SEATTLE, Wash. -- This is the UFC Fight Night 24 live blog for all the preliminary bouts in support of tonight's UFC on Spike TV event at the Key Arena.
The five bouts to be streamed on Facebook are Alex Caceres vs. Mackens Semerzier, Jon Madsen vs. Mike Russow, John Hathaway vs. Kris McCray, Michael McDonald vs. Edwin Figueroa and Sean McCorkle vs. Christian Morecraft. The three unaired bouts are Aaron Simpson vs. Mario Miranda, TJ Waldburger vs. Johny Hendricks and Waylon Lowe vs. Nik Lentz.
The live blog is below.
Jon Madsen vs. Mike Russow
Round 1: Russow takes the center of the cage right away and does more feinting than punching. Madsen paws with the right hook and tries to stay out of Russow's grasp. Madsen's punching technique isn't t the best, but he seems to have no trouble dealing with Russow's bull rush early on. Madsen misses with a looping right and Russow tries for the clinch, but can't hold him. Madsen clubs Russow's ear with a right hand, then follows up moments later with a couple awkward leg kicks and a knee to the head. Russow, as usual, seems unfazed by blows to the head. Russow rushes in again and gets the clinch against the fence. The crowd grows restless. Madsen wings a left-right combo before the horn. The crowd is still not impressed. MMA Fighting scores the round 10-9 for Madsen.
Round 2: Madsen continues winging those hooks, and Russow continues rushing in for the clinch. Russow successfully trips Madsen down, but can't hold him. Madsen gets up and Russow keeps on him until he manages to drag him down against the fence. Russow lands some punches to the side of Madsen's head, but ultimately has his hands full holding Madsen down. The ref stands them up, and Madsen's left eye is starting to change colors. Russow keeps the pressure on in the clinch, but there's very little offense behind it and the ref separates them after an appropriate interval of booing. Russow hauls Madsen down again and lands some perfunctory ground-and-pound before the bell. Both men are showered with boos. MMA Fighting scores it 10-9 Russow.
Between rounds, the doctor stops the fight due to Madsen's badly swollen left eye.
Mike Russow def. Jon Madsen via TKO (doctor's stoppage) at the end of round two
Alex Caceres vs. Mackens Semerzier
Round 1: A head kick by Caceras is answered by a couple hard leg kicks from Semerzier. Caceras comes in swinging wildly and Semerzier ducks under to get the body lock, then eventually slams Caceras down. Caceras works back to his feet with his knee twisted at an odd angle, but Semerzier uses a leg trip to put him back down. Again Caceras gets up, and again Caceras trips him down. Semerzier takes Caceras' back and looks for the rear naked choke. Caceras defends, but Semerzier stays after it and eventually locks it in. There's no escape for "Bruce Leroy," and he has to tap.
Mackens Semerzier def. Alex Caceras via submission (rear naked choke) at 3:18 of round one
John Hathaway vs. Kris McCray
Round 1: McCray reaches for a takedown off an early punching exchange, but it's going to take more than that to get Hathaway off his feet. They slug it out in close and McCray clinches Hathaway against the fence, trying for a leg trip. Just when it seems he might get it, Hathaway rolls for a foot lock. He's got it on there good, but McCray isn't about to embrace the indignity of tapping to something like that. He hangs on and Hathaway works to his feet just before McCray slams him back down. Hathaway gets back up again, but McCray stays after that leg trip from the clinch and he succeeds in getting Hathaway down again. Hathaway kicks McCray off and tries to scramble up, which earns him a kick to the body. Nice shot landed by Hathaway before the horn. Tough round to score. MMA Fighting scores it 10-10.
Round 2: Hathaway gets after the takedown to start the second, lifting McCray up with a high-crotch grab and briefly putting him down. McCray gets up and they trade in the center, but when Hathaway tries for a knee McCray uses it to slam him down. Hathaway locks on a triangle choke-armbar combo, but McCray rolls out. McCray works some ground and pound from Hathaway's guard, but Hathaway is arguably just as busy from the bottom. Hathaway gets back to his feet and it's clinch time again, according to McCray's watch. Hathaway extricates himself and they swing away in the center, with Hathaway landing more and McCray starting to look a wee bit tired. McCray answers Hathaway's nice right hand with a leg kick, then manages to get top position in half-guard before the bell. MMA Fighting scores it 10-9 Hathaway.
