UFC on Fox 22 ‘VanZant vs. Waterson’ Results: Play-by-Play & Updates

Sultan Aliev vs. Bojan Velickovic

Round 1

The former training partners circle in the center of the cage to begin, Velickovic in the southpaw stance and Aliev lining up orthodox. Velickovic scores with a few low kicks, fires one upstairs but it's blocked by the Russian. The taller Velickovic is leaning inside, dropping his head low as he thrusts long jabs at Aliev's midsection. Aliev fakes a shot and grazes Velickovic's face with an overhand right, but "Serbian Steel" pushes back with another hard low kick. Aliev is looking very tentative as he circles the outside, seemingly waiting for Velickovic to come to him. Velickovic isn't rushing into the pocket, however, instead using his reach to pick at the American Top Team fighter from range. Suddenly, Aliev shoots and completes a takedown at the fence with two minutes left in the opening frame. Velickovic throws up an armbar, but he's stacked up by Aliev and can't extend the limb. Aliev escapes and dodges a follow-up triangle choke, winding up in Velickovic's guard with under a minute to go. Aliev scores with a few short elbow strikes, but it's cramped quarters down at the foot of the fence. Velickovic scrambles back to his feet, eating a few punches from Aliev along the way, and Aliev keeps him pressed against the wall until the horn.

Sherdog Scores

Tristen Critchfield scores the round 10-9 Velickovic
Chris Nelson scores the round 10-9 Velickovic
Mike Sloan scores the round 10-9 Velickovic

Round 2

Velickovic resumes his long-range striking, moving Aliev backward to the fence with reaching left hands and leg kicks. Aliev spends 80 seconds moving around the outside before stepping inside and wrapping up Velickovic in a bodylock. The Dagestan native trips Velickovic to the ground and comes down to work from his opponent's closed guard. Velickovic is the busier man from the bottom, constantly peppering Aliev with palm strikes and short punches to the sides of the head. Velickovic throws up another armbar, but again Aliev stacks him up. This time, Aliev looks to take the back of Velickovic in the transition, but Velickovic puts his posterior on the mat and leaves Aliev no room to establish hooks. Velickovic is back on his feet with 90 seconds left, but Aliev takes him right back to the floor. Aliev slips out of a brief guillotine attempt and resets in Velickovic's guard, but again it's the Serbian staying active from the bottom, scoring points with body and head strikes. Aliev just looks to maintain position but has to defend as Velickovic keeps a very active guard from the bottom.

Sherdog Scores

Tristen Critchfield scores the round 10-9 Aliev
Chris Nelson scores the round 10-9 Velickovic
Mike Sloan scores the round 10-9 Aliev

Round 3

Aliev quickly closes the distance and puts Velickovic against the fence, looking for a clinch takedown, but Velickovic stays vertical this time. Velickovic circles off the fence, waits for Aliev to shoot and then quickly scrambles to turn the corner and take the Russian's back. Aliev blocks the take and shakes off Velickovic, and now it's Aliev back in top position with just under three minutes remaining. Aliev passes to half guard and stays pressed down tight on top of Velickovic, who is once again the busier fighter from the bottom, constantly throwing short punches. Aliev gives him a hard elbow to the jaw and begins framing up a possible arm-triangle choke by looping his left arm around Velickovic's neck. Inside the final minute now, Aliev is back to just maintaining top position. Velickovic briefly looks for a kimura, puts Aliev back in full guard and throws up his legs, but Aliev shucks them with ease and finishes the fight in side control.

Sherdog Scores

Tristen Critchfield scores the round 10-9 Aliev (29-28 Aliev)
Chris Nelson scores the round 10-9 Aliev (29-28 Velickovic)
Mike Sloan scores the round 10-9 Aliev (29-28 Aliev)

The Official Result

Sultan Aliev def. Bojan Velickovic via Split Decision (30-27, 30-27, 28-29) R3 5:00

Hector Sandoval vs. Fredy Serrano

Round 1

Serrano slides on his back foot, looking to counter Sandoval, who feints and threatens to step inside, but never commits to a strike. Serrano fakes a shot, but it's Sandoval who changes levels, lifts and slams the Colombian to the floor. Serrano springs back to his feet; Sandoval is waiting with a body shot, then shoots low to try another takedown. Serrano denies this shot and nearly foot-sweeps Sandoval to the mat, so Sandoval backs out to the center of the cage with half the round remaining. Sandoval stings Serrano with a right hand, shoots again but gets clinched up and denied. Sandoval is giving Serrano no breathing room on the fence, constantly inching toward him, bombing into the pocket with combinations and clinching up. The 125ers come back to the middle with 90 seconds left, but soon Sandoval has pressured Serrano back to the outside. Serrano scores with a good low kick, takes a pair of short right hands in return. Serrano tries a bodylock takedown in the last 30 seconds, but Sandoval gets the whizzer and feeds Serrano another punch in the scramble. Sandoval closes the round with a leaping knee to the body of Serrano.

