UFC Fight Night Report: Erin Blanchfield submits Jessica Andrade in the second round
On Saturday evening, the UFC held a Fight Night event from the Apex Facility in Las Vegas, Nevada. The card was originally scheduled to be headlined by a flyweight bout between former title challenger Talia Santos and Erin Blanchfield, but a week out from the fight, Santos chose to withdraw from the bout after her corner were denied visas, and would thus be unable to corner her for the fight. On a week’s notice, former UFC Strawweight Champion, Jessica Andrade, stepped in to face Blanchfield, in what would certainly mark Blanchfield’s greatest test to date. Blanchfield has looked quite dominant throughout her four UFC bouts, and a win against a fighter on the level of Jessica Andrade could very well move her to the front of the title shot conversation at flyweight. This card also featured Alexander Hernandez moving back up to lightweight on short notice, as he faced Jim Miller, who made his forty-first octagon appearance on this night.
The commentary team for this card consisted of Brendan Fitzgerald, Laura Sanko, and Paul Felder. Performance of the Night bonuses were awarded to Erin Blanchfield and Mayra Bueno Silva. Fight of the Night bonuses went out to Evan Elder and Nazim Sadykhov.
QUICK RESULTS:
PRELIMINARY CARD:
- Clayton Carpenter def. Juancamilo Ronderos by rear naked choke at 3:13 of Round 1
- A.J. Fletcher def. Themba Gorimbo by guillotine choke at 1:37 of Round 2
- Philipe Lins def. Ovince Saint Preux by TKO at 0:49 of Round 1
- Jamall Emmers def. Khusein Askhabov by unanimous decision (30-27 all)
- Mayra Bueno Silva def. Lina Lansberg by kneebar at 4:45 of Round 2
- Nazim Sadykhov def. Evan Elder by TKO at 0:38 of Round 3
MAIN CARD:
- Alexander Hernandez def. Jim Miller by unanimous decision (30-27, 30-27, 29-28)
- Marcin Prachnio def. William Knight by unanimous decision (30-27 all)
- Jamal Pogues def. Josh Parisian by unanimous decision (30-27, 30-27, 29-28)
- Zac Pauga def. Jordan Wright by unanimous decision (30-27, 30-27, 29-28)
- Erin Blanchfield def. Jessica Andrade by rear naked choke at 1:37 of Round 2
CLAYTON CARPENTER (6-0, 125) VS JUANCAMILO RONDEROS (4-1, 125) – FLYWEIGHT
Ronderos took Carpenter down in the fights opening minute, where he began to work from Carpenter’s guard. Ronderos connected with some solid ground and pound strikes, but Carpenter was able to threaten a triangle choke off of his back, which allowed him to take top position. Carpenter took the back of Ronderos with two and a half minutes to work, and he quickly sunk in a rear naked choke, forcing Ronderos to submit.
WINNER: Clayton Carpenter by rear naked choke at 3:13 of Round 1
Carpenter certainly had to overcome some early adversity after Ronderos secured a takedown so quickly, but he was a sizeable favourite going into this fight, and he made good on those odds by reversing the positioning and securing the first-round finish. It was a strong performance from Carpenter in his UFC debut, and it was a clear display of why he’s such a highly regarded prospect at flyweight. This marked the third submission finish of Carpenter’s career to this point.
A.J. FLETCHER (9-2, 171) VS THEMBA GORIMBO (10-3, 171) – WELTERWEIGHT
Gorimbo shot for a takedown early in the fight and was able to take Fletcher down before taking Fletcher’s back just a minute into the bout. Fletcher was able to reverse the positioning and began to work from top position with quite a bit of time remaining in the round to work. Fletcher moved into mount, where he dropped down some heavy elbows. Fletcher maintained the position until the end of the round, and this was a rather clear round to score in his favour.
Gorimbo took the fight back to the ground just seconds into round two, but, once again, he was unable to keep Fletcher down, and this time, Fletcher hurt him with a huge elbow before jumping for a guillotine choke, which eventually forced Gorimbo to tap.