Round 3: Hathaway is definitely the fresher fighter to start the final round. He lands a nice knee to the body and then takes McCray down. Hathaway working out of half-guard and grinding away at McCray now. Hathaway is stating busy, and McCray seems stuck. In the crowd, "Cowboy" Cerrone screams encouragement for McCray, and McCray actually manages to reverse the position. Hathaway gets back to his feet and pulls away. He stings McCray with a jab and then takes him right back down again. They get back to their feet in the final minute, but one more takedown on a weary McCray may have sealed it for Hathaway. He certainly seems to have take less visible damage in this fight. MMA Fighting scores the round 10-9 Hathaway.
John Hathaway def. Kris McCray via split decision (29-28, 29-28, 28-29)
Michael McDonald vs. Edwin Figueroa
Round 1: Figueroa throws a huge windmill of a right hand to start us off. That sets the tone alright. McDonald comes forward behind a punch that hurts Figueroa and backs him up against the fence. They're both swinging away now, with McDonald getting the better of it. He looks like he may go down a couple of times, but he gamely hangs in there and throws back, even if he's missing more than he's landing. They wait only a matter of seconds before going after each other again with wild haymakers. It's official: this is a slobberknocker. McDonald presses forward into the clinch and picks Figueroa up so he can slam him down. Figueroa rolls and manages to kick McDonald away. Back on their feet, McDonald ducks under a hook and lands a solid right. The round ends with Figueroa looking shaky on his feet after one last right from McDonald. MMA Fighting scores it 10-9 for McDonald.
Round 2: They go right back to work exchanging leather in round two, and McDonald gets the takedown quickly. Figueroa looks for a leg lock, but ends up giving up his back. McDonald slips in the rear naked choke and he might have it. It's tight and he's squeezing, but Figueroa manages to pry one hand loose for an escape. Figueroa rolls to top position in McDonald's guard, and nearly gets himself caught in a triangle choke-armbar combo. Again, Figueroa gamely fights it off and hangs in there. McDonald locks in another triangle-armbar, wrenching away at Figueroa's elbow. Somehow, Figueroa toughs it out until McDonald lets it go. This kid must have joints made of rubber. With ten seconds left, Figueroa postures up and throws, even almost taking McDonald's back before the horn. Too little, too late, however. MMA Fighting scores it 10-9 for McDonald.
Round 3: They're slugging it out yet again in the opening seconds, with both men looking a little worn. Figueroa looks to be the more fatigued of the two, but he's still pressing forward and throwing nothing but power shots. One of them may have hurt McDonald, but Figueroa can't quite find him to follow up on it. McDonald shoots and puts Figueroa on his back again, albeit only briefly. Seconds after Figueroa gets up, McDonald puts him back down again, but gives up top position when he tries for what looks like a Peruvian necktie. McDonald rolls for an armbar from the bottom, but Figueroa defends. McDonald lands a nice upkick before Figueroa opts to let him up. They bang away at each other yet again in the final minute, with Figueroa landing a nice head kick. McDonald drops for one last takedown and gets it. That should seal it. These two will be tough to beat for that Fight of the Night bonus.
Michael McDonald def. Edwin Figueroa via unanimous decision (30-27 x 3)
Sean McCorkle vs. Christian Morecraft
Round 1: Morecraft lands a long, leaning leg kick to start us off. Seconds later he punches his way into the clinch and pins McCorkle against the fence. Morecraft tries to use the body lock to get McCorkle down, but he can't quite finish it. McCorkle gets his bearings and puts Morecraft on his back with a leg trip. Morecraft rolls for a leg from the bottom, and McCorkle doesn't do much to defend. Morecraft has a kneebar and McCorkle seems to be wincing in pain, but he withstands it long enough to get Morecraft to abandon it, though Morecraft gets top position in the scramble. Morecraft stands up out of the guard after some ground and pound, and McCorkle beckons him back in. McCorkle is taking some big, deep breaths. Morecraft resumes top position and finishes the round grinding his elbow into McCorkle's face like an angry big brother. MMA Fighting scores the round 10-9 for Morecraft.