Sherdog Scores

Tristen Critchfield scores the round 10-9 Sandoval
Chris Nelson scores the round 10-9 Sandoval
Mike Sloan scores the round 10-9 Sandoval

Round 2

Serrano lobs out a low kick and gets blasted by a right-handed counter from Sandoval, who stands over his opponent as Serrano takes a knee at the fence. Sandoval takes his time setting up a guillotine, but when he drops down to try and finish the choke, Serrano pops his head free almost immediately. Back up come the flyweights, now with Serrano looking for a bodylock takedown. Sandoval wheels away and then resumes his forward pressure, keeping Serrano's back close to the fence. Inside the final minute, Sandoval clinches away from the fence and gets foot-swept to the ground. Serrano winds up a knee aimed at Sandoval's head, then pulls back to avoid the illegal strike. Sandoval comes forward again, lands a left hand to the body and a right hand upstairs. Serrano slips on a kick but jumps back to his feet before the rushing Sandoval can capitalize.

Sherdog Scores

Tristen Critchfield scores the round 10-9 Sandoval
Chris Nelson scores the round 10-9 Sandoval
Mike Sloan scores the round 10-9 Sandoval

Round 3

Sandoval shoots and completes an early takedown but is unable to keep Serrano on the ground at the fence. Serrano scores with a body kick, then a hard one downstairs which nearly takes out Sandoval's lead leg. Sandoval continues to be the fighter pressing the action, however, while Serrano stops moving completely and waits for Sandoval to throw something. There's not much activity through the middle half of the round, and now Serrano takes a turn coming forward. Serrano tries a spinning kick, gets wrapped up and has to fight away Sandoval's hands to disengage. Serrano catches a low kick and slugs Sandoval with a right hand over the top, though Sandoval seems unfazed by the sledgehammer punch. Down the stretch, Sandoval sticks to the outside with a more conservative game, while Serrano scores with some powerful low kicks but doesn't really follow up at all.

Sherdog Scores

Tristen Critchfield scores the round 10-9 Sandoval (30-27 Sandoval)
Chris Nelson scores the round 10-9 Sandoval (30-27 Sandoval)
Mike Sloan scores the round 10-9 Sandoval (30-27 Sandoval)

The Official Result

Hector Sandoval def. Fredy Serrano via Unanimous Decision (30-27, 30-27, 29-28) R3 5:00

Takeya Mizugaki vs. Eddie Wineland

Round 1

Wineland ducks inside and fires a long left hand, but Mizugaki slips his head off center and cracks the American with a hooking counter. Mizugaki lands a leg kick, steps forward and catches Wineland with a right hand on the nose, though Wineland is backpedaling away from the punch to lessen its impact. Mizugaki is showing good low kicks, jabs and right-handed counters, putting a damper on Wineland's aggression from the opening moments. Wineland looks to be shelling up, sticking to the outside and offering only feints and fakes, but suddenly he floors Mizugaki with a blistering right hand. Mizugaki hits the deck, jumps back up and gets chased down by Wineland, who drops the Japanese fighter with another hellish right cross. This time, referee Edward Collantes has seen enough, though Mizugaki argues with the stoppage as he clings to Wineland's leg.

The Official Result

Eddie Wineland def. Takeya Mizugaki via TKO (Punches) R1 3:04

Irene Aldana vs. Leslie Smith

Round 1

Aldana uses long jabs to pick off Smith from the outside, but Smith continues to lean forward with reaching combinations. Aldana hops around the outside, continuing to work counters from her back foot, but now Smith is starting to get inside a bit more, connecting with scattered punches. Two minutes in, Smith floors Aldana with a right hand near the fence, but Aldana survives on her back as "The Peacemaker" tries to pound her out. Aldana powers back to her feet, and it looks like she's shaken the cobwebs, but Smith is bringing the pressure now, mixing in front kicks as she marches forward. Aldana partially connects with a close-quarters spinning backfist, but Smith just eats it and keeps coming. Good straight right lands for Aldana, and she follows up with a pair of stiff jabs before circling around the edge. Smith misses with three or four punches but lands the body kick behind it and follows with a right hand to the face. The round ends with a wild sequence as Smith traps Aldana on the fence and begins swinging for the fence.