WINNER: A.J. Fletcher by guillotine choke at 1:37 of Round 2
This bout played out in a similar fashion to the previous fight on this card, with the underdog securing an early takedown before the sizeable favourite reversed the positioning, and eventually, finished the fight. I thought Fletcher looked quite good here, and the finish was very impressive, catching Gorimbo with a perfectly timed elbow before trapping him with the fight-ending guillotine choke. Fletcher was coming into this fight coming off of a pair of losses, so this was a much-needed win for him, and this marked Fletcher’s first win in the promotion.
OVINCE SAINT PREUX (26-16, 206) VS PHILIPE LINS (15-5, 203.5) – LIGHT HEAVYWEIGHT
A straight left hand from Lins hurt Ovince Saint Preux in the opening seconds, and he immediately went on the attack as he tried to put OSP away. Saint Preux attempted to circle the cage to recover, but Lins was relentless, and a looping left hand eventually sent OSP to the ground hard, ending the fight.
WINNER: Philipe Lins by KO at 0:49 of Round 1
Lins hurt OSP in one of the first exchanges of the bout, and he gave Saint Preux absolutely no room to recover, just swarming him with strikes until the fight was finally stopped. It was a strong showing from Lins, who has been in desperate need of a result like this since joining the promotion in 2020. It seems clear that Light Heavyweight is a better weight class for Lins to compete in despite his earlier success at heavyweight, and he has compiled a record of 2-0 since dropping down to 205lbs last year. For Saint Preux, this was a rather tough loss for the former Interim Light Heavyweight title challenger, with this marking the quickest stoppage loss of his career. He has now lost three of his last four fights, with that lone win coming by way of a split decision against Shogun Rua last year.
JAMALL EMMERS (18-6, 145) VS KHUSEIN ASKHABOV (23-0, 146) – FEATHERWEIGHT
Askhabov closed the distance and pressed Emmers against the cage, but a knee from Askhabov landed low, which led to him losing the position. Askhabov landed a pair of heavy leg kicks as the action resumed, which prompted Emmers to respond with a series of leg kicks of his own. The fighters traded wide hooks to the head, as well as short shots to the body he clinch towards the end of the round. This was a very competitive opening of five minutes. 10-9 Emmers.
Askhabov partially landed a right hook to begin round two, before Emmers defended a takedown attempt from his opponent. Emmers was able to catch Askhabov on his way in with a right hand, which stopped him in his tracks momentarily. Askhabov attempted some creative kicks, to varying levels of success. A big right hand from Emmers grounded Askhabov late in the round, and while Askhabov welcomed Emmers into his guard, Emmers opted to remain on his feet, kicking at the legs of Askhabov. 20-18 Emmers.
Emmers defended another takedown early in the final round, before securing one of his own. At one point, Askhabov was able to scramble into top position, but Emmers quickly took back control of the grappling, and he spent the vast majority of the round in top position. Askhabov escaped to his feet late in the round but unsuccessfully shot for another takedown, which allowed Emmers to sprawl and ends the fight in top position, throwing down strikes. 30-27 Emmers.
WINNER: Jamall Emmers by unanimous decision (30-27 all)
These two fought at a remarkable pace early in the fight, and that pace took its toll on the fighters, especially Askhabov. Once Askhabov had gassed, he started shooting for takedowns, and Emmers was able to consistently defend the attempts, often taking top position in the process. Emmers had the edge in activity all fight, and that output and stamina were the difference makers in what otherwise seemed to be a fairly even matchup. Emmers is now 2-2 in the UFC following this win.
LINA LANSBERG (10-7, 135.5) VS MAYRA BUENO SILVA (9-2, 136) – BANTAMWEIGHT
Bueno Silva opened up with a heavy leg kick before Lansberg was given a warning for an inadvertent eye poke. As the action resumed, Bueno Silva attacked the body of Lansberg with numerous teep kicks. The kicks to the body quickly took their toll on Lansberg, who was effectively being shut down by the early body shots in the fight. Lansberg closed the distance and attempted to wrestle Bueno Silva in the clinch, which largely relieved her from the damage being done to her body, but Bueno Silva secured the takedown and ended the round in top position.