Round 2: Morecraft moves into the clinch right away, working a couple knees to McCorkle's body. Morecraft separates and unleashes some punches before dragging McCorkle down and nearly giving up his back. Morecraft gets back to the top position and continues working short elbows. McCorkle scrambles to his feet, but gets stuck in the clinch again. "Big Sexy" doesn't appear to be having too much fun in there right now. A knee from Morecraft catches McCorkle square in the junk, and we have ourselves a brief stoppage. The crowd gets boo-happy for a moment, as if, what, McCorkle should just walk it off? He tries to do just that, and as he passes by press row you can see the lumps taking shape on his face. McCorkle says he's ready to go, and we're back to work. McCorkle tries for a lunging takedown that everyone in the arena can see coming, and Morecraft stops it easily. Morecraft locks on a standing guillotine and it's in there. McCorkle chooses not to tap, and so he slowly melts to the mat as Morecraft chokes him unconscious.
Christian Morecraft def. Sean McCorkle via technical submission (guillotine choke) at 4:10 of round two.
TJ Waldburger vs. Johny Hendricks
Round 1: Waldburger starts us off with a two-punch combo and a head kick before shooting in for a single-leg that Hendricks defends. Waldburger keeps after it from the clinch a moment later, but Hendricks won't be taken down so easily. Hard head kick from Waldburger that Hendricks blocks with his forearms, producing a painfully loud crack. Hendricks responds right away with a left hand and then another that drops Waldburger onto his head. Hendricks moves in to finish and referee Mario Yamasaki dives over Waldburger to stop it. Waldburger rolls to his back, complaining of the stoppage immediately. Replay confirms that he was in trouble, even if he may have recovered quickly.
Johny Hendricks def. T.J. Waldburger via TKO (punches) at 1:35 of round one.
Aaron Simpson vs. Mario Miranda
Round 1: Miranda declines Simpson's offer to touch gloves at the start. Simpson wastes no time rushing in and getting himself tied up against the fence by Miranda, who is a huge favorite with the Seattle crowd. Referee Dan Miragliotta breaks them up and warns Miranda about inactivity. After the restart they go right back to the clinch, this time with Miranda's back on the fence. Simpson hauls Miranda down and tries to take his back standing, but can't secure good positioning. Simpson fails with a leg trip, but later succeeds in throwing Miranda, although he can't keep him down. Another leg trip by Simpson and this time he succeeds in getting Miranda on his back long enough to work some ground and pound from the top. Simpson lands a succession of right hands in the final seconds, but Miranda seems largely unfazed. MMA Fighting scores the round 10-0 for Simpson.
Round 2: Miranda comes forward and gets caught in the exact same clinch against the fence right off the bat. Simpson tries for a leg whip takedown, but only manages to toss Miranda back toward the center of the cage. Simpson gets the clinch again in no time, and takes Miranda down with a leg trip. Simpson is holding him down from the back, but without his hooks in, and Miranda is defending the punches without much trouble, looking up at Miragliotta every so often as if to say, can this really be that interesting to watch? Miranda gets to his feet only to be dumped on his head hard by Simpson, then the scenario repeats itself even harder a few seconds later. Miranda's skull slamming the mat accounts for the hardest hits of the fight so far. Miranda gamely gets up again, and Simpson gets one last leg trip before the end of the round. MMA Fighting scores it 10-9 for Simpson.
Round 3: Simpson goes right for the clinch to start the final frame and Miranda nearly whizzers his way to his own takedown. It's not long before Simpson regains his bearings well enough to briefly get Miranda down again and we're back into the same rinse and repeat cycle we've been for the first two rounds. Again Simpson picks Miranda up and slams him head first, which continues to get a big response from the crowd. Miranda gets right back up, only to be leg-tripped back down, and Simpson open up with some elbows from the top position. Miranda gets back up and -- you guessed it -- another headfirst slam by Simpson. The crowd makes their displeasure with all this predictability known in the final minute, as Simpson winds out the fight in the clinch. MMA Fighting scores the round 10-9 for Simpson.
Aaron Simpson def. Mario Miranda via unanimous decision (30-27, 30-27, 30-26).