Sherdog Scores

Tristen Critchfield scores the round 10-9 Smith
Chris Nelson scores the round 10-9 Smith
Mike Sloan scores the round 10-9 Smith

Round 2

The bantamweights trade jabs as Smith marches forward again in the first minute of the second frame. It's Smith with the more varied attack, firing the occasional front kick at Aldana's midsection or low kick to the knee. Aldana lands a few jabs, prompting Smith to barge inside and look for a clinch on the fence. They separate quickly, and now Aldana strings some strikes together, landing jabs and low kicks on the incoming American. With two minutes left, Smith attacks with a four punch combination, but it's Aldana who gets the better of the exchange with a single crisp right hand. Smith scores with a pair of hard left hooks to the jaw, but Aldana cracks her right back with a left hand, a jab, now an uppercut. Smith is forced to her back foot here in the last minute of the round, but she's soon coming forward again. Aldana sticks a right hand and circles away, but Smith gets the final word in the round with a pair of body kicks followed by a right straight.

Sherdog Scores

Tristen Critchfield scores the round 10-9 Smith
Chris Nelson scores the round 10-9 Smith
Mike Sloan scores the round 10-9 Aldana

Round 3

Smith is all aggresion as the final round begins, chasing Aldana around the outside with more punching combinations and low kicks. Aldana is marked up but still moving well, though Smith's constant body-head attacks are limiting her offensive output. Both women land jabs, and Aldana follows with a sizzling left hook. Aldana is circling with her back six inches off the fence, and Smith is following her around the outside from a foot away. Down to the final minute, Aldana leans in with a jab to the body, prompting Smith to fire a combo that ends with a nice right hook to the body. Smith forces Aldana backward with a jab, just misses with a left high kick. Aldana uses the charging Smith's momentum to score a late takedown, then stands over the American and kicks at her legs in the closing seconds.

Sherdog Scores

Tristen Critchfield scores the round 10-9 Smith (30-27 Smith)
Chris Nelson scores the round 10-9 Smith (30-27 Smith)
Mike Sloan scores the round 10-9 Smith (29-28 Smith)

The Official Result

Leslie Smith def. Irene Aldana via Unanimous Decision (30-27, 29-28, 29-28) R3 5:00

Josh Emmett vs. Scott Holtzman

Round 1

Emmett blocks Holtzman's first right hand with his shoulder, comes back into the pocket and gets popped with a right hand from "Hot Sauce." Emmett changes levels to try a single-leg on the fence, gets stood up with overhooks, and Holtzman exits the clinch with a knee. Holtzman comes forward with an inside leg kick and gives Emmett an accidental kick to the groin. Emmett recovers quickly and comes back to score a takedown, but Holtzman is quickly back on his feet. Another takedown lands for Emmett; again, Holtzman springs back to his feet. Holtzman pulls down Emmett's head in the Thai clinch and shoots a pair of knees to the head. Emmett eats another hard knee but manages to spin Holtzman against the fence. Emmett drops for a double, lifts Holtzman and slams him to the mat with authority. Holtzman scrambles to his feet, blocking Emmett's attempt to take his back in the process. Holtzman scores a takedown at the fence now, landing in Emmett's butterfly guard with just over one minute remaining in the round. Holtzman scores with a few left hands as he postures up, but Emmett is slapping back with backfists from the bottom. Emmett scrambles up but eats a heavy right hand as he does, and Holtzman gives him a few knees to the body before the round ends.

Sherdog Scores

Tristen Critchfield scores the round 10-9 Holtzman
Chris Nelson scores the round 10-9 Holtzman
Mike Sloan scores the round 10-9 Holtzman

Round 2

Holtzman comes charging forward with straight punches and a high kick, but Emmett snatches the leg and converts it to another early takedown. Holtzman springs back to his feet, still wrapped up by Emmett around the waist. Holtzman spins around and starts slinging punches, but Emmett stands in the pocket and slings back, and it's the Team Alpha Male fighter connecting with the heavier blows. Emmett changes levels for yet another takedown, tries to take Holtzman's back in a scramble, but winds up standing and clinched on the fence. Holtzman trips up Emmett to take outside position in the clinch, and now the lightweights separate with half the round remaining. Holtzman shoots a high double-leg but it's Emmett scrambling to try and take the back of "Hot Sauce." Holtzman shakes him off, stands and puts Emmett against the fence to land a few punches. Inside the final minute now, Holtzman backs up to punch from range as the heavy-breathing Emmett stays on the fence. Emmett tries a nifty jump knee in the closing seconds but Holtzman gets an arm up to block.

