(Josh Hedges via Getty Images)
Another fantastic night of fights for the UFC in Kansas City. If there’s one thing I’ve noticed with this card, it’s that every fighter here has showcased an immense amount of heart. Starting the main card, Ikram Aliskerov took on Andre Muniz in an unranked Middleweight bout. Both fighters, spend the first couple minutes identifying range and even exchanging nice spinning kicks at each other. Aliskerov is still the one pushing forward and pressuring Muniz. Muniz is trying to make Aliskerov back off but everything he throws does not deter him. As the round spans past the 3 minute mark, Aliskerov gains more confidence and bulldozes forward into a clinch against the cage. Muniz attempts a return takedown, but Aliskerov stuffs it. Aliskerov is finding a lot of success with his straight right hand, both to the head and body. Also, keeping Muniz at bay with great body teep kicks. A great left hook by Aliskerov while Muniz is against the fence staggers Muniz and he falls over covering up the onslaught of punches leading to the TKO win by Ikram Aliskerov.
Ikram Aliskerov wins by TKO vs Andre Muniz (Round 1 @ 4:54)
Up next, Randy “Rude Boy” Brown takes on another Welterweight contender Nicolas Dalby. From the jump, these two did not hesitate in exchanging punches. Brown is a lot more slick with his head movement, getting him out of the way for majority of Dalby’s strikes. Brown is setting up his strikes very well with jabs and great cage cutting. Referee Keith Petersen steps in to warn Brown about an accidental eye poke. As both are getting back into the flow, Dalby lands a great right overhand, dropping Brown and following up in his half guard. Brown is doing well controlling posture so Dalby cannot strike with much force until the end of the first round. Dalby dealing with a broken nose, but he still wins the first round 10-9 (possibly even 10-8). It did not take long for both fighters to start barraging each other with strikes, but in the end Randy Brown scores an emphatic knockout with a lean-back, counter right hand.
Randy “Rude Boy” Brown wins by TKO vs Nicolas Dalby (Round 2 @ 1:39)
The third bout on the main card is another Middleweight bout between Michel Pereira and Abusupiyan Magomedov (colloquially referred to as Abus, and how I will be referring to him.) Abus is definitely taking the advantage this round with his pressure. Even when Pereira lands a great counter hook, Abus does not let him win that exchange and ramps up his striking. Possibly to the point of expending way more energy than what he perhaps should. While being close to the fence, Abus shoots a takedown and times it well, taking Pereira to the ground. After some time, Pereira works his way up to his feet by way of wall-walking the fence. Right off the jump, Abus Magomedov starts again with his heavy pressure. A good first round to Abus.
Both fighters have noticeable slowed down since the first round, though Abus is the one walking forward trying to engage. Pereira does land good counters, when he decides to throw back at the same time Abus is throwing. Both fighters have missed a lot this fight, and the crowd is quite unhappy with their performances. A rain of boo’s fell upon the Octagon after the second round ends. An unsatisfying, but still rather decisive round for Abus Magomedov. Michel Pereira really needs to land something devastating if he wants to claw this one back. In the final round, Abus started off strong, but quickly faded and sort of resorted back to how he was the previous round. Still walking forward, and even attempting a takedown, but Pereira was able to defend it. Good body teep kicks by Pereira seem to start keeping Abus away now. The crowd starts singing to themselves due to boredom. Abus cracks Pereira with a huge right hand, but doesn’t have the energy to commit to a finish. After a wild flurry for the last seconds, Abus escapes raising his hands to signify he knows he won this fight.
Abusupiyan Magomedov wins by Unanimous Decision vs Michel Pereira (30-27 x3)
Giga Chikadze vs David Onama is up next as we lessen it down to three fights remaining for the night. Chikadze is definitely the faster fighter, or at least just the more willing to throw this early on. The first minute has been all Chikadze from the very first hard leg kick. Onama is completely game though, he does not deter from walking Chikadze down, landing few shots of his own. Onama seems to be finding a good hook while Chikadze went for a leg kick. Chikadze miscalculates his range and after landing a nice entry, gets countered by Onama and staggered. The patience of Onama seems to be paying off here. Chikadze rushes in with quick hook and immediately starts to press Onama seeing the littlest reaction. Chikadze bit off a bit much more than he could chew, as Onama gets a body lock takedown from the fence wall. Chikadze regains his full guard, but ends the round on the bottom. Close round, but in my opinion Onama takes the round away from Chikadze for landing the more meaningful and damaging strikes.