Waylon Lowe vs. Nik Lentz
Round 1: Lentz whips a high kick past Lowe's face to introduce himself. It takes all of twenty seconds for the crowd to get restless, and Lentz responds by rushing in and getting tagged with right hook that staggers him. The scenario repeats itself about a minute later, and Lowe adds a third right hook shortly after that that lands cleanly and nearly drops Lentz. Takedown by Lowe, and Lentz tries to work a guillotine, to no avail. Back on their feet, Lentz lands his first clean punches on the night, and Lowe decides he's had enough of standing and trading so he takes Lentz back down with less than two minutes left. Lowe seems content to hold Lentz down as time ticks away. Lentz tries to get to his feet, but Lowe slams him back down. A weak sound that may or may not be the airhorn signaling the end of the round is temporarily ignored. Eventually the ref figures it out and round one is in the books. MMA Fighting scores it 10-9 for Lowe.
Round 2: After about a minute of feints, Lentz charges straight in and gets tagged with that same right hook. Moments later Lentz throws a head kick that mostly gets through Lowe's defenses. A takedown attempt by Lowe almost turns into a standing guillotine, but then they abandon the grappling to trade bombs in the center of the cage. The crowd is into it for the first time tonight, but Lentz has had enough and he shoots for a double-leg. Lowe stifles him and then gets a takedown of his own. We're back to Lowe holding Lentz down as the referee calls for action. With a minute left, the ref stands them up. Lowe dives in with a right and they both land simultaneously. Lentz may have gotten the worst of it, but he ends the round by stopping a Lowe takedown and landing some elbows to the body. MMA Fighting scores it 10-9 for Lowe.
Round 3: Lowe continues to make Lentz come to him so he can counter with short hooks and then slip out of the way. It's an effective tactic, as Lentz is apparently less willing to draw the crowd's ire than Lowe is. A good lead left from Lowe staggers Lentz, but instead of pressing forward behind it, Lowe keeps back away. Lentz opens up and keeps coming forward, though Lowe is tagging him freely now. Lentz is cut under his left eye, and Lowe staggers him with another right hook behind the ear. Lowe drops for a takedown and Lentz snaps on a guillotine. It's tight, and Lowe tries to slam it loose, with little effect. Lowe has no choice but to tap, and there goes the win that was very nearly his.
Nik Lentz def. Waylon Lowe via submission (guillotine choke) at 2:24 of round three.
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The five bouts to be streamed on Facebook are Alex Caceres vs. Mackens Semerzier, Jon Madsen vs. Mike Russow, John Hathaway vs. Kris McCray, Michael McDonald vs. Edwin Figueroa and Sean McCorkle vs. Christian Morecraft. The three unaired bouts are Aaron Simpson vs. Mario Miranda, TJ Waldburger vs. Johny Hendricks and Waylon Lowe vs. Nik Lentz.
The live blog is below.
More Coverage: UFC Fight Night 24 Results | Latest UFC News
Jon Madsen vs. Mike Russow
Round 1: Russow takes the center of the cage right away and does more feinting than punching. Madsen paws with the right hook and tries to stay out of Russow's grasp. Madsen's punching technique isn't t the best, but he seems to have no trouble dealing with Russow's bull rush early on. Madsen misses with a looping right and Russow tries for the clinch, but can't hold him. Madsen clubs Russow's ear with a right hand, then follows up moments later with a couple awkward leg kicks and a knee to the head. Russow, as usual, seems unfazed by blows to the head. Russow rushes in again and gets the clinch against the fence. The crowd grows restless. Madsen wings a left-right combo before the horn. The crowd is still not impressed. MMA Fighting scores the round 10-9 for Madsen.
Round 2: Madsen continues winging those hooks, and Russow continues rushing in for the clinch. Russow successfully trips Madsen down, but can't hold him. Madsen gets up and Russow keeps on him until he manages to drag him down against the fence. Russow lands some punches to the side of Madsen's head, but ultimately has his hands full holding Madsen down. The ref stands them up, and Madsen's left eye is starting to change colors. Russow keeps the pressure on in the clinch, but there's very little offense behind it and the ref separates them after an appropriate interval of booing. Russow hauls Madsen down again and lands some perfunctory ground-and-pound before the bell. Both men are showered with boos. MMA Fighting scores it 10-9 Russow.
Between rounds, the doctor stops the fight due to Madsen's badly swollen left eye.