Sherdog Scores

Tristen Critchfield scores the round 10-9 Emmett
Chris Nelson scores the round 10-9 Emmett
Mike Sloan scores the round 10-9 Emmett

Round 3

Both men connect with glancing blows in the opening 30 seconds, then Emmett catches a kick and pushes Holtzman backward to the wall. Emmett releases and lands a few hard body punches, but Holtzman shakes his head and steps forward. Holtzman walks into an elbow strike from Emmett that drops the former hockey player to his knees. Emmett smells blood and marches forward on Holtzman as he stands up. Emmett hits a quick takedown at the fence, can't keep Holtzman on the floor. Holtzman absorbs a couple more punches before shooting for and completing a takedown, in spite of a flagrant fence-fence grab from Emmett. Halfway through the round, Emmett reverses and lands another takedown; Holtzman jumps up again and walks forward on Emmett with his right hand loaded up. Emmett grabs for a high double-leg, can't complete it on the fence, and Holtzman shoves off. The lightweights meet in the center with 30 seconds left. Emmett grabs a single-leg, trips Holtzman to the ground, but Holtzman comes right back up to finish the fight trading punches on the wall.

Sherdog Scores

Tristen Critchfield scores the round 10-9 Emmett (29-28 Emmett)
Chris Nelson scores the round 10-9 Emmett (29-28 Emmett)
Mike Sloan scores the round 10-9 Emmett (29-28 Emmett)

The Official Result

Josh Emmett def. Scott Holtzman via Unanimous Decision (29-28, 29-28, 29-28) R3 5:00

James Moontasri vs. Alex Morono

Round 1

Moontasri lines up southpaw and circles off his back foot, blocking a Morono high kick with his arms. The "Moonwalker" scores with a sharp, straight punch to Morono's midsection and then takes the center of the cage. Morono lands a low kick, tries one upstairs but it's easily dodged by Moontasri, who switches to orthodox stance now. Lots of feints and fakes through the middle of the round, both welterweights seemingly hesitant to commit to any big strikes. Moontasri catches Morono coming forward and puts a spinning kick in his midsection. Moontasri catches a kick with his left arm and fires a hard right kick to the body on the other side. Morono is still coming forward, stomping at Moontasri with kicks but coming up short. Moontasri gets Morono turned around with a low kick and then adds another kick to the Texan's backside.

Sherdog Scores

Tristen Critchfield scores the round 10-9 Moontasri
Chris Nelson scores the round 10-9 Moontasri
Mike Sloan scores the round 10-9 Moontasri

Round 2

Moontasri continues to land body kick at the start of the second stanza; Morono just keeps charging forward, swinging wide punches which mostly come up short, though one right hand clips Moontasri as he circles away. Moontasri is leaving his hands low as he circles off his back foot, inviting Morono to come forward. Morono obliges and thuds an overhand right off the side of Moontasri's head, though the "Moonwalker" seems unfazed by the blow. Morono traps Moontasri on the fence and scores with a wide right hook, a follow up left and a body shot. Moontasri is rendered immobile for the first time in the fight as Morono holds him on the wall and roughs him up with some short punches. Moontasri escapes with one minute on the clock, tries to initiate a clinch on the fence and gets bashed with a pair of elbows to the face. Morono slugs with another right hand as Moontasri backs away, then finishes the round with a spinning backfist to Moontasri's face.

Sherdog Scores

Tristen Critchfield scores the round 10-9 Morono
Chris Nelson scores the round 10-9 Morono
Mike Sloan scores the round 10-9 Morono

Round 3

Morono looks to close the gap in the early going of the final round, but Moontasri is waiting with sharp kicks to the midsection. Morno keeps the pressure on and tags Moontasri with a right hand to the temple, a left on the jaw, now more right hands. Moontasri looks dazed but he's propped up by the fence, and Morono comes over the top with another right-handed bomb. Morono backs off, allowing Moontasri to step out to the center. Moontasri's hands are low, legs moving slowly, but he still snaps off a good kick to Morono's body. Morono closes the gap and hugs Moontasri against the fence, then puts a forearm across his throat. Moontasri misses with a knee inside and takes a level elbow to the face, but when Morono backs off, it's Moontasri scoring with a kick to the gut. With 70 seconds left, it's Morono pressing forward, putting Moontasri's back against the wall. Moontasri's face is a bloody mess, plasma streaming from his nose and a few cuts around his eyes, and Morono looks to add to the damage as he punches his way forward. Moontasri hits the deck after eating a left hand, stands up and backpedals away from Morono, who finishes the fight trudging forward with hands low. Moontasri whirls around to knock Morono to the ground with a spinning back kick just before time expires.