Bueno Silva quickly brought the fight back to the ground in the second round. She was able to make her way to the back of Lansberg, where she started hunting for a rear naked choke with roughly two minutes remaining in the round. Lansberg escaped to her feet with roughly thirty seconds left but chose to re-engage Bueno Silva in her guard, which proved to be a mistake, as Bueno Silva synched in a kneebar, forcing Lansberg to submit.
WINNER: Mayra Bueno Silva by kneebar at 4:45 of Round 2
Mayra Bueno Silva dominated this fight. Throughout the vast majority of the first round, Bueno Silva attacked the body of Lansberg on the feet, which shut down Lansberg’s offence quickly. Towards the end of that round, Bueno Silva opted to take the bout to the ground, and that’s where she was able to finish the fight in round two, after a poor decision from Lansberg to re-engage Bueno Silva on the ground. I thought this was an excellent performance from Bueno Silva, and in her post-fight interview, she called out Raquel Pennington, which would certainly be a tough test for Bueno Silva, and a sizeable jump in competition.
NAZIM SADYKHOV (7-1, 155.5) VS EVAN ELDER (7-1, 155.5) – LIGHTWEIGHT
Elder connected with a left hand in the fight’s opening minute, as well as a straight right hand. A right hand from Sadykhov found its target, and he was able to defend a takedown attempt moments later. The straight left hands from Sadykhov were finding their home, but a big right hand from Elder grounded him momentarily, which was the biggest shot of the fight to that point. A poke to the right eye of Sadykhov resulted in a pause in the action, but he did not take much time to recover. This was a very entertaining opening round.
Elder tagged Sadykhov with an overhand right, and Sadykhov responded with a pair of left hands. Elder changed levels and secured a takedown with three and a half minutes to work, but Sadykhov quickly returned to his feet. A clash of heads opened up a cut near the right eye of Sadykhov, who seemed to hurt with Elder with a strong left hand. Sadykhov took Elder down moments later, but Elder popped right back to his feet, where he dug into the body with a number of hooks. This was a very close round, but I thought the slight edge in damage went to Sadykhov.
There was a nasty cut that was opened up above the right eyelid of Elder just seconds into the final round, and the cut was very deep. The doctor was brought into the cage, and the fight was immediately stopped.
WINNER: Nazim Sadykhov by TKO at 0:38 of Round 3
This was a very entertaining fight while it lasted. The pace of the bout was intense, with both fighters throwing their strikes with immense power throughout the bout. The doctor’s stoppage finish was an unfortunate ending, but the cut truly was quite deep, and in a position that would greatly impact Elder’s ability to continue competing. I was very impressed by both fighters here, who really gave a great account of their respective abilities, and I would not be opposed to seeing these two run this one back in the future. This win marked Sadykhov’s UFC debut.
JIM MILLER (35-16, 1 NC, 155.5) VS ALEXANDER HERNANDEZ (13-6, 156) – LIGHTWEIGHT
Miller landed a heavy leg kick roughly a minute into the fight. Miller attempted to overwhelm Miller early in the bout, but Hernandez weathered the early storm and started looking for counters as Miller moved in. Hernandez started to find more success as the round progressed, but Miller’s bursts of activity were still effective. The fighters traded kicks to the legs and body before an accidental low blow to Hernandez brought a momentary pause to the action. This was a close round, but I gave the edge to Miller. 10-9 Miller.
Hernandez defended a pair of takedown attempts early in the second round. Hernandez started to attack the body of Miller, and he was doing a good job of avoiding the bigger shots in return from Miller. A big elbow from Hernandez found its target as Miller rushed forward, and he followed that up with a strong combination of strikes, but Miller ate the shots well and continued to push forward. This was another close one, however, I thought Hernandez was just the slightest step ahead of Miller here. 19-19.