Mike Russow def. Jon Madsen via TKO (doctor's stoppage) at the end of round two
Alex Caceres vs. Mackens Semerzier
Round 1: A head kick by Caceras is answered by a couple hard leg kicks from Semerzier. Caceras comes in swinging wildly and Semerzier ducks under to get the body lock, then eventually slams Caceras down. Caceras works back to his feet with his knee twisted at an odd angle, but Semerzier uses a leg trip to put him back down. Again Caceras gets up, and again Caceras trips him down. Semerzier takes Caceras' back and looks for the rear naked choke. Caceras defends, but Semerzier stays after it and eventually locks it in. There's no escape for "Bruce Leroy," and he has to tap.
Mackens Semerzier def. Alex Caceras via submission (rear naked choke) at 3:18 of round one
John Hathaway vs. Kris McCray
Round 1: McCray reaches for a takedown off an early punching exchange, but it's going to take more than that to get Hathaway off his feet. They slug it out in close and McCray clinches Hathaway against the fence, trying for a leg trip. Just when it seems he might get it, Hathaway rolls for a foot lock. He's got it on there good, but McCray isn't about to embrace the indignity of tapping to something like that. He hangs on and Hathaway works to his feet just before McCray slams him back down. Hathaway gets back up again, but McCray stays after that leg trip from the clinch and he succeeds in getting Hathaway down again. Hathaway kicks McCray off and tries to scramble up, which earns him a kick to the body. Nice shot landed by Hathaway before the horn. Tough round to score. MMA Fighting scores it 10-10.
Round 2: Hathaway gets after the takedown to start the second, lifting McCray up with a high-crotch grab and briefly putting him down. McCray gets up and they trade in the center, but when Hathaway tries for a knee McCray uses it to slam him down. Hathaway locks on a triangle choke-armbar combo, but McCray rolls out. McCray works some ground and pound from Hathaway's guard, but Hathaway is arguably just as busy from the bottom. Hathaway gets back to his feet and it's clinch time again, according to McCray's watch. Hathaway extricates himself and they swing away in the center, with Hathaway landing more and McCray starting to look a wee bit tired. McCray answers Hathaway's nice right hand with a leg kick, then manages to get top position in half-guard before the bell. MMA Fighting scores it 10-9 Hathaway.
Round 3: Hathaway is definitely the fresher fighter to start the final round. He lands a nice knee to the body and then takes McCray down. Hathaway working out of half-guard and grinding away at McCray now. Hathaway is stating busy, and McCray seems stuck. In the crowd, "Cowboy" Cerrone screams encouragement for McCray, and McCray actually manages to reverse the position. Hathaway gets back to his feet and pulls away. He stings McCray with a jab and then takes him right back down again. They get back to their feet in the final minute, but one more takedown on a weary McCray may have sealed it for Hathaway. He certainly seems to have take less visible damage in this fight. MMA Fighting scores the round 10-9 Hathaway.
John Hathaway def. Kris McCray via split decision (29-28, 29-28, 28-29)
Michael McDonald vs. Edwin Figueroa
Round 1: Figueroa throws a huge windmill of a right hand to start us off. That sets the tone alright. McDonald comes forward behind a punch that hurts Figueroa and backs him up against the fence. They're both swinging away now, with McDonald getting the better of it. He looks like he may go down a couple of times, but he gamely hangs in there and throws back, even if he's missing more than he's landing. They wait only a matter of seconds before going after each other again with wild haymakers. It's official: this is a slobberknocker. McDonald presses forward into the clinch and picks Figueroa up so he can slam him down. Figueroa rolls and manages to kick McDonald away. Back on their feet, McDonald ducks under a hook and lands a solid right. The round ends with Figueroa looking shaky on his feet after one last right from McDonald. MMA Fighting scores it 10-9 for McDonald.
Round 2: They go right back to work exchanging leather in round two, and McDonald gets the takedown quickly. Figueroa looks for a leg lock, but ends up giving up his back. McDonald slips in the rear naked choke and he might have it. It's tight and he's squeezing, but Figueroa manages to pry one hand loose for an escape. Figueroa rolls to top position in McDonald's guard, and nearly gets himself caught in a triangle choke-armbar combo. Again, Figueroa gamely fights it off and hangs in there. McDonald locks in another triangle-armbar, wrenching away at Figueroa's elbow. Somehow, Figueroa toughs it out until McDonald lets it go. This kid must have joints made of rubber. With ten seconds left, Figueroa postures up and throws, even almost taking McDonald's back before the horn. Too little, too late, however. MMA Fighting scores it 10-9 for McDonald.
