UFC 195 Prelims Results Recap

Michael McDonald (17-3) vs. Masanori Kanehara (25-13-5)

(Bantamweight Bout – 3 Rounds)

‎One-time UFC 135lbs title contender “Mayday” McDonald returned from an almost 800-day layoff but looked nothing the part of a man with ring rust as he landed a nicely placed straight left hand on his foe to kick off the round. Kanehara did not like the feeling of striking with the former title contender so he drove him to the mat along the cage. McDonald pulled guard fishing for a guillotine, threatening his man for a few minutes. Kanehara popped his head out of the attack then worked out of his foe’s guard passing to half guard then looking to return the favor and choke out his man via arm choke. He kept top control for the last minute of the match before it came to an end showcasing his potent ground game.

‎Heading into Round 2 the 135ers traded stiff left hands to start off the stanza. Kanehara timed McDonald’s hands getting back to his guard and took him down to the mat with a perfectly timed takedown. He passed McDonald’s guard with relative ease before transitioning to a head and arm choke then side choke. The entire sequence seemed all too similar to McDonald’s loss to then champion Renen Barao with a significant difference, this time McDonald turned and powered his way out of the choke exploding out into his own offense taking his foe’s back in a second. Kanehara had nowhere to turn being so close to the cage wall and had no choice but to tap to the rear naked choke submission.

RESULT: Michael McDonald submits Masanori Kanehara via 2nd Round Rear Naked Choke at (2:09) .

Kyle Noke (22-8-1) vs. Alex Morono (12-3)

(Welterweight Bout – 3 Rounds)

‎Morono rushed his man for the first minute of Round 1 like he just realized the stove was on and he had to rush home and turn it off. He blasted Noke with big over hand rights and mean body kicks as the veteran and former The Ultimate Fighter: Nations coach ‎calmly stood in the pocket looking to counter. Off of his composure Noke landed a nice front kick that caught his man to the body then a solid left hook that slowed down the aggression of his foe. But, Noke waited a little too long about 3 minutes into the Round as Morono marched forward landing a beautiful right hand flush on the face of the Australian. He took the shot and stumbled back as Morono threw a combination at him along the cage. The veteran fighter composed himself and circled out getting the match back to the middle of the cage as the round came to an end.

Going into Round 2 Kyle Noke’s nose looked broken, it was dripping blood while his foe pressed forward throwing looping right hands mixed in with some leg kicks. Noke closed the distance along the cage then took his man’s back attempting a rear naked choke submission but Morono was able to shrug him off somewhat from standing position. The Australian kep the fight in close range opting to attack his foe on the mat. He managed to work out of half guard dropping some hard elbows and short left hands on Morono keeping the match there until the round came to an end.

Heading into Round 3 ‎Noke’s corner had just emphasized to him during the break that, “he had been to the top of the mountain” in order to motivate him to finish strong but the ex-TUF coach replied with a concerned “my nose is broken”. They wanted him to push the pace and march at his foe and he obliged landing a hard leaping left hook. Morono’s punches and kicks had drastically slowed now coming few and far in-between in comparison to the great pace that he kept the rounds prior. At about the halfway mark he went for a spinning back fist that missed while a few seconds later Noke landed a spinning back elbow of his own that did land. Noke now was mixing his punches with front leg kicks keeping his man guessing. With less than a minute left to go Noke took him down to the mat. In a split second Morono hit a reverse and locked up a deadly triangle choke on his man then switched it to a tight armbar. Noke stepped over his man, taking away the leverage and managed to get out before the round came to an end but it was surely not the way his corner wanted him to end the match.

RESULT: Alex Morono defeats Kyle Noke via Split Decision with two scores of 29-28. One judge saw it 30-27 for Kyle Noke.
Justine Kish (5-0) vs. Nina Ansaroff (6-5)

(Women’s Strawweight Bout – 3 Rounds)

Kish rushed her foe out of the gate but paid for it as Ansaroff replied with a barrage of punches as they stood in the pocket. The action momentarily came to a halt when Kish accidentally poked her adversary in the right eye. The doctor took a look and deemed it to be fine so the action continued with about 3 minutes left in the stanza. A crisp left hook-right hand by Kish landed flush on Ansaroff who returned fire with a hard right cross. Kish went for a spinning back elbow that partially connected before the women continued trading shots strictly from their upright fight stances. ‎Rarely did they close distance and clinch or even less attempt a takedown. They stood in the pocket and traded combinations, lefts and hooks and powerful jabs until the round came to an ednd.

Going into Round 2 the ferocious females showcased their aresenal of leg kicks in addition to their countless punches. About 2 minutes in a right hand clipped Kish on the chin making her stumble backwards a bit. Ansaroff pressed on smelling the blood in the water partially landing a head kick on her foe. Kish weathered the storm and composed herself enough to get the clinch and judo throw her foe to the mat ‎holding on to a head lock. Off of it she controlled the match from top control as Ansaroff drove and drove looking to get back to her feet but did not have any luck whatsoever doing it.

