LAS VEGAS — Before UFC 235’s main event between Jon Jones and Anthony Smith for the light heavyweight title and co-main event between welterweight champ Tyron Woodley and Kamaru Usman, a multitude of undercard fights are taking place Saturday at T-Mobile Arena. Here’s how it all is going down.
Pedro Munhoz defeats Cody Garbrandt by first-round TKO
Munhoz knocked out Garbrandt in arguably the wildest round of 2019. Munhoz landed a straight left midway through the first, dropping Garbrandt to the mat. Munhoz pounced, landing ground-and-pound, but Garbrandt was able to get up and landed a flying knee. The two continued to trade hard shots, most of which landed, before Munhoz connected on a right to Garbrandt’s face to end the bout at 4:51 in the first.
Munhoz (18-3) has won three straight. Garbrandt, the former UFC bantamweight champion, has dropped three in a row, two of them to current titleholder TJ Dillashaw.
Zabit Magomedsharipov defeats Jeremy Stephens by unanimous decision
Magomedsharipov continued to live up to the hype, using a variety of effective spinning strikes and ground-and-pound to edge veteran Stephens by unanimous decision (all three judges scored the fight 29-28). Stephens, likely down two rounds to zero going into the third, nearly pulled off the comeback with a few hard punches that landed, but it was not enough in the end.
Magomedsharipov (17-1) landed more shots in the first round than Stephens and truly took control in the second. He threw Stephens (28-16) to the mat midway through and took his back. Magomedsharipov then added hard elbows and punches as the round ended. After both fighters got up, Stephens shoved Magomedsharipov, and Magomedsharipov did the same back.
The Dagestan native has won 13 fights in a row, including five straight in the UFC. His 26 takedowns in his first five UFC fights are tied for fifth-most in UFC history through a fighter’s first five fights. Stephens has lost two in a row.
Johnny Walker defeats Misha Cirkunov by first-round TKO
Walker’s epic start to his UFC career continued, as he defeated Cirkunov by first-round TKO just 36 seconds into the fight. Walker landed a huge flying knee that dropped Cirkunov to the mat. The Brazilian then followed up with strikes before referee jumped in.
Walker’s night wasn’t all happy, though. Celebrating in the cage after the win by flopping the the mat, he may have separated his shoulder or hurt his arm in the process.
Walker (17-3), who just a month ago won in 15 seconds, became the sixth fighter in UFC history to start a career with three first-round knockouts. Cirkunov (14-5), once himself a top contender, has dropped three of four.
Cody Stamann defeats Alejandro Perez by unanimous decision
Stamann edged Perez in a close fight between rising bantamweights, winning by unanimous decision (30-27, 29-28, 29-28). Both fighters traded shots throughout, but Stamann landed more significant strikes, particularly to Perez’s head and body.
Stamann rebounded from a second-round submission loss to Aljamain Sterling in September. He has now won 11 of his last 12. Perez’s loss snaps his four-fight win streak.
Diego Sanchez defeats Mickey Gall by second-round TKO
UFC veteran Sanchez, 37, turned back the clock with one of the best performances of his career. Sanchez finished Gall, a rising prospect 10 years younger than him, with hard elbows and punches from full mount 4:13 into the second round.
“At age 20, I had a passion outside of mixed martial arts, and that’s anti-aging,” Sanchez (29-11) said in the Octagon after his win. “After this career is over, that’s what I’m going to do. The anti-aging game.”
The finish was Sanchez’s first since June 2008. He is the only UFC fighter who has fought in the Octagon every year since 2005.
Gall (5-2) has lost two of his last three after winning his first four professional fights.
Edmen Shahbazyan defeats Charles Byrd by first-round TKO
Shahbazyan continued to make a case as one of the sport’s top young prospects, defeating Charles Byrd by TKO only 38 seconds into their bout. The 21-year-old, pressed up against the fence by Byrd, rained down sharp elbows to his opponent’s head. He then finished Byrd with a hard right that ended the fight early. Shahbazyan (9-0) has eight first-round TKO finishes and remains unbeaten. Byrd has dropped two in a row.
Macy Chiasson defeats Gina Mazany by first-round TKO
Chiasson knocked out Mazany just 1:49 into the first round, remaining unbeaten through five professional fights. She landed a hard left hook to the face that sent Mazany stumbling back against the cage. Chiasson followed with multiple right and left hooks that forced Mazany to the mat, causing the referee to step in and end the bout early. It was Chiasson’s second career first-round finish. Mazany has now lost three of her past four fights.
Hannah Cifers defeats Polyana Viana by split decision
Cifers (9-3) and Viana (10-3) opened the card with a back-and-forth striking battle that ended in a split decision win for Cifers (29-28, 29-28, 28-29). Cifers and Viana traded shots throughout and were close overall on significant strikes (77 to 67 in favor of Viana), though Cifers landed a hard shot in the second round that sent her opponent to the mat. She opted not to pounce on the ground due to Viana’s elite grappling skills, and the bout continued. It was Cifers’ fourth pro win by decision and her sixth victory in her past seven.
Still to come…
Jon Jones vs. Anthony Smith
Tyron Woodley vs. Kamaru Usman