Welcome to Fightful.com's live coverage of UFC on Fox 20! We'll be bringing you quick results and mini-blogs of the preliminary fights, followed by full, round-by-round coverage of the main card. After the show, join Fightful.com managing editor Sean Ross Sapp for a post-show podcast!
Main card (FOX at 8 p.m. ET)
Valentina Shevchenko (#7) defeated Holly Holm (#2) via unanimous decision (49-46, 49-46, 49-46)
Edson Barboza (#6) defeated Gilbert Melendez via unanimous decision (30-27, 29-28, 30-27)
Francis Ngannou defeated Bojan Mihajlovic via TKO (strikes) Round 1, 1:34
Felice Herrig defeats Kailin Curran via submission (rear naked choke) Round 1, 1:59
Undercard (FOX at 6 p.m. ET)
Eddie Wineland (#15) defeated Frankie Saenz via TKO (punches) Round 3, 1:54
Darren Elkins (#11) defeated Godofredo Pepey by unanimous decision (29-27, 29-27, 30-26)
Kamaru Usman defeated Alexander Yakovlev via unanimous decision (30-25, 30-25, 30-25)
Michel Prazeres defeated J.C. Cottrell via unanimous decision (30-27, 30-27, 30-26)
Undercard (UFC Fight Pass at 4:30 p.m. ET)
Alex Oliveira defeated James Moontasri via unanimous decision (30-26, 30-25, 30-26)
Jason Knight defeated Jim Alers via unanimous decision (29-28, 28-29, 29-28)
Luis Henrique defeated Dmitry Smolyakov via submission (rear naked choke) Round 2, 3:28
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Prelim Results:
Luis Henrique defeated Dmitry Smolyakov via submission (rear naked choke) Round 2, 3:28- An impressive finish for the 22 year old Heavyweight prospect Henrique. Most UFC Heavyweights tend to skew older, so it'll be interesting to see how he continues after starting out 1-1 in the company.
Jason Knight defeated Jim Alers via unanimous decision (29-28, 28-29, 29-28)- The score cards don't really reflect how active Jason Knight was during this fight. Also, he was actively talking trash to Alers, and looked like he succeeded in getting to him. This could be it for Alers in the UFC after going winless in three straight fights.
Alex Oliveira defeated James Moontasri via unanimous decision (30-26, 30-25, 30-26)- Moontasri took a real rocker to the balls, and looked like he wouldn't be able to continue. Oliveira was able to get two 10-8 rounds from a judge, which seem to be getting handed out more liberally of late.
Michel Prazeres defeated J.C. Cottrell via unanimous decision (30-27, 30-27, 30-26)- The real highlight of this fight came in the third round when Cottrell lost his mouth guard. The referee didn't notice it through the remainder of the round.
Kamaru Usman defeated Alexander Yakovlev via unanimous decision (30-25, 30-25, 30-25)- Well this was a beating. Just one sided. Yakovlev offered absolutely nothing, and had a point deducted in the first round after repeatedly grabbing the cage. He didn't stop doing it, either.
Darren Elkins defeated Godofredo Pepey by unanimous decision (29-27, 29-27, 30-26)- Darren Elkins was really aggressive and utilized his wrestling really well during this fight. Pepey landed an egregiously bad, illegal knee to the downed Elkins and had a point deducted. This is Elkins' 10th featherweight win, putting him second all time in the UFC in the division.
Eddie Wineland (#15) defeated Frankie Saenz via TKO (punches) Round 3, 1:54- That's a big time win for Wineland. Saenz is a former top-15 fighter, and Wineland hadn't won since considering retirement following his broken jaw.
MAIN CARD
Felice Herrig vs. Kailin Curran
Round 1: Herrig starts out with some hard leg kicks, but walks into a head kick. Herrig takes Curran down, scores a great half-guard pass to take the back and submits her with a rear-naked choke!
Official Result: Felice Herrig defeats Kailin Curran via submission (rear naked choke) Round 1, 1:59
Well, it doesn't get much more impressive than that. A complete, one-sided parking from Felice Herrig in her return to the cage.
Francis Ngannou vs. Bojan Mihajlovic
Round 1: Ngannou hunts Bojan down, blasts him and finishes up on the ground. That's it. Bojan isn't happy about it.