In the second round, Onama seemed to really make use of taking off the first round and reading Chikadze because he starts pressuring Chikadze with push kicks of his own. Eventually, Onama lands a takedown about halfway into the round, prioritizing a control approach as opposed to a ground and pound approach. It paid off, as with one minute left in the round, Onama grabs ahold of Chikadze back, threatening a rear-naked choke. Chikadze recovers to half guard on his back, though Onama prevents any further escaping. This could be 1-1 or 2-0 favoring Onama, but that was a good second round for David Onama. He even receives cheers from the crowd after that round. In the third round, Onama knows for well his gameplan to win this fight and proceeds to execute it. A takedown comes from Onama a bit after the halfway point and with a minute left yet again, Chikadze attempts to get up while Onama threatens a rear-naked choke in response. Chikadze regains full guard, though Onama knows how to land just the right amount of ground and pound. He goes for a flurry near the end to solidify it.
David Onama wins by Unanimous Decision vs Giga Chikadze (29-28 x3)
It’s time for the co-main event, otherwise known as Anthony Smith’s final walk to the Octagon. Smith in the beginning of the round, was doing pretty good at holding his own for a while. Zhang landed a great elbow that cut open Smith, and caused Smith to start looking for the takedown. Zhang sprawled and starting landing heavy ground and pound and Smith. Smith could not move to a better position. The MMA Gods showing once again that MMA Fighters do not get a graceful exit.
Zhang Mingyang wins by TKO vs Anthony Smith (Round 1 @ 4:03)
Both fighters are starting very measured in this first round. Prates does land a few good low kicks to Garrys calf. Garrys’ footwork is without a doubt levels ahead of Prates. Garry attempted a takedown, perhaps to confuse Prates into letting his guard down towards the striking. Prates defended and got off to the side, forcing Garry to work upwards against the fence. Garry is starting to land his 1-2-Headkick, but not at full power yet. It seems like Garry is many steps ahead of Prates. Garry trips Prates toward the end of the round, and ends up landing a few really hard straights down onto Prates’ head. Good first round from Ian Garry.
Garry is very fluid in the second round right from the very beginning. Mixing up his attacks to varying degrees. Low kicks, body kicks, head kicks, body punches, Ian Garry is just showing off at this point. He believes that he is in no danger in this fight. Garry landing at will, countering almost every thing Prates throws at him. Even mixing in takedowns as well. To top it off, Garry even drops low to spin a leg kick at Prates. Prates really needs to dial in or attempt a takedown of his own, because the stand-up game belongs completely to Garry.
Garry is really trying to land something big, after this first minute of round number three. Prates is doing better at walking down Garry, but Garry is without a doubt landing the bigger strikes (especially body kicks.) Prates looking as if he has very little urgency even though he is most likely down both opening rounds. Garry starting to let loose now, throwing combos and forcing Prates to back up against the fence. Garry lands a great takedown while Prates was looking for counter strikes. Garry postures up to stack guard, but works his way towards Prates’ back. Holding him against the fence, Garry lands great knees forcing Prates to turn. Garry doing a phenomenal job a getting in, hitting, and escaping without being caught by anything. Also, Garry is really starting to find his timing on takedowns. Ian Garry is up three rounds to none.
It appears as if Garry is more hesitant, but is fully aware he has the striking and round advantage throughout this fight. Garry is more grappling oriented in this round too. Two minutes in, after a couple of unsuccessful takedowns, Garry lands a takedown that leads to holding Prates’ back against the fence. Garry lifts up Prates off the fence, and throws him towards the center of the Octagon. Not much happened in the following clinch, so both break and resume striking. Prates finds his first bit of success in the striking, after walking Garry down for the entire round. Prates lands a great combination while Garry can’t sway back past the fence, damn near staggers him. Flashback to Nate Diaz vs Leon Edwards, when Diaz landed that 1-2 that rocked Edwards senseless for a bit. Garry was nowhere near rocked to that extent, but I still give Prates that round. Ian Garry up 3-1 rounds going into the final round.
Prates knows this is his chance to knockout Garry. Prates can sense the danger, but he still finds his way in. He is winning the round after landing a great right hand with Garrys back against the fence. Garry knows he has to stall, and clinches Prates against the fence. Prates escapes to huge cheers by the audience. Prates landed massive punches against Garry to the point Garry was hurt bad. Garry was trying to takedown Prates at any cost, even giving up top mount to Prates. Prates was also supremely compromised in cardio, or else he definitely could have finished that fight. Ian Garry looked unconscious at certain points within the last minute. I actually give that round 10-8 Prates, to the point I think this fight should be scored a Draw.
Ian Machado Garry wins by Unanimous Decision vs Carlos Prates (49-46, 48-47 x2)