Round 3: They're slugging it out yet again in the opening seconds, with both men looking a little worn. Figueroa looks to be the more fatigued of the two, but he's still pressing forward and throwing nothing but power shots. One of them may have hurt McDonald, but Figueroa can't quite find him to follow up on it. McDonald shoots and puts Figueroa on his back again, albeit only briefly. Seconds after Figueroa gets up, McDonald puts him back down again, but gives up top position when he tries for what looks like a Peruvian necktie. McDonald rolls for an armbar from the bottom, but Figueroa defends. McDonald lands a nice upkick before Figueroa opts to let him up. They bang away at each other yet again in the final minute, with Figueroa landing a nice head kick. McDonald drops for one last takedown and gets it. That should seal it. These two will be tough to beat for that Fight of the Night bonus.
Michael McDonald def. Edwin Figueroa via unanimous decision (30-27 x 3)
Sean McCorkle vs. Christian Morecraft
Round 1: Morecraft lands a long, leaning leg kick to start us off. Seconds later he punches his way into the clinch and pins McCorkle against the fence. Morecraft tries to use the body lock to get McCorkle down, but he can't quite finish it. McCorkle gets his bearings and puts Morecraft on his back with a leg trip. Morecraft rolls for a leg from the bottom, and McCorkle doesn't do much to defend. Morecraft has a kneebar and McCorkle seems to be wincing in pain, but he withstands it long enough to get Morecraft to abandon it, though Morecraft gets top position in the scramble. Morecraft stands up out of the guard after some ground and pound, and McCorkle beckons him back in. McCorkle is taking some big, deep breaths. Morecraft resumes top position and finishes the round grinding his elbow into McCorkle's face like an angry big brother. MMA Fighting scores the round 10-9 for Morecraft.
Round 2: Morecraft moves into the clinch right away, working a couple knees to McCorkle's body. Morecraft separates and unleashes some punches before dragging McCorkle down and nearly giving up his back. Morecraft gets back to the top position and continues working short elbows. McCorkle scrambles to his feet, but gets stuck in the clinch again. "Big Sexy" doesn't appear to be having too much fun in there right now. A knee from Morecraft catches McCorkle square in the junk, and we have ourselves a brief stoppage. The crowd gets boo-happy for a moment, as if, what, McCorkle should just walk it off? He tries to do just that, and as he passes by press row you can see the lumps taking shape on his face. McCorkle says he's ready to go, and we're back to work. McCorkle tries for a lunging takedown that everyone in the arena can see coming, and Morecraft stops it easily. Morecraft locks on a standing guillotine and it's in there. McCorkle chooses not to tap, and so he slowly melts to the mat as Morecraft chokes him unconscious.
Christian Morecraft def. Sean McCorkle via technical submission (guillotine choke) at 4:10 of round two.
TJ Waldburger vs. Johny Hendricks
Round 1: Waldburger starts us off with a two-punch combo and a head kick before shooting in for a single-leg that Hendricks defends. Waldburger keeps after it from the clinch a moment later, but Hendricks won't be taken down so easily. Hard head kick from Waldburger that Hendricks blocks with his forearms, producing a painfully loud crack. Hendricks responds right away with a left hand and then another that drops Waldburger onto his head. Hendricks moves in to finish and referee Mario Yamasaki dives over Waldburger to stop it. Waldburger rolls to his back, complaining of the stoppage immediately. Replay confirms that he was in trouble, even if he may have recovered quickly.
Johny Hendricks def. T.J. Waldburger via TKO (punches) at 1:35 of round one.
Aaron Simpson vs. Mario Miranda
Round 1: Miranda declines Simpson's offer to touch gloves at the start. Simpson wastes no time rushing in and getting himself tied up against the fence by Miranda, who is a huge favorite with the Seattle crowd. Referee Dan Miragliotta breaks them up and warns Miranda about inactivity. After the restart they go right back to the clinch, this time with Miranda's back on the fence. Simpson hauls Miranda down and tries to take his back standing, but can't secure good positioning. Simpson fails with a leg trip, but later succeeds in throwing Miranda, although he can't keep him down. Another leg trip by Simpson and this time he succeeds in getting Miranda on his back long enough to work some ground and pound from the top. Simpson lands a succession of right hands in the final seconds, but Miranda seems largely unfazed. MMA Fighting scores the round 10-0 for Simpson.