Official Result: Francis Ngannou defeated Bojan Mihajlovic via TKO (strikes) Round 1, 1:34
Francis Ngannou has now won three consecutive fights in an incredibly unpredictable heavyweight division. Bojan protested the stoppage, but it was gonna get worse.
Edson Barboza (#6) vs. Gilbert Melendez
Round 1: Barboza opens with two big leg kicks. Melendez shoots for a single, but Barboza shucks it off with no problem. Melendez catches a kick and scores with a knee, but Barboza regains his footing and lands another leg kick. Melendez connects with a right hook that is answered. Melendez with another right hook, then Barboza gets a body kick. A good combo and uppercut from Barboza find a home, as does a spin kick.
Fightful.com scores round 1 for Barboza 10-9
Round 2: Barboza is trying to work the outside, and tosses Melendez on the ground like a child on a takedown attempt. Barboza starts kicking at the legs before being let up. Barboza starts to make Melendez rethink his life, dropping him twice with leg kicks, then scoring two body kicks. Melendez manages to catch Barboza with a couple of punches, but can't take him down. Barboza takes Melendez down and finishes with ground and pound to take the round.
Fightful.com scores round 2 for Barboza 10-9
Round 3: The entire round is leg kicks. Not just any leg kicks, Edson Barboza leg kicks. Melendez just eats them repeatedly, and he's looking rough. The round closes with Melendez holding his hands up, signifying victory for some reason
Fightful.com scores round 3 for Barboza, 10-9, giving him a 30-27 win
Official Result: Edson Barboza (#6) defeated Gilbert Melendez via unanimous decision (30-27, 29-28, 30-27)
Check out our full post-fight story on Barboza vs. Melendez at this link.
Holly Holm (#2) vs. Valentina Shevchenko (#7)
Round 1: Shevchenko starts out in a muay thai stance. Holm uses a front kick to the back leg of Shevchenko. The size difference is visually obvious, with Holm being much bigger. Shevchenko connects with a right, but Holm drops her with a 1-2 combo. Shevchenko catches Holm coming in with a right hand. It happens again, as Valentina times Holm. Shevchenko takes Holm down, but Holm is right up, throwing a couple of knees to the body and legs.
Fightful.com scores Round 1 for Holm 10-9
Round 2: Shevchenko goes for a wild axe kick, but nothing's doing. Shevchenko gets a jab and a nice counter hook, before almost landing a spinning back fist. Holm goes to the body with a kick, then to the knee. Valentina connects with a left hand, then another jab. Holm and Shevchenko start trading at range, both landing. Holm gets a couple of leg kicks, but Shevchenko counters.
Fightful scores Round 2 for Shevchenko 10-9
Round 3: Holm kicks the knee, but gets her leg kicked in the process. Another counter hook lands for Shevchenko. Holm goes for a Superman punch while Shevchenko tries a spinning back fist, neither land. Shevchenko counters with a couple of takedowns, and Holm is cut near her eye. Holm is flat on her back, eating short punches. Shevchenko isn't very active from here.
Fightful.com scores Round 2 for Shevchenko 10-9
Round 4: Holm scores a jab out of the gate, then a body kick. Another front kick from Holm finds a home. Shevchenko unleashes a nice combo, then misses a wheel kick. Valentina has really timed Holm, and is countering almost everything. Holm turns away from a takedown attempt after a couple of straight punches. Holm lands to the body with a kick, then over the top with a punch. Shevchenko sets up a leg kick by feigning a Superman punch. A couple of kicks from Valentina land.
Fightful.com scores Round 4 for Shevchenko 10-9
Round 5: Holm keeps coming up short and getting countered in the first two minutes. Shevchenko gets a wheel kick and a couple of leg kicks. Holm gets a nice combo into a leg kick, then another into a body kick. Shevchenko fires back with a jab. Holm made no adjustments at all, and she's paying for it here. They slug it out to close the fight.
Fightful.com scores Round 5 for Shevchenko 10-9, giving her the fight 49-46
Official Result: Valentina Shevchenko (#7) defeated Holly Holm (#2) via unanimous decision (49-46, 49-46, 49-46)
See our full fight story on Valentina Shevchenko vs. Holly Holm at this link
