UFC Fight Night: Rozenstruik vs Sakai Results

Back in action for the first time since September 2019, Claudio Puelles removed Jordan Leavitt from the ranks of the unbeaten, winning a three-round unanimous decision in the lightweight opener.

Scores were 29-28 across the board for Puelles, now 11-2. Leavitt falls to 8-1.

After a close first two rounds in which the two up and comers traded takedowns and grappling control, with Leavitt edging out the first and Puelles the second, the Peruvian put the fight on the mat to start the final round and while there was a re-start from referee Chris Tognoni with 90 seconds left, Puelles scored another takedown immediately and kept the fight on the ground, securing his victory on the scorecards.

Official Result – Claudio Puelles def. Jordan Leavitt via unanimous decision (29-28, 29-28, 29-28)

In his first bout in nearly a year, featherweight prospect Sean Woodson rebounded from the lone loss of his career with a three-round split decision over Youssef Zalal.

Scores were 29-28 twice and 28-29 for Woodson, now 8-1. Zalal falls to 10-5.

Zalal scored well with a busy striking attack in the early going before looking to put his foe on the mat. Woodson defended well and midway through the round he briefly jarred Zalal with a left hand before the Morocco native went back to his grappling attack and put Woodson on the deck just before the end of the frame.

Continuing to focus on his grappling, Zalal wasn’t able to get Woodson to the mat in round two, and when at distance, the St. Louis native worked effectively with his strikes before pulling guard with a guillotine choke in as the round closed.

Woodson continued to defend Zalal’s takedown attempts with relative ease in the third, and when you add in another submission attempt by “The Sniper,” the judges’ verdict was a clear one.

Official Result – Sean Woodson def. Youssef Zalal via split decision (29-28, 29-28, 28-29)

The bigger and taller fighter of the two, Fiorot spent the opening round walking down the Brazilian, who was game, but only delivering spurts of offense, as Fiorot delivered a steady diet of 1-2s in the first five minutes.

There was more of the same in the second, with Fiorot dropping Ricci with a right hand midway through the round. Ricci got back to her feet, but Fiorot fired off another barrage of strikes, with referee Herb Dean stepping in at 3:00 of round two.

With the win, Fiorot moves to 7-1. Ricci, who replaced Maryna Moroz on short notice, falls to 5-1.

Official Result – Manon Fiorot def. Tabatha Ricca via TKO (strikes) at 3:00 of round two

Jones spent the early part of the first round dodging Patrick’s unorthodox attacks, yet once he put his own offense in gear with a left hand with a little over two minutes left that staggered and bloodied the Brazilian, it was the Welshman the rest of the way, as he delivered a ferocious ground-and-pound attack that nearly produced a stoppage before the horn intervened.

In the second, Jones continued to press the action before an accidental eye poke brought a halt to the action and the fight, with the final verdict being a no contest.

Jones moves to 10-1, 1 NC, Patrick to 15-3, 1 NC.

Official Result – Mason Jones fought to a no contest (accidental eye poke) with Alan Patrick at 2:14 of round two

MORE UFC FIGHT NIGHT: Significant Stats | Fighters You Should Know | Rise Of Jairzinho Rozenstruik | Augusto Sakai | Santiago Ponzinibbio | Miguel Baeza | Duško Todorović | Tanner Boser | Claudio Puelles | Youssef Zalal | Sean Woodson

The first round was fought at a measured pace, Amirkhani taking it behind a busier attack that included a pair of takedowns. But Kirk rattled his foe with a right hand just before the horn, showing the veteran that he was still there and ready to go.

Kirk upped his work rate in the second, and his strikes were finding their mark, clearly getting Amirkhani’s attention. A takedown followed by “Mr. Finland” with two minutes gone, and while Amirkhani controlled matters for a while, Kirk responded with a triangle, then an armbar attempt, late in the frame.

In the second minute of the final round, Amirkhani put the fight on the mat again, and as Kirk swept his way into the top position with one minute left, he was able to end the fight in control, a reality reflected on the scorecards.

Official Result – Kamuela Kirk def. Makwan Amirkhani via unanimous decision (30-27, 29-28, 29-28)

Francisco Trinaldo’s welterweight debut wasn’t a winning one, but the former lightweight standout showed 170-pound potential before losing a three-round unanimous decision to Muslim Salikhov.

Scores were 30-27 across the board for Salikhov, now 18-2. Trinaldo falls to 26-8.

Trinaldo looked good in his first round in the 170-pound weight class, but Salikhov’s leads and counters were scoring well, making his foe pay for being too aggressive, with the clearest example being an uppercut that dropped the Brazilian in the closing stages of the frame.

Undeterred by the knockdown, Trinaldo kept the heat on his foe as the second round began, but the technical shots of Salikhov kept him a step ahead. With three minutes left, a right hand jarred Trinaldo, but “Massaranduba” kept moving forward and swinging haymakers once he got his legs back. 

An inadvertent eye poke by Trinaldo brought a halt to the fight early in the final round, but Salikhov was cleared to continue and forced to hold off a spirited effort from the 42-year-old, who knew he needed to make a run if he wanted to turn the fight around. Salikhov wasn’t having it, though, as he calmly countered Trinaldo’s rushes and added a takedown in the last minute to put his victory in the bank.