Sherdog Scores

Tristen Critchfield scores the round 10-8 Morono (29-27 Morono)
Chris Nelson scores the round 10-8 Morono (29-27 Morono)
Mike Sloan scores the round 10-8 Morono (29-27 Morono)

The Official Result

Alex Morono def. James Moontasri via Unanimous Decision (29-28, 29-28, 29-28) R3 5:00

Colby Covington vs. Bryan Barberena

Round 1

Covington launches a flashy spinning kick at Barberena, who dodges the early strike and circles away to give the wrestler a few low kicks. Covington drops levels for a takedown and floors Barberena near the fence about one minute into the round. Barberena gets to one knee, then back to his feet, but Covington is still draped all over him. Covington drags him back to the ground, tries to establish hooks, but Barberena's right side is flush to the fence. The welterweights stand, then Covington hurls Barberena back to the floor once again. The sequence repeats again, Covington never losing his waistlock on Barberena. Midway through the round, the 170-pounders are back on their feet, but it lasts only a few seconds before Barberena is driven back down to the mat. Barberena stands again and finally breaks out of the clinch with a pair of slashing elbows. Covington ducks under a punch and shoots for another takedown with 60 seconds left. He spins around to Barberena's back with a standing rear waistlock. They disengage to finish the round with a punching exchange, and it's Covington who forces Barberena to back away with a hard hook.

Sherdog Scores

Tristen Critchfield scores the round 10-9 Covington
Chris Nelson scores the round 10-9 Covington
Mike Sloan scores the round 10-9 Covington

Round 2

Covington takes 25 seconds to get inside, change levels and double-leg Barberena to the ground at the foot of the fence. This time, Barberena isn't able to post and stand immediately, but as Covington works to advance position, "Bam Bam" finds the space to get up. Covington keeps hold of a rear waistlock until a kimura threat from Barberena forces him to disengage. Covington lunges at Barberena with a straight right, then another which snaps back Barberena's head. Barberena is able to fend off a shot with his back to the wall, so Covington marches forward to shoot again behind a hard left hand. Barberena tries to post and stand, while Covington looks to take the back. Barberena wins this showdown by shaking the hook and powering back to his feet. Seconds later, Covington scores another takedown. Instead of standing, Barberena looks to isolate one of Covington's wrists as he works from the bottom, but soon the welterweights scramble back to their feet. Covington gets cracked with a left hand, latches onto a single-leg but can't complete his final takedown attempt of the round.

Sherdog Scores

Tristen Critchfield scores the round 10-9 Covington
Chris Nelson scores the round 10-9 Covington
Mike Sloan scores the round 10-9 Covington

Round 3

Covington completes another takedown in the first 20 seconds of the round, then stands and tries to pull Barberena away from the fence. Barberena uses the space to stand but separate from Covington, who hugs Barberena against the cage for a few seconds while referee John McCarthy calls for action. Barberena forces Covington to back off with a short elbow to the face, but the victory is short-lived as Covington lands another takedown just seconds later. Back up comes Barberena, now with less than three minutes left in the bout. Covington lands a left hook, eats a jab, gives Barberena a jab in return, then ducks under a left and wraps up Barberena with a rear waistlock. Barberena defends the takedown and peels Covington off his waist, then comes forward slinging punches. They're going punch for punch here, both men scoring with solid punches but neither landing hard enough to faze the other. Covington shoots in and lands one more takedown with 30 seconds on the clock, this time dragging Barberena away from the fence to hold him down until the end.

Sherdog Scores

Tristen Critchfield scores the round 10-9 Covington (30-27 Covington)
Chris Nelson scores the round 10-9 Covington (30-27 Covington)
Mike Sloan scores the round 10-9 Covington (30-27 Covington)

The Official Result

Colby Covington def. Bryan Barberena via Unanimous Decision (30-27, 30-27, 30-27) R3 5:00

Cole Miller vs. Mizuto Hirota

Round 1

Hirota slings a long left hand and backs up Miller to the fence, lands a pair of hooks to the body and takes the BJJ black belt to the floor. Miller is back on his feet within seconds, plunges a long right hand down the center and sends Hirota to the floor. Miller tries to set up a choke, but Hirota drives forward and sweeps "Magrinho" underneath before any submission attempt can stick. Miller kicks him away and scrambles back to his feet, now about two minutes into the bout. The featherweights exchange low kicks, and Hirota tacks on a right hand to the left leg of Miller. Two minutes left as Hirota wraps up Miller and trips him to the floor. He stands over Miller and has to dodge upkicks from the lanky American. Hirota gets through with a few heavy punches on the ground, but Miller is once again able to create space and stand. Hirota wraps up Miller and trips him to the floor once again, this time landing in full mount at the base of the fence. Hirota lands a few good left hands as they grapple on the ground in the final minute. Miller is having difficulty creating space this time, while Hirota is doing well to stick to his opponent and score with ground-and-pound.

