Read on for UFC Calgary prelim results...
MEIN vs MORONO
Alberta welterweight Jordan Mein delivered a big win for his home province faithful Saturday night, putting together a unanimous decision over Texas’ Alex Morono in a UFC Fight Night prelim bout at Scotiabank Saddledome in Calgary.
After some wild exchanges early, Mein took Morono down and set the tone for the rest of the fight, as he used his grapping to control his opponent throughout the rest of the bout. Morono made a late charge with a guillotine choke attempt in the final two minutes, but he wasn’t able to finish Mein, allowing the Canadian to earn his 31st pro win via three scores of 29-28.
Mein moves to 31-12 with the win. Morono falls to 14-5 with 1 NC.
Laying on the hurt in round two. #UFCCalgary pic.twitter.com/7Z9IbRlXKF
— UFC (@ufc) July 28, 2018
DAWODU vs ARNETT
Calgary’s own Hakeem Dawodu got a huge pop from the crowd at the Scotiabank Saddledome and he rewarded them with a dominant three-round unanimous decision over Austin Arnett to pick up his first UFC win.
Dawodu went after Arnett’s legs with his kicks from the start, immediately putting the Washington product on the defensive. Arnett did have some success with his right hands early in the second stanza, but after weathering that storm, Dawodu settled back in and continued to keep Arnett from mounting a serious offensive attack, allowing the local hero to emerge victorious via identical scores of 30-27.
With the win, Dawodu moves to 8-1-1. Arnett falls to 15-5.
BY UNANIMOUS DECISION!@MeanHakeemKo wins it at home! #UFCCalgary pic.twitter.com/YX17vKQMZP
— UFC (@ufc) July 28, 2018
MAKHACHEV vs JOHNSON
Lightweight up and comer Islam Makhachev made quick work of Canadian veteran Kajan Johnson, submitting the Vancouver product in the first round.
Makhachev pursued Johnson around the Octagon in the early going, but with less than two minutes left he caught up to him. And once Makhachev got the takedown, it was a matter of time before he locked in the armbar that ended the bout at 4:43 of the opening frame.
Makhachev moves to 16-1 with the win. Johnson falls to 23-13-1.
Who do you want next for @MakhachevMMA? #UFCCalgary pic.twitter.com/VhYihERai1
— UFC (@ufc) July 28, 2018
CUTELABA vs ANTIGULOV
Ion Cutelaba snapped the 14-fight winning streak of Russia’s Gadzhimurad Antigulov, winning their light heavyweight bout via first-round TKO.
After squaring off during the pre-fight introductions, Antigulov scored a takedown to start the fight and while Cutelaba got upright, he was dumped to the mat again seconds later. With a little over three minutes left, Cutelaba made it to his feet and landed some solid knees that got the Russian’s attention before another takedown. Once standing, Cutelaba began unleashing his strikes on his tired foe, and after a series of unanswered blows, referee Marc Goddard had seen enough, stopping the fight at 4:25 of the first frame.
With the win, Cutelaba ups his record to 14-3 with 1 NC. The No. 15-ranked Antigulov falls to 20-5.
No love for the champ.@ICutelaba has a message for @DC_MMA. #UFCCalgary pic.twitter.com/rLOwhFuiP6
— UFC (@ufc) July 28, 2018
MAKDESSI vs PEARSON
Veteran lightweights John Makdessi and Ross Pearson put on a show for Calgary fans, engaging in an exciting three-round striking battle won by Makdessi via unanimous decision.
Scores were 30-26, 29-27 and 29-28 for Montreal’s Makdessi, now 16-6. Sunderland’s Pearson falls to 22-15 with 1 NC.
Standing in the pocket and exchanging punches for much of the fight, the faster and more accurate Makdessi masterfully countered Pearson, but the Brit never stopped marching forward, and he got in more than his share of big shots. In the second half of the third and final round, though, Makdessi punished the bloodied Pearson with several hard shots, and while “The Real Deal” wasn’t going anywhere, when it was over, it was a clear win for the Canadian.
As advertised. #UFCCalgary pic.twitter.com/95AKLBmm5N
— UFC (@ufc) July 28, 2018
CHOOKAGIAN vs DAVIS
Katlyn Chookagian made a statement in her bout against Alexis Davis, picking up the biggest win of her career via unanimous decision in a meeting of flyweight contenders.
Chookagian’s stick and move strategy worked like a charm in the first round, cutting Davis over the eye and bloodying her nose. The veteran Davis never stopped marching forward throughout, and while she wasn’t able to implement her ground game, her leg kicks kept coming, and they started taking their toll in the second round as Chookagian slowed down, allowing Davis to land more shots.
The No. 7-ranked Chookagian (11-1) amped up her work rate in the third round, though, and while the No. 3-ranked Davis (19-8) got a late takedown, it wasn’t enough to turn things around, as the New Jersey product emerged victorious via scores of 29-28 twice and 30-27.
@BlondeFighter #UFCCalgary pic.twitter.com/YfBFJj0heY
— UFC (@ufc) July 28, 2018
ORTIZ vs NICOLAU
Flyweight contender Dustin Ortiz continued to make life miserable for hot prospects at 125 pounds, as he halted Brazil’s Matheus Nicolau in the first round to earn his third consecutive victory.
Nicolau got off to a good start, seemingly a step ahead of Ortiz on the feet, but a right kick to the head changed everything in a split second, and after Nicolau hit the deck, a follow-up series of strikes finished the fight, with referee Keith Peterson stepping in at the 3:49 mark.
With the win, the No. 9-ranked Ortiz moves to 19-7. The No. 12-ranked Nicolau falls to 13-3-1.
THAT HEAD KICK @DustinOrtizMMA gets the quick stoppage! #UFCCalgary pic.twitter.com/ecsmyxxrmN
— UFC (@ufc) July 28, 2018
ANSAROFF vs MARKOS
Nina Ansaroff bounced back from a slow start to score a three-round unanimous decision win over fellow strawweight contender Randa Markos.
Scores were 29-28 across the board for the No. 13-ranked Ansaroff, now 9-5. The No. 12-ranked Markos falls to 8-7.
Ontario’s Markos had a solid first round as she controlled the action on the mat for much of the frame. While standing, Ansaroff got off several hard kicks to the leg, but they weren’t enough to steal Markos’ thunder.
Ansaroff kept it standing in round two, and the result was a winning round for the Floridian, who kept the low kicks coming and then mixed them up with other strikes as she controlled the distance against the Canadian. There was more of the same in the third, with Ansaroff keeping it standing and even turning the tide on a Markos takedown in the final minute by landing on top, securing the victory on the scorecards.
BY UNANIMOUS DECISION!@NinaAnsaroff #UFCCalgary pic.twitter.com/6ZRDAX0ZnY
— UFC (@ufc) July 28, 2018
POWELL vs HERRERA
The third time was the charm for Maine lightweight Devin Powell, who impressively picked up his first UFC win by stopping Mexico’s Alvaro Herrera in the opening round.
Herrera’s striking was on target early, and he even scored a flash knockdown with a body punch in the second minute. But it was Powell’s body work that ended the fight, as two left kicks to the liver sent Herrera to the mat and brought in referee Marc Goddard to stop the bout seconds later at 1:52 of the first frame.
With the win, Powell moves to 9-3. Herrera falls to 9-6.
BRUTAL body shots set it up. @DevinPowellMMA #UFCCalgary pic.twitter.com/qIsuE5lG3J
— UFC (@ufc) July 28, 2018
