UFC191 Johnson vs. Dodson 2 : Prelims Results Recap
Ross “The Real Deal” Pearson (20-9) vs. Paul “The Irish Dragon” Felder (10-2)
3-Round Lightweight Bout
Felder meant business as he muscled his veteran opponent to the cage wall to kick off the main event of the preliminaries. The two created distance picking their spots as they fought at a calculated pace; no risky shots & or anything careless was what their body language told. They ended up along the cage wall after some missed strikes, Pearson pulled away from the cage with about 2 minutes left as Felder went for a high kick. The Brit avoided the strike then used his man’s unsteady balance against him to drive him to the ground. Pearson could only keep Felder there for a minute before the Irishman made his way back to his feet after being in guard. There was now a shift in momentum as Pearson’s slick upperbody movement combined with his great footwork continuously steered him out of trouble and into advantageous positions. His foe could not figure him out. Felder attempted one of his signature spinning back fists but it missed as Pearson’s counter punch pushed him to the ground before the round came to an end. Heading into Round 2 Felder was doing his best to time Pearson coming in using standing knees and leg kicks. Some landed and just as many came up short, the footwork of Pearson was stellar. “The Real Deal’s defense became his offense. Felder had some success were he gauged the proper distance to keep Pearson at bay for the remainder of the round. He applied this strategy for the bulk of the 3rd Round , really sticking to his jab. Unfortunately, he made the mistake of not capitalizing on the momentum and what at first looked like he was walking his man down now seemed more to be that he was simply content following him.
Result: Ross Pearson upsets 5-1 favorite Paul Felder via Split Decision with scores of 29-28, 30-27 and 28-29.
Francisco Rivera (11-5) vs. John “Hands of Stone” Lineker (26-7)
The most exciting match of the preliminaries drastically lacked in much technique or defense but it overwhelmed with a maddening pace from both men personified with the two warriors coming forward throwing nothing but power punches at one another. As if they had secretly agreed to steal the show and lock down a “Performance of the Night” bonus the two met in the middle of the cage landing bombs with little to no remorse for the inevitable. Short shots, straight rights, straight lefts, overhand rights and left hooks rained down in the Octagon from Rivera while Lineker matched him shot for shot. The former 125lbs fighter landed a clean hook on his foe that sent Rivera to the canvas. The former WEC alumni managed to get back to his feet but was backed into the cage wall in a corner without anywhere to go, after a quick scramble they both started trading bombs once again but Lineker was now landing the cleaner shots. A partially stunned Rivera could not stop a very slick as well as alert takedown from Lineker who moved to guard sinking in a guillotine choke that his foe had no option but other than to tap to.
Result: John Lineker makes a successful move up to bantamweight with a submission finish of Francisco Rivera via guillotone choke at (2:08) of the 1st round. (The 135ers ended up with a “Fight of the Night” bonus once the awards were given out by Dana White at the end of the night.)
Jessica Andrade (13-5) vs. Raquel Pennington (6-6) II
3-Round Women’s Bantamweight Bout
Picking up right where their first fight at UFC 171 left off, 135ers Andrade and Pennington went to work for the first of two rematches on tonight’s card. Andrade pushed forward with some punches before closing the distance looking for the clinch. Pennington lifted her up using a high crotch then dumping her to the ground but Andrade immediately slid into guard once her backside hit the mat. After some unsuccessful offense from both the fight got back up standing. The Brazilian returned to her clinch-heavy approach driving Pennington towards the cage wall but the TUF season 18 alum fought off of the Octagon behind some crisp right and left hand counter punches. Andrade would not be denied as she absorbed the strikes, again closing the distance now putting her foe on her back using a leg trip shortly before the round came to an end to end it with control.
In Round 2 both women put together a striking battle in the center of the Octagon, Pennington using her straight left hand to tangle with Andrade’s hooks and uppercuts. Past the halfway mark Pennington secured two takedowns which were both defended well by Andrade via guillotine choke attempts. However, by the time the second shot happened it seemed that the Brazilian had depleted some of her gas tank and this time when Pennington popped her head out of the guillotine attack, Andrade wasn’t as quick to get back up to her feet. She fought out of her guard with less than a minute to go as her opponent stalked, looking for the right time to shake her legs out of the way and jump into a submission attack of her own. As the 10-second mark sounded Pennington muscled her way able to close in on her foe taking her back lightning fast. The TUF18 cast member sunk in her hooks appying a rear naked choke to which Andrade had no choice but to submit.