Sherdog Scores

Tristen Critchfield scores the round 10-9 Hirota
Chris Nelson scores the round 10-9 Hirota
Mike Sloan scores the round 10-9 Hirota

Round 2

Hirota closes the gap with a pair of punches, wraps up Miller and trips him to the ground. The American immediately drops back to try a heel hook, and though the submission doesn't stick, it enables "Magrinho" to escape from the bottom. Miller wraps up Hirota around the waist and tries to peel him off the fence, while Hirota keeps his back tight to the cage and lands short left hands. Hirota bellies out and rolls Miller to the bottom, then postures up to slug Miller with a pair of hard lefts. Miller has no room to work here in the final two minutes, as the more compact Hirota is keeping tight on top. Miller finally escapes by walking off the fence with 60 seconds left, but Hirota blocks the sweep by standing over Miller and controlling his legs. Miller catches Hirota's right hand but can't turn it into anything and eventually releases. Hirota comes to the ground in the final seconds and plants a few more left hands on Miller's face.

Sherdog Scores

Tristen Critchfield scores the round 10-9 Hirota
Chris Nelson scores the round 10-9 Hirota
Mike Sloan scores the round 10-9 Hirota

Round 3

Hirota ducks under a long punch from Miller and tries another early takedown, but they wind up on the fence, where Miller is able to disengage. Hirota goes body-head with a combination, then scores with a pair of hooks. Miller connects with a right hook, but there doesn't seem to be much behind it, and Hirota walks right through it to complete his first takedown of the round. Hirota keeps Miller pinned down from half guard as the fight slows to a crawl on the floor. With 80 seconds left, Hirota stands up and drops some heavy punches on the prone Miller's face. Miller looks resigned to his fate, remaining flat on the ground as Hirota comes back down to ride out the final minute on top. Miller grabs for a leg in the final 20 seconds, but Hirota pulls the limb free with ease, and that's where it ends.

Sherdog Scores

Tristen Critchfield scores the round 10-9 Hirota (30-27 Hirota)
Chris Nelson scores the round 10-9 Hirota (30-27 Hirota)
Mike Sloan scores the round 10-9 Hirota (30-27 Hirota)

The Official Result

Mizuto Hirota def. Cole Miller via Unanimous Decision (30-26, 30-27, 30-27) R3 5:00

Luis Henrique da Silva vs. Paul Craig

Round 1

Da Silva reaches out a hand to touch gloves, but Craig is already rushing across the cage to fire a kick at the Brazilian. "Frankenstein" latches on to a single-leg and tries to take down Craig as they work on the fence in the opening minute. Good head position from da Silva as he releases the single-leg to press Craig in the clinch. The Scot is trying to shoot knees up the middle but can't quite find the mark. Craig lands a few uppercuts inside and spins da Silva around, and now the 205ers fight off the fence, back to the center. Craig shoots for a takedown and plants da Silva at the base of the fence, but the Brazilian immediately begins threatening with a kimura, slowing Craig's progress from top position. Craig frees his arm and postures up, now halfway through the opening round. Craig tries to pass da Silva's guard but gives the Brazilian too much room to work, and nearly gets swept as a result. Da Silva ultimately can't complete the reversal, leaving Craig in side control with 80 seconds left. Da Silva pivots and drives forward on a leg, but Craig snatches a guillotine and pulls guard to try and finish the choke. Da Silva has to work slowly but ultimately frees himself from the headlock, and now he stands over Craig with 40 seconds left. Referee Mike Beltran orders Craig back to his feet to meet da Silva, who is leaking blood from a cut on his face and breathing heavily here in the final seconds.

Sherdog Scores

Tristen Critchfield scores the round 10-9 Craig
Chris Nelson scores the round 10-9 Craig
Mike Sloan scores the round 10-9 Craig

Round 2

Craig blitzes da Silva with heavy combinations and body kicks, backing him up to the fence in the opening seconds of round two. The "Bearjew" tries to press da Silva against the wall, but da Silva reverses to the outside and holds Craig on the fence with an underhook. They separate one minute in, and despite looking exhausted, da Silva slips a punch and hits Craig with a right-hand counter over the top. Craig pulls butterfly guard at the wall and throws up a triangle, then switches to an armbar. Da Silva keeps his hands clasped at first, but Craig grabs the arm again, stretches it out and forces the tap.

The Official Result

Paul Craig def. Luis Henrique da Silva via Submission (Armbar) R2 1:59

Alan Jouban vs. Mike Perry

Round 1

Perry charges forward, trying to blitz Jouban against the fence, but "Brahma" drops Perry with a straight left hand in the opening moments. Perry jumps back to his feet and tries to close the distance, though Jouban is doing well to keep him on the outside with kicks in the opening 90 seconds. Perry works a few outside leg kicks of his own but can't close the gap to let go of his hands as Jouban circles off his back foot. Perry lands a left hand and tries to follow up, but he's wrapped up by Jouban and taken down at the fence. Perry works back to his feet, absorbs a few knees from Jouban, but gives him a right hand in return. Perry presses forward with a head kick that gets Jouban moving backward; Jouban does well to keep his head off center and dodge Perry's big punches behind the kick. Perry presses the action in the closing moments but neither man gains an edge before time expires.

