UFC 209 Woodley vs. Thompson 2: FS1 Prelims Results Recap

Darren Elkins shocked 6 to 1 betting favorite Mirsad Bektic via 3rd Round TKO at (3:19) via strikes.
Image: UFC

The featured bout of the preliminaries saw Marcin Tybura (15-2) and Luis Henrique (10-3) trade rounds by showing off their stellar wrestling and grappling abilities while sneaking in some boxing at close quarters. Tybura likely took Round 1 while Henrique probably took Round 2, both using a couple of solid takedowns and a few minutes working their top control. Therefore, the fight was definitely on the table heading into the 3rd and final round.

Tybura regrouped during the 60 second break and decided to step up his offensive approach to end his foe’s night conclusively. ‎After they locked up along the cage wall looking for the takedown coming up short, referee Herb Dean separated them and started the action back up in the middle of the Octagon. About halfway into the round Tybura dug deep and tried for a double leg takedown which Henrique stuffed and used to apply a guillotine with his back to the cage wall. The choke wasn’t deep enough and the Poland native scrambled out able to get the match to the ground as well as achieve top control. He worked his ground and pound then as his man gave up his back, Tybura fished for a choke but was content with getting full mount instead. He let the big bombs rain down on his man tuning him up with multiple hard punches that went unanswered forcing Herb Dean to step in and call a stop to the fight.

RESULTS: Marcin Tybura stops Luis Henrique via TKO at (3:46) of Round 3 due to strikes.

Mirsad Bektic (11-1) vs. Darren Elkins ( 23-5)

Feathweight Bout – 3 Rounds)

‎Elkins started off fast with a quick, and tight boxing guard loading up on a sharp right hand and counter left which rocked his foe as they stood in the pocket. Once they traded, the unbeaten prospect Bektic actually used the attack to drop down and get the takedown on his man. He then immediately scrambled to side control where he used a crucifix to land some crisp elbows before Elkins scrambled into half guard. With 2 minutes left, Elkins was able to posture up but Bektic then busted his face up using a pair of mean elbows. Elkins was not only a bloody mess as his face was busted open, oozing blood from his forehead but, he seemed befuddled as to how to operate from the bottom while the then undefeated fighter pounded away at him with some vicious ground and pound before he scrambled to full guard and the round came to a close.

Going into Round 2, Bektic got in close and shot in on his foe then used an ankle pick to pull his man’s leg from underneath him‎ dragging him to the mat along the cage wall. Elkins instantly wall walked back up but Bektic dropped levels getting a deep double leg takedown to force the match back to the canvas. However, Elkins scrambled taking his man’s back landing some shots then when Bektic turned the corner and got out, the Team Alpha Male representative snuck in some knees to his body. With a little over a minute left Bektic got another takedown and Elkins temporarily threatened with a guillotine attack. The hold wasn’t there to finish and Bektic transitioned into his foe’s half guard landing some ground and pound along the way before Round 2 came to an end.

Going into Round 3 Bektic seemed visilby tired from his masterful and wrestle-heavy performance. But, Elkins was not out of the fight completely and marched forward willing to work at all costs off of pure heart and will alone. He was taken down but scrambled then threatened his man with a toe hold. The Bosnian rolled out of it and on his way back up kept his hands dangerously low. Elkins strikes had caught up to his opponent and while Bektic slipped out of the pocket with his hands to his waist Elkins caught with a right head kick that rocked him along the way and along the cage wall. The Bosnia native crumbled to the mat as the MMA veteran landed some follow up right hands prompting the referee to call a stop to the battle.

RESULTS: Darren Elkins shocks 6 to 1 betting favorite Mirsad Bektic via 3rd Round TKO at (3:19) via strikes.
Iuri Alcantara (34-7) vs. Luke Sanders (11-1)

(Bantamweight Bout – 3 Rounds)

Alcantara took the match to the ground off of a judo style shove before scrambling to an armbar attempt which Sanders escaped out off for the first 10 seconds of Round 1. From there, both 135-pound fighters traded wide, looping bombs all over the cage in a battle of ‘I can hit you harder than you can hit me’. With roughly 2 minutes left, Sanders closed the distance, took the match to the ground then proceeded to control his man’s back holding his foe’s left hand with his own left hand. From that point, Sanders’ free right hand landed repeatedly on the overpowered Brazilian warrior busting him up as he pinned him along the cage wall. On multiple occasions the referee shuffled over or stepped in and hovered over Alcantara, ready to stop the match since the brilliant Brazilian was eating way too many punches to the side of the head or body. Inexplicably, with about 40 seconds left in the bout Alcantara had his hands on the mat bent over trying to get up with Sanders controlling his back and Luke changed angles then landed a vicious knee to his man which was blatantly illegal. The referee swiftly called time out, took a point away from Sanders due to the illegal blow and after ‎time was called in the two traded some wild, looping shots again with Alcantara having a clear head as the match came to an end.

Going into Round 2 both men traded heavy leather in the middle of the Octagon. Sanders timed his foe with a clean straight right that hurt Alcantara and then punished him along the cagewall with some hard knees to the body and hooks to the head. This timw however, the outcome would be allot different; not as many punches absorbed by Iuri nor a one sided ground and pound attack but rather his grappling prowess kicked in and he scrambled for a deep kneebar. The talented ground wizard sunk in the hold deep on his man’s right leg. With Sanders rolling to his own right, making matters worst he had no choice ‎but to tap out to the hold in a shocking turn of events.

RESULTS: Iuri Alcantara submits previously undefeated Luke Sanders via kneebar at (3:13) of Round 2.
Mark Godbeer (12-3) vs. Daniel Spitz (5-1)

(Heavyweight Bout – 3 Rounds)

Godbeer and Spitz kicked off the UFC 209 preliminaries on the home of the UFC: Fox Sports 1. Like the sharp alertness and crisp delivery of that network, Godbeer was the same. His low leg kicks landed flush, one of them tripped his man to the canvas stopping him dead in his tracks and his boxing was on point as he whipped away with his jab and over hand right over and over. Not a massive puncher by trade but a work horse, the United Kingdom warrior marched along never steering away from the game plan for that opening round. ‎Spitz had his moments but they were very far and few in-between , late in the round he was already pushing punches instead of putting anything on them.

Going into Round 2, it was all Godbeer in the offense department. He marched forward moving in and out of the pocket, blasting away with some thunderous combinations. His 1-2 could not miss and he walked Spitz down with all of the confidence in the world before using a Thai clinch to land a nasty standing left knee to his man’s body then a follow up left hook. Spitz wobbled backwards clearly hurt from the attack before launching a counter punch. To his credit a successful takedown in Round 1 off of a body lock ‎by Spitz momentarily stopped the attack of Godbeer but he just could not keep the game fighter there and the Brit used an underhook to power his way back up and return to boxing up his opponent while mixing in some low leg kicks or over hand rights along the way.

Heading into Round 3, Godbeer walked his man down again using his patented 1-2 combination or lead right hand. Spitz by this point had caught his second wind and even though he was moving back kept the match at his range and ducked or slipped his man’s strikes for the first few moments. With about 2 minutes left in the match both men traded leg kicks then a few body shots. Godbeer stepped in during the last 90 seconds and landed a power overhand right on his man that forced Spitz to stumble back, bend over and touch the mat with his hand to keep his balance before smiling at his foe. He gave away the rest of the round backing up or covering up as Godbeer kept his composure, landed kicks both low and high, hooks to the head and body and a crisp straight right as he cruised to a points verdict.

Results: ‎Mark Godbeer defeats Daniel Spitz via unanimous decision with scores of 30-27, 30-27 and 30-27.