Result: Raquel “Rocky” Pennington upsets 3 to 1 favorite Jessica Andrade via Rear Naked Choke submission at (4:58) of the 2nd Round.
“Cassius” Clay Collard (14-7) vs. Tiago Trator (20-5-2)
3-Round Featherweight Bout
Collard came into the 1st Round like a bat out hell coming at his man with multiple kicks and punches then stringing along combinations for the first few minutes of the round as well as the 2nd. For as entertaining as the action was from Collard he always found himself in trouble if he couldn’t lead the dance and let Trator back in the fight. Collard got lazy with his defense getting taken down in each round if not counter punched too cleanly for the judges not to notice. Sure he was the aggressor, but the clear and more powerful strikes be it punches or leg kicks were landed by Trator who used movement to confuse his aggressive foe.
Joe “Diesel” Riggs (41-15) vs. Ron “Choir Boy” Stallings (13-8)
3-Round Middleweight Bout
A pair of 185ers took the center of the Octagon as the second match of the night. Both combatants stalked one another before Stallings opened up landing some hard shots unto the MMA veteran. Stunned partially along the cage wall, Riggs wound up throwing some winging shots, as he covered up, that just missed their mark blazing by his foe’s face. Halfway into the round Riggs secured a takedown but Stallings quickly threw up a triangle submission which looked sunk in pretty deeply. Riggs powered his way out of the maneuver ripping his head and arm out of the BJJ hold, but Stallings alertly switched it to an omaplata attack. After a scramble for position Stallings wound up on top control working some of his offense before the veteran managed to get the match back to the feet. With about a minute left “Diesel” Riggs secured a takedown getting to work out of his foe’s guard. The MMA Lab representative kept Stallings on the mat to end the round from top control.
Early into the 2nd Round Riggs landed a picture perfect left hand that leveled his opponent. Stallings’ chin held up to the monstrous shot but he was forced to work out of his guard after falling flat on his back. “Diesel” jumped on top control overpowering his foe and shifting the tide back his way for half of the round. Out of desporation, Stallings scooted back throwing up an up-kick that clipped the chin of Riggs as he had his knees on the mat. The referee instantly called a stop to the match in order for the doctor to look at the damage. Riggs was unable to continue and the match was then awarded to Riggs since the doctor stoppage came due to the result of an illegal up-kick.
Result: Joe “Diesel” Riggs defeats Ron Stallings via Disqualification at (2:28) of the 2nd Round.
Joaquim Silva (8-0) vs. Nazareno Malegarie (27-4)
3-Round Lightweight Bout
Netto BJJ” Silva and “El Tigre” Malegarie kicked the action off as the first bout of the evening from the MGM Grand Garden Arena inside the MGM Grand Casino in Las Vegas. Both men swapped left hooks from the get go, standing in the pocket trading crisp, clean punches for the majority of the 1st Round. Not once did a man score a knockdown or even go for a takedown making the 5 minutes a boxing match with 4 ounce gloves. Silva scored big with two flying knees towards the end of the round to make the judges take notice. In the 2nd Round both men switched up the attack trading takedowns early. Silva secured it immediately once the round had started and then Malegarie sunk one in of his own shortly thereafter along the cage wall. The wrestling approach by both combatants ended there, as they returned to following one another across the cage before launching a left hook or a right hook. Silva landed another flying knee with about a minute left in the round. The Brazilian caught his man coming in with a standing knee to close the stanza out favorably.
Going into the 3rd and final Round the lightweights resumed their strike-heavy action-fused affair. Malegarie’s lead left hooks versus the counter right hook or straight right hand from Silva. Malegarie pressed forward putting together his combinations landing his left hook almost at will sue to Silva continuously dropping his right hand maybe thinking he had the win in the bag already. “El Tigre” managed to secure takedown but Silva was able to pop back up and keep his footing together the remainder of the match as he traded some more heat at close range with his foe to end the battle.
Result: Joaquim “Netto BJJ” Silva remains unbeaten defeating Nazareno Malegarie via Split Decision with scores of 29-28 and 30-27. One judge saw it 30-27 for “El Tigr” Malegarie
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