Sherdog Scores

Tristen Critchfield scores the round 10-9 Jouban
Chris Nelson scores the round 10-9 Jouban
Mike Sloan scores the round 10-9 Jouban

Round 2

Perry marches forward on the southpaw Jouban, who slides backward and keeps Perry at bay with some inside leg kicks. Jouban's long kicks and a knee to the body are giving Perry difficulty as he tries to get inside. Perry chops out Jouban's rear leg with a kick and hits his off-balance opponent with a hard right hand to the chest. Jouban swings back with a straight left, a head kick, and now "Brahma" shoots for a double at the fence. Perry stands him up and the welterweights are back to circling with half the round remaining. Jouban puts a pair of kicks in Perry's breadbasket, then lands one to the lead leg. Perry just keeps coming forward, and now he rips a right hand to the body. Jouban circles off and then steps out to the center, where he plugs Perry with a stiff jab to the mush. Perry drops to his seat but jumps back to his feet to finish the round standing.

Sherdog Scores

Tristen Critchfield scores the round 10-9 Jouban
Chris Nelson scores the round 10-9 Jouban
Mike Sloan scores the round 10-9 Jouban

Round 3

Perry spends the opening minute trying to get inside on Jouban, who circles away and continues to use effective kicks to thwart Perry's advance. Constant movement and heavy body kicks from Jouban are clearly making things difficult for Perry, who is throwing less and less offense as the round wears on. Jouban's jabs look to have bloodied the nose of Perry, who ducks underneath a head kick but eats a combination from Jouban just afterward. Perry goes to his back foot now, flinching when Jouban fakes body kicks and backing up when the Californian fires off his long punches. Perry keeps wiping at his nose, which isn't leaking blood but is looking very red in the center of his face. Likewise, Jouban's low kicks have marked up Perry's legs. Jouban fires one last high kick at the end of the fight, but Perry goes underneath, and this one will go to the judges.

Sherdog Scores

Tristen Critchfield scores the round 10-9 Jouban (30-27 Jouban)
Chris Nelson scores the round 10-9 Jouban (30-27 Jouban)
Mike Sloan scores the round 10-9 Jouban (30-27 Jouban)

The Official Result

Alan Jouban def. Mike Perry via Unanimous Decision (30-27, 30-27, 29-28) R3 5:00

Urijah Faber vs. Brad Pickett

Round 1

Pickett strikes first with a few outside low kicks as Faber tries to work his way inside. Both men swing and miss a few times; through two minutes, Pickett's leg kicks remain the best offense of the round. Faber tries to catch Pickett turning around on a kick, but "One Punch" gets his dukes up to deflect the punches. Faber scores with a step-in right and then skitters out of range before Pickett can connect with his counter. Pickett shoots and brings Faber down to a knee at the fence, but Faber uses both hands to underhook an arm and nearly traps Pickett in a crucifix. Pickett rolls free but as soon as he's on his feet, Faber floors him with a right hand. Faber tries to pound out his semi-conscious opponent, but Pickett does well to stretch out his legs and create space. Faber gives up on the punches and takes Pickett's back, briefly hunts for a rear-naked choke and then begins unloading with heavy punches. With one minute left, Faber transitions to full mount and pins Pickett's head to the ground for a few stapling elbows. Pickett rolls to his knees, leaving Faber on his back with a body triangle locked on, but time is running out with only 30 seconds on the clock. Pickett tucks his chin, and he'll survive to see round two.

Sherdog Scores

Tristen Critchfield scores the round 10-8 Faber
Chris Nelson scores the round 10-8 Faber
Mike Sloan scores the round 10-8 Faber

Round 2

Faber steps into the pocket and backs up Pickett with a high knee, but Pickett seems to have recovered from his near-knockout in the first round, and he fires low kicks back at the left knee of the "California Kid." Pickett tries a step-in knee, but it's caught by Faber and converted with a single-leg takedown at the fence. Pickett locks down Faber's left arm and wraps him up in closed guard as they hit the midway point of the round and the fight. Faber stands up and controls Pickett's legs, but Pickett makes things uncomfortable with some elbows from the bottom. Now, Pickett drives forward, but he's forced to slow down on his knees as Faber threatens with a front headlock. Faber corrals his opponent near the fence and feeds him a few punches from riding position before the bantamweights scramble back to their feet, now with 90 seconds on the clock. Faber sticks a right hand and shoves Pickett to the ground, then tries to snatch up a guillotine as Pickett stands. The Englishman goes belly down and escapes the choke, and they're back up to continue trading inside the final minute of the round. Faber ducks under a punch, grabs a rear waistlock and sits down to bring Pickett to the mat just before the horn.