The fighters traded strikes in combination to begin the final round, with Miller seemingly getting the better of the exchange after landing a hard left hand. A number of leg kicks from Miller damaged the lead leg of Hernandez, who was reacting poorly to the bigger kicks from Miller. Still, Hernandez continued to land heavy blows to the head, showcasing his advantage in speed over Miller. Miller ate a flush front kick at one point, as well as a clean counter left hook, but refused to go down, and swept the leg out from under Hernandez in the round’s final minute. Miller took the back of Hernandez and attempted to finish him with a choke, but the angle wasn’t quite right, and Hernandez was able to escape and take top position before time expired. Excellent fight. 29-28 Hernandez.
WINNER: Alexander Hernandez by unanimous decision (30-27, 30-27, 29-28)
Hernandez is known as a fast starter who tends to fade, but he managed to keep his pace up here for fifteen minutes against a very game Jim Miller. Both fighters showcased a very impressive level of durability in this bout. The wild change in momentum kept things interesting until the very final moments of the fight, where Jim Miller almost pulled off the final-minute finish with his back take and rear naked choke attempt. This was a solid win for Hernandez on short notice, but in his post-fight interview, Hernandez stated that he will be returning to featherweight for his next one.
WILLIAM KNIGHT (11-4, 206) VS MARCIN PRACHNIO (15-6, 205) – LIGHT HEAVYWEIGHT
There wasn’t a ton of activity from either fighter early in the fight, but when Prachnio threw his kicks, he was throwing with power. Prachnio was out landing Knight by a significant amount, who was really falling behind in terms of activity. Knight offered almost nothing here in the first round, and I’d say that Prachnio won this won by default, just by attempting more offensively. 10-9 Prachnio.
Prachnio connected with a number of leg kicks in the second round that got a huge reaction out of Knight, who looked as though he was having difficulty putting weight on the leg. Knight finally responded with a big leg kick of his own, but one strike would not be a difference maker for Knight in this fight unless of course, it was a fight-ending blow. This was an extremely one-sided round due to the damage from the leg kicks and the lack of activity from Knight. 20-18 Prachnio.
The third round did not play out in a dramatically different fashion from the previous two rounds. Prachnio attacked the lead leg of Knight while Knight circled the cage, offering nothing in return. Knight was taking an insane amount of damage to his left leg, and he seemed to be in immense pain every time in which Prachnio landed a kick. Knight ate leg kick after leg kick until the end of the fight, and this was as clear of a result as you will ever see in this sport. 30-27 Prachnio.
WINNER: Marcin Prachnio by unanimous decision (30-27 all)
On commentary, Paul Felder described William Knight’s performance as one of the worst efforts to win a fight in UFC history. He was not being hyperbolic. This was a puzzling fight to watch, where Knight more or less stood around and let Prachnio demolish his lead leg for fifteen minutes, without offering much in return. I can’t even say that this was an especially impressive performance from Prachnio, who was essentially just teeing off on a heavy bag for fifteen minutes, but I can’t criticize his performance in any way either. I would actually recommend going out of your way to watch this fight, not because it’s in any way some sort of wildly interesting or entertaining bout, but just for the overall strangeness of Knight’s performance.
JOSH PARISIAN (15-5, 266) VS JAMAL POGUES (9-3, 249.5) – HEAVYWEIGHT
Parisian partially landed a left hand on Pogues in the bouts opening minute but was taken down just moments later. Parisian worked his way back to the feet and created separation, although he ate an elbow in the process. Parisian connected with a front kick at one point but apparently injured his foot in the process. Pogues soon re-engaged Parisian in the grappling department, wrestling with him up against the cage, and eventually, he was able to record a second takedown. 10-9 Pogues.
A minute into the second round, Pogues took the fight back to the ground, where he began to work from half-guard. Parisian exploded to his feet but was quickly brought back to the cage by Pogues, as time was starting to run out in the round. This was far from the most eventful five-minute period, but Parisian began to go on the attack late, and that was likely enough to earn him the round. 19-19.
An accidental low blow to Pogues led to a lengthy pause in the action early in round three. The fighters traded hands on the feet, with Parisian seemingly landing the sharper strikes until Pogues completed a big takedown with just under four minutes remaining in the round. Once again, Parisian was able to climb back to his feet, where Pogues tagged him with a pair of jabs, as well as a heavy elbow. It was a slow round, but I gave the edge to Pogues. 29-28 Pogues.
