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After a week off, the UFC returned with a ESPN/ESPN+ simulcast that featured some fun fights and highlight reel finishes. Despite not having a lot of major names or promotion behind it, UFC Fight Night: Nicolau vs. Perez ended up being pretty fun. Let’s take a look at the results from Saturday night…
Main Card
Alex Perez def. Matheus Nicolau via KO (punch) — R2, 2:16
Bogdan Guskov def. Ryan Spann via TKO (strikes) — R2, 3:16
Karine Silva def. Ariane da Silva via unanimous decision (30-27, 29-28, 29-28)
Jhonata Diniz def. Austen Lane via KO (punches) — R2, 2:12
David Onama def. Jonathan Pearce via unanimous decision (29-28, 29-28, 29-28)
Uros Medic def. Tim Means via TKO (strikes) — R1, 2:09
Preliminary Card
Victor Henry def. Rani Yahya via TKO (strikes) — R3, 2:36
Austin Hubbard def. Michal Figlak via unanimous decision (29-28, 29-28, 29-28)
Don’Tale Mayes def. Caio Machado via unanimous decision (29-28, 29-28, 29-28)
Ketlen Souza def. Marnic Mann via unanimous decision (30-27, 30-27, 30-27)
Chris Padilla def. James Llontop via submission (rear-naked choke) — R1, 4:33
Ivana Petrovic def. Liang Na via submission (arm-triangle choke) — R3, 1:29
Maheshate def. Gabriel Benitez via split decision (28-29, 29-28, 29-28)
The Prelims
Once again, the Prelims proved to be a fun watch. Although four out of the seven fights went to a decision, they all were back and forth with some finishes sprinkled in.
Maheshate got a split decision win in quite the battle over Gabriel Benitez. Honestly, this could have gone either way and I wouldn’t have been mad if Benitez had been declared the winner. This was a really fun way to kick off the show.
Ivana Petrovic and Chris Padilla both got nice submission victories. Petrovic was able to wear down her opponent and slip on the submission in Round 3. Padilla made quicker work of Jame Llontop, which many did not expect to happen. This was a nice showing for both Petrovic and Padilla.
Ketlen Souza got back on track with a pretty dominant victory over the tough Marnic Mann. Souza is a former Invicta FC champion, so she will continue to be tough as she looks to climb the rankings in the UFC.
Don’Tale Mayes got a nice betting underdog victory. A lot of people had Caio Machado to win, so this was a big win for Mayes.
Austin Hubbard also got a nice bettering underdog win, which was big for him in his second stint with the company. This was a hard fought battle with Michal Figlak and a much deserved win for Austin Hubbard.
To round out the Prelims, Victor Henry got a big TKO over Rani Yahya. This was another fun war until the TKO finish and might be worth going back to watch.
Uros Medic vs. Tim Means
Medic got a nice win here to get back on track. Medic’s only two losses have come from submissions, so he did a good job here by staying on his feet. He used his length well and then attacked, making relatively quick work of Tim Means. If Medic continues to put it all together, he can be tough in the division.
David Onama vs. Jonathan Pearce
Onama came in heavy on the scale and as the betting underdog. I bet against him, but I had a feeling that the vibes were off. I should have trusted my gut. This was a nice scrap between the two men, with David Onama coming out on top in the end. Onama continues to improve each time out - he just has to get right on the scale and continue his work.
Jhonata Diniz vs. Austen Lane
I was excited to see Jhonata Diniz make his “official” UFC debut after his big win on Dana White’s Contender Series. Austen Lane is a tough first matchup, which proved to be true in the first round. Lane closed the gap nicely and had Diniz in tough positions on the ground. Diniz recovered nicely in the Second Round, though, and did what he does best - stand and deliver. He beautifully connected with shots to Lane’s head multiple times before the tough Lane eventually went down for the KO. It’ll be interesting to see who Diniz gets next.
Karine Silva vs. Ariane da Silva
Karine Silva continued her long winning streak with a rock solid win over Ariana da Silva. da Silva is really tough, but Karine did what she had to do in at least two of the rounds, for sure. Karine had been a finish machine up until this fight, so she got some more Octagon time in this one to showcase her all-around skills. It’ll be interesting to see how she does against another tough opponent her next time out.
Bogdan Guskov vs. Ryan Spann
Ryan Spann is a tough dude, but Bogdan Guskov got the big finish to put him on the map in the division. Even though Ryan Spann came in as the betting favorite, it was clear that Guskov has all the skills to create the upset. He did just that with his beautiful use of spacing and hand power. Guskov is one to watch in the division, for sure.
Alex Perez vs. Matheus Nicolau
Both of these men needed a win. Things were set up for the higher ranked Nicolau to get an impressive win to make his case for a contender eliminator fight or even a title shot. Alex Perez would have none of that, though, getting the highlight reel KO in the Second Round. Perez had been on a losing skid, but had remained in the Top 10. This win not only gets him back on track, but puts him firmly back on the radar in a wide open division.
My Picks
I returned to not picking well with this one - going 7-6 in my picks. I wish I listened to my gut more on a couple of the picks, but hey - can’t win them all. Aside from the UFC 300 weekend, I haven’t had the best run on picks lately. Maybe UFC 301 will get me back on track? I hope!
Overall, this show turned out to be fun. It didn’t have a ton of name value, but it got Alex Perez back on the map and was a nice showcase for some prospects like Bogdan Guskov, Karine Silva, Jhonata Diniz, Uros Medic, and Ketlen Souza.
What did you think of the show? Who had a performance that stood out to you? Let me know at matt.tenhoeve@gmail.com. I’ll be back later in the week to preview UFC 301. See you then!