Sherdog Scores

Tristen Critchfield scores the round 10-9 Faber
Chris Nelson scores the round 10-9 Faber
Mike Sloan scores the round 10-9 Faber

Round 3

The WEC veterans slap hands at the start of Faber's final round, and soon Faber comes shooting for a single-leg takedown. Pickett hops backward to the fence, but when he runs out of room, Faber takes the legs out from under him. Faber leans forward in Pickett's closed guard and drops a few short elbows on his face. When Pickett rolls to his knees, Faber briefly hunts for a guillotine, but Pickett looks to be in no danger as he jumps back to his feet. Faber shoots in behind a right hand and takes down Pickett once again, now with three minutes remaining. Again, Pickett goes to his knees, and again he defends Faber's guillotine setup. This time, Faber keeps the Englishman on the ground, and now the Team Alpha Male leader passes to side control on Pickett's left side as they work in the center of the cage. Faber is landing some short, hard elbows to the side of his opponent's head, drawing a grin from Pickett, who elevates Faber and escapes to his feet with 90 seconds left. The Sacramento crowd roars for Faber, who takes a big left hand on the shoulder and gets knocked to the ground. Faber jumps back up and sticks his tongue out at Pickett, then muscles the American Top Team fighter against the fence. Faber breaks the clinch with a knee to the body and hops backward, forcing Pickett to come forward in the closing seconds. Faber ducks inside and executes one last takedown, mounting Pickett's back in the final move of his career.

Sherdog Scores

Tristen Critchfield scores the round 10-9 Faber (30-26 Faber)
Chris Nelson scores the round 10-9 Faber (30-26 Faber)
Mike Sloan scores the round 10-9 Faber (30-26 Faber)

The Official Result

Urijah Faber def. Brad Pickett via Unanimous Decision (30-26, 30-26, 30-26) R3 5:00

Sage Northcutt vs. Mickey Gall

Round 1

The welterweights tangle early and Northcutt looks to feel Gall uppercuts in the clinch, but Gall changes levels and plants "Super Sage" on the ground near the fence. Northcutt tries to wrap up Gall in guard, but Gall advances to half guard on the right side and loops his left arm around Northcutt's head. Northcutt defends the potential guillotine with two-on-one, so Gall switches to an arm-triangle setup and tries to step over. With 2:50 on the clock, Gall passes to side control, but Northcutt bellies out and rolls to his knees. Gall grabs a guillotine in the transition and drops to guard, but Northcutt postures up and looks to be in good position to defend the choke. Northcutt frees his head and now works from top position with two minutes left in the round. Northcutt stands up, leaving Gall on the ground, and he drops a hammerfist on Gall's head. Gall grins before referee Herb Dean steps between the fighters and orders Gall back to his feet. Gall snatches a low kick and spins Northcutt back to the mat, this time in the center of the cage. Northcutt tries to roll toward the cage and escape, but Gall stays heavy on top and finishes the round dropping punches.

Sherdog Scores

Tristen Critchfield scores the round 10-9 Gall
Chris Nelson scores the round 10-9 Gall
Mike Sloan scores the round 10-9 Gall

Round 2

Northcutt decks Gall with a left hand and then stands over him, kicking at Gall's legs until he stands. Gall shoots for a takedown, gets stuffed, but as he releases, he clips Northcutt with a wide punch on the temple. Northcutt drops to his knees and dodges Gall's follow-up punch, so Gall spins to take Northcutt's back. Gall slaps on a rear-naked choke, constricts to work his arm underneath Northcutt's chin and bears down on the choke. Northcutt hesitates for a split second before tapping out.

The Official Result

Mickey Gall def. Sage Northcutt via Submission (Rear-Naked Choke) R2 1:40

Paige VanZant vs. Michelle Waterson

Round 1

Veteran official John McCarthy is the referee for tonight's 115-pound main event, scheduled for five rounds. Waterson denies an early clinch attempt and switches stances in front of VanZant, who hops around the outside in a tense opening minute. VanZant tries to step inside and eats a right hand from the "Karate Hottie," and now Waterson stuffs a head-and-arm throw to shove VanZant against the fence. Waterson hits a throw of her own and latches on to VanZant's back with a body triangle, and now VanZant is fighting off a rear-naked choke with more than half the round still to go. VanZant rolls into the body triangle, so Waterson switches to the other side. Waterson wraps her left arm around VanZant's throat, and the choke is looking very deep. VanZant is doing well to peel away Waterson's hands, but the veteran isn't giving up on the choke. VanZant refuses to tap, goes unconscious, and referee McCarthy steps in to top the bout. Former Invicta FC champion Michelle Waterson collects the biggest win of her career with a first-round submission of Paige VanZant.

The Official Result

Michelle Waterson def. Paige VanZant via Technical Submission (Rear-Naked Choke) R1 3:21