‎Going into Round 3 Kish looked for a takedown that was partially stuffed. Ansaroff answered by wrapping her foe up and hitting a takedown of her own. The Florida native worked out of her opponent’s guard landing some ground and pound along the way for the next minute. Kish eventually answered by rolling and getting the fight back to the feet. The Russian striker pressed the fight backwards pinning her foe along the cagewall landing some clean punches before fishing for a single leg and taking the fight to the ground. Kish worked to pass and did so temporarily mouting her foe with a minute left in the match. She then took her back working for a choke before Ansaroff reversed taking top control and finishing the fight out of half guard.

RESULT: ‎Justine Kish defeats Nina Ansaroff via Unanimous Decision with scores of 29-28, 30-27 and 30-27 .
Scott Holtzman (8-1) vs. Drew Dober (16-7-1)

(Lightweight Bout – 3 Rounds)

To kick off the 1st Round Dober threw some short hooks from just outside range as Holtzman countered with his own before closing the distance and looking to drive the fight to the ground off of the clinch. He used double underhooks to force the match to the canvas with about 3 minutes left but Dober fought off, keeping it upright. He drove Holtzman backwards to the middle of the cage before using an inside leg trip to get the takedown on his foe. Holtzman managed to get the fight back up but only seconds later Dober wrapped him up off of a clinch, rode his leg, turned him and planted his man on the canvas yet again. With less than a minute left Holtzman was fighting to get the fight standing, managing to do so and creating diatance momentatily launching some low and body leg kicks. He caught Dober moving backwards with a flush 1-2 combination but it was just before the round ended and maybe not significant enough to get him the round in the eye’s of the judges.

Going into Round 2 Holtzman slid along the cage using lateral movement ‎before Dober drove in on him looking for the takedown. Dober’s shot was stuffed this time and Holtzman circled out but for his troubles Dober landed a clean right hook to his face. Another Dober takedown attempt shortly followed as he changed levels but again, Holtzman was able to prevent it from happening. At about the halfway mark Dober missed upstairs with a punch and Holtzman alertly dodged, closed distance and took him down to the mat. The complexion of the battle completely changed as Holtzman now controlled the match fighting out of his man’s guard. Dober rolled but to no avail then scooted his hips backwards in order to rise back to his feet. He ate a leg kick courtesy of Holtzman and had it been just an inch higher, it could have been a fight ending shot. He then tried to take his man down using a body lock but in mid stride Holtzman reversed the throw landing on top of Dober into his guard. With less than 10 seconds left “Hot Sauce” landed two wicked right elbows unto his man’s face.

‎Heading into Round 3 it was Dober who was the aggressor immediately closing in, looking to drive his man to the canvas. He did, but Holtzman was able to pop back up to his feet. Both men traded shots at close range along the cage wall then Dober shot in on his man, driving him backwards across the Octagon before getting him to the mat again. Dober fought in halfguard around the halfway mark and it seemed like his great conditioning would be the defining factor in this crucial final round. He landed some shots on his busted up foe and as soon as Holtzman managed to get the fight standing, Herb Dean called time out for the referee to take a look at a bad cut on the eye of Holtzman. The action resumed as both men’s faces were a bloody mess. Dober’s nose gushing blood and Holtzman’s eye socket and forehead dripping profusely. Dober worked for one more takedown with 30 seconds left and got it, keeping a tight body lock on his man before they stood up and traded one final straight punch before the final bell sounded.

RESULT: Drew Dober defeats Scott Holtzman via Unanimous Decision with scores of 30-27, 30-27 and 29-28.

Dustin Poirier (19-4) vs. “Irish”Joe Duffy (14-2)

(Lightweight Bout – 3 Rounds)

‎Both men kicked things off via fire fight standing in the pocket and trading heavy leather in the middle of the Octagon. Poirier putting combinations together off of his lead left left hand as Duffy countered with a powefurl right hook and uppercut. A little over a minute in Duffy landed flush on his man stunning him, making Poirier stumble back. He weathered the storm and they continued trading bombs before the Louisiana native closed the distance snapping his right hand jab then dropped levels succesfully taking his man to the mat. He planted him there for a minute and landed some short elbows then looked for a guillotine choke. ‎It wasn’t there as Duffy managed to get back to his feet therefore the two lightweights continued to trade crosses, hooks and uppercuts at close range before the round ended.