Official Result – Muslim Salikhov def. Francisco Trinaldo via unanimous decision (30-27, 30-27, 30-27)

In heavyweight action, Ilir Latifi scored a three-round split decision over Tanner Boser.

Scores were 29-28, 29-28, and 27-29 for Latifi, now 16-8, 1 NC. Boser falls to 19-8-1.

In the second minute of the fight, Latifi dumped Boser to the mat and kept him there until the Canadian was able to get upright with a little over 90 seconds to go, allowing him to keep Latifi at range for the rest of the frame.

Boser was able to keep Latifi at the end of his punches in round two, even though “The Sledgehammer” got in a couple hard shots. With a little over two minutes left, Latifi was stunned and went to the fence from what he believed to be an accidental eye poke, but with referee Herb Dean not calling a foul (and replays backing up that call), Boser went all-in for the finish. Latifi cleared his head and got back to his feet, but it was a big round for the Canadian. 

Latifi scored a takedown in the opening minute of round three, and as he kept Boser grounded for the rest of the round, he didn’t deliver any significant damage, but it was enough to get the round and the victory.

Official Result – Ilir Latifi def. Tanner Boser via split decision (29-28, 29-28, 27-29)

UFC Fight Night: Rozenstruik vs Sakai Main Card

Montana De La Rosa vs Ariane Lipski

Flyweight up and comer Montana De La Rosa was in control from start to finish en route to a second round TKO victory over Ariane Lipski.

De La Rosa used her striking effectively to set up a takedown midway through the first round and she kept Lipski there for the rest of the round, opening up a cut over the Brazilian’s left eye in the process.

Lipski came out fast to start round two, but got taken down again for her trouble, and once De La Rosa got into the mount, the Texan unloaded with strikes until referee Keith Peterson stopped the fight at 4:27 of the second stanza.

Official Result – Montana De La Rosa def. Ariane Lipski via TKO (strikes) at 4:27 of round two

After landing more right hands early in round two, he scored with another takedown. Todorovic remained locked up for a spell but was soon able to break free and start landing some stiff jabs.

The third was as competitive as the previous two rounds, but just as in those rounds, the hardest punches came from the fists of Rodrigues, who took the bout via scores 30-27, 30-27, 29-28.

With the win, Rodrigues, who replaced Maki Pitolo, moves to 10-3. Todorovic falls to 10-2.

Official Result – Gregory Rodrigues def. Dusko Todorovic via unanimous decision (30-27, 30-27, 29-28)

Scores were 29-28 across the board for Ponzinibbio, now 29-4. Baeza falls to 10-1.

Baeza went after Ponzinibbio’s legs from the start, and it momentarily slowed the forward progress of the Argentina native. Baeza then moved his attacks upstairs, bruising his foe’s face, but it was Ponzinibbio ending the round strong.

The leg kicks kept coming in the second stanza, and when he followed up with a right hand a minute in, he staggered his foe. Ponzinibbio wasn’t going away, though, and he kept pressing and throwing, refusing to back down from the Floridian as he pumped out a stiff jab while landing his own leg kicks in a late surge that had Baeza on the defensive. 

Momentum was clearly on Pozinibbio’s side as the final round began, but Baeza got back down to business until a right kick to the leg staggered “Caramel Thunder.” Now in a battle of wills, both fighters were leaving it all in the Octagon in search of victory, and with two minutes left, Ponzinibbio went looking for the finish. Baeza shook off the blows and fired back, making you wish there was a packed house cheering the two welterweights on as they went back and forth, slugging it out until the final horn.

Official Result – Santiago Ponzinibbio def. Miguel Baeza via unanimous decision (29-28, 29-28, 29-28)

Dolidze put the fight on the mat in the opening minute of the bout, and while the Argentina native rose immediately, Dolidze wouldn’t release his grip as they battled along the fence for the rest of the frame.

There was more of the same as round two began, Dolidze locking on his foe and not letting go. In the second minute, Staropoli finally got loose and started throwing strikes at his opponent, trading uppercuts with Dolidze until the Georgian ensnared him in his grip again until less than a minute remained. But as the round ended, the pattern had resumed.

Staropoli had a little more success in the final round, but not nearly enough to turn the fight around, as Dolidze was able to coast to a clear-cut victory.

Official Result – Roman Dolidze def. Laureano Staropoli via unanimous decision (30-27, 30-27, 30-27)

With the win, the No.11-ranked Tybura moves to 22-6. The No.8-ranked Harris falls to 13-10, 1 NC.

Official Result – Marcin Tybura def. Walt Harris via TKO (strikes) at 4:06 of round one

The action was sporadic at best in the first round, with Sakai working his leg kicks while Rozenstruik pursued but wouldn’t unleash his strikes. But with seconds to go in the frame, a left-right combination tagged Sakai and dropped him to the mat. A follow-up attack was all it took to end the bout, with referee Herb Dean stepping in at 4:59 of the opening frame.

With the win, the No.6-ranked Rozenstruik moves to 12-2. The No.9-ranked Sakai falls to 15-3-1.

Official Result – Jairzinho Rozenstruik def. Augusto Sakai via TKO (strikes) at 4:59 of round one