WINNER: Jamal Pogues by unanimous decision (30-27, 30-27, 29-28)
This was a rather slow-paced, grindy, sort of fight, and this benefitted Pogues, who was able to utilize his grappling advantage to keep the fight in his comfort zone whenever necessary. I thought Parisian looked a bit sharper on the feet, but the threat of the takedown kept him from getting too loose with his striking, and it didn’t take long for him to fatigue from all of the grappling. I wouldn’t say this was a spectacular performance from Pogues, who was a sizeable favourite, but he got his arm raised in the end, and this marked his UFC debut.
JORDAN WRIGHT (12-4, 1 NC, 204) VS ZAC PAUGA (5-1, 205.5) – LIGHT HEAVYWEIGHT
The fighters battled in the clinch early in the bout, with Pauga largely grinding Wright into the cage. The fighters traded knees to the body for a lengthy period of time, until one caught Wright below the beltline, and Wright was given time to recover. They were returned to their previous position, and a short elbow from Pauga opened up a cut right in the middle of Wright’s head. Wright was bleeding heavily by the end of the round, but this one would see a round two. 10-9 Pauga.
Pauga wasted absolutely no time in bringing Wright back to the cage, where he continued to look for big knees and elbows. A right hand from Pauga found its target, and he continued to rack up the control time, holding Wright against the cage, where Pauga landed numerous short shots. He held Wright against the cage for the near entirety of the round, and I thought this was a fairly clear five minutes in his favour. 20-18 Pauga.
A big right hand from Pauga sat Wright down in the final round, but Wright quickly recovered. Pauga continued to employ his strategy from the prior two rounds, holding Wright against the cage for a lengthy portion of the round, where he landed numerous shots to Wright before Wright was able to break away. Wright was unable to land a fight changing shot before time expired, and this one went the distance. 30-27 Pauga.
WINNER: Zac Pauga by unanimous decision (30-27, 30-27, 29-28)
Pauga’s strategy was very effective here, holding Wright up against the cage for the vast majority of the fight, where he did a great deal of damage. Wright had his moments throughout the bout, but this was largely a dominant win for Pauga, who really controlled where the fight took place at all times. Wright can be an entertaining fighter, but he’s had trouble stringing wins together since signing with the UFC, and I would not be shocked if this was his final fight in the promotion for the time being. Pauga improved to 1-1 in the UFC with this win.
JESSICA ANDRADE (24-9, 124) VS ERIN BLANCHFIELD (10-1, 126) – FLYWEIGHT
The fighters traded hands to begin the fight, but it didn’t take Blanchfield long to shoot for a takedown. Andrade defended the attempt well, but Blanchfield was looking sharp on the feet, backing Andrade up with her pressure. Andrade was having trouble finding her range, and in turn, Blanchfield was constantly punishing her defensive flaws, landing some strong shots from outside of Andrade’s reach. Andrade was able to defend a deep takedown attempt in an impressive fashion to end the round.
Andrade was doing a better job pressuring forward in the second round, but a takedown from Blanchfield changed the dynamic of the bout. Blanchfield immediately transitioned to the back of Andrade, where she locked in a rear naked choke and forced Andrade to submit.
WINNER: Erin Blanchfield by rear naked choke at 1:37 of Round 2
This was a tremendously impressive performance from Erin Blanchfield. Blanchfield looked great on the feet, very much holding her own against the hard-hitting Andrade, and arguably even getting the better of their exchanges on the feet. Once Blanchfield got the fight to the ground, however, she really showcased just how legitimate of a top-level grappler she is, just mowing through Andrade in seconds to secure the finish. To Andrade’s credit, she took this fight on very short notice, but still, this was Blanchfield’s biggest win to date, and she made the most of the moment, calling for a title shot in her post-fight interview. I wouldn’t be opposed to Blanchfield getting a title shot in her next bout at all, and I would actually quite looking forward to seeing her match up with Valentina Shevchenko, who has been one of the most dominant champions in UFC history thus far into her reign at flyweight.