As Round 2 began Poirier’s nose was a red ‎mess, it was dripping blood as he pawed away at it before throwing some shots, driving Duffy back and shooting in on him again taking him to the mat. Poirier controlled his man off of a body lock as he moved to half guard then shortly into full guard. Off of his back, Duffy tried to use his hips to escape away from the cage wall and create some space by scooting back, but Poirier wasn’t having any of it as he rained down elbows and big right hands to Duffy busting him open along the process. With a minute left to go “The Diamond’s” short left elbows turned the Irishman’s face into a blood-soaked mask as his left eye began to swell shut. The round ended and once on their feet both men congratulated each other with big smiles shining across their faces for this early candidate for “Fight of the Year”.

Heading into Round 3 Duffy turned into the aggressor moving forwards as he let his hands go and connected with a nice right hook to the body. Poirier shot on Duffy practically carrying him from one side of the Octagon to the other as he drove and drove for the takedown, pinnng his opponent against the cage wall. Duffy rolled to a knee bar then a heel hook which put Poirier in allot of trouble. However, the Louisianan stepped right then left and over his attacker’s foot before spinning around to take the fight back on the mat and into Duffy’s guard. The referee inexplicably stood them back up but it took longer for them to trade lefts and rights before Poirier drove him to the canvas off of a perfectly timed takedown. Duffy went for a Hail Mary triangle choke with less than 10 seconds left ‎but it was too little, too late as the round came to an end.

RESULT: ‎ Dustin “The Diamond” Poirier defeats “Irish” Joe Duffy via Unanimous Decision with scores of 30-26, 30-27 and 30-27.
Joe Soto (15-5) vs. Michinori Tanaka (11-1)

(Bantamweight Bout – 3 Rounds)

Soto tried stepping into his range with a few short hooks that missed using allot of movement before shooting in for a takedown about 2 minutes into the match. The Japanese fighter stuffed the shot then rattled off a crisp right hand counter ‎unto Soto. The two 135ers circled around the middle of the cage before Soto connected with a step in left hook. About (3:35) into the Round Tanaka was able to shoot in taking down Soto to the mat. The well-known wrestler threw up an Omaplata attack on his man fishing for the finish for the remainder of the round. To his credit Tanaka kept his composure shifting his body and neck in order to maintain an open flow of oxygen and not be in jeopardy of passing out.
To begin Round 2 both men traded low leg kicks to one another’s lead legs and shins. The fight then continued in the striking department as they proceeded to trade punches and 1-2 combinations. The left hook-straight right combination of Tanaka was sharp and deadly so Soto shot in once again with about 2 minutes left in the round. This time the Japanese striker blocked the attempt countering with his own judo throw, hitting a modified hip toss on Soto and taking him to the ground. Soto quickly wrapped up a guillotine choke attempt on Tanaka who survived before slipping out. He then scrambled to get back to top position which he did as Soto attacked him with a knee bar just as Tanaka twisted and turned in order to get top position. Once he got there, he worked out of his foe’s guard landing some ground and pound strikes shortly before the round came to an end.

Going into Round 3 Joe Soto put the pressure on his opponent likely alert that he was down on the score cards. He pressed forward with looping left hands and right hooks for about 2 minutes as Tanaka slipped and countered. Soto tried closing the distance and pulling guard on Tanaka but he did not oblige. ‎They traded straight punches in the middle of the Octagon to the crowd’s delight as each shot bounced off of the other’s face and they smiled and grinned like school children on the play ground. Tanaka feinted then shot in on a single driving his foe to the mat. Soto alertly sunk in another guillotne choke attack off of his back, and again Tanaka survived the assault popping his head out from under his man’s arm. With less than 20 seconds left Soto ducked under and got a crisp takedown on his foe slamming him unto the mat. Tanaka looked to get back up t his feet scrambling but Soto then took his back almost locking up a rear naked choke as the final bell sounded.
RESULT: Michinori Tanaka defeats Joe Soto via Split Decision with scores of 29-28, 28-29 and 29-28.

Sheldon Westcott (10-3-1) vs. Edgar Garcia (14-5)

(Welterweight Bout – 3 Rounds)

Edgar Garcia started off well landing his straight right hand on his foe, cracking him with a pair right down the middle. But, less than a minute into Round 1 Sheldon Westcott closed the distance, shot in and using some very powerful undehooks took his man to the mat. On the ground the Ultimate Fighter: Smashes finalist took total control of the match. He easily passed Garcia’s guard successfully taking his back once Garcia tried spinning out of the attack. Westcott adjusted even better by sinking his hooks in preventing any motion from his foe as he dragged him along the cage wall. From the mount Westcott had the rear naked choke option however, it was evident that the former TUF alum wanted to tee off on his adversary for a few moments. He unloaded a barrage of about 20 unanswered left right-left right punches to the side of the head and face of the downed Garcia before the referee jumped in preventing any furgther damage.

RESULT:‎ Sheldon Westcott successfully returns from an almost year-long layoff to stop Edgar Garcia via 1st Round TKO at (3:12).