Ouch!
Trinaldo drills Dunham’s liver:
Ryan Spann def. Luis Henrique by unanimous decision (30-27 x2, 29-28): Light Heavyweight
Spann took the center of the Octagon and began coming forward behind his jab to open up the bout. Henrique failed at his initial takedown attempt, but went back to it an planted Spann on his back. Spann scrambled back to his feet where he jumped a guillotine, but Henrique easily fended it off before the bout returned to open space. Henrique blasted a late takedown to finish the round on top, but was the one busted up heading back to his corner.
Henrique was able to land a couple of clean hooks early in the second round, but ended up on his back after a botched takedown. Spann was unable to maintain control for very long, and Henrique returned to his feet where he got a takedown of his own. Several ground strikes added up for Henrique, but he ended up losing position after jumping a guillotine. Spann used an anaconda choke to take full mount and land some sweet elbows before time ran out.
Henrique was wearing it on his face to open up the final round, and immediately shot in to achieve a takedown. It wasn’t long before Spann worked his way on top and into side control. Henrique looked for a kimura from the half guard, but was unable to pull it off and Spann landed a few strikes down the stretch.
Augusto Sakai def. Chase Sherman by TKO at 4:03 of round 3: Heavyweight
Sakai came out moving forward and attacking the leg of Sherman. The pressure didn’t let up for Sakai, as he began throwing his punches in combinations. Sherman was firing back some leg kicks and a punch here and there, but Sakai was the one leading the dance and landing the better strikes.
An accidental eye poke from Sherman paused the action as soon as the second round started, but Sakai was cleared to continue. Sherman let off a strong punching combo to restart the round, which landed clean and backed off Sakai. Back and forth they went, exchanging combos and brawling it out. Sherman was able to clinch up with Sakai against the cage to slow down the bout, but the heavyweights didn’t rest for too long before getting back after it.
Sakai came alive in the final frame when he blitzed Sherman with a flush flurry. A sizable cut opened up below the left eye of Sherman and Sakai was not letting up. Sakai mugged Sherman up against the cage with savage knees to the face before just simply pushing him over to the ground. A series of elbows smashed down for Sakai, with the referee urging Sherman to improve his position. Sherman was unable to recover and the punches kept coming, so the referee had no choice but to stop the fight.
Fight Pass prelims:
Sergio Moraes def. Ben Saunders by submission (Arm-Triangle) at 4:42 of round 2: Welterweight
The start of the first round saw Moraes take the center with Saunders playing the outside. Moraes closed the distance and got a bodylock takedown to put Saunders on his back. Moraes really looked to control from the top with Saunders landing all of the strikes from the bottom. The referee was pretty cool about letting the black belt grapplers play out their chess game on the ground. Moraes attacked an armbar in the closing moments but the bell sounded before the hold could be completed.
It didn’t take very long for Moraes to achieve a takedown in the second frame. The referee was again pretty cool about letting Moraes work from top position, and Saunders eventually gave up the full mount. Moraes methodically transitioned into an arm-triangle, and just as Saunders gave the thumbs up to the referee, the hold got super tight super quick and Saunders was forced to tap.
Mayra Bueno Silva def. Gillian Robertson by submission (Armbar) at 4:55 of round 1: (W) Flyweight
Silva easily stuffed the initial takedown attempt of Robertson to kick things off, but tenacity won out and Silva ultimately conceded the bottom position. Robertson was unable to keep the position as Silva stood back up and started unloading her strikes. Robertson went for another tenacious takedown, but found herself on the bottom as a result. Using a leg lock attempt, Robertson was able to shift back on top where she landed a couple of solid ground strikes. Seemingly out of nowhere, Silva snagged up one of Robertson’s arms, and after a bit of adjusting she forced the tap.
Thales Leites def. Hector Lombard by unanimous decision (29-28 x3): Middleweight
Leites hung out on the outside to start the bout, looking to use his kicks to keep Lombard at bay. Lombard decided to utilize his own kicks and started to chop away at the lead leg of Leites, which welted up his inside leg pretty bad. Jimmy Smith stated on the broadcast that it looked like Leites had a second knee.
Leites came out aggressive in the second frame, but Lombard went right back to his sinister leg kicks. Leites was able to get a brief takedown off of one of Lombard’s leg kicks, but Lombard was so quick to stand back up. After eating some more leg kicks, and dishing out his own punches, Leites managed to pull guard but was unable to make anything happen before standing back up. A leaking cut formed around the right eye of Lombard, which was probably caused from the punches of Leites.
The referee brought in the doctor to take a quick look at the eye of Lombard before the start of the final round. Leites was quick to clinch up and launch some crushing knees to the midsection of Lombard. The volume continued to score for Leites, as Lombard got away from his leg attack and became more stationary. Lombard was content to clinch up with Leites and stall him out against the cage as the clock ticked away, but that ended up with Leites taking his back right before time ran out. Leites wins the final fight of his career in front of his home fans in Brazil.
Hespect:
Elizeu Zaleski dos Santos def. Luigi Vendramini by KO at 1:20 of round 2: Welterweight
Vendramini shot in on Zaleski to start the action, but left his neck hanging out there and found himself caught in a Peruvian Necktie. The hold wasn’t quite right and Vendramini was able to escape and even take the back of Zaleski while standing. After a couple of RNC attempts from Vendramini, Zaleski finally freed himself to finish up the round in open space. Zaleski found his groove in the second stanza. He blasted Vendramini with a flying knee that wobbled him, and then stuck him flush with a right hand that put him out.
Livia Renata Souza def. Alex Chambers by submission (Guillotine) at 1:21 of round 1: Strawweight
Souza opened up the bout with a massive overhand right that sent Chambers backpedalling. Souza followed up with a flurry before changing levels and scoring a takedown. It didn’t take very long for Souza to jump a mounted guillotine, and forced Chambers to tap out.