Round 2: Miranda comes forward and gets caught in the exact same clinch against the fence right off the bat. Simpson tries for a leg whip takedown, but only manages to toss Miranda back toward the center of the cage. Simpson gets the clinch again in no time, and takes Miranda down with a leg trip. Simpson is holding him down from the back, but without his hooks in, and Miranda is defending the punches without much trouble, looking up at Miragliotta every so often as if to say, can this really be that interesting to watch? Miranda gets to his feet only to be dumped on his head hard by Simpson, then the scenario repeats itself even harder a few seconds later. Miranda's skull slamming the mat accounts for the hardest hits of the fight so far. Miranda gamely gets up again, and Simpson gets one last leg trip before the end of the round. MMA Fighting scores it 10-9 for Simpson.
Round 3: Simpson goes right for the clinch to start the final frame and Miranda nearly whizzers his way to his own takedown. It's not long before Simpson regains his bearings well enough to briefly get Miranda down again and we're back into the same rinse and repeat cycle we've been for the first two rounds. Again Simpson picks Miranda up and slams him head first, which continues to get a big response from the crowd. Miranda gets right back up, only to be leg-tripped back down, and Simpson open up with some elbows from the top position. Miranda gets back up and -- you guessed it -- another headfirst slam by Simpson. The crowd makes their displeasure with all this predictability known in the final minute, as Simpson winds out the fight in the clinch. MMA Fighting scores the round 10-9 for Simpson.
Aaron Simpson def. Mario Miranda via unanimous decision (30-27, 30-27, 30-26).
Waylon Lowe vs. Nik Lentz
Round 1: Lentz whips a high kick past Lowe's face to introduce himself. It takes all of twenty seconds for the crowd to get restless, and Lentz responds by rushing in and getting tagged with right hook that staggers him. The scenario repeats itself about a minute later, and Lowe adds a third right hook shortly after that that lands cleanly and nearly drops Lentz. Takedown by Lowe, and Lentz tries to work a guillotine, to no avail. Back on their feet, Lentz lands his first clean punches on the night, and Lowe decides he's had enough of standing and trading so he takes Lentz back down with less than two minutes left. Lowe seems content to hold Lentz down as time ticks away. Lentz tries to get to his feet, but Lowe slams him back down. A weak sound that may or may not be the airhorn signaling the end of the round is temporarily ignored. Eventually the ref figures it out and round one is in the books. MMA Fighting scores it 10-9 for Lowe.
Round 2: After about a minute of feints, Lentz charges straight in and gets tagged with that same right hook. Moments later Lentz throws a head kick that mostly gets through Lowe's defenses. A takedown attempt by Lowe almost turns into a standing guillotine, but then they abandon the grappling to trade bombs in the center of the cage. The crowd is into it for the first time tonight, but Lentz has had enough and he shoots for a double-leg. Lowe stifles him and then gets a takedown of his own. We're back to Lowe holding Lentz down as the referee calls for action. With a minute left, the ref stands them up. Lowe dives in with a right and they both land simultaneously. Lentz may have gotten the worst of it, but he ends the round by stopping a Lowe takedown and landing some elbows to the body. MMA Fighting scores it 10-9 for Lowe.
Round 3: Lowe continues to make Lentz come to him so he can counter with short hooks and then slip out of the way. It's an effective tactic, as Lentz is apparently less willing to draw the crowd's ire than Lowe is. A good lead left from Lowe staggers Lentz, but instead of pressing forward behind it, Lowe keeps back away. Lentz opens up and keeps coming forward, though Lowe is tagging him freely now. Lentz is cut under his left eye, and Lowe staggers him with another right hook behind the ear. Lowe drops for a takedown and Lentz snaps on a guillotine. It's tight, and Lowe tries to slam it loose, with little effect. Lowe has no choice but to tap, and there goes the win that was very nearly his.
Nik Lentz def. Waylon Lowe via submission (guillotine choke) at 2:24 of round three.
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