Stay tuned to https://mmainsight.com this evening for all the results live as they happen from UFC On FX 8 in Brazil.
The preliminary action gets underway at aprox 4.30pm ET (9.30pm UK) with the main card going live at 9pm ET (2am UK).
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Main Card:
Vitor Belfort defeats Luke Rockhold by KO at 2.32mins of Rd1
Ronaldo Souza defeats Chris Camozzi by submission (arm triangle) at 3.37mins of Rd1
Rafael dos Anjos defeats Evan Dunham by unanimous decision (29-28 x3)
Rafael Natal defeats Joao Zeferino by unanimous decision (30-27, 29-28 x2)
Prelims:
Nik Lentz defeats Hacran Dias by unanimous decision (28-27, 29-28 x2)
Dias did a nice job of stuffing Lentz’s early takedowns against the cage and that forced him to abandon that plan and look to strike instead. That should have favored Dias, but Lentz actually got the better of the striking by keeping his opponent on the back foot and tagging him with light shots. Then Lentz went back to clinching against the cage looking for that takedown, and again Dias prevented it. Ironically it was only when Dias suddenly decided late in the round to go for a takedown of his own that Lentz was able to reverse it and get on top. Only for a moment though and then a scramble ensued as they jostled for position until while standing Dias was able to hit the switch and work around to Lentz’s back. He’s not able to do much with it though and they end the round back in the clinch. Early pressure from Lentz in the second round paid off as he got into a clinch and landed a big knee that dropped Dias. That allowed him to keep him on the mat and he spent much of the round grinding down his adversary from top position. Dias came out swinging in the opening minute of the third round and was landing some solid shots, but Lentz hung in there and tried going for takedown that failed. Continuing to pressure him, Dias got into the clinch and hoisted Lentz up into the air, dumping him to the mat. Escaping a choke from the bottom from Lentz he then tried a submission of his own, going for the arm triangle from half guard, but it was defended well and he let go. Dias kept on top until the final minute when Lentz kicked him off and got back upright. Dias landed some more strikes forcing Lentz to clinch up and ride out the final 30 seconds.
Francisco Trinaldo defeats Mike Rio by submission (arm triangle) at 3.08mins of Rd1
Rio scored an early takedown in this fight, but when they got back to their feet after a failed guillotine choke attempt the momentum started to swing Trinaldo’s way. He was able to secure a huge takedown of his own and then from still inside Rio’s half guard he locked in the arm triangle choke. He didn’t even pass to the side as is customary to finish this move, instead just applying plenty of pressure and remarkably that was enough to force Rio to tap.
Gleison Tibau defeats John Cholish by submission (guillotine choke) at 2.34mins of Rd2
Tibau got the better of the first round here, but he really turned up the heat mid-way through the second. He caught Cholish with a hard punch that slammed into his jaw and wobbled him and then followed up with more strikes. In desperation Cholish looked for a takedown, but Tibau stuffed it and then seized a hold of his neck and dropped down for a guillotine choke. Cholish escaped, but Tibau repeated the move and this time he had it locked in deep and forced the tap.
Paulo Thiago defeats Michel Prazeres by unanimous decision (29-28 x3)
Visibly the stronger man, Prazeres had a good first round as he manhandled Thiago from the clinch and also landed some heavy leg kicks during the stand-up exchanges. After a sluggish first round Thiago finally started to get going in the second, dropping Prazeres with a strike early in the round and then after he got back to his feet was able to secure a takedown as well. Prazeres managed to work upright and then returned the favor by taking Thiago down, but wasn’t able to keep him there. Prazeres landed a huge left hand and then got another takedown against the cage. In the final minute Prazeres looked for a guillotine choke, but Thiago escaped and then quickly reversed the position to end the round on top landing some ground and pound. Prazeres looked tired going into the third, but held his own as they engaged in more stand-up exchanges. It was pretty even stuff and so a late takedown followed by some ground and pound from Thiago could have been the difference. In the end it was down to the judges and they saw it unanimously in Thiago’s favor which perhaps flatters him a little.
Yuri Alcantara defeats Iliarde Santos by TKO at 2.31mins Of Rd1
Acantara made short work of Santos here with his striking. He hurt Santos early with a flurry of strikes, then shortly afterwards a nice left hand to the chin floored him. Alcantara followed up with repeated blows to the head of his grounded opponent to secure the TKO win.
Fabio Maldonado defeats Roger Hollett by unanimous decision (29-27 x2, 29-28)
This fight didn’t start off well for Maldonado as in the opening stages he was caught with a spinning back kick to the groin which resulted in a long stoppage while he recovered. When the action did get underway again Hollett utilized takedowns and clinchwork to control the action, without offering much in the way of offense. Maldonado still looked a little sluggish in the early part of the second round and Hollett was getting the better of it on the feet, but then the Brazilian’s decision to clinch up with his opponent against the cage seemed to pay off for him. From their Maldonado was able to land a number of short, digging punches to the midsection and then when they broke apart was finally landing his punches to the head with precision accuracy. As the round drew to a close Hollett looked to be tiring and was sporting a cut to his left eye. Maldonado went back to the clinch and continued to pepper him with those clinical little strikes, with the cumulative effect really taking it’s toll on Hollett who looked exhausted and had almost completely forgotten about takedown attempts. In the end he had to resorted to clinching up himself as he looked to try to survive until the final bell. With less than half a minute to go Maldonado utilized a trip to take him to the mat and ended the round with some ground and pound to seal the round, and indeed the fight in his favor.
John Lineker defeats Azamat Gashimov by TKO at 1.07mins of Rd2
Lineker’s big power had Gashimov in real trouble in the first round, practically taking him right off his feet with a punch early in the first, sending him tumbling off the mat and then wobbling him again later. To make matters worse for Gashimov he was also deducted a point for holding onto the cage a few times. It didn’t get any better for him in the second as Lineker immediately went back on the offensive, and a minute into the round he landed with a nice body kick before following up with two hard punches to the mid-section that folded Gashimov onto the canvas. A few strikes followed, but they weren’t even needed – Gashimov was done. John Lineker’s a beast!
Jussier Formiga defeats Chris Cariaso by unanimous decision (29-28 x3)
For the first two rounds of this fight Formiga absolutely dominated Cariaso on the mat, passing his guard with ease and ending up in the mount a few times. he wasn’t able to produce a finish for all that control and pressure though and that almost proved costly when Cariaso started to fight back in the third round. In the final five minutes Cariaso was able to keep the fight standing for significant periods and was getting the better of the striking exchanges. Then he had Formiga in trouble with a guillotine choke, though the Brazilian did well to escape. Then Cariaso reversed the trend of the previous ten minutes by initiating a takedown on his opponent and that immediately paid off as an elbow strike from on top opened up a nasty cut above Formiga’s left eye. Cariaso continued to give Formiga problems for the remainder of the round, but couldn’t stop him definitively and so it was to be too little too late for him.
Lucas Martins defeats Jeremy Larsen by KO at 0.13mins of Rd3
Frenetic action in the first round as the Brazilian fans provided an almost carnival like atmosphere. Larsen was doing well with his stand-up and was connecting with solid punches – made easier by Martins highly dubious defense. He can take a punch though and absorbed the shots, and even when he found himself dropped he immediately looked for a leglock and got himself out of danger. Martins had a few moments in the striking battle too, but generally Larsen was edging it and also secured a few big takedowns in a busy five minute spell. Martins started the second round brightly with some nice kicks in particular and had Larsen on the back foot. Larsen then looked for clinchwork to slow down the pace of the fight. Mid-way through the break apart and Martins lands again and Larsen was now sporting a big cut under his right eye. Just when it looked like Martins was gaining the upperhand Larsen wobbled him with a right hand. Larsen continued to put his opponent under big pressure in the remaining minutes of the round, and it’s a wonder the Brazilian was still standing by the end of it. On to the third and Larsen clearly thought he could finish Martins, pushing forward aggressively with big shots from the opening bell. He started to land, but as Martins retreated he was firing back and Larsen walked straight into a right hand that sent him face first onto the canvas. He’s knocked out and Martins claims a great KO victory in what may end up being the fight of the night.
